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dragonbonechair's review against another edition
4.0
“Boricuas: Influential Puerto Rican Writing - An Anthology” is a compilation of Puerto Rican writers edited by journalist Roberto Santiago.
The works chosen speak to the Puerto Rican experience, be it on the island or mainland America, specifically NYC where many families, including my own, immigrated to in the 40s, 50s and 60s.
The book focuses on a diversity of writers and subjects, yet collectively captures themes related to maintaining one’s identity in a society that encourages assimilation into the dominate culture. It speaks to issues of race and identity, due to a culture(USA) rooted in binary views on race. In addition, to the struggles and triumphs of the community as they navigate life for themselves.
Santiago divides the anthology into chapters based on topics. This provides a nice thematic through line to the works that make up those chapters. For me personally, I resonated with the chapters on history and politics and identity and self esteem. Though all the works bring a unique flavor to the anthology. It’s a bit of a tapestry with comedy monologues, scenes from plays, investigative journalist pieces, poetry, and a lot of adults reflecting back on their youth.
What I found most interesting about the book is how much the demographic landscape has changed both in NYC and the larger USA since many of the works were written. These works definitely speak to a bygone era where, at least from reading it, there didn’t seem to be this larger “Latino” umbrella term that encompasses people from Latin America. It makes for an interesting read because of how much NYC has changed since the 1965 immigration act was passed. In many ways this book is my mom and family’s experience and childhood but not my own having been born decades after 1965. That’s not a bad a thing but reading it you get the sense that many of these works were written over 40 years ago.
This was a great read because it exposed me to many writers I sadly hadn’t known existed, due to lack of exposure from schooling but also my own lack of initiative in seeking out Puerto Rican writers. The anthology gave me an opportunity to learn and reflect on my own people’s history in the USA. I feel I know so much more now about issues related to the independence conversation and political movements here in the States than I did before. It also makes me appreciate my own family more, knowing what they had to experience growing up as a minority group in the States in the decades following WWII.
I do wish there were dates connected to each story, I had to contextualize based on slang and particular lines to know what decade I was in, that would be my one criticism.
While I am of Puerto Rican descent I do feel like this could be enjoyed by anyone, as it does speak to common human conflict, internal and external, while also providing readers with back history on the boricua community and experience.
The works chosen speak to the Puerto Rican experience, be it on the island or mainland America, specifically NYC where many families, including my own, immigrated to in the 40s, 50s and 60s.
The book focuses on a diversity of writers and subjects, yet collectively captures themes related to maintaining one’s identity in a society that encourages assimilation into the dominate culture. It speaks to issues of race and identity, due to a culture(USA) rooted in binary views on race. In addition, to the struggles and triumphs of the community as they navigate life for themselves.
Santiago divides the anthology into chapters based on topics. This provides a nice thematic through line to the works that make up those chapters. For me personally, I resonated with the chapters on history and politics and identity and self esteem. Though all the works bring a unique flavor to the anthology. It’s a bit of a tapestry with comedy monologues, scenes from plays, investigative journalist pieces, poetry, and a lot of adults reflecting back on their youth.
What I found most interesting about the book is how much the demographic landscape has changed both in NYC and the larger USA since many of the works were written. These works definitely speak to a bygone era where, at least from reading it, there didn’t seem to be this larger “Latino” umbrella term that encompasses people from Latin America. It makes for an interesting read because of how much NYC has changed since the 1965 immigration act was passed. In many ways this book is my mom and family’s experience and childhood but not my own having been born decades after 1965. That’s not a bad a thing but reading it you get the sense that many of these works were written over 40 years ago.
This was a great read because it exposed me to many writers I sadly hadn’t known existed, due to lack of exposure from schooling but also my own lack of initiative in seeking out Puerto Rican writers. The anthology gave me an opportunity to learn and reflect on my own people’s history in the USA. I feel I know so much more now about issues related to the independence conversation and political movements here in the States than I did before. It also makes me appreciate my own family more, knowing what they had to experience growing up as a minority group in the States in the decades following WWII.
I do wish there were dates connected to each story, I had to contextualize based on slang and particular lines to know what decade I was in, that would be my one criticism.
While I am of Puerto Rican descent I do feel like this could be enjoyed by anyone, as it does speak to common human conflict, internal and external, while also providing readers with back history on the boricua community and experience.
scrow1022's review against another edition
3.0
A good overview, and it's led me to other books. I'd love to read a more current anthology.
litpages3's review against another edition
4.0
As a Puerto Rican, I would definitely recommend anyone to read this. I love this book. One story in particular that has stuck with me all these years is "The Boy Without A Flag" by Abraham Rodriguez. I recommend this to anyone for a fun, educated great read.
repixpix's review against another edition
3.0
El libro está bien, muy interesante conocer cómo funciona la (in)justicia española fuera de los tópicos de las pelis/series americanas. La única pega es que se hace muuuuuy largo y acabas perdiendo el interés.
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