The Tame Cactus [Paperback]

Esperanza Zendejas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 30, 1999

Raised by adoptive parents on a southern California farm, Millie Wolf is loved but lonely. Who were her birth parents? What happened to them and the rest of her Meixan family? Then a budding romance illuminates her identity and reveals the miracles of love and friendship-for yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Tame Cactus is smooth and tender with a surprise ending. It's a curl-up-and lose-yourself-in-the-pages kind of read. Esperanza Zendejas transports the reader through two cultures linked by a compelling heroine." -- Anne Ryder, Indianapolis news anchor

"Your vivid descriptions of life in a small Mexican village both in 1957 and twenty years later, left feeling as though I had traveled there with you." -- Sue Anne Gilroy, Indiana Secretary of State

This is a must-read book for young adults...it encompasses the best of two cultures -- Graciana de Pena, April 1999

About the Author

Esperanza Zendejas was born in Michoacan, Mexico. The youngest of nine children, her family immigrated to California's Imperial Valley in the early 60's. A graduate of San Diego State University, University of San Diego, and Stanford University, She has been a teacher, principal and is currently a school superintendent. She is the mother of Baleria, a teacher in Brownsville, Texas and Xchel, a junior at Arizona State.

Product Details

• Paperback: 284 pages
• Publisher: Ojo Por Ojo; First Edition edition (April 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 096704670X
• ISBN-13: 978-0967046709
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,058,189 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Tame Reading, July 20, 2005

By 

Gerald Feinstein (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tame Cactus (Paperback)

This is the last Zendejas book I will read. I will save my money. I really hoped this would be better than "Infallibility". At the least it is not as fatalistic. The author seems to have worked out some of her personal problems. The characters are shallow and again I am left with the question, "so what". I will admit this is a better book, but far from being publishable. I can only assume it is self published and the numerous reviews of 5 stars are from family, friends, and/or the author. Buyer beware.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Tame- a cultural mish-mash, July 11, 2005

By 

diasporaWoman (TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tame Cactus (Paperback)

Yet again, I find Zendejas' characters to be trite, shallow reflections of better developed characters in similar works. I think that the lack of originality is my real disappointment with this initially promising author's work. We've heard the story before, with more credible characters and more substantive plots.

In her latest book, she writes about her family and her own experiences as an immigrant. Perhaps those personal stories will have more resonance, but, here again, she is following in the footsteps of many --very talented --authors who have written superbly on immigrant experience and diaspora. I doubt that Zendejas can distinguish herself in this well covered genre.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Loved the author, disliked the book, March 28, 2005

By 

April "Bajo el sol hay bastante lugar para to... (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tame Cactus (Paperback)

I heard this author speak recently, and I liked her speaking style so much I read the book. She was really entertaining, funny, and provocative. After reading this book, I was terribly disappointed in "The Tame Cactus" because it was such two- dimensional writing. Not at all like what I'd expected. I know that the author recently put out a new book of true stories about her family and childhood. I would give that one a chance,because you could tell from the author that she really was passionate about her family, but I would not recommend "Tame Cactus". The characters are flat, undeveloped, unbelievable and uninteresting. The events jump too quickly and not enough information is given to evoke an emotional involvement in the reader. I wanted to like this book, but I couldn't.