Living in Spanglish and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more



or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Start reading Living in Spanglish on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

Living in Spanglish: The Search for Latino Identity in America [Paperback]

Ed Morales
3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

List Price: $18.99
Price: $14.89 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $4.10 (22%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Only 3 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it Tuesday, May 21? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
Free Two-Day Shipping for College Students with Amazon Student

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $9.99  
Hardcover --  
Paperback, Bargain Price $7.60  
Paperback, March 1, 2003 $14.89  
Amazon.com Textbooks Store
Shop the Amazon.com Textbooks Store and save up to 70% on textbook rentals, 90% on used textbooks and 60% on eTextbooks.

Book Description

March 1, 2003 0312310005 978-0312310004
Chicano. Cubano. Pachuco. Nuyorican. Puerto Rican. Boricua. Quisqueya. Tejano.

To be Latino in the United States in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries has meant to fierce identification with roots, with forbears, with the language, art and food your people came here with. America is a patchwork of Hispanic sensibilities-from Puerto Rican nationalists in New York to more newly arrived Mexicans in the Rio Grande valley-that has so far resisted homogenization while managing to absorb much of the mainstream culture.

Living in Spanglish delves deep into the individual's response to Latino stereotypes and suggests that their ability to hold on to their heritage, while at the same time working to create a culture that is entirely new, is a key component of America's future.

In this book, Morales pins down a hugely diverse community-of Dominicans, Mexicans, Colombians, Cubans, Salvadorans and Puerto Ricans--that he insists has more common interests to bring it together than traditions to divide it. He calls this sensibility Spanglish, one that is inherently multicultural, and proposes that Spanglish "describes a feeling, an attitude that is quintessentially American. It is a culture with one foot in the medieval and the other in the next century."

In Living in Spanglish , Ed Morales paints a portrait of America as it is now, both embracing and unsure how to face an onslaught of Latino influence. His book is the story of groups of Hispanic immigrants struggling to move beyond identity politics into a postmodern melting pot.

Frequently Bought Together

Living in Spanglish: The Search for Latino Identity in America + Ethnic Labels, Latino Lives: Identity and the Politics of (Re)Presentation in the United States
Price for both: $35.14

Buy the selected items together


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Spanglish a spoken hybrid of Spanish and English, which has become increasingly prevalent in Latino communities is for Morales a metaphor for the developing multiracial America, where one's identity "is about not having to identify with either black or white, while at the same time having the capacity to be both." Morales, who has written extensively for the Village Voice, focuses on underground and mainstream Latino culture and what he sees as their changing modes of assimilation and cultural exchange. In discussing the Lower East Side's famous Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Morales examines the effect of gentrification, finding that the (now defunct) Jennifer Lopez-"Puffy" Combs relationship mirrors the economic and cultural help that black culture has supplied in the mainstreaming and commercialization of Latino culture. Similarly, Morales describes gay culture's apparent influence on John Leguizamo as an example of how Latino artists meld together contemporary urban styles. Much of the book deftly theorizes the moves of these more visible figures, as well as street-level negotiations that are just as engaging. Morales has a deep political aim, backed by a real concern with lesser-known histories, as when he connects his 1992 Mexico City trip to the student uprisings there in 1968 or rhapsodizes about the norte¤o-hybrid music scene that includes bands like Caf‚ Tacuba. If the book sometimes reads like a series of arts profiles somewhat stiffly strung together, Morales's passion for this our emerging culture still comes through. (Mar.)Forecast: Morales doesn't quite find the hook that will catapult this book to the fore of discussions of multiculturalism, but in the unlikely event that the legalization of Mexican immigrants comes back onto the political table, that would give it to him. For now, a lackluster cover that fails to advertise the book's celeb engagements may limit its reach.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This is an intriguing book but one that stands on shaky ground. Without a bibliography and nary a note in sight, it is hard to reconcile the author's passionate argument that "Spanglish," an all-encompassing, mixed-race, cultural label, should supplant the words Hispanic, Latino, and, generally speaking, American. While Morales, a Village Voice contributor whose work has also appeared in Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles Times, and The Nation, seems to be on steadier ground in his discussions of how Spanish communities in America do or do not assimilate, it is difficult to imagine his theories working in places beyond the big melting-pot cities of New York, California, Florida, and Texas. The breadth of his argument does make for entertaining reading as it descriptively taps into various examples of "Spanglish" entertainment, music, and other contemporary cultural phenomena. The relative absence of any scholarly framework, however, weakens the author's utopian dream, despite his personal exhilaration at the prospect of resolving America's identity crisis. Recommended for academic and large public libraries. Ellen D. Gilbert, Princeton, NJ
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (March 1, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312310005
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312310004
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #858,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

3.3 out of 5 stars
(7)
3.3 out of 5 stars
Share your thoughts with other customers
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Seeking a Common Ground April 29, 2002
Format:Hardcover
This is a fascinating book that takes you on a journey into what it means to be Latino. While pointing out the many differences between Latinos and long-standing conflicts, Morales offers hope about the possibility of finding common ground. The book empowers Latinos by alllowing us to see how, historically, we have taken advantage of our mixed-race background, while painting a detailed picture about our presence in America for non-Latinos. The writing is first-rate--I highly recommend this book.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
19 of 24 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Obscure writing style alienated me July 28, 2003
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
As a latino who has enjoyed occasional plays or songs that used Spanglish as a gimmick, I was curious to read this book that claimed that our entire culture should be re-labeled as Spanglish.

But within a few pages, I realized that the author engages in a self-congratulatory "deconstructionist" style designed to impress a) his writing professor in college, b) his less-educated peers, c) not sure whom? Frequent references to Jack Kerouac, Dubois and others seems more of a last-minute thought to fluff-out or "fatten" the book for press time.

I would not recommend this book for anyone needing to learn about the current Latino culture or our issues; a much better bargain is the free pdf download at Lulac.org website.

Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
4.0 out of 5 stars As an outsider, This was enlightening!! January 12, 2010
Format:Paperback
As a fellow writer of books on ethnicity, I became curious of other viewpoints. Since Latinos/Hispanics are a rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population, I felt a responsibility to examine some of the issues in the Latino community. I found many similarities between the Black and Latino communities when it comes to stereotypes and Race. 1. What do we call ourselves? 2. Stereotypical treatment in Hollywood. 3. Light skin vs. dark skin (Sammy Sosa) I just wish the book wasn't so long. I guess those who are interested in obscure history will love those parts. Thanks for opening my eyes to many things Ed Morales!!

Plain Talk - Volume 1
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Forums

There are no discussions about this product yet.
Be the first to discuss this product with the community.
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 



So You'd Like to...



Look for Similar Items by Category