Achy Obejas Books

I was drawn to the book by the powerful and fun photographic images. Ledbetter does an outstanding job capturing the images of Cuban life in a way that allows you to both celebrate it and to empathise with the struggle of the Cuban people.

The Essays are an unexpected extra in a book of this nature that make the work a multi-dimensional experience. It appeals to those interested in both Photography and Cuba. I highly recommend it!

This magnificent collection of photographs captures the beauty, spirit and mystery of Cuba, the USA's often-overlooked neighbor... Ledbetter's clear, passionate and respectful eye has created a stunning work -- the book takes us far more deeply into the Cuban culture than the soundbites of recent news stories (Elian Gonzales, President Carter's visit) allow. Ledbetter's photographs and the accompanying essays make this book essential for anyone who wishes to understand Cuba more fully; the book also richly rewards the reader who simply appreciates great photography.

Beautiful and soooooooo gritty, this is a must-read if you're a mystery or noir fan, or if you just appreciate a really good story. The stories in the book are amazingly varied, and give incredible insight into a lot of different characters -- the desperate, the lonely, the morally bankrupt, the loving. Truly, five stars.

This book addresses a number of issues that are important in the understanding of Latin Americans living in the United States. She is successful at avoiding the "plot oriented" style that the United States embraces and focuses more on the epiphanies that the protagonist experiences. Through these epiphanies, the reader is drawn in and is forced to confront these realities that are usually ignored or avoided. It is not the most exciting book to read, however I recommend it for its biting, yet realistic humor, and its pragmatic search for truth.

Achy Obejas, in her "Memory Mambo," writes creatively and cleverly of -- among other things -- as the title suggests, the very complex dance that our minds do when confronted with unforgettable (if altered) images that are subjectively recorded, subconsciously stored, and blurred by the rose-tinted lens of a hawk-like ego-defense!

She does so via her creation of an alienated Juani Casas, a tormented romantic who recognizes that "lies destroy everything, but especially love," -- who "knows things in her heart," suffers in (and out of) love, and tends to obsess -- who wanders around wondering: "what REALLY happened?!?!?" .... but she, alone, is not the only one perplexed by events, as Obejas masterfully manipulates her mental musings, and leaves her readers also to "first-and-second guess!" -- what really happened - between Juani and Gina? .... and not quite knowing what to make of the somnolently surreal Rosa and Jimmy "incident."

With these "interactions," could the author be exploring and exposing early childhood trauma that has been (is being -- in her characters) suppressed (?) -- and its connection/s to adult dysfunction, MALestar and discontented unhappiness (?) Only Obejas knows for sure -- and why should she say?!?! when part of the attraction to her pages is written between the lines in spaces and places that are replete with ambiguity, uncertainty and wide "open-endedness!"

Lo misterioso y obsesionante is repeatedly evident -- especially in the evocation of three carefully chosen words: "te quiero verde" of a similarly anguished and lovelorn Spanish poet. Could they express Juani's desire for love's return, the return of its newness and (pre-lying) innocence (?) = yet another mystery linked only to the landscape of Cuba and her desire for forgiveness.

Throughout the novel, Juani moves to her heart and soul's music as her mind pushes away painful memories and represses recollections-- to a subconscious storeroom where they will remain, mambo-ing just beneath her conscious awareness -- for "we see things as we are, not as they are" ... or so someone else once said.

*******

A rare read that provokes profound pensamiento and excites and incites intellect and every other sense! I read this book after "Days of Awe" -- and remain in awe of this exceptionally gifted and talented writer, obviously blessed with insight/s into human (mis)behavior! -- and -- who, like the characters to whom she gives life, is without a doubt multi-dimensional in depth!

I had to read this book for an English class, but I am thankful I did. It is a good book, and the story moves pretty quickly. You get a sense of playing the roll of the alien, as Juani, is both a Cuban exile in AMerica and Lesbian, both of which make her an oustider of Main Stream American culture. Objeas, did an excellent job letting the reader feel how one might feel if they were a stranger in their native land, and treated as an outsider in their new home as well. A good read...

I really enjoyed Achy's Memory Mambo since it opened new ways to see relationships, not only with our own relatives but also with those we choose to be our loved ones. She writes honestly, which takes strenght and a clear vision. I enjoyed Juani's struggle to make sense of her family history in Cuba and the role she plays in helping her family deal with the newness of the United States. I would like to recommend this book to anyone who has at one point or another wondered how relationships work and how the bi-cultural experience plays a role in our lives.

Memory Mambo presents life, death, thoughts, stories, loves, politics, feelings and idiosyncrasies of a Cuban family. The focus is on the exiled family living in Chicago, but includes members living in other parts of the United States and those still in Cuba. Achy Obejas makes the work unique by presenting the biographically sounding fiction slice-of-life presentation through the eyes of Juani Casas, a 24 year old lesbian. Not only is the reader exposed to the family, but also the emotions of Juani in her search for love and truth.

Mostly blood family members are presented in the book with mentions of "cousins in exile" and other nationalities they have married or dated. The cast of characters includes a Father highly agitated and indignant, believing the CIA stole his formula for duct tape, a wealthy artist Uncle who fought along side Castro and believes he accidentally caused one of his major defeats in the revolution, an Aunt that keeps failing in her attempt to leave Cuba and a support group of cousins. The two major exceptions to blood family are Jimmy, cousin Caridad's husband and Gina, Juani's girlfriend. Jimmy provides the human antagonist throughout the book. Though his un-asked-for actions possibly help Juani after a violent and devastating breakup with Gina, the price he demands is more than she can pay for his despicable actions. His attitude is summed by "No wife of his was going to be seen all over town with a gaggle of lesbians; what kind of man would people think he was if his wife was always hanging out with tortilleras?" With Gina, Obejas covers the depth and breath of feelings from total love to abject hate.

The text is written in English and sprinkled with Spanish adequately achieving the meanings and feelings Obejas presents. For those unfamiliar with the language a glossary is included at the end of the book.

This is the author's second book and covers 22 chapters in 237 pages. Her first book is "We came all the way from Cuba so you could dress like this?

Gorgeous and lovely prose, interesting story, fun, sexy, sweet. One of the more beautiful books I've read in a long time.

I've read a lot of novels by Latina writers, looking for writing that rings true about the Latina experience, writing that will finally give a voice to the millions of Latinos and Latinas in the United States, writing that will bring acceptance to Latina authors trying to make it in the literary world. Unfortunately, besides a handful of great writers like Sandra Cisneros, it doesn't seem like there's much out there. The few Latina novels that exist give you a cynical and humorless impression of the world: all men are machista, all white people are racists, all fathers are distant/abusive, etc. "Days of Awe" is a perfect example of this. It's downbeat in a meaningless, Lifetime Original Movie kind of way. Here is an author with the opportunity to discuss what it's like to be female, lesbian, Cuban, American, an exile and a Crypto-Jew. It could have been a fascinating tale, but instead it was simply bleak. Not one of the characters was likeable. The sex scenes were shocking (including a very unsexy fisting scene, among other things), irrelevant to the plot, and completely broke up what little flow the author could muster. There were loose ends that made the ending very unsatisfying. Ultimately, the most important theme in this novel is love, but you never see the love between the characters, only the tensions and the pervasive unhappiness. Unless you are Cuban or Crypto-Jewish and are looking desperately for literature that is related to your experience, don't waste your time on this.

This book is lyrically written, emotionally wrenching, and an excellent guide into the mysterious ways of both the Cuban Jewish community and its history as well as the Cuban Revolution. It's a challenging novel, full of poetry and questions about life and how we maneuver our way through it. It's also a deeply spiritual book, with insight about how religions work, and the true meaning of faith. As to the sex scenes, well ... they're delicious.

I am a Cuban raised in Miami where there are 1 million Cubans and hardly any Cuban literature. I went to the bookstore last week after reading an article in EL NUEVO HERALD about a beautiful Spanish/English bilingual Cuban-American picturebook, DRUM, CHAVI, DRUM!/TOCA, CHAVI, TOCA! set in Little Havana, written by a Cuban (Mayra L. Dole) and illustrated by a Cuban (Tonel). To my surprise I also found Memory Mambo and Days of Awe! There are close to 40 million hispanics in the United States and just a handful of books written by Latinos about the Latino experience; it is as if we did not exist. I am greatful to have found Achy Obejas. She brillianty weaves history and fiction in such a way that Days of Awe becomes hard to put down. I am looking forward to her next book and highly recommend Days of Awe to anyone interested in history/fiction/literature and brilliant writing. I am hooked!

What started out as a (potentially) fascinating look at a Cuban exile's perspective on Cuba and the discovery of her Judaism, quicky became a novel of gratuitious sex, unanswered questions and a book sorely in need of an editor! Obejas' story might have been interesting in her head but it didn't translate well to paper. There were several bright spots, such as when she discusses linguistics and how the meaning of a word can be changed in the translation, but overall the story jumped around so much that it was difficult to tell what was going on. The main character's obsession with an older, flabby man who is married to a distant relative is pretty pathetic, and there is no motivation for her affair with him. Some characters (Seth, the boyfriend, for example) are never fully explored and seem almost an afterthought as if the editor told Obeajs, "I need more pages...write stuff!" The sex is almost disturbing, it's never wonderful and lovely. And suffice it to say that I wil never look at a glass of milk the same way again!

Days of Awe's story is all over the place, the characters aren't developed and the exploration of the writer's Judiasm is not particularly well done. All in all, put this one back on the shelf!

I loved this work from Obejas. It was such a fast read that I read it again. If you look beyond the surface, you see a world that many will relate to in their own lives...maybe not in whole, but at least partially.

This is a marvelous collection of stories joined together by a common thread. That thread is the feeling that life is happening TO us rather than life being what WE make of it. The characters, all trying their best to make it with the life they've been given, seem to rely heavily on those around them to make the pieces fit. I would be hard pressed to select my favorite among the tales that Obejas writes in this book. She did an excellent job of touching on what it means to be an immigrant, and what it means to look for a place to belong. This book runs the gamut; featuring both male and female characters, those obsessed with love or love lost, to those wondering if they were responsible for the death of one they loved. Writing with a realistic style, Obejas allows the reader to connect with the characters, understand their situations and in some cases even identify with how they are handling their current situation. If you're looking for a quick read that isn't the usual lesbian fiction, seek out this book. It's a tough one to find!

The important topics that Abejas broaches can not override the overall flawed structure, lazy sentences, and underdeveloped characters. Lousy writing.

The title story is just devastatingly beautiful. I've read and heard many stories about coming to the United States from Cuba, but this one so vividly conveys the emotions of discovery and loss that a part of being an exile, I wept. I teach a course on US Latino Literature, and I will now ask my students to read this. And anyone else I can convince.