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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
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Current, sometimes rewarding short story collections feel like they were gathered from the past, what’s not there anymore. This collecting does quite the opposite and brings the Mexican American experience into a different light. Highly recommend it
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Living Beyond Borders is a beautifully crafted anthology that showcases a variety of experiences of Mexican-Americans. "Ghetto Is Not an Adjective," "Yoli Calderon and Principal Hayes," "Is Half Mexican-American Mexican Enough?" and "La Princesa Mileidy Dominguez" were especially noteworthy pieces, along with Margarita Longoria's opening remarks. As a Mexican born and raised in Texas, I found several works within this collection to be remarkably relatable.
"The Mexican culture is full of life, full of color, and full of beauty. We are not a one-size-fits-all people; we come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. My parents raised me to see diversity as a gift, and I believe it is our differences that make each of us important." –Margarita Longoria
"The Mexican culture is full of life, full of color, and full of beauty. We are not a one-size-fits-all people; we come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. My parents raised me to see diversity as a gift, and I believe it is our differences that make each of us important." –Margarita Longoria
"Growing Up Mexican in America" is part of the title of this book. It's important to specify because this is what the anthology is all about.
"Twenty stand-alone short stories, essays, poems, and more from celebrated and award-winning authors make up this YA anthology that explores the Mexican American experience. With works by Francisco X. Stork, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, David Bowles, Rubén Degollado, e.E. Charlton-Trujillo, Diana López, Xavier Garza, Trinidad Gonzales, Alex Temblador, Aida Salazar, Lupe Ruiz-Flores, Sylvia Sanchez Garza, Dominic Carrillo, Angela Cervantes, Carolyn Dee Flores, René Saldaña Jr., Justine Narro, Daniel García Ordáz, and Anna Meriano. These authors share the borders they have crossed, the struggles they have pushed through, and the two cultures they continue to navigate as Mexican American. "
Many of the stories are well-written and resonated with this reader. The 'Mexican American' experience is as diverse as the regions, border towns, and generations of the writers who write the stories. The differences can be because you are first-generation or fourth, bi-racial, or multi-ethnic, but many areas connect, such as family, language, foods,
A few stories didn't hold my interest as much due to form or writing style but overall, that should not detract those readers who are trying to understand what it means to grow up Mexican in America.
Some quotes that describe the themes in several stories:
"As Mexican Americans, we have always needed to defend who we are, where we were born, and prove to others that we are, in fact, Americans."
"Yet, we are forced to be on the fence, not because we do not want to belong to both worlds, but because society demands that we chose a side. Where do we want to belong?"
This book could be utilized as a book for upper middle schoolers to high school students as a basis of discussion about self-identity, culture, perceptions, and bias. I would recommend it to educators, readers who want to expand their knowledge of other cultures, and librarians for their schools. NetGalley provided an e-ARC of this book, and this is an honest review.
"Twenty stand-alone short stories, essays, poems, and more from celebrated and award-winning authors make up this YA anthology that explores the Mexican American experience. With works by Francisco X. Stork, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, David Bowles, Rubén Degollado, e.E. Charlton-Trujillo, Diana López, Xavier Garza, Trinidad Gonzales, Alex Temblador, Aida Salazar, Lupe Ruiz-Flores, Sylvia Sanchez Garza, Dominic Carrillo, Angela Cervantes, Carolyn Dee Flores, René Saldaña Jr., Justine Narro, Daniel García Ordáz, and Anna Meriano. These authors share the borders they have crossed, the struggles they have pushed through, and the two cultures they continue to navigate as Mexican American. "
Many of the stories are well-written and resonated with this reader. The 'Mexican American' experience is as diverse as the regions, border towns, and generations of the writers who write the stories. The differences can be because you are first-generation or fourth, bi-racial, or multi-ethnic, but many areas connect, such as family, language, foods,
A few stories didn't hold my interest as much due to form or writing style but overall, that should not detract those readers who are trying to understand what it means to grow up Mexican in America.
Some quotes that describe the themes in several stories:
"As Mexican Americans, we have always needed to defend who we are, where we were born, and prove to others that we are, in fact, Americans."
"Yet, we are forced to be on the fence, not because we do not want to belong to both worlds, but because society demands that we chose a side. Where do we want to belong?"
This book could be utilized as a book for upper middle schoolers to high school students as a basis of discussion about self-identity, culture, perceptions, and bias. I would recommend it to educators, readers who want to expand their knowledge of other cultures, and librarians for their schools. NetGalley provided an e-ARC of this book, and this is an honest review.
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This is a well written book. The stories and poems made me want more. A must read.
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