Monthly Archives: August 2011
Book review: Esmeralda Santiago’s “Conquistadora”
Conquistadora is the tale of a strong, feminist Latina living in the wrong century. Esmeralda Santiago, best known for her 1994 memoir When I Was Puerto Rican, has written the epic story of Ana Larragoity Cubillas, a 19th century Spainard … Continue reading
Filed under 2011 Books, Book Reviews, Fiction
All about the children
As a child of the 1970s and 1980s, I read the Little House on the Prairie, Ramona Quimby and Judy Blume books, and hung out with Strawberry Shortcake. You can’t get any whiter than Laura Ingalls Wilder and Strawberry Shortcake. … Continue reading
Filed under Children's Books
Meet Screenwriter Alvaro Rodriguez
Alvaro Rodriguez is the pen behind a border-set exploitation film, a frenetic kids’ movie and a vampire western, among others. Rodriguez co-wrote the screenplay for this year’s hit movie, Machete, as well as 2009’s Shorts, and 1999’s From Dusk Till … Continue reading
Filed under Author Q&A, Movies
Happy Birthday, Jorge Luis Borges!
Argentinean author Jorge Luis Borges was born 112 years ago today, and Google celebrates his birthday with this great doodle on its home page. The Guardian features an article about Borges, calling him the “master of magic realism.” The Garden … Continue reading
Filed under Classic Authors
Book Review: Francisco Goldman’s “Say Her Name”
Francisco Goldman has turned his pain into one of the most eloquent and most praised novels of the year. Goldman writes about his young wife’s death in the book, Say Her Name. Goldman was married to Aura Estrada, a Ph.D. … Continue reading
Filed under 2011 Books, Book Reviews, Fiction
Tough crowd
School will start soon, and many Hispanic teenagers will be stuck reading about white people again. When I taught English at a high school with a predominantly Hispanic population, I struggled to get my students to enjoy any type of … Continue reading
Filed under Fiction, Young Adult Books
All in the name
A few years ago, I read three books for one selfish reason – the characters had the same last name as me. My last name, DeLeon, isn’t common, so it was exciting to see my name in print. The first … Continue reading
Filed under Book Reviews, Classic Books, Fiction
Welcome to The Hispanic Reader
Hispanics are frequently seen on popular TV shows and movies – but hardly on the pages of best-selling novels. Sure, bookstores will devote some space to Hispanic writers. But you don’t see them as characters in mainstream fiction, even though … Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
