Customer Reviews

Latino Boom: An Anthology of U.S. Latino Literature

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's got a lovely cover, doesn't it?

The anthology renders a complex period bravely accessible, while steering admirably clear in its conception of such things as over-simplification and easy polemic. The approach is deeply pedagogical and literary, with careful outlines of various schools of reception, and detailed engagement with such questions as revolve today around narrative and autobiography, just to name a few. There is throughout a very native, deeply polyglot sense for this literature's often hybrid, heterogeneous origins and currents. As such, it is also a collection with a very real social conscience, and obviously unafraid to grapple with issues of cultural and historical context (there are wonderful, detailed maps and admirably unflinching, politically objective timelines detailing various U.S. invasions throughout the years, and so on). Needless to say, however, the literary is nowhere sacrificed purely to questions of mere politics. All in all, a highly original, and admirably-contextualized compilation. Clearly an indispensable volume not only for teachers, but for anyone concerned for the future of literature in the 21st century. There will no doubt be much more to come (provided, of course, we are to survive to some day read about it, and in places other than the NRTBR).

My brother took a class in which he was assigned this book, and he loved it so much, he got me a copy for my birthday. Let me just say that I normally can be too critical and rarely give out great reviews, but this is an incredible book by some of the best Latino authors. The stories are captivating and go beyond stereotypes. I'd recommend this book to anybody.

good book has all sorts of short stories and poetry. it has some great writers and good stories and poems.

*Latino Boom* is the best anthology of contemporary Latino literature available for use in secondary or post-secondary classroom. The early chapters presenting an overview of Latino literature helped my students immensely, and they consider the maps included in chapter 3 to be invaluable--particularly the Turnabout Map.
By way of critque: I would suggest that readers contact the publisher to request the next edition of the anthology include CDs for classroom/personal use (as does the *Norton Anthology of African American Literature* edited by Gates and McKay). Christie and Gonzalez, the *Latino Boom* editors, remind their readers of the inherent orality and indispensible connections to music of many of the texts included, yet they fail to present the writers voicing their own poems and stories, nor do the editors include the rich sounds of musical traditions including corridos, plena, son, etc that would help the print text come alive. Another interdisciplinary connection that could be presented on CD would be visual works of art by Chicanos/as, Puerto Ricans, Cuban-Americans...this might include images of visual or decorative arts, textiles, or graffiti. Lastly, I would ask the editors to supplement the anthology with 2 texts: "Corky" Gonzales' "Yo Soy Joaquin" and Gloria Anzaldua's "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" (in addition to the Anzaldua piece included; not in place of...). Overall, this anthology is well-worth the money.

i think this anthology is great. i used it in class and was very insightful. my only problem is that the thematic organization of material makes it hard to navigate

I just took a literature course where the instructor assigned this book. Awesome, all around. I knew nothing about Latinos before this course, but now I feel like I know so much more about them and my friends.

I used this anthology one time and it will be the last. I just could not justify the price ($62) to my students. Unfortunately, the quality of the book itself was not good; pages came off easily, and there were several errors throughout the book. I also came to regret this book's narrow historical scope; it's important to give students a broader spectrum of the literature's development, especially since most don't even realize Latinas/os have been producing literature in America since the 16th century. Moreover, there are much more exciting, significant Latino writers in the contemporary scene completely neglected by this anthology.

This book is a wonderfull compilation of short stories and poems from the Latino culture. Very diverse in content. Read, Read, Read. Turn off the television and Read!

This compendium of contemporary Latino literature offers fresh perspectives of Latino culture. The rich variety of genres included combined with a unique themed approach makes it accessible for scholars and interesting to the casual reader as well. A must-read for anyone interested in Latino culture. Well done.