[Publib] Re: Publib Digest, Vol 16, Issue 5

[Jeff Papier]

Hi Katie,

As an avid reader of Mexican literature, and a person with many ties to 
Mexico, I would suggest the author Angeles Mastretta.  She's extremely 
well-known in Mexico and the winner of various awards.  Her novels are often 
set in important historical periods (eg Mexican Revolution), and her prose 
is incisive, amusing and poignant.

_Arrancame la vida_  and _Mal de amores_ are both excellent books.  They're 
usually translated as _Tear this heart out_ and _Lovesick_.  The English 
titles sound "romance-y," but the books are not romances, although they do 
focus on love relationships.

Another fine author, now deceased (1928-1983), is Jorge Ibarguengoitia. 
He's written novels, essays, newspaper articles, etc. and  is known for his 
mordant humor, wisdom and social criticism of Mexico.  _Instrucciones para 
vivir en Mexico_ or _Rules for living in Mexico_ is one of his best-known 
works, in which he takes a very ironic, funny and sometimes 
just-beneath-the-surface outraged look at life, customs and mores of his 
native country.

A source of Mexican literature might be Criticas Magazine 
(criticasmagazine.com).  In the publication's own words: "Críticas: An 
English Speaker's Guide to the Latest Spanish-Language Titles is the monthly 
review of Spanish-language books produced by Publishers Weekly, Library 
Journal, and School Library Journal. "  Some libraries get this along with 
LJ, PW, etc.

Hope this helps,

Jeff Papier
South Brunswick Public Library
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08530



> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2006 09:08:12 -0400
> From: "Katie Knight" <kknight at granvillecounty.org>
> Subject: [Publib] chicano Literature
> To: <publib at webjunction.org>
> Message-ID: <MPEJIDKHCNCGJNOBMBELMEFBCEAA.kknight at granvillecounty.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> Hello all,
>
> This may be cross-posted.
>
> I have a library patron who is interested in reading books written by
> Chicano and/or Mexican authors.  He is specifically interested in finding
> and reading authors who are known for having especially brilliant prose 
> (in
> terms of style--think Gabriel Garcia Marquez or Jorge Luis Borges...both 
> of
> whom I realize are South American).
>
> Do any of you have recommendations for authors and/or for resources where
> you can find Chicano/Mexican authors who are specifically "literary" (I'm 
> at
> a loss for a better descriptive term)?
>
> So far I've done some searching on the web and I've looked at some syllabi
> for various Chicano Lit. programs (Chicano Lit Index, Department of 
> Chicana
> and Chicano Studies at UCSB, stuff like that).  However, it's difficult to
> find out which, if any, of the authors are significant for their use of
> language in addition to what it is that they are writing about.
>
> Any information you all can give me will, of course, be greatly 
> appreciated.
>
> -Katie
>
>
> Katie Knight
> Adult Services Librarian
> Granville County Public Library System
> Thornton Library
> 210 Main Street
> Oxford, NC 27565
>
> Phone: 919 693-1121
> Fax: 919 693-2244
>
>
>
>