Customer Reviews

The Latina's Bible: The Nueva Latina's Guide to Love, Spirituality, Family, and La Vida

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this book and devoured it in a few days, I simply couldn't put it down! However, in all fairness, I had to give it 4 stars because it falls short of being truly inclusive of the diversity of Latino experiences.
For the most part, this book had me laughing, crying, underlining and highlighting passages, nodding my head in agreement, reading outloud to my fiance... So much of it mirrored my own experiences as a Latina in America!
I loved it that Sandra Guzman spoke about racial identity, body image, education, mentoring, leadership - there are too many worthy topics to list! This book would have been a life-saver for me in my teens!
Unfortunately, I did have a big gripe with the book. It seemed to homogenize all Latinos, as if there's one "right" way to be Latino. This is something I have encountered in my own life as well, mostly from non-Latinos, and it shouldn't be supported and perpetuated by a Latino author. We are vastly diverse as a people but once in America, we manage to find common ground to unite, to help one another, to move forward, to make progress. And that IS our strength. Pa'lante mi gente!

"The Latina's Bible" is as an inspirational and practical guide for Latinas who want to reflect and understand issues that affect Latinas in general. I want to congratulate the author for her magnificent work and for being an inspiration to many other Latinas like myself. As I read the book, even though I am not part of the "nueva Latina" generation, I find my thoughts, my fears, and my strengths in every chapter, in every line, in every story. I am fascinated to read about: "el que diran" that I heard so many times as I was growing up;" My maid reads it" story that remainds me about the attitudes of many professionals I know; and the author's advise to "take care of our little hermanitas" that I practice every single day.
I find the book to be of great help for educators, social workers and other professionals who want to better understand and help younger Latinas. The book has valuable and helpful information about health issues, relationships, and finding professional success. In addition, the author permeates the pages of her book with love and warmth for the "familia", presents a real tribute to friendship and admiration to our "hermanitas", and encourages the reader to fight and succeed.
"Consejos", facts about our people, anecdotes, and stories are told in such an intimate way, just like if you were in your "cocina tomando una taza de cafe" with the author, that you will read this book and will come back again and again to look for references, tips, ideas, and "recetas".
I admire the author's use of bilingualism and her precise way of using Spanish phrases and words that are very difficult to translate into English. This is a true example of how we speak when we get together to discuss intimate topics. She uses English and Spanish in such a natural way- just like when we talk with friends. This technique gives the book validity.
What I like the most about the book is the clever way in which the author combines facts, opinions, ideas, research, and every day experiences making it fun to read, even when she is speaking about very serious issues. Ms. Guzman's book makes me feel "bella", sexy, intelligent, and proud of being a Latina woman! Pa'lante!

The book came along at a time when I needed that shot in the arm to get excited about being Latina and recognizing I'm American, too.

Being in my 40s, I was amazed that we are still fighting the same battles economically, culturally and spiritually when I was growing up and attending college. Being in the 21st century, I assumed things had changed for Latinas.

The book brought to my attention that we still need to seek our uniqueness in straddling two worlds.

It was enlightening to read the statistics in all the different categories mentioned. I wish there was a timely resource to keep those statistics in the foreground of our minds. In black and white, it shows that collectively as a group---we do have POWER.

The book brought back memories and a time of reflection for me. It's all tied to being Mexican-American. The book speaks to the issues that need to be discussed openly on all levels as we evolve with one another. The chapters on sexuality, health, marrying outside of our culture, spirituality, and personal success are the most outspoken ones in the book. That is where Latinas are breaking away from cultural and religious traditions. We need to know we can still keep our culture, but evolve into the person God meant us to be.

The book will be a keeper in my library. It was refreshing to read a book with a contemporary Latina flair to it. Hopefully, this book will open dialogue among all ages of Latinas in order to nuture, strengthen and support one another.

Thank you for writing a book that I have needed in my life for so long. It is so good to know that their are other comadras out there going through the struggles and confusions of being a new latina. I am a 19 year old college student from New York City. I saw your book on in the window of the store and something made me go into the store and look for it. Well I ended up buying it and I haven't been able to put it down. I feel so Identified with what you write that I can honestly say it has made me proud to be a "Nueva Latina".

So much of my life has been an attempt to fit into my latina roots and fit into my american roots. Being one of those white blue eyed latina's that never truely has fit into either side this book was a God(dess) send. I loved it the book really opened my eyes to why I am the way I am and More importantly it helped me to view my relationship with my mother, husband and children differently.

If you are a latina woman, who has found fitting in difficult at best this book is for you! get back to your roots and let that latin pride take hold.

5 stars are simply not enought.

i bought this book for my little sister, who is a 17 year old beautiful latina with blonde hair and blue eyes and fairer skin. she is always considered a "white girl" by her peers and has thought of herself in the same way, often forgetting the culture and life of our mexican mama and our puerto rican father. this book has brought out the little latina in her and i am so thankful for it!

The book is especially important for any Latinas seeking a way to connect their wonderful traditions with mainstream American perspectives. It is a tool for assesing your own values and how to apply them to today's society. The author gives us a sense of complete worth and value, she inspires you to use those Latina qualities to shine and excel no matter where you go. The Latina's Bible also provides strategies for effectively shifting existing paradigms.

I must say that I have to disagree with some of the other readers' reviews. The Latina Bible does speak to the variety of Latin American women that exist in this country. As a matter of fact, when I read it, I felt as if Sandra Guzman wrote this book especially for me. I can relate to practically everything she wrote in her book. I am a very light skinned/Dominican/Puerto Rican/American young woman and everything Ms. Guzman says holds true for me as well as for most of the people that I am in contact with on a daily basis. I would reccommend this book to my dark skinned family members as well as my light skinned family members because it doesn't really matter what color your skin is. Whether you are Puerto Rican, Peruvian, Spanish, or Salvadorian, I can guarantee that you will love this book because most of us grew up with many of the latin traditions mentioned. And as far as the "Spanglish" is concerned, many of us do speak that language. It is a mix of the old world and the new world. I find it appealing to hear phrases that I and many of my Latina sisters use on a daily basis. I love this book, it has changed my life, and if you do not read it you will be missing out.

This is a book that you read and then lend to friends without them asking to borrow it! Lots of statistics, lots of clear explanation of things from a "big-picture" standpoint. Latinas, you carry more far-reaching influence than you think! Many positive words are said in this book. It's honest and relevant. In respect to elements of lifestyle, this book's scope is really broad. Latinas come from more countries than I'd almost bet you would think, so it doesn't cater to any one ethnicity, and it doesn't leave any nationality out. Who it does leave out, however, is perhaps women of zero and first-generation Americans of Latin descent-those that the book helps you to cope with! Such people may be more strongly inclined to maintain traditional dispositions, and thus may freak at what's said.(that's why YOU have to read it!) This book is geared towards women that live life acculturated to American society, rather than those assimilated to it or that have next to nothing to do with it (you'll know the difference once you read the book) Young women, especially, need to read this.

I recommend this book a million times over to all my Latina [and non-Latina] friends! This book acts like a big sister, giving advice on just about any aspect of life. Topics range from the masturbation, to religion, to marrying outside la raza. Even at it's most serious moments, it is a fun read.

This is the type of book that I like to have handy and pass on to my friends. I often open it up and read parts of it to them, and we always have a good time relating to the many situations. Having been born without older siblings around, this book, in my opinion, was a God-sent!