I was in Puerto Rico this past week. When I vacation, I like to read books set in that location and preferably by an author from there. Before I left, I read a book about the history of Puerto Rico. While traveling, I finished two books by Puerto Rican authors.
I read Esmeralda Santiago’s 1993 memoir When I Was a Puerto Rican. She tells the story of her early childhood in Puerto Rico and her experience of cultural adjustment in the U.S. when her mother moves her and her siblings to New York City. The time period is the 1950s -1960s. Santiago infused her family’s internal and economic struggles with appreciation for Puerto Rican culture.
The second book is Rosario Ferre’s Sweet Diamond Dust and Other Stories , a historical fiction collection. The novella Sweet Diamond Dust is a three-generation story of a sugar cane mill family. Three other long stories follow, each with one or more descendants as characters. All are conflict driven - greed and generosity, history and tradition and change, race and religion and social status, freedom/independence and colonialism, and subsequent family and personal strife - with the political/economic history of Puerto Rico as their base.
Neither was a quick, easy, happy beach read. But if you want insight into Puerto Rico’s history and culture and immigration, these are worth reading.
I’m reading North Woods by Daniel Mason. I hated it the first 70 pages or so but kept reading as we’re discussing it next month. Got better for a few chapters but it is bizarre! It’s about the countless characters who take residence in the yellow house over many years. It figures, it was a finalist for the Pulitzer!
Hi Kathy, I read Extinction I found the opening a little weird in that interesting way that made me want to keep reading despite the cliches. When it moved to Girona I could relate better - I've never been there, but now I wish I could! As wobbly it started, it ended strong - there's a thriller aspect layered over the subtext that you've brought out.
This week I listened to an audiobook of Plato's Symposium. There were different actors for each character and it was more like a play or a drunken dinner party than a philosophy book. If only my introduction to Plato was this fun!
And a thanks to whoever mentioned "Eastbound" by Maylis de Kerangal with Jessica Moore - great novella.
That was Dave Nash--thanks, Dave!
I was in Puerto Rico this past week. When I vacation, I like to read books set in that location and preferably by an author from there. Before I left, I read a book about the history of Puerto Rico. While traveling, I finished two books by Puerto Rican authors.
I read Esmeralda Santiago’s 1993 memoir When I Was a Puerto Rican. She tells the story of her early childhood in Puerto Rico and her experience of cultural adjustment in the U.S. when her mother moves her and her siblings to New York City. The time period is the 1950s -1960s. Santiago infused her family’s internal and economic struggles with appreciation for Puerto Rican culture.
The second book is Rosario Ferre’s Sweet Diamond Dust and Other Stories , a historical fiction collection. The novella Sweet Diamond Dust is a three-generation story of a sugar cane mill family. Three other long stories follow, each with one or more descendants as characters. All are conflict driven - greed and generosity, history and tradition and change, race and religion and social status, freedom/independence and colonialism, and subsequent family and personal strife - with the political/economic history of Puerto Rico as their base.
Neither was a quick, easy, happy beach read. But if you want insight into Puerto Rico’s history and culture and immigration, these are worth reading.
Great recommendations--thank you!
I’m reading North Woods by Daniel Mason. I hated it the first 70 pages or so but kept reading as we’re discussing it next month. Got better for a few chapters but it is bizarre! It’s about the countless characters who take residence in the yellow house over many years. It figures, it was a finalist for the Pulitzer!
You're the second one to mention North Woods. I am more and more intrigued...
Hi Kathy, I read Extinction I found the opening a little weird in that interesting way that made me want to keep reading despite the cliches. When it moved to Girona I could relate better - I've never been there, but now I wish I could! As wobbly it started, it ended strong - there's a thriller aspect layered over the subtext that you've brought out.
This week I listened to an audiobook of Plato's Symposium. There were different actors for each character and it was more like a play or a drunken dinner party than a philosophy book. If only my introduction to Plato was this fun!
A thriller aspect--I hadn't thought of that!
I also wouldn't have thought of listening to Plato on audio. It would seem to be too dense, but apparently not!