Hello everyone,
I
want to introduce you to a book of short short stories that I loved. A
book that offers a chance to read a wonderfully diverse group of
writers, and about a broad range of experiences.
It is a collective paella of Latino-ness,
and when consumed, provides a realistic and well-balanced view of what it is like
to live a Latino life. * The book is spilling over with delicious fictional tapas that are cross generational and multi-national.
You'll find lust, betrayal and melancholy in the story Alma, by Junot Diaz. Why not dive
into a deep-ass pool of Latino-literature with Insomnia, by V. Pinera.
Maybe you need to be reminded to stay away from wierd teen age girls by The
Hitchhiker. Readers can explore the broad array of
themes deeper by reading more of the individual authors’ works.
The book is a Latino
Grimm’s Fairy Tales, full of little stories offering sage advice, and warnings
to the wise. Like in life itself, there is sadness and longing in many of them,
like in Miss Clairol, or The Back of My Own Head in a Crowd.
Sometimes the tales can break your heart, like mine did when I read the sweet
and desperate, Volar, by Judith Ortiz Cofer. Unfortunately, some
of the stories were so short they left me longing for more, but that’s what a
good short story does, isn’t it?
This is a should
read for all, and a must
read for anyone who isn’t sure which Latino author to read
first. Sudden Fiction Latino: Short Short Stories from The United States and Latin America is
an excellent starting point for anyone new to Latin American fiction,
Until next time,
Until next time,
Lucho
P.S.
Join my mailing list. Want to suggest a book,
or submit a review? Please contact me. Maybe I’ll post it.
*For the sake of
clarity and ease, “Latino” refers to us all: Chicanos, Hispanics, people from Latin
America and the Philippines (yes, the Philippines).
