When I Was Puerto Rican: A Memoir (A Merloyd Lawrence Book) - Santiago, Esmeralda Review & Synopsis

 Synopsis

One of "The Best Memoirs of a Generation" (Oprah's Book Club): a young woman's journey from the mango groves and barrios of Puerto Rico to Brooklyn, and eventually on to Harvard

In a childhood full of tropical beauty and domestic strife, poverty and tenderness, Esmeralda Santiago learned the proper way to eat a guava, the sound of tree frogs, the taste of morcilla, and the formula for ushering a dead baby's soul to heaven. But when her mother, Mami, a force of nature, takes off to New York with her seven, soon to be eleven children, Esmeralda, the oldest, must learn new rules, a new language, and eventually a new identity. In the first of her three acclaimed memoirs, Esmeralda brilliantly recreates her tremendous journey from the idyllic landscape and tumultuous family life of her earliest years, to translating for her mother at the welfare office, and to high honors at Harvard.

Review

"Santiago's autobiographical account cinematically recaptures her past and her island culture. What is particularly appealing about Santiago's story is the insight it offers to readers unaware of the double bind Puerto Rican Americans find themselves in: the identity in conflict. Is [she] black or white? Is she rural or urban? Even more importantly, is she Puerto Rican or is she American? [One] can only be grateful that Esmeralda Santiago has chosen to explore her culture and share what she has found."--The Los Angeles Times Book ReviewEsmeralda Santiago is the author of two other highly acclaimed memoirs, The Turkish Lover and Almost a Woman, which was made into a film for PBS's Masterpiece Theatre. She has also written a novel, America's Dream, and has co-edited two anthologies of Latino literature. She lives in Westchester County, New York.

When I Was Puerto Rican

One of "The Best Memoirs of a Generation" (Oprah's Book Club): a young woman's journey from the mango groves and barrios of Puerto Rico to Brooklyn, and eventually on to Harvard In a childhood full of tropical beauty and domestic strife, poverty and tenderness, Esmeralda Santiago learned the proper way to eat a guava, the sound of tree frogs, the taste of morcilla, and the formula for ushering a dead baby's soul to heaven. But when her mother, Mami, a force of nature, takes off to New York with her seven, soon to be eleven children, Esmeralda, the oldest, must learn new rules, a new language, and eventually a new identity. In the first of her three acclaimed memoirs, Esmeralda brilliantly recreates her tremendous journey from the idyllic landscape and tumultuous family life of her earliest years, to translating for her mother at the welfare office, and to high honors at Harvard.

        One of "The Best Memoirs of a Generation" (Oprah's Book Club): a young woman's journey from the mango groves and barrios of Puerto Rico to Brooklyn, and eventually on to Harvard In a childhood full of tropical beauty and domestic strife, ..."

The Turkish Lover

Enthralled admirers of Esmeralda Santiago's memoirs of her childhood have yearned to read more. Now, in The Turkish Lover, Esmeralda finally breaks out of the monumental struggle with her powerful mother, only to elope into the spell of an exotic love affair. At the heart of the story is Esmeralda's relationship with "the Turk," a passion that gradually becomes a prison out of which she must emerge to become herself. The expansive humanity, earthy humor, and psychological courage that made Esmeralda's first two books so successful are on full display again in The Turkish Lover.

        At the heart of the story is Esmeralda's relationship with "the Turk," a passion that gradually becomes a prison out of which she must emerge to become herself."

Almost a Woman

Following the enchanting story recounted in When I Was Puerto Rican of the author’s emergence from the barrios of Brooklyn to the prestigious Performing Arts High School in Manhattan, Esmeralda Santiago delivers the tale of her young adulthood, where she continually strives to find a balance between becoming American and staying Puerto Rican. While translating for her mother Mami at the welfare office in the morning, starring as Cleopatra at New York’s prestigious Performing Arts High School in the afternoons, and dancing salsa all night, she begins to defy her mother’s protective rules, only to find that independence brings new dangers and dilemmas.

        Following the enchanting story recounted in When I Was Puerto Rican of the author’s emergence from the barrios of Brooklyn to the prestigious Performing Arts High School in Manhattan, Esmeralda Santiago delivers the tale of her young ..."

Latino Writers and Journalists

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Provides short biographies of Latino American writers and journalists and information on their works.

        When document forms and Americans labeled Santiago Hispanic she began to feel the loss of her Puerto Ricanness. In an attempt to fit in, Esmeralda devoured the English language so quickly she was able to translate for her mother and ..."

The Publishers Weekly

        Enduring THE RECENT SUCCESSES of Grant : Memoirs and Selected Letters and Americans in Paris : A Literary Anthology are ex- amples of the way the Library of America is " expanding what the notion of great American literature is , " said ..."

The Official YALSA Awards Guidebook

You've waited more than 20 years...finally...at your fingertips...a one-stop source for information about these prestigious awards and books that have been honored as the best This information-packed volume compiles bibliographic information about the books and authors honored by the Alexander, Edwards, and Printz awards given by YALSA-the division of the American Library Association (ALA) that serves the librarians who work with young adults. Essays written by experts in young adult content are included, and there are separate chapters about each award and its criteria. In addition, you'll find complete lists of award-winning books to date, speeches by and interviews with the winning authors, along with brief annotations, publisher information, subject/thematic descriptions and display and programming ideas.

        Getting In . Warner Books . A tour of several swanky Eastern ... Perseus / Merloyd Lawrence . NF Straddling American and Puerto Rican cultures , Santiago's memoir focuses on her adolescent dreams of escaping her Brooklyn barrio ."

The New Yorker

        The best way to build vocabulary is through use of a thesaurus , and the best thesaurus for the purpose is the new Roget — the only hardcover ROGET in dictionary form. You get the word you want instantly because you use it just as you do ..."

Discourse

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         Esmeralda Santiago discusses a very different relationship with Spanish and English in her introduction to the ... She writes : When the editor Merloyd Lawrence offered me the opportunity to write my memoir , I never imagined that the ..."