Customer Reviews

My Father Was a Toltec: and Selected Poems

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I was first introduced to Ana Castillo, when I read her marvelous novel, "So Far From God" ("Tan Lejos de Dios"), which was a journey through magical realism, Chicana identity and the experience of people who have lived and cultivated the land as far back as ten generations. This was a true example of the indigenous experience in the United States. Totally beautiful and powerful......

"My Father Was a Toltec" doesn't fail to disappoint. This collection of poems looks at the Chicana/indigenous Mexican/female experience in the United States, and in Mexican culture. Ana writes in English, Spanish, Spanglish and sprinkles it with words in Toltec (the culture of her father). Castillo, an avid writer and practicioner of santeria (a mixture of the Catholic and indigenous ritualistic beliefs), truly has a connection to this duel (even triple) identity. Castillo grew up in a Mexican neighborhood, in the South side of Chicago, and finally took a trip with her mother to their native Mexico, when she was older (this is captured in her poetry).

I definitely reccomend this book. Ana Castillo is an auther more readers should know about!! This is such an important example of Latina literature. Those from the culture will identify with her, and those non-Latinos and non-Spanish speakers will definitely receive an education.