Breaking Through

Book Description

At the age of fourteen, Francisco Jimnez, together with his older brother Roberto and his mother, are caught by la migra. Forced to leave their home, the entire family travels all night for twenty hours by bus, arriving at the U.S. and Mexican border in Nogales, Arizona. In the months and years that follow, Francisco, his mother and father, and his seven brothers and sister not only struggle to keep their family together, but also face crushing poverty, long hours of labor, and blatant prejudice. How they sustain their hope, their goodheartedness, and tenacity is revealed in this moving sequel to The Circuit. Without bitterness or sentimentality, Francisco Jimnez finishes telling the story of his youth.

Customer Reviews:

wonderful portrayal of a migrant family.......2007-02-16

I bought *Breaking Through* without realizing that it was a sequel to *The Circuit*. Nonetheless, you aren't lost if you start with *Breaking Through* I loved this memoir because it was one of the best portrayal of a migrant family.

This memoir chronicled the life of Francisco Jimenez from the time that him and his family entered America from Mexico to his entrance into college.

The Jimenez family saved up some money and entered into Mexico illegally. They were soon caught, after a time, and deported back. However, they were able to get papers and return. Despite living in the land of freedom and opportunities, the family has to work hard in order to survive. They worked in strawberry fields, lettuce patches and cleaned buildings.

Francisco is loving school yet struggled to stay on top as he also has to work. His older brother did well in school but worked nearly as much as their often-ill father did. The mother stayed home and took care of the children. However, she often substituted in their work when needed.

*Breaking Through* is a story of a family working together. It's also a story of one finding one's own identity in America. It's also a story of one trying to achieve the American dream.

You'll laugh. You'll cry. If you don't understand the Mexican culture, you'll find yourself puzzled at some things. Coming from a Hispanic family, I found myself nodding and taking strolls in memory lane.

Overall, it's easy reading for a great book.

book review on Breaking Through.......2007-01-16

Book Review on Breaking Through

Hi, this book Breaking Through by Francisco Jimenez is a sad book. Why is it a sad book? A boy named Francisco struggles through life trying to keep his family together. He works and goes to school, also trying to keep his grades up. This book is a good book because of the Theme, believable charters, and a nice setting.

The theme is, heart breaking. It's heart breaking since a boy and his family have to face many difficult obstacles. The obstacles are not easy for Francisco and his family. They have to pay bills but they don't have any money. So the whole family except mom and the youngest ones have to work.

Besides the heart breaking theme there are nice believable charters. The charters sometimes where confused. They where confused because they didn't have money. No one to help them, and struggled to keep food on the table.

There also was a very good setting. The setting took place in many different places. Like school, fields, gas company, Twitchel and Twitchel. There are many different places. So that means that the family is all over the places.

So this book has a great theme. Wonderful setting that makes you feel like your there watching it all happing. Also nice believable charters that do things that you could relate to. So if you like heart breaking novels then this is the book for you.

The End

breaking through.......2007-01-15

ANTHONY JOHNSTON
JAN. 11, 2007

"BREAKING THROUGH" BOOK REVIEW

The book is "Breaking Through" and the author is Francisco Jimenez. The main person in the book is the author. It is a true story. He has a mom, dad and brother. His brother's name is Roberto. I thought it would be a good book because the first sentence was "I lived in constant fear for ten long years."

You shouldn't read this book because there are a lot of Spanish words. The book is very long. It has 195 pages in the book. The Spanish words are very hard to read and you can't understand them.

The characters were papa, mama; Roberto and Francisco. They live on a farm or tent. Papa and mama are the mom and dad. Roberto is the brother. Francisco is the author and character in the book.

There are pictures of the author in the back of the book. The Jimenez's lived on a farm or tent. They grew up poor in America. They lived in a tent in America.

This book is very hard to read and it's long. The whole book is Francisco's life. I'd liked to sum up by saying I still don't like the book because I couldn't understand the words. In less you like reading Spanish you shouldn't read this book.

An Inspiring story for all readers.......2006-11-10

This is a wonderful book. It draws you into Francisco's life and really makes you think about how easy most of us had it as a child! A MUST READ!!

Good Stories and Good Message.......2006-10-01

I bought this book after I'd read The Circuit because I needed to find out what happened to the family. I was intrigued by both books, found them fairly easy reading, and believe that they open up opportunities for discussion with teens. Thought provoking, well-written, very descriptive, somewhat depressing although I found the characters' spirit amazing and inspiring, and all together a very good read. Great for young adults as well as adults...highly recommended.

Between Worlds: The Making of an American Life

Average customer rating:

Personalizing of History
What a man!
What Makes Bill Tick
A Career Politician: The Good & The Bad
Bill Richardson, the book, the lite version

Between Worlds: The Making of an American Life
Bill Richardson
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0452288649

Book Description

A rising star of the Democratic Party tells the fascinating story of the ways his multicultural heritage and political education have shaped his dreams for America and given him vital lessons in the art of successful negotiating.

Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, may be the most charismatic figure in the Democratic Party today and one of its best natural politicians whose name isn't Bill Clinton. He is the man Colin Powell has called for advice, and the man George Stephanopoulos once called the Red Adair of diplomacy in homage to his ability to put out international fires. He has been nominated four times for the Nobel Peace Prize and is counted as one of our most knowledgeable politicians on Iraq and Saddam Hussein; on Afghanistan, the Taliban, and Al-Qaeda; on North Korea; on energy policy; on Latin American affairs; on domestic politics; and on Hispanic America.

Richardson's background as the son of an American businessman father and a Mexican mother has offered him an unusual starting point from which to seek a life in public service, but one of his most interesting roles has been that of global troubleshooter. What he has to say about how to negotiate to get what you want shows his true colors: He can be blunt, but charming; tough, but respectful; realistic, but hopeful. Through his work as a hostage negotiator sitting across the table from the likes of Saddam Hussein, Fidel Castro, and many others-as well as his toil on Capitol Hill, in the United Nations, and New Mexico's state government-he has learned the vital importance of preparation: know as much as possible about your adversary; test your partner's truthfulness; know how much you can concede; never lie and always be direct.

Between Worlds is the surprising story of one of our most seasoned and captivating national figures.

Customer Reviews:

Personalizing of History.......2007-09-08

The first part of this book was initially disappointing. The constant "I did this..." or I travelled to ..." sounded like so much puffery - what one might expect in a book by a Presidential candidate. The more I read, however, the more I realized that the "I" was essential to the entire focus of the book. The book brings history alive from the actual events and conversations in order to show that individuals can help make history or at least nudge it in a desirable direction. Historical events can not be viewed in a vaccum. They are most meaningfully understood in the context of the minor details of the events themselves. One that jumps out is Richardson's meeting with Saddam Hussein (regarding the release of two individuals who strayed into Iraq from Kuwait)when Richardson casually crossed his legs and inadvertently showed the soles of his shoes to Saddam. Saddam jumped up and left the room. It turns out that showing the soles of ones shoes to someone in that culture is a real sign of disrespect. The best part of the book is "Richardson's Rules" which he sets forth in anecdotal context throughout the book (with the list summarized at the end). The "Rules" are a great guide for dealing with not only high level political or diplomatic negotiations but also with everyday personal and business relationships. All in all a very enjoyable read for someone who overwhelmingly reads fiction - not non-fiction - and certainly not political books.

What a man! .......2007-09-03

How very fortunate this country is at this time in our history to have someone of this magnitude and calibur seeking the Presidency. His experience and different way of thinking allow hope for a better tomorrow for the US and the world. Good luck to you, Sir. Good luck to us all that you lead us all into a brighter and more peaceful tomorrow.

What Makes Bill Tick.......2007-08-12

Bill Richardson is a rather unimpressive candidate. However, candidates aren't elected - Presidents are. Having said that I can say that I believe Bill Richardson is ready for the Presidency. The question becomes is America ready for Bill Richardson?

The book is about as interesting as Bill Richardson's performances in debate. Clearly, this is a book about Bill's life, by Bill himself. Many of his positions are explained, but it is not comprehensive, and not meant to be. Reading this book will give the impression of what makes Bill tick, so I give credit for writing a successful book. There is no shorting the reader of 360 pages of substance. Personally, I too would like to see more from Richardson, and in fact, this is already happening.

Campaigns for officials that are based on results and performances while in office must have someone touting that record, and this is what Richardson does without much modesty. Between World's describes the position Richardson inherited from birth and the position Richardson has dealt with throughout life. The book moves from his childhood in Mexico to his life in school in New England. Richardson was the one in the middle that learned to relate to everyone. His entry into public service and political office was destiny. When you combine these with love for individuals and an unapologetic stance you have a man with superior credentials as a diplomat.

A portion of the book that could be developed further is "Richardson Rules". Richardson doesn't discuss development and application of his rule set, but presents these as simply his personal rules - I don't know whether as a human being, a public official, a diplomat, or other.

Richardson comes across as result-oriented, fun-loving, but serious. Inspiration here comes from hard work and having done a job well - unfortunately, not great oratories and smooth gestures. Richardson could partially compensate with combinations of brutal honesty and jest. He must continue to rouse voter curiosity with more manufactured "celebrity-in-jest" performances such as the one created for the New Mexico gubanatorial election. It wouldn't be a bad move if Richardson says in debate, frankly, I suck at this. I want to be telling you what I've already achieved as President - not what I would like to achieve.

A Career Politician: The Good & The Bad.......2007-07-11

I had been hearing good things about Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson, so I decided to pick up his autobiography. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of autobiographies or biographies for that matter. Especially, not ones with the sole intent of extolling the author's virtues. So that's why it gets a B-. And I'm just not a huge fan of the writing style that biographies employ. It just gets a little boring and tedious at times. But to be fair, the book gave me a better picture of Bill Richardson than I had before. About half-way through the book, I was seriously thinking about giving him some consideration with my vote. Although I know he'll never get past the big 3 of Edwards, Obama, and Clinton. He grew up in Mexico (born in US) where his mom is Mexican and his father American. He was a senator for the state of New Mexico, the ambassador to the UN that followed Albright, Secretary of Energy for Clinton's second term, and current 2nd term governor for the state of New Mexico. Needless to say, that makes him extremely qualified. And hands down the most qualified of all current presidential candidates. To his credit, he tells it like it is. And for a politician, it doesn't feel like he is full of BS. He has a record for giving his opinion even when it's controversial. And has offended both parties at times, despite being a staunch Democrat. But he's honest. Over and over again he gives examples where he spoke his mind and how it either paid off or got him in trouble. So that I respect. But ultimately, I feel like he's a politician. And a bit of an opportunist. I do believe he has a vision for this country that centers around a better energy policy. Which I totally jive with. Ultimately though, I just feel like he's a politician at heart. And I don't really want a politician in power. I want someone who is not definded as a politician. And I'm well aware of the rarity of that.

Bill Richardson, the book, the lite version.......2007-05-22

I have been interested in Bill Richardson as a potential presidential candidate for some time so I wanted to read his story to get some more information on what he might bring to the Democratic race. So should you read this book to learn about Richardson? Sure but you may be left wanting to know more as I did after finishing it.

This book, true to its subtitle "The Making of an American Life", chronicles Richardson's life, his childhood in Mexico, his high school and college years in the US and the major turning points in his life. The book is very good at this and more interesting than I thought but it does not have much detail of proposals to solve many of the national problems we are facing today. There was a list of highlighted important sayings called "Richardson's List". This I thought might be a list of what he thought would help steer the country to a better position in diplomacy, health care, environment, and the economy but was a synopsis of what he had learned in his career on how to be a successful politician, diplomat and negotiator. Hopefully if his campaign goes well we will have the opportunity to hear more from this very accomplished statesman.

Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A.

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Almost too realistic, yet a must read.
The Definitive Account of Barrio Life.
best book ever
Poorly written
Always Running

Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A.
Luis J. Rodriguez
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743276914

Book Description

By age twelve, Luis Rodriguez was a veteran of East L.A. gang warfare. Lured by a seemingly invincible gang culture, he witnessed countless shootings, beatings, and arrests, then watched with increasing fear as drugs, murder, suicide, and senseless acts of street crime claimed friends and family members.

Before long, Rodriguez saw a way out of the barrio through education and the power of words and successfully broke free from years of violence and desperation. Achieving success as an award-winning Chicano poet, he was sure the streets would haunt him no more -- until his son joined a gang. Rodriguez fought for his child by telling his own story in Always Running, a vivid memoir that explores the motivations of gang life and cautions against the death and destruction that inevitably claim its participants. At times heartbreakingly sad and brutal, Always Running is ultimately an uplifting true story, filled with hope, insight, and a hard-learned lesson for the next generation.

Customer Reviews:

Almost too realistic, yet a must read. .......2007-03-20

I heard this book was good, but didn't know how good it actually was until I read it. There isn't a dull page.

What's most alarming about the book is not necessarily the events that take place, as many movies about this lifestyle have been made since the book's first publishing, sort of numbing the harsh realities of gang life to even outsiders who grew up in secluded suburbs, but the age that Luis Rodriguez actually is when the events are taking place. Some of the day to day drama described in the book is so adult like that you can only picture the subjects of these tales being 18 to 25 years old, yet the reader is often reminded that the author was as young as 14 when some of them took place.

What may also separate the stories told in this book from the stories told in typical 1990s west coast gang folklore, from hip hop to film to books like 'Monster', is the sexual situations Mr. Rodriguez describes that he took part in and witnesses, again, in some cases as young as 14. Some are romantic, and almost remind the reader of a time when romance was first discovered in their lives, yet there are some that are so disturbing that the reader is quickly brought down to earth, reminded that love and romance in a violent, drug infested environment is far different from the kind most Americans have grown to know, that is dictated by Hollywood fairy tales.

Luis Rodriguez finding his outlet from the gang life through art and writing could give hope to any current gang member who happens upon this book. It's one thing for a suburban high school teacher to tell a 'homeboy' that he can express his views through art, it's another for an older 'homeboy' himself to tell him.

A must read for everyone, from suburbanites with little knowledge of the gang life who would like another version than that given by media outlets and law enforcement agencies, where the knowledge tends to be limited to crime reporting and identification of territories and monikers, to kids and adults wrapped up in the gang life, and just looking for any story that can inspire them or give them some kind of direction to a better life.

The Definitive Account of Barrio Life........2007-02-19

What more is needed to say about this memoir? This is singlehandedly one of the most powerful memoirs I have ever read and that goes without saying. I was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley, the same one that Rodriguez builds and describes and I can honestly say he is completely spot on. About? Everything. The racial, identity, and sexual struggle that Rodriguez weaves in this story is compelling and really grabbed me and immersed me into his life. This memoir says what there is to be said, and it says a lot.

best book ever.......2007-02-09

this os the best book i have ever read next to tommyland very different but bolth very good books

Poorly written.......2006-12-13

I suppose one of the editorial reviews summed it up nicely.

"...Mexican funerals, rapes and arrests, but his writing style renders much of that rich material forgettable."
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

I was very much interested in the topic, yet the rambling, writing style of Luis Rodriguez
made for a disappointing experience.

Always Running.......2006-12-07

We believe that every teen should be given the opportunity to read Always Running. Luis J. Rodriguez grew up in East L.A in the 60's and 70's. This book is his life story describing all the situations he went thru as a cholo; the sex, drugs, violence, and parties. His style of writing is hypnotizing due to the vivid descriptions that create an amazing picture in your mind. As a result, you won't want to put the book down. However, readers beware; Always Running contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find as inappropriate.

Average customer rating:

Oh please...
Truly an Amazing Memoir
i guess my teacher liked it
A passionating story
Loved this book!

When I Was Puerto Rican
Esmeralda Santiago
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679756760
Release Date: 1994-10-11

Book Description

Selling over 16,000 copies in hardcover, this triumphant coming-of-age memoir is now available in paperback editions in both English and Spanish. In the tradition of Black Ice, Santiago writes lyrically of her childhood on her native island and of her bewildering years of transition in New York City.

Customer Reviews:

Oh please..........2007-05-30

I had to read this book for a class in college back when it was still fairly "new". I say "new" because it is the same tired formula of most contemporary Latin American authors.
I currently, previously and, as far as I can tell, will continue to BE Puerto Rican and the "charms" of this story fail to grab me.
Reading some of the glowing reviews for this book, I suspect I was never meant to be it's target audience.

Truly an Amazing Memoir.......2007-04-28

When I first saw the title I was a little anxious to see why she wasn't Peurto Rican anymore. I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. It was hard for me to put it down and I usually don't say that about many books I have read. Esmeralda Santiago is a brilliant writer and has beat the odds after all she's been through. I mean I'm not going to lie about anything in this review. The book did have it's boring moments, but the action pick back up again after you thought everything was back to normal. I truly enjoyed this book.

i guess my teacher liked it.......2007-03-09

i had to read this for a college class (urban development). this book really gives you the opportunity to reflect on how hard it is to get by in other cultures. the author of this book overcomes a lot of hardship and eventually obtains her phd in the u.s. it is powerful. i wouldnt have read it unless it was for class though. thats minus 1 star

A passionating story.......2006-08-03

The life of the young Esmeralda Santiago is interesting, well-written and full of colored details.

Loved this book!.......2006-07-12

My husband is Puerto Rican (I am not) and read this book years ago. He said that it reminded him of a combination of his mom and grandmother's childhoods. He lent it to his sister, mom and grandmother to read (they all loved it) and eventually to me. I just couldn't get enough of it. Then my mother-in-law lent us "Almost A Woman", which I just finished. Esmeralda Santiago is an amazing writer with a great story.

Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero

Average customer rating:

Hometown Son Makes Good, Very Good
On "Clemente"
Tragedy Relived
Great gift idea
A great baseball player and a great person

Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero
David Maraniss
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743217810
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Book Description

On New Year's Eve 1972, following eighteen magnificent seasons in the major leagues, Roberto Clemente died a hero's death, killed in a plane crash as he attempted to deliver food and medical supplies to Nicaragua after a devastating earthquake. David Maraniss now brings the great baseball player brilliantly back to life in Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero, a book destined to become a modern classic. Much like his acclaimed biography of Vince Lombardi, When Pride Still Mattered, Maraniss uses his narrative sweep and meticulous detail to capture the myth and a real man.

Anyone who saw Clemente, as he played with a beautiful fury, will never forget him. He was a work of art in a game too often defined by statistics. During his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he won four batting titles and led his team to championships in 1960 and 1971, getting a hit in all fourteen World Series games in which he played. His career ended with three-thousand hits, the magical three-thousandth coming in his final at-bat, and he and the immortal Lou Gehrig are the only players to have the five-year waiting period waived so they could be enshrined in the Hall of Fame immediately after their deaths.

There is delightful baseball here, including thrilling accounts of the two World Series victories of Clemente's underdog Pittsburgh Pirates, but this is far more than just another baseball book. Roberto Clemente was that rare athlete who rose above sports to become a symbol of larger themes. Born near the canebrakes of rural Carolina, Puerto Rico, on August 18, 1934, at a time when there were no blacks or Puerto Ricans playing organized ball in the United States, Clemente went on to become the greatest Latino player in the major leagues. He was, in a sense, the Jackie Robinson of the Spanish-speaking world, a ballplayer of determination, grace, and dignity who paved the way and set the highest standard for waves of Latino players who followed in later generations and who now dominate the game.

The Clemente that Maraniss evokes was an

idiosyncratic character who, unlike so many modern athletes, insisted that his responsibilities extended beyond the playing field. In his final years, his motto was that if you have a chance to help others and fail to do so, you are wasting your time on this earth. Here, in the final chapters, after capturing Clemente's life and times, Maraniss retraces his final days, from the earthquake to the accident, using newly uncovered documents to reveal the corruption and negligence that led the unwitting hero on a mission of mercy toward his untimely death as an uninspected, overloaded plane plunged into the sea.

Download Description

"""On New Year's Eve 1972, following eighteen magnificent seasons in the major leagues, Roberto Clemente died a hero's death, killed in a plane crash as he attempted to deliver food and medical supplies to Nicaragua after a devastating earthquake. David Maraniss now brings the great baseball player brilliantly back to life in Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero, a book destined to become a modern classic. Much like his acclaimed biography of Vince Lombardi, When Pride Still Mattered, Maraniss uses his narrative sweep and meticulous detail to capture the myth and a real man. Anyone who saw Clemente, as he played with a beautiful fury, will never forget him. He was a work of art in a game too often defined by statistics. During his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he won four batting titles and led his team to championships in 1960 and 1971, getting a hit in all fourteen World Series games in which he played. His career ended with three-thousand hits, the magical three-thousandth coming in his final at-bat, and he and the immortal Lou Gehrig are the only players to have the five-year waiting period waived so they could be enshrined in the Hall of Fame immediately after their deaths. There is delightful baseball here, including thrilling accounts of the two World Series victories of Clemente's underdog Pittsburgh Pirates, but this is far more than just another baseball book. Roberto Clemente was that rare athlete who rose above sports to become a symbol of larger themes. Born near the canebrakes of rural Carolina, Puerto Rico, on August 18, 1934, at a time when there were no blacks or Puerto Ricans playing organized ball in the United States, Clemente went on to become the greatest Latino player in the major leagues. He was, in a sense, the Jackie Robinson of the Spanish-speaking world, a ballplayer of determination, grace, and dignity who paved the way and set the highest standard for waves of Latino players who followed in later generations and who now dominate the game. The Clemente that Maraniss evokes was an idiosyncratic character who, unlike so many modern athletes, insisted that his responsibilities extended beyond the playing field. In his final years, his motto was that if you have a chance to help others and fail to do so, you are wasting your time on this earth. Here, in the final chapters, after capturing Clemente's life and times, Maraniss retraces his final days, from the earthquake to the accident, using newly uncovered documents to reveal the corruption and negligence that led the unwitting hero on a mission of mercy toward his untimely death as an uninspected, overloaded plane plunged into the sea. """

Customer Reviews:

Hometown Son Makes Good, Very Good.......2007-10-13

There is source material in this work for three separate books, actually: the first would be the story of Caribbean baseball and its grand entrance into the United States Major Leagues, as personified by Roberto Clemente, Vic Power, and others. The second volume would detail Clemente's extraordinary and unusual career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, including an impressive array of hitting and fielding records, two remarkable World Series, and the mixed reaction of Pirate Nation to his outspoken ways. The third part would be the dramatic and perhaps criminal tale of events leading to Clemente's untimely death in the midst of earthquake relief operations for stricken Nicaragua.

For better or worse, we have all of these stories in one volume which results in a powerful but dizzy tale that struggles to give all of these aspects of Clemente's life their due. And if there is a common thread that holds the work together, it is the Clemente drive to make his statement, whether it be in the face of prejudice and/or bureaucracy in the Brooklyn Dodger organization, the popular conception in Pittsburgh that he was a hypochondriac whiner, or his own perception of being slighted in the MVP voting in 1960.

Roberto Clemente was born on August 18, 1934, in what is today the San Juan suburb of Carolina. In the 1930's Carolina was hardscrabble living, a town whose passions fortunately included baseball. Maraniss provides a fine overview of organized baseball in the Caribbean. Its professional leagues, certainly those in Puerto Rico, were as hotly contested as Yankee Pinstripes and Red Sox Nation. By 18 Clemente was playing the outfield for the Santurce Cangrejeros. It was five years since Jackie Robinson broke the US color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the same Brooklyn Dodgers actively scouted the young Clemente. Despite the quality and intensity of Puerto Rican baseball at that time, there was also a sense on the island that native sons who excelled in US Major League Baseball would bring prestige to the Commonwealth.

Thus, Clemente incurred no family wrath when he signed with Brooklyn in 1954. Although Puerto Rican by birth, his dark skin presented as Negro, and he discovered the hard reality of North American racial bias. Assigned to Montreal of the International League, he was miserable and hidden on the Royals' bench by Dodger management until wily scouts of the woeful Pittsburgh Pirates plucked him away. The new Pirate Clemente was regarded as something of a loose cannon. There was truth in this assessment: the right fielder was entirely unorthodox in every aspect of his game--fielding, batting, running.

Clemente's early years in Pittsburgh were awkward, and his relations with the local press were marked by mutual cultural misunderstandings, but he became a favorite of the fans, including influential announcer Bob "The Gunner" Prince. His hustle and stats began to soothe the concerns of new manager Danny Murtaugh, who was building the famous 1960 squad that overcame the NY Yankees in a long remembered October classic. Clemente had an outstanding season and World Series, but the MVP award of 1960 was voted to Pirate shortstop and teammate Dick Groat. It can be said with some accuracy that Clemente took this setback to his death.

Despite a long and highly successful career with the Pirates, Clemente's personality was perplexing and often misunderstood. Maraniss wrestled mightily with this hard truth. Clemente was personally generous, gracious to fans, devoted to his family and friends. As the Pirates representative, he joined forces with Marvin Miller and the fledgling players union to back Curt Flood's groundbreaking challenge to the reserve clause. His marriage to Vera Zabala seems to have been a happy one; Clemente would refer to her as his closest friend and confidante [and certainly an extraordinary listener.]

But, by no stretch of the imagination could Clemente be described as a happy man. A lifelong insomniac, Clemente was impulsive and outspoken. A proud man, he quietly seethed through the 1960's as it became clear he was regarded as at best the third best outfielder in his league, always a step or two behind Mays and Aaron. When he managed his emotions, he was magnificent: the 1971 World Series was his opportunity to make his case for his body of work, and he used that stage magnificently. The following year, however, his anger would cost him dearly.

During the Christmas season of 1972 Nicaragua was devastated by an earthquake. This nation held a special place in Clemente's affections: he had played and managed there, and acquired many friends and mentors there over the years. And, as Maraniss notes many times, Clemente was consistently generous with his time, energy, and money. Many nations came to the aid of the stricken nation, but none more so than the people of Puerto Rico, prompted in no small part by Clemente's televised appeals and organized collections of food, supplies, and money.

As the rescue week wore on, Clemente became incensed that the aid being sent to the Nicaraguan people was being intercepted by the troops of strongman Anastasio Somoza. In retrospect, there were a number of diplomatic ways to address the problem. Clemente opted for a physical showdown at the Managua Airport with the Somoza people. He hastily contracted for another relief plane in which he himself would be a passenger. His homework was poor--the only charter available was an under serviced war horse owned by amateurs who in truth did not know how to fly such a plane, and then loaded it with supplies well above the plane's capacity. One by one, his friends begged off the flight. Nonetheless, Clemente's "blood was up" for his cause. The thought of Clemente facing off with Somoza is tantalizing, but it never happened. The ill advised rescue flight crashed into the sea almost in sight of the San Juan Airport. Clemente the ballplayer was dead; Clemente the icon was canonized.

On "Clemente".......2007-09-17

Because he played his entire baseball career in Pittsburgh, Roberto Clemente never received the attention he deserved from sportswriters whose worlds revolved around New York. Perhaps for the same reason, the Pirates rightfielder was also overlooked by top biographers until recently. When David Maraniss published Clemente in 2006, it was time that someone of stature wrote about the first great Latino ballplayer who later achieved heroic status after dying in an earthquake relief effort.
Maraniss' effort is solid, though not quite perfect. He appropriately devotes enough pages describing life in Clemente's homeland, Puerto Rico, and the segregated cities and towns where Clemente spent his early years in the major leagues. Maraniss serves up a reminder of the Jim Crow south and shows that it also affected black Latinos. At Pirates spring training in Fort Myers, Florida, Clemente and the other black players were barred from the downtown hotels, pools and golf clubs where white ballplayers and their families went. Maraniss even recalls there was a designated "colored night" at a county fair, and whites stayed away. Maraniss also describes Schenley Heights, the small but tight-knit black neighborhood where Clemente lived in Pittsburgh. Schenley Heights was also home to the offices of the Pittsburgh Courier, the black newspaper that focused on covering black ballplayers. Appropriately, the Courier's coverage of Clemente is also a focus of Maraniss' biography.
As for Clemente himself, Maraniss succeeds in showing more than the skilled hitter and speedy rightfielder with a shotgun arm. He reveals a proud, yet idiosyncratic, Latino who is frustrated with the white sports establishment. He shows Clemente spouting off about white sportswriters who tended to quote him in broken English. And in a chapter titled "Alone At the Miracle," Maraniss poignantly shows Clemente celebrating the 1960 World Series victory by slipping out a side door of Forbes Field and finally "radiating happiness" after he is mobbed by his fans.
Maraniss devotes about 350 pages to Clemente--roughly 150 less than he needed for his acclaimed biography on Vince Lombardi. It seems fair to wonder if Maraniss would have delved even deeper into Clemente's life if the author were a Pittsburgher rather than a Wisconsin man. At times Clemente's story seems dependent on those who weren't among those who were closest to him--namely affable ex-pitcher Steve Blass, now a sportscaster. There are moments when Maraniss relies on Blass' point of view when it doesn't seem natural, such as when Blass, who is white, seeks to explain Clemente's fear of being misinterpreted when speaking English.
In the end, Maraniss does his homework and writes thoroughly about the plane crash that killed Clemente while he was on the way to help victims of the earthquake in Nicaragua. Clemente died in a shoddy plane that was overloaded with relief supplies, and many of the details are gleaned from government records. So in all, Maraniss crafted a fine book, though not a flawless one, about a man who finally deserved the extra recognition.

Tragedy Relived.......2007-09-13

Did you ever have trouble reading a book (particularly biography) because you knew that it would end tragically? This was my problem with David Maraniss's excellent biography of the late baseball star and Puerto Rican icon, Roberto Clemente. You see, near the end of his fabled career, Clemente rode on a plane carrying relief supplies from Puerto Rico to earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua. The charter flight didn't make it half a mile off the runway before crashing into the shark-infested waters off the island. I knew of the tragic death, and still felt that by delaying reading about it, I could somehow delay its reality, or at least its renewed emotional impact on me.

One of the most gifted, dedicated and competitive athletes ever to play the game, Clemente was often tormented by the lack of recognition given him in the days of stars like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson, and made no bones about his displeasure. His strong Hispanic accent was lampooned in the press, and his dedication to playing only in top form was ridiculed as "jaking" by some, creating a prickly relationship between writers and Roberto in most cases.

But in his private life, Clemente was a charming and generous man, dedicated to improving the lives of children on his home island, and to reaching out to a variety of fans/strangers, who became friends and then like part of the Clemente family. Maraniss describes well Clemente's growth into this persona from the often embittered young man who one time slugged a bystanding fan out of frustration.

Clemente's growth from a talented, but somewhat immature youth to baseball elder (and heroic MVP of the Pittsburgh Pirates 1971 World Series championship) and Puerto Rican statesman (one friend said after Clemente's death that he knew that Roberto's life would consist of "playing baseball as long as he wanted to and then becoming governor of Puerto Rico."), makes the historical certainty of his tragic death all the more distressing. To pile on even more pain, the airplane crash was essentially inevitable, the combination of greed and oversight on the ground in Puerto Rico with the plane, its operators and its pilot, and the corruption of the Somoza regime in Nicaragua, who commandeered a majority of imported relief supplies for their own enrichment. Clemente boarded the doomed plane so that his presence in Nicaragua could insure that the supplies would reach the needy.

By the time of his death, Clemente was so revered on his home island that locals believed that he would walk tattered out of the sea to safety. But all that was found of him was one sock. Having read Maraniss' detailed account of these events, I feel worse about Clemente's death than I did when it happened (I was still a callow 18-year old American League fan at the time.) What a loss to humanity and for all the wrong reasons--greed and sloth ending a philanthropic act and the life of a great man. I wasn't around when Jesus supposedly died on the cross for the sins of all mankind, an overreaching tragic story that I still have trouble relating to, but I was alive on New Year's Eve in 1972, when Roberto Clemente died trying to relieve the suffering of people in Nicaragua.

Did I mention that I had a hard time finishing the book? I did all right until the last section, as Maraniss includes plenty of baseball action, including Bill Mazeroski's famous home run that beat the New York Yankees in the 1960 World Series (I was six at the time and didn't know or care). He also includes a retrospective on baseball in Puerto Rico, and the pioneers that first played in the U.S major leagues--Hiram Bithorn, for whom the main stadium in San Juan was name (I visited there in the late '80s) was the godfather of Puerto Rican baseball. Maraniss also handles the twin subjects of U.S racism against blacks (unknown in Puerto Rico) and Hispanic "ethnicism" in the U.S.

There is an bittersweet upside to story, as indicated by Maraniss's subhead "The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero". It's enriching to read the story of a such a deep and giving soul in the world of baseball at a time when most of what we read about outside the foul lines relates to contract negotiations and allegations regarding use of performanc enhancing drugs. I emotionally recommend this book to Clemente's fans (who've probably already read it), to baseball fans in general, and to all readers who want to learn more about what makes up a great man.

Great gift idea.......2007-08-09

Recommended by a friend who got the book as a b-day gift. Bought it as a b-day gift for my husband who really loved it. He said he learned a lot about Clemente even though he was a lifelong fan.

A great baseball player and a great person.......2007-08-07

David Maraniss's biography (hagiography?) of the great Puerto Rican baseball star Roberto Clemente is destined to become a classic of the genre. I grew up outside of Pittsburgh but was too young to have any memories of Clemente as a boy. I just remembered him as a great player who died tragically trying to help others. There is, of course, so much more to his career and his life, and I think that Maraniss has captured the essence of his complex personality. Whether you are a baseball fan, a Pirates fan, or just want to learn more about Clemente, you'll enjoy this book.

Unlike many other sports superstars, who are little more than pampered, whiney, self-centered egomaniacs, Clemente was a great man both on and off the field. He certainly had his dose of ego and pride, and his feathers were easy ruffled by reporters who didn't show him due respect, but as I was reading this book I couldn't help but compare Clemente's life to that of Mickey Mantle. There is no question that Mantle was, on the field, an all around better player than Clemente, but rose-colored Billy Crystal myopics aside, Clemente was everything off the field that Mantle wasn't. Clemente was a fiercely proud man who spent his off seasons playing in the Puerto Rican league and playing/coaching Latin American teams because he felt he owed it to his native land and people. He was a family man and father who wanted to raise his children right so that (in Maraniss's words) they were respected and they respected others. Mantle spent his non-baseball time drinking and chasing women, all five of his sons growing up to be alcoholics like their father. Ultimately Clemente died trying to help others in need.

There are two things about this book that really annoyed me. First, Maraniss goes out of his way throughout the book to insert his own political views (Clintonian/big city liberal) into the story. Whether you agree with his views or not, it really detracts from the story as it has nothing to do with Clemente. There is a long discussion on the chapter about the earthquake in Managua where Maraniss describes Howard Hughes's selfish and heartless retreat from Managua to a luxury hotel in London. Hughes's links to Richard Nixon, the dictator Somoza (which Maraniss points out is a West Point grad), and the general corruption in Nicaragua are inserted in the story to belittle Nixon, Republicans, and the wealthy. These are certainly interesting issues in their own right, but contribute absolutely nothing to Clemente's story. The other thing that I didn't like was that Maraniss wrote the biography in such a manner that Clemente's tragic death hangs over the whole tale, as in some type of Greek tragedy where the hero's ultimate destiny is pre-ordained. More drama than biography.

The bottom line though is that this is a great biography of a sports superstar who is worthy of our admiration whose off the field character far exceeded anything he did on the field. Clemente was the kind of man that we would like our heros to be. Maraniss has captured his essence, and I think that you'll like this book even if your aren't a big Pirates or baseball fan.

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez

Average customer rating:

A beautiful children's book with an illustrated personal story and a larger message
The story of a lesser known American Hero
Si Se Puede
Beautiful, educational, brought tears to my eyes!
Harvesting Hope is Hopeful

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez
Kathleen Krull
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152014373

Book Description

Cesar Chavez is known as one of America's greatest civil rights leaders. When he led a 340-mile peaceful protest march through California, he ignited a cause and improved the lives of thousands of migrant farmworkers. But Cesar wasn't always a leader. As a boy, he was shy and teased at school. His family slaved in the fields for barely enough money to survive.

Cesar knew things had to change, and he thought that--maybe--he could help change them. So he took charge. He spoke up. And an entire country listened.

An author's note provides historical context for the story of Cesar Chavez's life.

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful children's book with an illustrated personal story and a larger message.......2006-09-09

Harvesting Hope tells the tale of Cesar Chavez, but more than that, it reveals the power of collective bargaining and fighting for what is just in the world. As a children's book, it has appeal as a well-illustrated biography, an important history lesson, a story of family and personal triumph, and a book with a message. Chavez's crusade took place several decades ago, but the plight of migrant farm workers remains, despite the tremendous inroads Chavez made with La Causa. The story of Chavez's childhood, hard days of labor, and fight for worker's rights is timeless, and Kathleen Krull's award-nominated book deserves a place on every child's bookshelf.

The story of a lesser known American Hero.......2006-02-22

This is a great picture book for all ages. The heroic story of Cesar Chavez is left out of most U.S. history classrooms, save those in California. This book would be an enlightening addition to any classroom or children's library.

Si Se Puede.......2005-06-08

Let's begin by saying that the drawings are super and captivating. Yuyi Morales creates characters that show emotion and the result is a drawing of emotion from the young reader. As the title implies this is the story of Cesar Chavez who many adults came to know about from his work with the farmworkers in California. This story humanizes the man by beginning in his childhood. The roots of the farmworker leader are explored as a young person traveling from crop to crop , from state to state. A drought in Arizona began the family oddyssey that would result in Caser Chavez becoming familiar first hand with the troubles of the farmworkers. Life on the road became a harsh reality. The treatment he encountered in school forced him to drop out in eighth grade but the treatment in the fields wasn't much better, at times it was much worse. This is simple story about a complex problem that one man was determined to overcome. He wanted justice for farmworkers and organized. He became to Mexicans what MLK was for civil rights, for Mexicans it was an extension of civil rights. This is a beautiful book for young readers or those not so young that are learning to read in English if they have a reading foundation in another language. Although it is recommended for children ages 6-9, middle school students, ages 9-12, especially those with limited English proficiency can benefit from this story well told. For the teacher or parent this book can help instill pride and understanding as to how determination, perseverance and hard work can overcome even the greatest odds.

Beautiful, educational, brought tears to my eyes!.......2004-11-25

I recommend this book for anyone 4 and up (adults included!) Beautiful illustrations and a wonderful telling of an important part of history.

Harvesting Hope is Hopeful.......2004-08-02

This story is a wonderful way to teach children about the people who have made a difference in our world. People like Cesar Chavez. The story beautifully illustrates how Cesar did not use violence to solve problems but rather he used his mind, as his mother had taught him. The illustartions are vivid and real. The story is well written and teaches an important part of California history in a wonderful way. It reaches the heart of all ages. This is a great book for any elementary school classroom library, even High School.

Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez

Average customer rating:

Among the Educated
Whine, whine, whine
not exactly a great autobiographical read
I was born in Mexico and faced similar issues. This is awful.
I hate this book.

Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez
Richard Rodriguez
Manufacturer: Dial Press Trade Paperback
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0553382519
Release Date: 2004-02-03

Book Description

Hunger of Memory is the story of Mexican-American Richard Rodriguez, who begins his schooling in Sacramento, California, knowing just 50 words of English, and concludes his university studies in the stately quiet of the reading room of the British Museum.

Here is the poignant journey of a “minority student” who pays the cost of his social assimilation and academic success with a painful alienation — from his past, his parents, his culture — and so describes the high price of “making it” in middle-class America.

Provocative in its positions on affirmative action and bilingual education, Hunger of Memory is a powerful political statement, a profound study of the importance of language ... and the moving, intimate portrait of a boy struggling to become a man.

From the Paperback edition.

Download Description

Hunger of Memory is the story of Mexican-American Richard Rodriguez, who begins his schooling in Sacramento, California, knowing just 50 words of English, and concludes his university studies in the stately quiet of the reading room of the British Museum.

Here is the poignant journey of a "minority student" who pays the cost of his social assimilation and academic success with a painful alienation -- from his past, his parents, his culture -- and so describes the high price of "making it" in middle-class America.

Provocative in its positions on affirmative action and bilingual education, Hunger of Memory is a powerful political statement, a profound study of the importance of language... and the moving, intimate portrait of a boy struggling to become a man.

"Arresting... Splendidly written intellectual autobiography."
   THE BOSTON GLOBE

"Superb autobiographical essay... Mr. Rodriguez offers himself as an example of the long labor of change: its costs, about which he is movingly frank, its loneliness, but also its triumph."
   THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

Customer Reviews:

Among the Educated.......2007-07-18

Esteemed a classic, this work has the merit, upon first reading, of making the reader feel he has been initiated into the long lost tribe of truth tellers, something akin to the book readers of Fahrenheit 451. We meet somebody for whom education is a real thing, something that is life changing, enlightening, and it estranges him from his family, and of course from all people, because the sophistication he gains from his education makes him an enemy to the ignorant. Much is lost, but what is gained far outweighs that loss. He knows it, and we get the message. Bravo, Richard Rodriguez.

Whine, whine, whine.......2007-04-09

I read this book as a part of a college class on marginalized/minority writers. Out of a class of eight, I and another girl both thought this fellow was an unmitigated whiner and the book was terrible. The rest of the class thought it was compelling and thought provoking (or else they just wanted a good grade that week.) It seems to me that it is almost forbidden to express dislike of a minority writer in a classroom environment these days for fear of being branded a racist. I did not like this book. I was in the minority--read it and decide for yourself.

not exactly a great autobiographical read.......2007-02-28

*Hunger of Memory* was an ok read. There was nothing unforgettable in the book. So, that left me somewhat disappointed. Rodriguez provided his personal accounts on some topics, such as assimilation, language, bi-bi education, Catholicism, affirmative action, etc.

I enjoyed reading about his views and experiences with assimilating with American values and whatnots. For those of us who are minorities, I believe that we can relate to that. His personal accounts kind of became reminders of my childhood and helped me re-evaluate how I was assimilated.

The other thing I enjoyed reading was about his college education and "moving up" as a minority in regards to scholarships and job offers. As a minority, you never really know if you're being sought after due to your minority status or your expertise/specialty. Rodriguez was honest about his feelings and views on such things.

His portrayal of his mother reminded me so much of my mother. I had to laugh and groan in memory. It is interesting to see how he portrays a separation between him and his family due to his being an academician. It as if his family expect him to know everything because he's educated. Yet, when he gives answers, those answers are "over the top" for them. They just dismiss him and move on. At the same time, they still encourage him for further achievements...as long as he leaves out the family because it is a private matter.

What I didn't like about the book was that he droned on and on about language (Spanish & English). I'm guess I was bored with this as I had just finished reading *Breaking Through* and *Growing Up Latino*. Both of these books mentioned this. I realize it is a common experience by Hispanics in regards to Spanish and English. But in Rodriguez, he dwells on language forever.

Overall, I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked half of it and hated the other half. It was like he wrote about himself but at the same time, he didn't. This book was more of his views on things rather than getting to know him.

I was born in Mexico and faced similar issues. This is awful........2006-08-03

Richard Rodriguez whines and complains in his book. I have similar experiences. I was born in Mexico. I was reared in America and went to Catholic schools. I have a darker than average complexion. People often ask me what country I was born in just by looking at me, but that did not warp my wife like it seemed to for Rodriguez. I have a friend who went to Stanford, like Rodriguez, on scholarship, but he did not whine about it. I googled Rodriguez and found a published speech where he continues to show weak character. Here is a quote from one of his speeches: "... if you really want to scare the United States of America, all you would have to say to the United States of America is "I'm going to marry you. I'm going to start dating your son." " This is pretty sad and tasteless. Besides showing weak character, Rodriguez is a poor writer. I have never seen so many sentence fragments. At one point in his book he admits he never liked writing when he was in school. It shows. This book is an insult to the Latin-American community from a condescending publisher. We deserve better.

Going beyond his weakness as a writer and as a person, I would say Rodriguez realized his life was inauthentic (re: Heidegger). He was thrown into his life and rebelled at the life he was given (a degree from Stanford, many job offers in spite of incomplete and inferior creditials). He rejected the life for which he was prepared, but he sunk into an unending cycle of complaining instead of creating an authentic life for himself. He needed to find some way of creating a meaningful life for himself. There are many ways to create for yourself a meaningful life. "Achieve Lasting Happiness" by Robert Canright is good book based on the principals of self-cultivation. If Rodriguez had success in creating for himself an authentic life, this book might have had some merit. As it is, it is just sad.

I hate this book........2006-06-16

This is one of the worst books I have ever read. I understand that is fine writing, but the book is tasteless. I find Rodriguez arrogant and lonely. Is he trying to say that the turning point of his life was when the nun's came to his parents home. I hate this book it is one of my worst reads ever.

Average customer rating:

Rodriguez - Brown is All Cultures
Bullsh*t
Brown
Feel free to step back and let some of it slide by
It's OK to be lost in the text...

Brown: The Last Discovery of America
Richard Rodriguez
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142000795
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Book Description

In his dazzling new memoir, Richard Rodriguez reflects on the color brown and the meaning of Hispanics to the life of America today. Rodriguez argues that America has been brown since its inception-since the moment the African and the European met within the Indian eye. But more than simply a book about race, Brown is about America in the broadest sense-a look at what our country is, full of surprising observations by a writer who is a marvelous stylist as well as a trenchant observer and thinker.

Customer Reviews:

Rodriguez - Brown is All Cultures.......2007-01-08

Rodriguez has written an ambitious book: who else would be willing to take on the idea of "brown" and all it involves, from the many perspectives from which this writer sees? I teach a university course on Biography and Memoir and his is one of my favorite books to include. I love his attention to the role of the public library, schools, how religion divides and unites us. Increasingly we all live in a "brown" world and Rodriguez shows us how books and culture help us explore that world in its origins and awesome potential for good and for ill. His riffs are right-on target: Malcolm X as latter-day Puritan, Frederick Douglass on the same shelf with Benjamin Franklin in terms of writing memoirs that tell us how to live honestly in This America of Ours. The poetry of Rodriguez's language is not at all what we might come to expect from an analytical writer. His work is closer to poetry that looks back to the multiple historical origins of these Americas, asks about the originary moments of various races, cultures, religions coming together, and what has happened since. By writing evocatively, rather than cut-and-dry rants or analyses, Rodriguez does much to explore the structures that pervade and are promised in present-day America. Rodriguez is worth, will pay back in insights every bit of time you put into reading him. Maybe his identity isn't yours, maybe you will want to dismiss him, but if you read through, stay with this book, I promise - he will get under your skin.

Bullsh*t.......2006-06-01

This guy is full of it and full of himself. Wants to sound sooooooooooooooooo educated. Comes off sounding like a pretentious overcompensating guy with a real inferiority complex. Obviously has not come to a point of self-acceptance. It is a pity. I got the book in hopes of finding some help with my own Mexican-American son's struggles to fit in to either the Mexican or the "white" sides of his heritage. This book is NOT one I will leave around for him to read. I wonder how he got published.

Brown.......2006-04-28

Brown is an interesting read and by no means is it an easy read. Rodriguez alludes to many different things, so a reader, such as myself, may not always be able to pick up on these allusions. This is a story, rather a collection of stories that highlights race, ethnicity, and identity in American culture. This is a dense read, not a quick and easy read. At first, I did not understand many of the things Rodriguez was saying, but as I progressed farther in the book, his writing became much more clear and understandable to me. In the end, I cannot say that I enjoyed the book but that I did find it an interesting read and worth my time.

Feel free to step back and let some of it slide by.......2005-11-10

"Brown" is really a collection of disparate essays and personal musings that make no effort to come together at the end in any sort of traditional conclusion or overriding point. Not surprisingly the only truly linking theme is this idea, this social construction of "Brown," the book being simply a transcription of the world through the eyes of a man that has been brown his entire 50 or so years. While some find this style of writing important to the messsage of the book I find it confusing and often tiring ot read.
The book is full of lengthy explorations into terms and ideals, including "Hispanic," and when these complicated topics are combined with Rodriguez's contradicting and incongruent style it makes for a difficult read. "Brown" has a lot to say so be prepared to not only look deeply into the writer's true meanings but also to step back and allow some of his asides and obscure references to pass by without much attention.

It's OK to be lost in the text..........2005-11-09

Rodriguez shows how some social conventions, such as the use of "Hispanic" and the wilderness connotation of "West," are in reality much more complicated, and he uses rich supplementary evidence to reflect the complexity of his topics.

Take the chapter "Gone West" as an example, to show how the "real West" is more than the traditional "wilderness," Rodriguez points out how Californians move eastwards to the "West," how the "gateway to West" has never been determined, how Ralph Lauren's interpretation of "Original Sin" used totally inaccurate Indian theme, how Adam and Eve were driven to the "east" of Eden where they "assume[d] the burden of time", how Asians moved "east" and Hispanics moved "north" to the American "West"...the list could go on. Rodriguez presents numerous "facts," including many personal experiences, to add more meanings to the idea of "West," and therefore breaks the conventional oversimplification of the phrase, "gone west."

You can be in awe of Rodriguez for how knowledgeable he sounds in the book, or you can be like me and get mad at him for making a simple thing extremely confusing.

Average customer rating:

Disappointing...
I recommend this book to everyone...
¡Excelente!
Outstanding Book and great storytelling.
No apparent English version.

Burro Genio
Victor Villasenor
Manufacturer: Rayo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060566833
Release Date: 2006-08-15

Book Description

De pie frente al público, Victor Villaseñor miró al grupo de maestros sentados frente a él, y su mente se llenó de recuerdos de infancia llenos de humillación y abuso por parte de sus profesores. Se sintió enfurecer. Con el corazón en la mano, comenzó a hablar de esos abusos. Y cuando terminó, para su gran sorpresa, encontró a todos los profesores de pie aplau-diéndolo enfáticamente. Muchas de las personas en el público no lograban contener sus lágrimas.

Así comienzan las conmovedoras y apasionadas memorias de Victor Villaseñor. A pesar de ser muy talentoso e imaginativo desde muy niño, tuvo que vivir con una dificultad de aprendizaje (no fue sino hasta los 44 años de edad que fue diagnosticado con un caso grave de dislexia), y la frustración de ser latino en una escuela americana en la que sólo se hablaba inglés. A pesar de los profesores que lo maltrataban porque no podía hablar inglés, Villaseñor se aferró a su sueño de un día convertirse en escritor. Hoy en día, es considerado uno de los autores más importantes de nuestra era.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing..........2007-05-26

I was under the impression that this book would focus on the author's triumphs over adversity (i.e. dyslexia, racism, etc.). Although the book did touch on the aforementioned themes to a certain degree, I felt that its central focus was steeped in some of the most prosaic, banal details of Villasenor's childhood. The author's writing has a way of making the most tragic experiences of Villasenor's life seem incidental. The majority of children have stories about growing up but I am not sure that they are all noteworthy enough to be chronicled in a memoir. Likewise, I think that Villasenora could have broadened his work's appeal if he would have omitted several lackluster childhood experiences. I started the book with an open mind and with each page I hoped that it would get better. Regrettably, the book did not meet my expectations.

I recommend this book to everyone..........2007-05-13

I've read "Rain of Gold"(which I also recommend) and found "Burro Genius" to be just as wonderful. I recommend this book to everyone. Especially anyone of Mexican/American descent. If you've never read a book of Victor's, now's the time!

¡Excelente!.......2007-04-12

Excellency is the only word that describes this amazing tale! It is not Victor's fantasy but Victor's life in light of his dreams and struggles to be who he is. The Villaseñor's story is still the story of many inmmigrants, from many countries and many races. It is a redemptive experience that helps us to to keep on with life, no matter how hard it might be or turn. In a world where everything is "made" and taken for granted, Victor's creativity and desire to suceed over its limitations, emerges as a clear example for those who want to give up. It is simply remarkable! It is possible!

Outstanding Book and great storytelling........2007-04-12

Victor's storytelling magic lies in his very natural ability to make you feel as if you are 'right there' as an observor or silent participant in the experiences and adventures he is describing. His stories are treasures because they take his Latino readers back to their own lives in this country AND they offer non-Latino readers a golden opportunity to experience life as seen through the eyes of an immigrant. This particular book, BURRO GENIUS, is just such a story. The key to understanding and feeling what Victor writes about is to try and 'check your cultural baggage at the door' and experience the stories with a clean canvas.

No apparent English version........2007-03-16

I ordered this book thinking that it was written in English as are many of Villasenor's books. I received this book and realized that it was totally in Spanish. There was no indication from your review that it was in Spanish, therefore it was a total surprise. When I returned the book, I asked, in writing, for the English version, but did not receive anything more than a refund.

Average customer rating:

Forever a classic
an exciting nonfiction book!
One of the best memoirs ever written
I will always love this book
We recommend this book

Down These Mean Streets
Piri Thomas
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679781420
Release Date: 1997-11-25

Amazon.com

The 30th anniversary edition of this classic memoir about growing up in Spanish Harlem includes an afterword reminding us that its streets are even meaner now, thanks to crack cocaine and the dismantling of government poverty programs. As a dark-skinned Puerto Rican, born in 1928, Piri Thomas faced with painful immediacy the absurd contradictions of America's racial attitudes (among people of all colors) in a time of wrenching social change. Three decades have not dimmed the luster of his jazzy prose, rich in Hispanic rhythms and beat-generation slang.

Book Description

Thirty years ago Piri Thomas made literary history with this lacerating, lyrical memoir of his coming of age on the streets of Spanish Harlem. Here was the testament of a born outsider: a Puerto Rican in English-speaking America; a dark-skinned morenito in a family that refused to acknowledge its African blood. Here was an unsparing document of Thomas's plunge into the deadly consolations of drugs, street fighting, and armed robbery--a descent that ended when the twenty-two-year-old Piri was sent to prison for shooting a cop.

As he recounts the journey that took him from adolescence in El Barrio to a lock-up in Sing Sing to the freedom that comes of self-acceptance, faith, and inner confidence, Piri Thomas gives us a book that is as exultant as it is harrowing and whose every page bears the irrepressible rhythm of its author's voice. Thirty years after its first appearance, this classic of manhood, marginalization, survival, and transcendence is available in an anniversary edition with a new Introduction by the author.

Customer Reviews:

Forever a classic.......2007-08-12

Down These Mean Streets is the story of Piri Thomas' journey into adulthood. The book is set in Spanish Harlem in the 1940s. The author's writing style is refreshing and lyrical. He uses some Spanish words here and there(readers might find the glossary in the back of the book helpful), and kicks in a few slang words as well, which makes the dialogs that much more genuine.

Piri struggles through poverty, family troubles, and desperately wanting to belong. He fights with being a dark skinned Puerto Rican during a time when racism was strong, and trying to find his place as neither black nor white. Piri did some not-so-good things in his life, being in a gang, drug addiction, and armed robbery among other things, but throughout it all it is easy to tell that Piri is a good guy at heart.

Overall, this is a captivating story. You might find yourself wondering what you would have done faced with the same situations. I even found myself rooting for Piri at times. This book is still a very accurate depiction of "the hoods" of New York, despite being published for the first time about 40 years ago.

I was sad to have to finish the book, and in the end I felt like I knew Piri. I look forward to re-reading this book over the years. It is truly a classic. Everyone should read it. Anyone can find something in the story that they will be able to relate to.

an exciting nonfiction book!.......2007-06-28

This book really told me what it was like to live in Harlem in the 40s. The discrimination and racism is real and raw (although Mr Thomas does get a little jaded and think all white people are bad). The way he describes coming off heroin is realistic, colorful, and explosive. This whole book is very alive, as a memoir. It was funny to see the slang they used back then!

One of the best memoirs ever written.......2007-05-10

I've read this book more than a few times and have taught it to different level readers a few extra times. There was one high school student who came to me after the book was done and told me, "This is the first book I ever finished." Even if it's not the first book you've read, you'll find writing that is fearless, honest, and powerful. You won't forget it, and if you're really lucky, you'll get to share it with someone else.

I will always love this book.......2006-12-28

Grabbed it off my english teachers shelf junior year of high school, loved it so much I never gave it back. This is an amazingly wonderful book. Vivid writing style...I could see every last detail in my head. It was like a movie in my brain. Love it.

We recommend this book.......2006-12-07

Book Review: Down These Mean Streets

We recommend this book because Piri Thomas wrote the book in a way that you can visualize the story. This book is interesting because it talks about a young Latino's life growing up in the streets of Harlem New York in the 30's. However Piri the main character in the story gets discriminated throughout his young life for being a black Puerto Rican. We think this book has some strong scenes suitable for children under 13. Little by little the story gets interesting to the point where you don't want to stop reading. To conclude, this story is a good autobiography to learn from

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