The well-known Mexican author and philosopher Leonardo da Jandra is certainly no stranger in our midst. Although born in Chiapas in 1951, da Jandra has spent over 20 years in Huatulco where he lived with his wife, the painter Agar García. A large part of those 20 years was in Cacaluta, where part of the Parque Nacional de Huatulco and Laguna Zanate is located. He left for Mexico City in 2008 after being told by the authorities that his house was on private property (Cacaluta is also where massive development is underway on properties owned by Fonatur (Fondo Nacional de Turismo)). Among his more well known books about the Oaxacan coast are the trilogy La Almadraba, Huatulqueños, and Samahua. Other works include La Hispanidad, Fiesta y Rito. Though not available in English, those of us non-native speakers that enjoy Spanish literature will find his books challenging, with somewhat complicated sentence structure, extensive vocabulary, and colloquialisms. Not light reading. Continue reading Leonardo da Jandra→
Biographies and autobiographies tell us the story of a person’s life. Like fiction, the quality that makes a particular life a good read isn’t the action or adventure, but the writer’s ability to offer an intimate view of another human being: their motivations, desires, habits, and quirks. This is especially challenging when delving into the life of an artist. Continue reading Biographies and Autobiographies: Lives Through A Microscope→
When asked about short stories, many lovers of novels, biographies, and history find themselves expressing indifference or dissatisfaction for the genre. “I don’t read short stories” or “I don’t care for them” are not unusual responses. Continue reading The Short-But-Sweet Short Story→
It’s ironic that recently published books can already be viewed as “classics.” Yet there are some books and writers destined for this path. From the start, serious readers and some critics knew that Portnoy’s Complaint (Philip Roth, 1969) and Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger, 1951) would be read well into the future by millions of people, young and old alike. Both books look into the nest of confusion that is a young man’s mind. Both were controversial, too, not only in the eyes of critics, but also to those in education, the church, and everyday homes. Even friends disagreed. Continue reading Recent Classics About Youth: What Goes On In Those Minds?→
Frog Music by Emma Donoghue Author of the best-seller Room and the delightful book of short stories based on old newspaper clippings, Astray, her newest book is a story of intrigue and murder that takes place in 19th century San Francisco. Continue reading Eagerly Awaiting 2014’s New Books→
“But it is in reading that we enter the intimacy and wonder of language.” Bassia Bar-Chai
“If you don’t read and write in the language, your Spanish will never improve.” These sage words come from the Spanish maestra quoted above who speaks seven languages fluently. Continue reading Reading To Improve Your Spanish→
Whether you’re buying for family or friends, a Mexican or just a lover of Mexico, here’s a short list of gift possibilities. Most you can find in both English and Spanish, as well other languages. The fascinating and bloody history of this enchanting land has been written about extensively–some books good, some not, some accurate and some not. This quick selection gives you the best from which to choose. Continue reading Understanding Mexico: Gift Ideas for Book Lovers→
A few months ago, the director of the Pochutla jail, Lic. Homero Gonzalez Ortega, and one of the inmates, Beatriz Arcia, approached the Biblioteca de San Agustinillo (a tiny library in an equally tiny village on the Oaxacan coast) for its assistance in creating a library at the prison. Continue reading In Pochutla Jail: Spreading The Joy of the Printed Word→
By Julie Etra
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