Scan barcode
nickscoby's review against another edition
4.0
I was about to Christopher Columbus this book and be like, "Oh, look at this great author that I discovered," when I found out that this is like Blanco's third or fourth book already. #failedcolonialsm I heard the author speak at the national First Year Experience conference in Dallas, and received a copy of this memoir for free. It took some months before I finally decided to read it, and I'm so glad that I did! Blanco is such a rich writer, detailed without being a know-it-all. The first two, three chapters are my favorite, and literally laughed out loud when he was describing his family's "San Giving" celebration. Blanco makes it all look very easy. I look forward to reading his poetry now!
jklbookdragon's review against another edition
4.0
Once again, proof that authors write the best memoirs. Richard Blanco writes of being a boy who can only remember living in America (despite being conceived in Cuba and born in Spain), who spends his childhood immersed in a community of Cuban exiles in Miami. While those around him yearn for the Cuba of their memories, he is struggling to define himself - is he American? Can he be more American? After all, he really loves Easy Cheese! Is he Cuban? He is also coming to terms with the fact that he is gay, which doesn't always sit well with his mach0-centric family and community. All in all, a good read.
betweenthembooks's review against another edition
3.0
i'm stuck between 3.5-4 stars
i do not know much of richard blanco except two poems and his visits to the white house. however, this book felt surreal. i read it as a novel filled with characters i see in my daily life. i found it beautifully written and easy to get carried away with. the way he played with memory was a really cool thing.
i do not know much of richard blanco except two poems and his visits to the white house. however, this book felt surreal. i read it as a novel filled with characters i see in my daily life. i found it beautifully written and easy to get carried away with. the way he played with memory was a really cool thing.
chrisiant's review
emotional
funny
reflective
4.0
Cute memoir, loveable characters, interesting perspective.
anniefox's review against another edition
3.0
I had the pleasure of seeing Richard Blanco at an author event at our wonderful local independent bookstore, Book Passage in Corte Madera, CA. In addition to being so warm and personable, Blanco is a wonderful reader. Not so surprising as Blanco is a poet and understand that literary work can also be music as well as great theatre. He also brought slides to accompany the excerpts he read from this rich and detailed memoir of his childhood in Miami amongst a tight knit community of Cuban exiles. Really enjoyable book and it gave me a great opportunity to practice my Spanish!
anniefdez's review against another edition
4.0
As a cuban American a few years older than the author I related to the being caught between two cultures. The stories of wanting to eat the American foods his friends ate reminded me so much of my childhood yearning for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in my lunchbox instead of the leftover cuban food my mom packed. He really conveyed the feelings of being both Cuban and American. I also shopped at El Gallo de Oro with my mom just like the author. I wished he would have continued his story onto his later life and all his accomplishments. The book left me wanting to learn more about him, so I felt disappointed at the end. Overall I enjoyed it immensely , perhaps because it reminded me so much of growing up in Miami as part of the first wave of cuban immigrants.
readingwithhippos's review against another edition
5.0
The Prince of Los Cocuyos is hands-down the best memoir I’ve ever read. Richard Blanco does absolutely everything right. Each chapter tells a single story small enough to be fleshed out in full detail, but themes of belonging, family, and finding your place stretch effortlessly throughout each one, connecting them all into a resoundingly satisfying whole.
It also doesn’t hurt that he’s flippin’ hilarious, with the timing of a stand-up comedian. (Be careful reading the chapter about his family’s trip to Disney World in public, unless you don’t mind snorting in front of an audience.)
The book is about Blanco’s childhood, growing up a Cuban immigrant in Miami, but underneath that, it’s about complicated love-hate relationships with relatives, realizing from a young age that you’re different but not knowing what to do about it, and finally growing into yourself and figuring out who you want to be in this world.
The poignance of Blanco’s stories made my heart pinchy. Remember what it felt like to be a kid? Things were beautiful! Exciting! Extraordinary! Remembering that simple joy and, yes, also the disappointment and hurt when things didn’t work out gave me all the feels.
Everyone who is a person should read this book. Highest possible recommendation.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
It also doesn’t hurt that he’s flippin’ hilarious, with the timing of a stand-up comedian. (Be careful reading the chapter about his family’s trip to Disney World in public, unless you don’t mind snorting in front of an audience.)
The book is about Blanco’s childhood, growing up a Cuban immigrant in Miami, but underneath that, it’s about complicated love-hate relationships with relatives, realizing from a young age that you’re different but not knowing what to do about it, and finally growing into yourself and figuring out who you want to be in this world.
The poignance of Blanco’s stories made my heart pinchy. Remember what it felt like to be a kid? Things were beautiful! Exciting! Extraordinary! Remembering that simple joy and, yes, also the disappointment and hurt when things didn’t work out gave me all the feels.
Everyone who is a person should read this book. Highest possible recommendation.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com