Customer Reviews

Latino in America (Celebra Books)

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BEVERLY HILLS--Soledad O'Brien is a journalist who works for CNN. Ms. O'Brien has also produced special series for CNN in the past few years. Last year she had a groundbreaking series called "Black in America," which was critically acclaimed. This year the top rate reporter has a new series called "Latino in America." This is very close to Ms. O'Brien's heart. Her father was an Australian white immigrant who married her mother, a Latina immigrant also in America. Ms. O'Brien's series comes with a brand new book titled, "Latino in America," which is co-authored by Rose Marie Arce and became available this week at bookstores around the country.

When I started reading the book I didn't have any background or preconceived ideas about being Latino in America. I'm originally from the southeast region of the country and although California has a huge Latina population, many remain marginalized and are workers outside of the field of journalism and entertainment. It was fun to read Ms. O'Brien's book but also very enlightening.

The book will make a great companion guide with the series which starts airing this weekend on CNN. Ms. O'Brien talks about very serious issues in the book, from an almost 70 percent dropout rate of Hispanic and Latina students in American schools, to the role of Latinos in American culture and how the growing minority population will in several decades explode into the majority population most likely in the U.S.

Her frank, in depth and incredibly exhaustive research that makes this book one of the most important books readers will ever get to absorb is not something difficult to read and comprehend. Because of O'Brien's training as a journalist and also an on-air commodity at CNN, I think she is able to communicate her points and teach without being preachy or making the reader feel she has an agenda. The only agenda she has is obviously giving a voice to a portion of our society, which until now has faced discrimination and the obvious stereotypes, which anyone who moves to another nation will ultimately face.

The book is a winner, we'll have to see if the TV series will be a great companion and addition to the wonderful stories Ms. O'Brien compiled for this literary work. Just under 260 pages, the book is easy to read in a few days and well worth the cost.

Soledad O'Brien's "Latino in America" is a must-read.

Muy Excellante!
This book is excellent. It should be required reading in our schools. Even if you do not have Latino in your family line ,it will shed some light on the plight of Latino's day to day struggle to survive in America.
alejandro

This is a must for anyone living in the United States. Soledad does a wonderful job in this book. She uncovers the dynamics of Latino culture in the United States and topics and themes vary. There is something in this book for everyone. Whether you are a poor Latino immigrant or have found your American dream. Make sure to watch the documentary on CNN Oct. 21 and 22.

Latino, is as American as apple pie. American does not mean Anglo Saxon only. To be American means to be part of a group of people comprised from a diversity of humans beings from all over this planet. American Citizens sometimes get it wrong or don't really comprehend it because of a lack of cultural education. For hundreds of years the United States has been attracting immigrants from a variety of different countries, races, and religions to come live in a land full of freedom and opportunity. These people were looking for more than just rights and privileges. Their real desire was to become something that depicts pride and honor, an American. Being an American means much more than living in the United States. Along with the name come a number of different benefits such as, freedom of speech to express your own opinion, freedom of religion, and equality for all, including different sexes, races, religions and status.

As Americans, we should be very proud of the privileges we possess because many other countries are not fortunate enough to have all these freedoms. Our freedoms are what set Americans apart from other citizens. Americans have the opportunity to acquire a good education and receive a satisfying career. Apart from some countries, American people of all different races and religions can live and work together because everyone is allowed an equal opportunity. Soledad O' brien offers you a prospective, an opportunity to learn about what our American cultural diversity is all about. Pick up her book or watched her on CNN as she her self a born and breed American of Australian Father and Cuban Mother is on the road of discovery, on what makes us, a true American.

I was expecting the book to more interesting than the TV show that was aired. Usually books are much more detailed, but not in this case.