Owner: Literanista URL:http://literanista.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:36:52 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: A blog about Hispanic books and authors, written by a Latina. Discuss & review books - new & classics, the literary world, the Hispanic book market, read interviews and more - a place for a multi-cultural dialogue. Site statistics:Click here
BookLamp.org is Pandora.com for Books 2008-03-18 09:35:24 CanGoogleHearMe.com recently introduced BookLamp.org. It's a system that matches users to books based on a full-text analysis of the novel, like how Pandora
matches music. It measures elements like action, dialog, and description, graphs them for you scene-by-scene, and uses that to find other books that have similar writing style.read more | digg story Read more:Books
Easter Eggs and Bunnies 2008-03-21 16:17:19 There's nothing cuter than little bunny rabbits and I love eggs, I don't why - I just do. So in the spirit of Spring and Easter
symbols, here's a couple of my revered or desired treats:Egglings:Bird's Soap Nest:Robin's Egg Guest Soaps:Teeny tiny quail eggs spotted at the Korean Supermarket: Kylie Kwong fascinates me, I love the nuanced way she speaks and her style and flair Try her soy sauce egg recipe, an interpretation of 1,000-year-old Chinese eggs.Knock their socks off on Sunday with a Three Milk Cake - Pastel Tres Leches too.Moving on to rabbits...Sony's Bunny Marketing Promo: Photo via HJGHERIt grabbed me right away, are these bunnies for sale?Here's the weird thing, I hate stuffed animals but sometimes I can't bear to walk by a cute toy bunny without wanting it! Via CraftzineHave a Read more:Bunnies
Do Tell - WeTellStories Debuts 2008-03-25 10:29:03 This latest push at bringing lit into the digital age comes via Penguin UK: WeTellStories takes Classics and makes them into interactive shortales that can be mapped on Google Maps.Read more here: ShinyShiny.tvSounds like fun for the young blokes!
Speaking of Rabbits - Introducing BookRabbit - Amazon/Shelfari Killer 2008-03-24 17:45:44 News via TelegraphA new online bookshop is attempting to beat Amazon
at its own game by selling books with an social network twist. A la Shelfari/Librarything BookRabbit will connect its members with similar books and allow them to write reviews and catalog their tomes as well.Sounds interesting, the site is now in beta! Bookrabbit Read more:Speaking
, Introducing
, Killer
Do Ethnic Writers Write for Everyone? 2008-04-02 16:14:44 Very serendipitously, I just came upon a post at GalleyCat that mentions how during and interview:"Wall Street Journal, Robert Hughes comes right out and asks [Jhumpa Lapiri], "Have you everthought of writing about non-Indians?" To which her answer is, actually, "Idon't think that way when I'm writing stories. I just write from the point ofview of some individual, trying to form a character who happens to be thosethings."Wow, no way, seriously? I'm offended and I wasn't there and don't even have nothing to do with it.This question would never come up if the author wasn't a person of color and a woman at that.Can you imagine - asking any of the "DWEM" who they wrote for? Of course not - because by default they wrote for everyone, while any one else - woman or other minority - write for 'the Read more:Writers
, Write
Latina Spice, Served Hot 2008-04-02 14:43:30 I was having lunch with one of my new colleagues yesterday and we were discussing books, specifically those of Hispanic interests. It seems clear that a paradox exists in the industry, that while many authors don't want their books to be culturally labeled and pigeonholed - if they aren't marketed to some degree as Latino, Asian, African American or what have you - then that particular audience is in fact ignored and just perpetuates the marginalization that already exists even though the intent was to avoid it. IMO ignoring it just perpetuates the invisibility of that group.Good fiction, classic fiction transcends categorization but that doesn't mean that the story does not have sub themes that can be examined and used to aid readers in their quests for topics of personal interests.No on Read more:Latina
, Spice
MLK - In Honor of your Life and Your Vision 2008-04-04 10:58:58 I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed:"We hold these truths to be self-evident,that all men are created equal."Make the Dream a reality!
In Full Bloom 2008-04-09 16:34:23 Spring is here, I saw a bouquet of Lavender for $10 today at lunch and almost, almost picked it up.Pink, purple, yellow - I love it. I've totally caught the fever & speaking of the Fever. .. Criticas Magazine takes a look at the fervor over Carlos Ruiz Zafon's prequel to The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel's Game. The book will be released on the other side of the pond in Barcelona later this month. I can't wait for the English version!Some other good things to check out before you head out to feel that sweet Spring breeze:110 best books: The perfect library80 Online Resources for Book LoversAnd, lastly is it 'wrong' or unAmerican of me, to think this Mexican Absolut Ad is funny? * pic via scribalterror Read more:Bloom
Speaking of Borders 2008-04-10 16:38:05 No, not that kind (although I really do want to seeUnder the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) & check out the great thing Tommy Lee Jones had to say about the fence or as he calls it the 'complete disaster'), actually I'm referring to the really cool Borders
Media site.I was never into big chain book stores. As a kid all my books were second hand buys from flea markets or hand me downs from my sister and cousin, or library loans. In fact, for most of my childhood in Spanish Harlem, the only big bookstore was about a two mile radius away, downtown on 86th Street. It wasn't until I was a teen that I ventured that far and then later discovered the smaller bookstores tucked away in Harlem and the Columbia University area. I happily spent the money I earned babysitting my way through college on 'b Read more:Speaking
Monday Miscellany 2008-04-14 16:35:26 On Thursday I attended Min Jin Lee Upstairs at the Square BN.com event and has such a good time. It was even covered at Galleycat.Min Jin Lee brilliantly discussed how her main character's last name, Hong, in her native Korean tongue speaks to the concept of anguish while Mike Doughty made the hair on my arm stand when he sung Fort Hood.- Rafaela G. Castro, retired librarian and author ofProvocaciones: Letters from the Prettiest Girl in Arvin wrote to me and let me know the book was reviewed at Tucsonweekly last year. I'm sharing the review with everyone and reminding you to check the book out.- Latina magazine got a revamped website and now has a book club: Latina.com/community Coincidently, they are readingPaula by Isabel Allende. Read more:Monday
, Miscellany
Consumption Gumption - Who you calling overweight? 2008-04-16 16:01:21 I decided today to start a diet, just in time for summer. My goal is to be tan and about 30 lbs lighter by then. It seems that lately I've become tired of over consumption, on so many levels - too much materialism, pressure to buys 'things' and follow trends and look good and as my chico likes to kid - eat too well.So yet another leaf turns...Next I'm cleaning out the closet! And just when I declare this - Coach comes along and sticks it to me. I've been secretly coveting this hat:For weeks, now I've walked by the Madison Avenue store and looked at it and thought - that hat would look so fabulous on me! But I didn't even have to look to know it would be outrageously priced and today I did, and of course it was. I have never really been a tag hag, especially Coach, which has become so clich Read more:Consumption
Nuyorican in the House! 2008-04-17 15:53:27 The other day, I was upset with my brother and he called me really early in the morning and recited a poem on my voicemail - one of his own. Of course, I couldn't stay angry with him after that - my little brother, the budding poet.I advised him to go check out my old haunt the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and today while checking out the website I was really delighted to discover that there's going to be a huge Nuyorican Poets Cafe 3rd Millenium Celebration at Townhall. I got us tickets immediately.In my email today, I got one from the Strand and there are some can't be missed events coming up:Tuesday, April 29 7:00PMSherman Alexie and Peter Cameron in DiscussionElizabeth Devereaux, the Children's Reviews Editor at Publishers Weekly, will moderate a discussion, between Sherman Alexie, author of T Read more:House
Obama Q&A on Hispanic Trending 2008-04-24 08:56:56 Sen. Barack Obama
: We cannot ignore the fact that Hispanic
s have contributed greatly to the social, economic, and cultural fabric of America. From the Hispanic community's deep-rooted history of service in the U.S. military to the battles of leaders like César Chávez for workers’ rights, Hispanic Americans have helped make this nation a great one. But despite all of the progress we’ve made, we know that there is more work to do. I believe the greatest contribution we’ve seen from the Latino community is their belief in the future and their belief in this country. It is a belief that inspires all Americans to remember what this country is about – people putting in the hard work required to make sure that the next generation is able to achieve its dreams.Read the rest
La Casa Azul Bookstore Debut in E. Harlem 2008-04-24 09:10:43 Today Thursday, April 24, 2008 @ 6:00 pm at 206 East 116th Street near 3rd Avenue @ Net Plaza New York, NY 10029From www.shelf-awareness.comIn a reversal of the usual order, Aurora Anaya-Cerda is opening her new store, La Casa Azul Bookstore
, online first and later this year in bricks-and-mortar form in the East Harlem
section of New York City. Online and in "reality," La Casa Azul (meaning blue house and named after artist Frida Kahlo's home in Mexico City) will offer "a wide range of books and music from the United States, México, Latin America and the Caribbean," reflecting "the international Latino communities shaping the United States and many parts of the world." The books will be in Spanish and English and include works by Junot Diaz, Isabel Allende, Sandra Cisneros, Gabriel Garcia
Let's Talk About My Feet 2008-04-29 18:27:33 Perhaps, I've never mentioned this but not only have I got super cute feet : ) I've also got super sensitive feet - almost any new shoe I wear will hurt me, cut me and leave me chaffed, battered and bruised.Now, I bruise easily to begin with but somehow my feet are even more delicate - ironic, huh? I guess I'm not the barefoot kind, I must come from a long line of dainty, pampered slipper-wearers.Every Spring without fail - you will find me in the drugstore buying all sorts of shoe stickies, petals and what have you - to stick to my shoes so they don't cut my tender footsies to no avail.Even 'comfort' shoes have done their damage and nothing looks worse than funky, tore-up, beat up feet. Hence, why I find this blog ever so engrossing (pun totally intended): & or worse, long toenails:
Get Your Life On! 2008-05-01 17:27:47 Yesterday, after a busy day at work I decided to 'do me' and did some shopping, a little beauty treatment and met my best friend for dinner and drinks at the Negril in Chelsea. The shrimp creole and mojitos are always delish and what better than to let my worries and stress be blown away by my best friend's amusing tales of her adventures in dating and war stories.As I have written before I have a tendency to stagnate, stay home, find comfort in the familiar and then get fraught with anxiety when I come to the realization that time stands still for no one.After dinner and a few drinks, she revealed some of her deepest fears and concerns that have been plaguing her lately and I did too. Afterwards, I just wanted to hug her and tell her how connected I felt to her and that she would never be
Highlights from the Nuyorican's 35th at Townhall 2008-05-04 12:22:39 Last night, I had a blast. So many wonderful poets - but Bronx's, always beautiful La Bruja and perfomance poet Kirk Nugent were on fire!My favorites from the evening:Kirk Nugent - Pursue Your PassionLa Bruja spoofing the song Umbrella. Her version id "Arroz con Habichuela"
Read more:Highlights
Not a Lot of Civil Disobedience 2008-05-07 09:30:30 I was told to work from home today by my boyfriend who has the inside scoop on NYC issues. Today Rev. Al Sharpton has planned a day of disobedience at 3pm at several locations all over the city and says they will shut the city down to protest the Sean Bell verdict.It's still early and perhaps it's the quiet before the storm but as someone with an activist background, sort of hard to be a Hunter alumni and not be one - anyway, I've seen and heard nothing! No one I know is planning on going or getting involved. In one sense and I know this might anger some people - this is no Amadou Diallo. I will never ever forget the day the verdict on that case came forth. It was raining heavily and I felt chills and then started crying for this innocent man whose name meant "beloved."On to lighter topics Read more:Civil
Marquez Writes Another Novel After All 2008-05-09 09:12:06 From Publisher's weekly: A friend of Gabriel Garcia Marquez
(and head of news at a Colombian radio station) says that the author "is putting the final touches to his new novel," after having said two years ago that he was finished with writing. Dario Arizmendi says, "He wrote a first draft which he didn't like, then another, then another; then, with the fifth draft, it was ready." Running about 250 pages, the book--described as "a novel of love"--should be publishable before the end of the year. Guardian
First National Latino Book Club is Launched! 2008-05-08 19:37:29 Las Comadres set up latino book clubs with discussions at select borders to celebrate Latino
literature. The 2008 slate of books are:June: A Handbook to Luck by Cristina GarciaJuly: The King's Gold by Yxta Maya MurrayAugust: Mexican Enough by Stephanie Elizondo GriestSeptember: More Than This by Margo CandelaOctober: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot DiazNovember: The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters by Lorraine Lopez (I have a galley of this and haven't been able to put it down since yesterday)December: Their Dogs Came with Them by Helena Maria Viramontesread more digg story
Read more:First
, National
, Launched
What Religion do You Believe in? Take the quiz 2008-05-14 11:32:20 What do you really believe?www.beliefnet.com/Mine:Quote: 1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)2. Neo-Pagan (98%)3. New Age (95%)4. Liberal Quakers (77%)5. Scientology (73%)6. Secular Humanism (72%)7. Mahayana Buddhism (70%)8. New Thought (68%)9. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (65%)10. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (63%)11. Hinduism (60%)12. Theravada Buddhism (59%)13. Taois Read more:Religion
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