Latino Books

One of my memories of Hank Aguirre is his pitching in relief of the first major league game I saw in Detroit in 1958. After completing a game in Yankee Stadium in which Al Kaline broke his collar bone to make a diving catch to win the game the headline read "Tigers Find A Starter But Lose A Star", the Tigers found they had a legitimate starting pitcher for their staff. Hank's inability as a hitter are legendary, but the author spends a great deal of time on Hank's humanitarian efforts on behalf of Hispanic minorities in the Detroit area. His business efforts were ultimately successful, but the time spent away from his family took its toll. People are remembered for what they give, and Hank gave of himself to others. This is a very easy to read book, and one that would be beneficial to high school libraries even though the name of Hank Aguirre is an unknown to them.

i was fascinated by the title itself. the tall mexican should be a must read for all minorities who struggle under the lash of predjudice. i thought i was going to read a story about baseball, but discovered TTM is a story of hope and of love for our fellowman that goes beyond the ordinary into the realm of the spiritual. Hank Aguirre was, pure and simple, a giant of a man whose work for other Hispanics made him an apostle for the underpriviledged -

Bob Copley paints a vivid and moving picture of a man who showed us all how to be better human beings. Hank Aguirre was no more perfect than the rest of us, and that made him the perfect role model for real people. He had talent and determination and compassion and he parlayed those qualities for the benefit of those less fortunate than himself. Aguirre showed us all how to be better managers and better citizens and better friends. Copley's biography brings us into the world of Hank Aguirre and allows us to experience life as a friend, neighbor, and colleague of Aguirre. And as such, in the end, we grieve Hank's untimely passing with the same sadness. Hank's legacy lives on, through his family and through all of us who are willing to share our blessings and opportunities with others. The Tall Mexican lets Hank Aguirre continue to provide a powerful role model for generations to come. Share it with your children.

the tall mexican is heart-lifting biography of a big-league, all-star pitcher who brke the mold of professional athletes by startin a business in crime-ridden section of Detroit and providing jobs for the jobless and hope for the hopeless and turned thousands of lives around in so doing. A deeply spiritual man, hank aguirre befriended many and exploited no one

an inspiring account of The Tall Mexican, Hank Aguirre, who was a true professional baseball star; but who dedicated his post-celebrity life to helping his fellow Hispanics in Detroit by starting a business and providing jobs for the unemployable. He started his business in 1979 with eight employees and one run-down former bump-shop in the Mexicantown barrio. Today, there are eight locations emoloying over 1500 workers - 87% of whom are Hispanic. Sales this year are projected at $156 million. Hank succumbed to prostate cancer in 1994, but his legacy prevails.

Overall, this was an excellent book. It does not differ much from the english version, and it is, as is the english, wonderfully illustrated. It is not perfect, however. I thought that it was well translated into spanish, however, the words are not as easily read and understood as the english version. Also, it was very disappointing to me that the character's names are the traditional, english names, and were not translated into their spanish cognates. That detracts from any feelings of non-ethnicity and partiality that good literature nees.

Our whole family enjoys reading this book. With its repetition of the "horrible, terrible..." day, we now can all read those parts together. And when the kids have a bad day, we can refer to the book (and talk about going to Australia). It helps to make light of a bad day.

A friend in a college language class (not Spanish I'm afraid) advised me that books familiar to us in English are one of the best ways to increase our vocabulary in our target language. I took her up on it then, and when both I and my niece enrolled in Spanish classes (I at the local community college, with tuition paid for by my employer; she in junior high), I purchased this book for her and some other books for myself.

My family has always loved this Judith Viorst book in English. As well as having borrowing rights to Jerica's version, I own a copy of the original English, and find it downright cathartic to read when I've had a no good, terrible, horrible, very bad day. I have been known to purchase copies for friends after they've had no good,terrible, horrible,very bad days.

The key to Alexander's survival in this story, in which he continuously stews about whether he should move to Australia to avoid such horror, is the knowledge that we all have such days sometimes...and it's OK. The perfect book for a kid (or adult) who's struggling with school, friends, siblings, learning a new language, or just about anything.

Highly recommended, in any language.

This is a great book for those of us who want to raise our children bilingually and equally wonderful for Spanish-speakers. The Spanish is fun--I also love the repetition of "el día terrible, horrible..." The fact that the names are not translated is fine--not all English names have a Spanish translation and vice-versa. I believe it keeps the integrity of the original version and the Alexander character.

Qué dice un niño al que TODO le sale mal ? "Me voy a Australia !". Los dibujos - en blanco y negro - están espléndidamente ilustrados, la cara de Alexander es indescriptible por su picardía. Un libro para leer y ver con los hijos a la hora de dormir. Un libro alentador, especial para aquellos niños "difíciles"

I am so into thrillers and books with suprise endings. Collateral Man was given to me as a gift for Christmas. It was the most exciting book. It was packed with adventure and suspense from beginning to end. It peaked my interest to the point where I couldn't put it down once I started reading. Scarey? ABSOLUTELY. I JUST LOVED IT.
Tracy

This book was so good I couldn't put it down. I had goosebumps from beginning to end. There was non-stop excitement; and to say the least - never a dull moment. The authors described the people and their lives so well, it seemed as if I knew them. This was my second reading of this novel and it still gave me chills. I bought several copies as gifts. Don't miss out on this one!!!

Inspired by the acclaimed Argentinean and Latin American television miniseries "El Garante", and co-authored by Alex Ferrara and Jose Levy, Collateral Man is a gripping, suspenseful novel of one man pursued by an agent of the Devil. An unpaid soul-debt from Martin Mondragon's grandfather named his first male heir as the "collateral man", and now the Devil must have his due - for a bargain Martin never entered in or agreed to. When Martin refuses to sign over his soul, the Devil's agent resorts to horrific punishments to impress upon Martin that life can be so much worse than death. A nightmare whirlwind that will test him to his limits ensues, in this gripping page-tuner that leaves the reader in suspense to the very end.

Rebeccasreads recommends COLLATERAL MAN for a hair-raising adventure with exotic locations & secretive histories, lots of cerebral acrobatics & traps, that will keep you up into the wee hours of the night, filling your mind with strange & wonderful hallucinations & "what-ifs".

COLLATERAL MAN is a fast & furious read, & while it didn't ring all my bells -- dancing with the Devil seems to be a peculiarly masculine trait -- I bet it'll ring yours!

I found this when searching for Michael Man's "Collateral" Movie, and because of the PW review I bought it.
IT's AMAZING, and I think it will be a movie very soon, as it has already been done as a miniseries in Latinamerica....and if Michael Man directs it, it could be a huge success.
Congratulation to the authors. Even they are Argentineans, I couldn't tell they were not native (I guess thanks for the US editor). The new concept of creating a collateral man for the Devil's deals in case you don't hand-in your soul, it's the key of this story, and one of the best ideas I've heard for the Faustian tale, since the old Goethe story.
I think this story, could be real,... hehe.... there are so many crazy people out there, that it sounds as they have all sold their souls.
Read it, I recommend it 100%. And there is even a website where you can download seven chapters in case you want to buy it not risking a penny.... www.stephenking.com.ar (search it there and you will get the pdf, or at their own website, same as the book title).

It is a beautiful re-telling of Mexican folktales. I loved the colorful illustrations and the emphasis on women. I was impressed by the careful way the stories were authenticated. I think that children will really benefit from reading this book, both in terms of pleasure and in feeling more familiar with Mexican culture.
My favorite stories were Rosha and the Sun, and the Virgin of Guadelupe but all eight stories were wonderful.
The most impressive aspect of this book is the writing. It is perfectly attuned to the age 8 and older group it is aimed at, with flowing prose that beautifully captures its Mexican themes. The writer clearly knows Mexico very well.
I highly recommend this book.

A GREAT CROSS CULTURAL,MULI-ETHNIC,NON SEXUAL STEREOTYPING TALE.
THE BOOK KEPT BOTH MY KIS AND I CAPTIVATED FROM START TO FINISH. THANK YOU MS. GERSON;ALSO,GREAT ILLUSTRATIONS!

I highly recommend this wonderful book. Mary-Joan Gerson has the rare ability to re-tell indigenous folktales in a manner that is both respectful and authentic. Moreover, she captures the passion, intensity and mysticism unique to Mexican tales, having travelled there extensively. Kids, adults interested in Latin American and/or folktales, and/or anyone with a sense of wonder will enjoy this immensely. The illustrations are beautiful too.

It is a beautiful re-telling of Mexican folktales. I loved the colorful illustrations and the emphasis on women. I was impressed by the careful way the stories were authenticated. I think that children will really benefit from reading this book, both in terms of pleasure and in feeling more familiar with Mexican culture.
My favorite stories were Rosha and the Sun, and the Virgin of Guadelupe but all eight stories were wonderful.
The most impressive aspect of this book is the writing. It is perfectly attuned to the age 8 and older group it is aimed at, with flowing prose that beautifully captures its Mexican theme. The writer clearly knows Mexico very well.
I highly recommend this book.

I picked up a copy of Fiesta Femenina because the beautiful cover art looked like some Mexican murals I saw in California. I am blown away, not just by the subject matter -- tales of women's strength in Mexian folklore -- but also by the writing style.

There is one story that really stood out for me called "Rosha and the Sun." It is a wonderful, classic Mayan tale about a determined but tender young woman whose mystical life describes an aspect of the natural world. Gerson creates a truly intoxicating effect with those small but important details: "Rosha's hair was especially thick and lustrous, hanging down like a cornstalk to her feet... It was a hot, sticky day and all the breezes were trapped behind the mountain's wall of trees.... Rosha slipped off by herself to dip her burning feet in the bubbling stream..."

"Rosha and the Sun," and the other 7 native tales are real page-turners, but I must admit that I was taken aback at first by the untranslated words and phrases sprinkled througout the text, but then I discovered that this book has a glossary. A nice touch, I thought.

I have been searching bookstores for years for a book of Latino folklore in English and I have had very bad luck up until this point, so finding a group of such authentic tales that are all about women is very exciting to me. I can only hope that Fiesta Feminina is a harbinger of a whole genre of literature to be created or translated for English speakers.

A real find.

This book is a beautiful bilingual book that is ideal for young students. It serves as a nice introduction to Day of The Dead, which is celebrated in Mexico, on November 2. The author fails to mention this in the book but instead makes a note of it in the authors notes. Therefore,for clarity, the adult might want to incorporate this fact into the storyline. Use of another book, like The Day of the Dead / Dia De Los Muertos or Mexican Day of the Dead as a supplement will enrich the students learning about Day of the Dead. The story is rather flat, as noted in one of the editorial reviews here but the salvation of the book are the rich illustrations. The artist when to great lengths to create dimension in the art, resulting in exquisite drawings that will captivate the young audience. The story evolves around young Rosita's loss of her mentor and grandmother to an undisclosed sickness. After she dies Rosita longs for abuelita(grandmother) and her grandfather(abuelito) and family teach Rosita how to honor the dead. They teach her about making abuelita's favorite goodies and making an offering to her spirit at home and at the graveyard. Rosita questions whether she will "encounter" abuelita or not but is eventually touched by her spirit. This is a very cool book that explains how grief for the departed is handled in Mexican culture. As stated the illustrations are magnificent and worth the price of the book alone. Bilingual students , or those learning a language, whose first language is either English or Spanish, will benefit from the text, if read to in both languages. Recommended for community and K-8 school libraries.

This book blends beautiful illustrations of artistic collages, with a touching story told from a young girl's perspective of losing her grandmother, and trying to find the perfect way to honor her beloved 'abuelita' on the Day of the Dead.
Teaching at middle school in a community of growing numbers of hispanics this story has helped teach cultural traditions to my students in a unique way. In reading this story along with videos and personal sharing from our Mexican students and teachers, ALL our students celebrated the Day of the Dead this school year with their own artwork and special foods and breads. Having this story told in both English and Spanish was truly an added bonus for our English Language Learners to enjoy.

This book is great for readers learning spanish or english. It has beautiful illustrations, and a great story that is based on an event that most children will have to face. The celebration of the day of the dead brings people closer to those who have passed away, and is a great idea to give to children.
Este libro es muy bueno para lectores más jovenes para aprender inglés o español. Tiene dibujos bonitas, y un gran cuento que es sobre un evento que muchos niños tendrán. La celebración del Dia de los Muertos traiga los personas muy cercas a los personas que son muertos, y es una buena idea dar los niños.

I purchased this book because of the outstanding, noteworthy illustrations and fell in love with the sensitivity of the text. I live in a community where the Day of the Dead is celebrated locally. I own several fiction and non-fiction books on the topic, which I use in my primary grade classroom. While other non-fiction children's books on the Day of the Dead do a better job of explaining what happens during this celebration, this is the only book I have found that explains on an emotional level why one would want to celebrate one's dead relatives.

Although the relationship between Rosalita and her grandmother is established too quickly to cause the reader any distress when she dies on the third page of the text, Rosalita's dilemma is made clear. She works through the process of remembering and grieving her "abuelita" (grandmother). She thinks about what she can place on the family altar to symbolize her relationship with her deceased grandmother. She wonders what it will feel like when her grandmother's spirit returns on the Day of the Dead. How she resolves these questions will beautifully explain to anyone outside of the culture why those who celebrate this holiday take the time to remember.

This coming together of a writer's story & the visions of an illustrator is perfect. A simple tale of sorrow, change, love & healing. There are skills & ideas tucked away inside this gift: of a child's grief over the death of her grandmother & of the everyday things they did together & how her people celebrate their loved ones memories with gifts & prayers.

A Gift for Abuelita/Un regalo para Abuelita is a treasure to be read again & again not just for the story. It is rich in detailed illustrations & the marriage of two languages telling the same story is a fine addition. For my full review do check out: [my website]

This Josefina story blends the joyous with the bittersweet. Like the other books in the series, the book explores the grief that a family has after the death of the mother. That being said, it is not a 'sad' story -- there are happy portions and the ending is full of Christmas cheer. I heartily recommend it.

In this book Josefina gets to be Maria in the Christmas play. She has a happy Christmas.

This is another book in the American Girls series about Josefina Montoya, a ten-year-old girl living in the New Mexico of 1824. In this book, Josefina and her sisters prepare for Christmas, a grand celebration in New Mexico, made all the more special by the towns use of the Christmas altar cloth made by Josefina's late mother. However, when the altar cloth is brought it, they find out that the flood (Josefina Learns a Lesson) damaged the cloth. The girls rally round to fix the cloth...and perhaps fix themselves at the same time.

The final chapter of this wonderful book is a highly informative look at Christmas in New Mexico in 1824. Jean-Paul Tibbles' excellent illustrations complement the story nicely, and add a great deal to the joy of reading this book.

This is a wonderful story, with some excellent lessons. I liked the way the family pulled together, and worked hard towards something beyond themselves. Also, I like how the family's religion is worked into the book in a warm and inspiring way. This is another excellent American Girls book, one that my daughter and I recommend to you.

Josefina and her sisters, Ana, Francisca and Clara are struggling to keep the Christmas alive after Mamå's death. Every year when a girl would turn eight they would recieve the Nina doll. But when Josefina turned 8 they forgot about the tradition since Mama had just died. But this Christmas Josefina is 9 and she wants the doll. But Clara doesn't want to give the doll up since she wants to remember her mother. Then when the doll is lost Josefina just gives up hope but Christmas Eve is always filled with love and surprises.

Josefina Montoya is a nine-year-old girl growing up on her family's rancho near Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1824. Mama died last year, and since then, life for Josefina, her father, and her older sisters, Ana, Clara, and Francisca. Even though things have been better since Mama's sister, Tia Dolores, came to help out, the Montoyas still grieve. Josefina feels that celebrating the Christmas traditions will make her miss Mama more - but they bring her peace and happiness. And one special night gives Josefina courage and hope for the future, and brings Josefina an unexpected gift. This book was very good and I learned a lot about the traditions of Mexican families living on the Southwest frontier in the 1820s.

It was especially refreshing to read a book that had an excellent format and structure. The reader can easily follow the thread of the message as you progress through the book. Great insight into the mulit-cultural world we live in today. The book had an array of statistical information, professional experiential information, and had some personal anecdotal experiences that gave a warmth to the message as well as the feeling of a personal connection with the author. The message is about latinos but it also reminds us to be sensitive to people of other ethnicity that we deal with and the book, therefore, surpasses its goal.

Latinization is a pithy, well written book filled with timely and useful information.
Whether you are looking for ways to enrich your understanding of the Latino culture, or you need fast facts to bolster your argument about why the Latinos are contributing positively to the US, and how you can use these facts to enhance your own business, then this is the one book to read.

I particularly liked the user friendly format with examples of Latinization from Latino experts in business, arts, science and government. Anyone who plans to do business with the burgeoning Latino population would do well to keep this book on their desk.

Cristina Benitez's new book is truly a handbook for anyone interested in understanding the cultural aspects of the Latinization movement. As she describes in her introduction, she goes "beyond the numbers" and explores and explains the color and content of the social changes which the growth of the Latino population in the United States has created. A wonderful and thoughtful book, Benitez has collected a myriad of expert voices in order to flesh out the insights gleaned from her experience as a latina marketing and advertising professional. The primary clarity that Benitez brings to the discussions of the "significance" of the growth of the Latino population in the United States is that this "growth" is extremely enriching; that the culture of the United States is being tranformed in ways that should be celebrated. This book illustrates a keen understanding of something beyond multi-culturalism for it recognizes that latinization as a movement and a trend is a dynamic and many-layered process. Benitez's book is a terrific contribution to the study and analysis of this movement. And what's even better, it's a pleasure to read. I especially loved her clarity in regards to the distinction between the terms Hispanic and Latino and her consideration of the issue of immigration.

Cristina Benitez presents well organized, insightful information about the Latino population and their contributions in the U.S. marketplace.

The work is not only from her point of view, but includes contributions from Latino experts from several industries. I love the comment from Henry Cisneros, who wrote the forward. He explained that "Latination does not mean that the U.S. will become a Latino nation...." As a market research professional that specializes in Black/African-American consumers, Mr. Cisneros' comment hit home. His statement and Cristina's enlightening account, reminds me that understanding the attitudinal and behaviorial nuances from all cultures is imperative to developing effective marketing strategies and plans.

Reading this book has helped better understand the depth of influence that the Latino Culture has had on the U.S. - The positive influence in so many ways from various industries, to the arts, to politics, and to every day family life. You will finish this book with an even stronger appreciation and respect for the members of the Latino Culture in the U.S.
One of my favorite aspects of the book is the format and layout - Easy to read and interesting perspectives of experts are weaved throughout all the chapters. Enjoy!

This is a wonderful book. It gives you a lot of insight into Latino attitudes about money, then tells you how to make sure those attitudes don't screw up your personal finances. It's very well-written and is easy to read and understand. In fact, anyone, Latino or not, could benefit from reading this book. And it has a beautiful cover.

Castaneda and Castellanos have laid the cornerstone for the financial freedom of America's fastest growing demographic group--and key driver for the future U.S. economy. Latino consumers will read this well-written guide as a road map to prosperity. Comprelo y declare su libertad!

This book is long overdue. With Latinos soon to overtake whites in California as the majority population, one hopes we'll start to see more books/information/entertainment with us in mind. A very well-written, comprehensive guide to understanding money matters.

Finally! Here's a book that really serves the Latino investor! It clearly shows how to best invest our money and offers many agencies and banks that have bi-lingual services.

It really made it easy for me and my wife to figure out better strategies for us to get ahead. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and feel like we've already made progress in our financial plan!

Latinos will become the largest minority group in the United States in the 21st century, but remain largely outside the financial mainstream. For example, the Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies reported in March 2000 that 44% of Latinos own their own homes, compared with 75% of whites.

According to the Federal Reserve, despite an economic expansion of record length, there is vast disparity in wealth (all assets, including homes, autos, stocks, and savings accounts) between whites and nonwhites. The median net worth for Latino, African-American, Asian, and other minority families was $16,400 in 1998, the most recent year for which the Federal Reserve has data. That figure is just 17.28% of the median net worth of $94,900 for non-Latino white families, virtually unchanged from 17.23% in 1992 (although the disparity in income is much smaller: 62%).

The wealth gap is much greater than the income gap for various reasons. Minorities, including Latinos, typically have less access to credit for starting businesses, and are less likely to invest in the stock market. They are also less likely to have accounts at financial institutions, doing business instead with check cashers and payday lenders, the latter of whom often charge interest equal to a 500% annual percentage rate.

This much-needed book not only examines the cultural factors that help explain these trends among Latinos, it also offers advice to Latinos on setting up and using accounts at banks and credit unions, saving for retirement or college, sending money to family members in other countries, buying stocks and bonds, negotiating for a home, and applying for credit. It also lists financial institutions and sources of bilingual financial service information and provides Spanish-language translations of key financial terms. Castaneda, a former Knight-Bagehot Fellow in business and economics reporting at Columbia University who has covered business and finance as a freelance writer and a reporter for the the San Francisco Chronicle, has thoroughly researched her topic.

Although oriented toward Latinos, this book would be helpful to anyone who wants to take control of and improve their finances.

This book is not only for HR professionals, but also a valuable resource for marketing professionals interested in tapping the growing Hispanic market segments.

With Latino Talent, Dr. Rodriguez makes a timely and thoughtful contribution to our national discussion about the changing face of the U.S. workforce. He manages to clarify and contextualize general Latino cultural norms and preferences while steering clear of counterproductive stereotypes. This kind of frank and deep exploration of our growing community's integration with "mainstream" America is critical to our collective journey toward true workplace diversity and inclusion.

Dr. Rodriguez does a remarkable job of clarifying the ambiguity that exists in defining Latinos. Regardless of how you interact with Latinos, including as an HR specialist or marketer of products and services, I highly recommend that you focus on Chapter 3 - "Latino Cultural Aspects." Dr. Rodriguez discusses how Latinos interact with others, including "collectivism, respeto, simpatia, personalismo, and communication" (p. 37). Knowledge of those concepts alone provides your organization with a competitive advantage. Without a doubt, I highly recommend "Latino Talent." - Dr. Jim Flores

This is an excellent reference for anyone that one that wants to gain a unique perspective on America's emerging workforce. Dr. Rodriguez treats the subject with unique insight based on research and practical experience. A "must have" for managers working with a diverse workforce.

The book was an easy read and very informative. It provided a lot of helpful insight into the Hispanic communitee. I have shared the book with my recruitment team to help my staff become more effective at recruiting top Hispanic talent.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone in the recruitment space.

Lisa Rodriguez
Director, Talent Acquisition
Abbott

Latino Wisdom offers more than wisdom from high profile celebrities and newsmakers. It celebrates the human spirit through stories about resilience and reflection, passion and conviction, purpose and creativity. As a writer & journalist, I appreciate Cathy Areu's journalistic style in capturing the essence of successful and driven Latinos. Latino Wisdom is a treasury of inspirational stories that I'll be able to read over and over again.

You do not have to be Latino to be inspired by Latino Wisdom. In her introduction, Cathy Areu states the most important, fundamental theme of her book--Believe In Yourself. It's a theme that can apply to anyone, whether you're born with a silver spoon in your mouth or not. This theme crops up time and again in Areu's interviews with a variety of self-made successful people, everyone from actresses and singers to politicians, football players, and business men and women. Areu, herself, is a shining example of this principle. Her story, told in her inimitable, breezy style, is every bit as inspirational as those of the people she highlights. As she says, she wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but, applying the believe-in-yourself principles that are the theme of her book, today she's a successful author, magazine publisher--and much more.
Areu's writing is warm and conversational. In her interviews she conveys a sense of ease with her subjects so that their personalities-and hers-come across the page very naturally. Latino Wisdom isn't only inspirational; it's interesting and fun to read!

In a thoughtful series of interviews with famous Latinos and her own views on their varied accomplishments, Ms. Areu does a wonderful job of showing how true it is that success is in large part due to hard work and believing in yourself. From well-known celebrities to politicians to Ms. Areu herself, you are inspired by stories of how all of these people pursued their dreams and found success. A worthwhile read that will challenge you to reach for your own dreams!

I love books that make me want to be a better person -- books that offer inspiration by giving examples of what success looks like. LATINO WISDOM is one of those books. Ms. Areu has interviewed people that most of us think of as special, and showed that they are really like us. Successful people aren't that different, though the author identifies specific qualities that the interviewees share. These are qualities that most of us possess to some degree. So, by reading the tips and wisdom of others, those of us who are still seeking success now have many voices telling us that we can do it. This is a book I know I will read again and again any time I want to be inspired, or on days when I think I want to give up.

Latino Wisdom gave me great info and insight into the lives of successful people and how they became successful. Each chapter has inspirational nuggets, in the successful people's words, that I can use. And Cathy Areu's chapter introductions perfectly set the tone. I think this book is a great read for everyone looking to feel recharged.