Book Review by John S. Christie Luis Alberto Urrea has written another intriguing novel with characteristic humor, and deep sympathy for the characters he creates. Inspired, he claims, in part, by eves-dropping on the conversations of his daughter and friends, Into the Beautiful North: A Novel is dedicated to his daughter and there’s no doubt …
Book Review by John S. Christie Here’s an idea: Oprah should choose this novel so Luis Alberto Urrea can sit down comfortably and write a sequel to it. Then he could do the book tour shindig and plug the value of Latino Literature. A few conversations on daytime TV might do more to promote quality …
Book Review by Jose B. Gonzalez The Heiress of Water By Sandra Rodriguez Barron Publisher: Rayo (2006) ISBN: 0061142816 It’s rare to find a first book by an author and get the sense that the best is yet to come. Yet Sandra Rodriguez Barron shows off her writing skills in The Heiress of Water in such …
Book Review by John S. Christie A Handbook to Luck By Cristina Garcia Knopf (2007) Cristina Garcia’s first novel Dreaming in Cuban has to be recognized as one of a half dozen major works in U.S. Latino fiction. Among the primary contenders for Latino canonical status: Oscar Hijuelos, Julia Alvarez, Sandra Cisneros, Helena Viramontes, Judith …
Book Review by Jose B. Gonzalez Grandma’s Chocolate/El Chocolate de Abuelita by Mara Price Piñata Books, 2010 There is a reason why Piñata Books, an imprint of Arte Publico Press is one of the leading publishers of quality children’s literature in the country. And this book is proof that this tradition will not be going …
