THE LATINA BOOK CLUB

Real revolution in language is taking the stranger’s tongue and using it better than he.— Richard Rodriguez HUNGER OF MEMORY The Education of Richard Rodriguez By Richard Rodriguez Bantam, 1982 Memoir Astounding. Superb. A Triumph. The difficult journey of an immigrant child struggling to navigate two cultures, two languages, two worlds is the same now as it was in the 1960’s and 1970's.   The struggle to learn a new language, to be accepted, to belong to the new world takes a toll on the child and can often threaten the bonds of family and culture.   Such is Richard’s story. HUNGER OF MEMORY is the story of Mexican-American Richard Rodriguez, who begins his schooling in Sacramento, California, knowing just 50 words of English, and concludes his university studies in the stately quiet of the reading room of the British Museum.   Here is the poignant journey of a “minority student” who pays the cost of his social assimilation and...

ABRAMS PRESS Chef Aarón Sánchez’s memoir touched my soul. As a fellow Mexican American, I grew up a lot like Aarón and shared the same kind of traditional Mexican cuisines every night at the dinner table. I have a new respect and understanding for the recipes that were passed along within my family, and I now have a deeper appreciation because I recognize that this is connection to my past that will live on forever.   –Oscar de la Hoya, Boxing Legend Happy 2020!   The Latina Book Club has chosen a savory memoir/ cookbook for its first Book of the Month of this new decade.   WHERE I COME FROM: LIFE LESSONS FROM A LATINO CHEF by Aarón Sánchez is inspiring, passionate and delicious.   Right from the start, readers learn that Aarón equates his love of food with his love for his family and heri tage.   He thanks his mother, who pushed him out of the nest at 16 to go work with a well-known New Orleans chef, for his love of cookin...

Women are coming into their own, slowly but surely.  In fact, we almost had our first Female President of the United States. That glass ceiling may not be shattered yet, but one day.  Until then, women will continue to fight for their rights and their place in history, like the women in this month’s Book of the Month by Enriqueta L. Vasquez.  Happy Reading!  THE WOMEN OF LA RAZA An Epic History of Chicana-Mexican American Peoples by Enriqueta L. Vasquez In the beginning there was woman. The Women of La Raza is a “Plain talk” woman’s perspective of history with a special value for both the spoken and written word. I use plain talk because there is a certain respect for plain talk, in the old tradition. In ceremonial circles one asks for, “la Palabra,” to speak. I have been humbled many times by the Indigenous peoples of Mexico where ‘la palabra,’ oratory, is highly valued.—Enriqueta L. Vasquez HERstory!  From goddesses to q...

As we count down to Halloween and Day of the Dead this week, The Latina Book Club will bring you some “dark and intriguing” books to stay up late with.  Happy Reading.  And always, Read Latino!  Thomas Dunne Books / St. Martin's Press For never was a story of more woe  than this of Juliet and her Romeo.   ―   William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet meets Cirque du Soleil! Warring families of traveling performers butt heads and fists over old feuds and superstitions. Matters become worse when Lace Paloma is saved by Cluck Corbeau. Yes, her grandmother would rather see her dead than in debt to her enemy. Lace gets kicked out of her family, and so naturally she moves in with Cluck’s. He is not prepared for the fallout over his good deed, but he’s not sorry either. And when Cupid’s arrow hits them, they will stand firm against both families to protect their love. Congratulations to Anna-Marie McLemore on a fascinating debu...

    The Latina Book Club is proud to welcome author Graciela Limón ,  who will tell us how she celebrates her Latinidad. Plus, we’ll learn about her new suspense novel,  THE INTRIGUING LIFE OF XIMENA GODOY. When I was a little girl growing up in East Los Angeles, I loved school.  You see, I went to Hammel Street School, a public grammar school that had been there since forever, and even better, it was a school where all the kids were Mexican.  Most of us were born in the barrio, but others had recently come up with their familias from Mexico.  But it was all the same; we all spoke Spanish – on the sly, of course, because the teachers scolded or punished us when they caught us talking, as they said, “funny.”  Another thing I loved was that kids took a lunch in a little brown bag, many times exchanging that delicious gordita for a burrito.  I loved school because it was hardly a change from home where I lived with my mom, da...

“My life has been very crazy and difficult… Difficult but happy.” – Jenni Riverdale Avenue Books released February 26, 2013 Like many people, I too discovered Jenni Rivera too late. It wasn’t until her plane crashed that I first heard of "La Diva de la Banda". Another Latina Super Star who’s life had been cut short.  Comparisons to Selena cannot be helped – both Mexican American, both Super Stars, both pioneers in music, both lost too soon. However, Jenni was older and more ...scandalous. WE LOVE JENNI is an unauthorized biography of the late star by New York Times' bestselling author Marc Shapiro and Charlie Vasquez.  Shapiro is known for his bestselling biographies of J.K. Rowling and Justin Bieber.  Vasquez is a well-known journalist. The authors relied heavily on third-party accounts about Jenni, specifically quotes from Elijah Wald, who knew her personally and who wrote the tell-all book of narcocorrida, the new genre of music about "drugs, guns ...

   Here is the story of San Antonio's "Sonia Sotomayor" -- Maria Antonietta Berriozabal!    MARIA, DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANTS  is part memoir, part political dossier. It is a tale of hardship and joy; acceptance and prejudice; poverty and politics. It is also a tale of a strong Latina woman, fortified with the love and support of her family, who enters the world of politics to better herself and her community. Maria’s journey is the fulfillment of the American Dream – for herself, her family and her community. Readers cannot help but cheer Maria’s amazing courage and fortitude. She is a role model for Latinas everywhere. Wings Press BOOK SUMMARY: Like many immigrants, Maria Antonietta Berriozabal’s family left Mexico for a better life in the United States. The family’s trek is long and arduous, but full of hope and faith. The family settles in Laredo, Texas, where Maria is born and raised. From an early age, Maria learns about poverty and prejudice,...

   Tony is a bit too young in age for his character to be believable, but his journey is one faced by many a Latino with two religions, two cultures, two identities. The way to survive is to explore each and take the best of all. The reader is not sure that such a young boy can truly understand that. Book Summary: Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima comes to stay with his family in New Mexico. She is a curandera , one who cures with herbs and magic. Under her care, Tony will begin to discover his heritage and discover himself in the pagan past, in his father's wisdom, and in his mother's Catholicism. And at each life turn there is Ultima, who delivered Tony into the world-and will nurture the birth of his soul. BLESS ME, ULTIMA has been made into a motion picture. Unfortunately, distribution is limited right now to the West Coast, but fans are working on bringing it east. AUTHOR BIO: Rudolfo Anaya is a Mexican-American writer and educator fr...

   The Latina Book Club welcomes author Terri Molina, who is guest blogging with us today about myths and superstitions, and why she adds them to her writing whenever she can. Welcome, Terri! Several years ago I was visiting my sister, Becky, in Illinois. At the time my niece was taking classes to get confirmed in the Catholic Church. As a sponsor I went with my sister to one of the classes (it was so long ago, I don’t remember the class). As an exercise in introduction, the teacher asked everyone in the class--about ten-fifteen people, to write their name--first or last-- on the whiteboard then choose a letter in our name and in five seconds come up with a word to describe us. So, I wrote my name T-E-R-R-I and under the I, I wrote intuitive. It was the first thing to pop into my head and at the time, I wasn’t even sure what it meant much less if it was true. I mean, I’ve never been the type to rush into anything. I’m not an emotional thinker, I don’t wear my heart on m...

FROM THIS WICKED PATCH OF DUST by Sergio Troncoso The University of Arizona Press (2011)       Sergio Troncoso has written a wonderful, heart-warming, universal tale of a family. This story can be about any American family and their struggle to work, pay bills, raise children, save them from the streets, get them through college, and live long enough to see their grandchildren. What’s fascinating about FROM THIS WICKED PATCH OF DUST is that we have not one hero, but a whole family’s worth – Pilar, the mother, who wants to get away from her past and start anew in America; Cuahtémoc, the father, who will do anything for his wife and children even embrace a new country; Julieta, the only daughter, an activist-turned-rebel; Pancho, the caretaker and handyman; Marco, the soldier and teacher; and Ismael, the baby and writer. Often Pilar looks at her children and thinks: “this family seemed like leaves in the wind, from the same tree, yet floating to their...

  “There were plenty of reasons for me to fall in love with Selena. She was a talented, sensual dancer and singer, and a compelling entertainer….I was attracted to that woman I saw onstage. But I fell in love with the real Selena, the woman who laughed hysterically while riding speedboats, was determined to beat every guy in the band at video games, and wore jeans and sneakers and a baseball hat on the bus. “Selena had a huge talent and sang like an angel. But she also worked tirelessly; doing every promotional opportunity that came her way. She made fans and reporters feel like they’d been friends forever. She had a rare gift with people, because she was always true to herself and with everyone she met. She trusted everyone and thought the best of most.”                                      ...