LITERANISTA Dialogue on Multicultural Books, Tech & Life

Literanista July 11, 2008

I got back from my trip to Tulum and Atlanta on Sunday and boy, it was quite an experience. Almost every calamity from an expired passport, delayed trips and lost money, bug bites to broken souvenirs, thunderstorms and closed airports fell upon my little bit of paradise. However, we made the best of it, after all, it could’ve been much worse and we at least got two spend two full glorious days in Mexico.

These are two my favorite pictures from the trip. I really need to remember to stop scrunching up my face at photo opps, especially when sun burnt. LOL!

I’ve been writing this post in my head for days now and I have so much I want to say and share.

I came across these free, online literature courses: http://www.litlovers.com/course/catalogue.htm and was delighted to discover them. I think they are a wonderful resource for anyone looking to sharpen their critical thinking skills and become a better reader. Who said school’s in recess? School is never out is my book.

The TV show, Lost, has created a cool new book club at abc.go.com that features books that have been referenced to on the show. Love it!

Why I love blogging: One of my readers, Jesús, reached out to all the way from the Canary Islands! He sent me a Spanish translation of Michael Ende’s “Mirror in the mirror.” If that’s not fresh, I don’t know what is!

From Lacasaazulbookstore.com newsletter:

Junot Diaz will be at SummerStage on Thursday July 17, 7pm-10pm See you there!

Junot Diaz is the winner of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Sargeant First Novel Prize for his debut novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. In Oscar Wao, a nerdy, sexually frustrated teenager tries to grow up under the watchful eye of his mother, grandmother and sister, and a family curse that just won’t go away. Alternating between New Jersey and the Dominican Republic, Junot’s own birthplace, this often hilarious and heartbreaking novel illuminates the modern immigrant experience through fictionalized footnotes and multi-generational storytelling.
http://www.summerstage.org/

I’ve been reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz and let me tell you, I’m not surprised, ladies and gentlemen, that he won the Pulitzer. It’s a little street and gritty, has ton of Spanglish and Sci Fi references and mixes in tons of intellectual and historical references. Then it’s heart-warming and funny to boot. I’m actually dreading coming to end. Kudos, Junot!

Speaking of street stuff and the nitty gritty, Lady Q: The Rise and Fall of a Latin Queen by
Reymundo Sanchez, Sonia Rodriguez, is being published by Chicago Review Press. Sounds interesting.

If you steer toward the more proper side of things, check out: http://www.apostropheabuse.com/ for good laughs.

Jai over at Mamistimeout.com gave me an Arte & Pico Award. Thanks, mami!

Through July 14, bestselling author Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is available for free on iTunes. Coelho’s classic fable centers on an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago, who teaches us the importance of following your dreams. Just go to the iTunes store, Free on iTunes, and download the entire book.

Lastly, I think that’s it but I’m not even sure – You can sign up for a free subscription to Latina Magazine here