Hey, happy new year! Today is the day set aside to recover from last night, watch football and make resolutions. I’ve got a few of my own for my blog. 2011 was a great year for Latino literature but, with just a few exceptions, most of the books I reviewed were by male authors. So I’m declaring 2012 year of the Latina writer. Each month, I’ll review a classic book from a woman author. Here’s my schedule:
• January – Isabel Allende, The House of the Spirits
• February – Julia Alvarez, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents
• March – Ana Castillo, So Far From God
• April – Denise Chavez, Loving Pedro Infante
• May – Laura Esquivel, Like Water for Chocolate
• June – Cristina García, Dreaming in Cuban
• July – Lorraine López, The Realm of Hungry Spirits
• August – Pam Muñoz Ryan, Esperanza Rising
• September – Esmeralda Santiago, When I Was Puerto Rican
• October – Michele Serros, Chicana Falsa
• November – Alisa Valdes, The Dirty Girls Social Club
• December – Helena Maria Viramontes, Under the Feet of Jesus
As you’ve probably noticed, I didn’t include some prominent writers. I’ve read most of Sandra Cisneros’s books, and I hope she will have a new book out soon that I can review. I also decided not to include academic Gloria Anzaldúa or poet Gabriela Minstral because I wanted to focus on novels or memoirs. I do plan to profile them on their birthdays, as I did for Cisneros.
Besides reading these books, I also hope to attend more plays for my “At the Theater” feature (which I kicked off last month with 26 Miles) and cover lectures by authors (I have tickets to a Luis Alberto Urrea talk in January). Of course, with all resolutions, things don’t always they turn out as planned, so all items are subject to change. I’ve also decided to scale back on my postings from three times a week to twice a week to make things a little easier on myself (and get to work on my own novel). I’m also in the midst of moving the headquarters of The Hispanic Reader, so I’m giving myself a break for a couple of weeks. See you in 2012!
The Hispanic Reader 
Happy New Year. I’m looking forward to your thoughts on these books.
I once got to hear Isabel Allende speak at an arts conference in California. Her storytelling works whether speaking or writing. It was a rare treat for me.
I finished Sum of Our Days over the summer. Amazing story.
“Stand up straight, Willie. We have to row.”
There are some of my favorite books on here and some of my least favorite! It will be so interesting to see what you think! There are also plenty I haven’t read.
@Kinna: Thank you.
@Peggy: I’m jealous. I would love to hear Isabel Allende speak. I have read “Paula” and “Daughter of Fortune,” but I had never read “House” and that’s her most famous book.
@Lu: Thanks for the warning. I’m looking forward to reading these books, too.
What an enticing list. I’m going to make an effort to read the books here that I haven’t read, as well. I am also an admirer of Gabriela Mistral, and used a line from her wonderful poem “Serenity” as the title of my book (When I Am Singing to You–not to be spammy, but b/c it would be weird not to mention it now 🙂 ).
Sharp blog!