January Reviews of the Latest Spanish-Language Titles for Adults: Fiction, Nonfiction, and Also in Translation

Edited by Aida Bardales -- Library Journal, 01/15/2010

FICTION | NONFICTION | ALSO IN TRANSLATION

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FICTION

El cojo y el loco.
(The Cripple and the Mad Man)
Bayly, Jaime.
Spain/U.S.: Alfaguara: Santillana. 2009. 146p. ISBN 978-1-60396-934-5. pap. $16.99. FICTION

This engrossing novel has the Bayly seal: good rhythm, a generous dose of foul language and pornography, a rendering of the hypocrisies of Lima’s bourgeoisie, and the pathetic and hilarious hand in hand. Despised by their high-class families for different reasons, el cojo and el loco are defined by this rejection. “The Cripple was not born crippled. He was born fucked…” starts the novel. Bobby was a spoiled first son whose life changes forever at the age of eight, when a polio-like disease leaves one leg centimeters shorter. This discrepancy is an abomination to his father, who orders the doctor to “cut the other leg” (which the doctor refuses to do). Bobby is consequently sent to live in a room outside the house only visited by maids and never allowed in for social events. The abused boy becomes an extremely strong man with an unparalleled rage, a feared monster whose only purpose in life is to make everyone suffer as much as he did. His path briefly crosses that of el loco, whose sexual appetite and fear of society make him the opposite of Bobby. Pancho was not born mad; he was born extremely ugly, hairy, and unusually well hung, and his terrible stutter makes him unintelligible. Isolated from family gatherings and prevented from going to school so as not to humiliate his family, Pancho is eventually sent away to the countryside after his father finds him having sex with one of the maids. Grotesque and surreal, this fast-paced novel will not disappoint.—Ximena Diego, Brooklyn, NY

Me llaman Artemio Furia.
(They Call Me Artemio Furia)
Bonelli, Florencia.
Uruguay/U.S.: Alfaguara: Santillana. 2009. 515p. ISBN 978-987-04-1249-6. pap. $24.99. HISTORICAL ROMANCE

Argentinian Bonelli’s novel, a modern-day Lady Chatterley’s Lover set in Argentina between 1790 and 1825, is about a love affair between two strong-willed individuals. Artemio Furia is an extremely good-looking, uneducated gaucho who gets along with everyone regardless of class. Tall, blond, with piercing turquoise eyes, he is well respected and sometimes feared. Artemio and his followers were influential in the May Revolution of 1810, as he served the armies of Juan José de Pueyrredón to expel the British. The gorgeous Rafaela Palafox y Binta is an aristocrat. (Her status is questionable, however, as her father continuously seeks to prove that he is not a marrano, that is, he is not of Jewish, mulatto, or indigenous descent, so that Spain will grant him the Executive Letter of Nobility.) Rafaela, who loves plants, is faced with having to work to provide for herself and a handicapped child she has taken in. She develops potions for medical purposes, shaming her family by doing so, as work is reserved for the lower classes, including slaves. Using frank language and steamy love scenes, Bonelli successfully describes the many trials and tribulations their relationship endures. A very entertaining read; recommended for bookstores, academic libraries, and lovers of historical romance.—Liliana Wendorff, Univ. of North Carolina at Pembroke

Mis días en Shanghai.
(My Days in Shanghai)
Estrada, Aura.
Mexico: Almadía. 2009. 256p. ISBN 978-607-411-027-2. pap. $21.95. STORIES

Estrada’s dream of establishing a successful career as a writer was cut short by her tragic death in 2007 at age 30. This is a compilation of the young Mexican writer’s stories and essays, some of which have previously been published in magazines. Much of her writing is highly engaging, especially her fiction. For instance, “La vida está en otra parte” (“Life Is Somewhere Else”) is a Kafkaesque tale about a professor who starts his first job and seems trapped in a world in which he does not belong. As big as his frustration is, he is unable to escape. “El envenamiento de Héctor Cañas Pershing” (“The Poisoning of Hector Cañas Pershing”), perhaps the best story in the book, describes how a group of urban teenagers rebels against the Gulf War by spending the evening drinking together until the narrator mixes a bottle of wine with unknown contents and then dares her friend to drink it. Some of Estrada’s works seem unfinished or fragmented, but her talent as a writer and literary critic is undeniable. This collection opens with a heartfelt prolog by her husband, novelist Francisco Goldman, setting the tone for rest of the book. A source of inspiration for aspiring writers; recommended for libraries and bookstores.—María E. Cruz, Boston, MA

Adán en Edén.
(Adam in Eden)
Fuentes, Carlos
Mexico: Alfaguara. 2009. 178p. ISBN 978-607-11-0306-2. $18.99. FICTION

Fuentes does not cease to amaze. This latest work is an uproariously comic novel that deals head-on with many of the gravest issues of 21st-century Mexico. Key to its hilarity is the idiosyncratic, self-absorbed voice of the narrator, an ambitious attorney who made his place in the public sphere by marrying the flatulent daughter of a biscuit magnate. When his wife, a woman prone to bizarre non sequiturs, begins a romance with a loutish official who oversees a barbaric and fraudulent government crackdown on crime, all hell breaks loose. Meanwhile an apparently heaven-sent child prophet appears at a busy Mexico City intersection, stopping traffic while starting a national debate. Adán en Edén is entertainingly freewheeling with its themes and cultural references, which include poverty, drug violence, sex, Mexican history, telenovelas, U.S.-Mexican immigration, and the Palm Pre smart phone. Fuentes even finds room for a precisely measured burlesque of Octavio Paz’s role in promoting dogmatic factionalism in Mexican letters. The reader marvels throughout that the author of this fiercely perspicacious and laugh-out-loud funny novel is in his eighties: Fuentes’s familiar wit and breadth of experience are here in spades, but he also packs a high-velocity edginess worthy of a writer a third his age. Recommended for readers of dystopian political fiction.—Bruce Jensen, Rohrbach Lib., Kutztown Univ., PA

El valle de la inspiración.
(The Valley of Inspiration)
Román de Hernández, Alexandra.
U.S.: Lulu.com. 2009. 169p. ISBN 978-0-578-03501-7. pap. $17.99. FICTION

Nailah is suffering from depression and severe writer’s block when a retired Egyptologist friend suggests that she visit the Valley of Inspiration, a place alluded to among the artifacts at a newly discovered archaeological site. Nailah sallies forth and, assisted by amulets and helpers, overcomes obstacles and enters the spiritual plane. At great risk, she must pass the requisite three trials to prove her worthiness prior to entering the unearthly Valley. Through her shamanic quest, she learns to value her uniqueness and creativity. While the pacing is fast and the details are vivid, odd bits of dialog grate, as with the repetitive assertions of Nailah’s purity, or veer off course, as when the god Seth states, in language unbecoming a deity, “Not my problem.” YA readers interested in mythology might enjoy the page-turning adventure, and New Age devotees of the spirituality of Ancient Egypt might enjoy the shamanic journey. However, shockingly frequent errors in grammar and punctuation (many missing accent marks) render this title inappropriate for most collections.—Carolyn Kost, Stevenson Sch. Lib., Pebble Beach, CA

Fe en disfraz.
(Fe in Disguise)
Santos-Febres, Mayra.
Mexico/U.S.: Alfaguara: Santillana. 2009. 115p. ISBN 978-1-60396-936-9. pap. $14.99. FICTION

Puerto Rican Santos-Febres is a well-known, award-winning author and academic whose stories and novels have been translated into English and several other languages. Martín Tirado, a young academic from Puerto Rico working in Chicago, becomes obsessed with his mysterious colleague, Fe Verdejo, and ends up leaving his fiancée. Although this is an ordinary plotline, Martín and Fe’s ensuing relationship exposes the roles of religion, class, race, and gender in colonial Latin America. Santos-Febres manipulates these constructions in the past and present, using both her characters and her narrative to discuss everything from 18th-century archives to modern-day virtual web presentations. In effect, the ambiguity of Fe’s character (which we never really penetrate) poses the question, Is she the researcher disguising herself as a slave or vice versa? The novel intentionally leaves readers with unanswered questions. The male first-person narrative and strongly erotic content (both customary of the author’s style) enhance this well-written novel, which is sure to become a literary classic. Recommended for all libraries and bookstores.—Sophie Lavoie, Univ. of New Brunswick, Fredericton

Caín.
(Cain)
Saramago, José.
tr. by Pilar del Río. Mexico/U.S.: Alfaguara: Santillana. 2009. 189p. ISBN 978-607-11-0316-1. pap. $19.99. FICTION

Saramago, the Portuguese 1998 Nobel laureate for literature, has written a prequel to his widely acclaimed and controversial novel The Gospel According to Jesus Christ. It begins with God finding and correcting a design flaw in Adam and Eve and ends with Him and Cain arguing about Noah and the flood. The story follows Cain as God sends him on his peripatetic way after having murdered his brother, Abel. The narrative places Cain at Old Testament hotspots—Abraham deciding to sacrifice his son, in bed with Lilith, working for Job, at the tower of Babel, in Sodom and Gomorrah, and on Noah’s ark. Throughout, God does not come off smelling like a rose. Form, chronology, and punctuation flow casually, and it is sometimes hard to follow dialog. The tone is chatty, humorous, and matter of fact, a tone that becomes ironic when describing God’s acts of injustice and immorality. Meanwhile, Cain’s donkey takes him hither and yon, transcending time and space. While hardcore Saramago fans may consider Caín Saramago-lite, this fun but deep read could attract new readers to his work. Potentially controversial, this will make a lively addition to all public library collections, as well as bookstores; an essential acquisition for academic libraries with strong literary collections.—Sara Martinez, Hispanic Resource Ctr., Tulsa City–Cty. Lib. Syst. OK

Lo puentes de Königsberg.
(The Bridges of Königsberg)
Toscana, David.
Mexico/U.S.: Alfaguara: Santillana. 2009. 242p. ISBN 978-607-11-0257-7. pap. $18.99. FICTION

Following the tradition of the “Crack” movement, Mexican novelist Toscana—whose works have been translated into several languages and have received many awards—writes a novel that is at once Central European and Mexican. The story takes place in the former German city of Königsberg during the bombardments of World War II and, simultaneously, in Monterrey, Mexico. This dreamy alternate reality of overlapping geographies and histories evolves into an ode to the destroyed Prussian city—which became a part
of Russia and is now called Kaliningrad—while decrying the dullness of Monterrey: “Why did Monterrey have to live and Königsberg die?” This somewhat puzzling experiment feeds on drama: the fruitless search for six disappeared children (one mother goes crazy and dresses a pig as her child); the Soviet occupation, which brings about massive killings and rapes; a theater play; a boxing match; and even romance when a school student develops a crush on his teacher. But Toscana’s smoke-and-mirror wordplay and taste for formal gimmickry (e.g., free verse, three-line chapters) feel too contrived and actually inhibit the reader’s involvement. Although it strives to be moving, this novel will be enjoyed by those looking for sheer experimentation and style.—Carlos Rodríguez Martorell, East Elmhurst, NY

NONFICTION

Curso completo de inglés para latinos.
(Complete English Course for Latinos)
U.S.: Aguilar: Santilla USA (Inglés en 100 días). 2010. 270p. illus. ISBN 978-1-60396-941-3. pap. $14.99. REFERENCE/LANGUAGE

This standalone book’s 30 units cover essential language functions—e.g., greetings, shopping, health talk, and money—in the course of presenting a reasonably thorough survey of grammar and usage. Each section begins with an overview of the points to be covered. In each dialog, key words and phrases are highlighted, and a following box invites learners to write in words of their choosing. Important elements are then explained in Spanish, with additional examples that expand on what’s in the dialog. Next comes the “Easy Grammar” section, which outlines rules behind usages seen in the dialog. The unit ends with a half-page of varied exercises with answers supplied. Clip art is sprinkled throughout. The appendix offers a couple pages of weights-and-measures vocabulary along with a page of phrasal verbs. This book would work best in a native Spanish–speaking classroom, supplemented by auxiliary activities; although the usage points are well chosen and explained, a self-directed student might find them rather rough going in the absence of relevant supplementary materials, listening practice, and teacher guidance. Recommended as an affordable text to anchor conversational English classes for native Spanish speakers.—Bruce Jensen, Rohrbach Lib., Kutztown Univ., PA

Fidel y Raúl, mis hermanos. La historia secreta.
(Fidel and Raúl: My Brothers. The Secret Story)
Castro, Juanita, as told to María Antonieta Collins. Cuba/Spain: Aguilar: Santillana. 2009. 426p. ISBN 978-1-60396-701-3. pap. $19.99. MEMOIR

In this engaging memoir, the sister of two of the most consequential men in Latin America, Fidel and Raúl Castro, not only speaks out about her estranged brothers but emerges as a fascinating character in her own right. The fourth of six Castro Ruz siblings, Juanita fought for and against the Cuban Revolution, turning against it when Fidel started flirting with communism. In the late 1950s, she raised money for Fidel, spent a year in the Brazilian embassy in Havana as a political refugee of the Batista regime, and even entered the United States illegally. In 1964, she fled to Mexico, publicly denounced her brother’s regime, and became an active member of the Miami exile community, where she initially got a chilly reception. She even helped fund an armed attempt to overthrow Castro as late as the 1970s. Fidel is depicted as a womanizer, a troublemaker, and a bully obsessed with power, but Juanita also marvels at his idealism and intellectual force. Raúl, on the other hand, is the sweet, understanding family man who, paradoxically, embraced communism much earlier than Fidel. The villains of the story are Ernesto “Che” Guevara (depicted as a ruthless tyrant) and anybody who has badmouthed Juanita’s parents, among them, exile luminaries Carlos Franqui, Norberto Fuentes, and Guillermo Cabrera Infante. One might find fault in the implausibly long and detailed dialogs. However, Mexican journalist Collins, who interviews Juanita, deserves credit for having patched together this thoroughly fascinating narrative. Highly recommended.—Carlos Rodríguez Martorell, East Elmhurst, NY

ALSO IN TRANSLATION

FICTION

A los cuatro vientos.
(Guernica)
Boling, Dave.
tr. by Damián Alou. Spain/U.S.: Punto de lectura: Santillana. 2009. 475p. ISBN 978-84-663-1808-2. pap. $13.99. FICTION

Examining the Spanish Civil War and the town that was famously firebombed by the Germans on the eve of WWII, this multigenerational family saga begins with the three abandoned Ansotegui boys, struggling to survive on the family farm at the end of the 19th century; younger brothers Josepe and Xabier become a fisherman and a priest, respectively, while the eldest, Justo, marries and raises a stunning daughter named Miriam. Charismatic, beautiful and the best jota dancer around, Miriam attracts the attention of Miguel Navarro, who winds up moving them to ill-fated Guernica after a run-in with the Spanish Civil Guard. Boling’s portrait of the Guernica tragedy is vivid, as is his illustration of the Basque people’s oppression; wisely, he sidesteps elaborate political explanations that could slow the family drama. [PW 7/7/08]

El asociado.
(The Associate)
Grisham, John.
tr. by Fernando Garí Puig. U.S.: Vintage Español: Random House. 2009. 452p. ISBN 978-0-307-47475-9. pap. $15. SUSPENSE

McAvoy, a callow Yale Law School student, dreams of a public service gig on graduation, until shadowy figures blackmail him with a videotape that could revive a five-year-old rape accusation. Instead of helping those in need, McAvoy accepts a position at a huge Wall Street firm whose clients include a military contractor enmeshed in a $800 billion lawsuit concerning a newly-designed aircraft. McAvoy can avoid exposure of his past if he feeds his new masters inside information on the case. Grisham devotees should be satisfied. [PW 7/7/08]

Muerta para el mundo.
(Dead to the World)
Harris, Charlaine.
tr. Isabel Murillo. Spain/U.S.: Suma de letras: Santillana. 2009. 357p. ISBN 978-1-60396-865-2. pap. $19.99. FICTION.

Sookie Stackhouse is a telepathic Louisiana gal who really wants to be normal, but suffers from a huge self-confidence problem, a case of permanent bad luck, difficult relatives, and a penchant for attracting unsavory characters of the not-quite-human kind. In this fourth quirky installment in this series [which inspired HBO’s award-winning True Blood], Sookie finds that her bad luck has taken a new turn for the worse. Her love interest, Bill the vampire, runs off to Peru to do research. In his place, Sookie is stuck with Eric, Bill’s boss (and head vamp for the district), who appears out of thin air buck naked with no memory of who he is or what he does. Coincidentally, Sookie’s brother Jason goes missing. Well-built characters and an action-packed plot that will keep readers guessing to the end. [PW 4/5/04]

ALSO AVAILABLE IN THIS SERIES:
El club de los muertos.
(Club Dead)
Harris, Charlaine.
tr. by Omar El-Kashef Calabor. U.S.: Punto de lectura: Santillana. 2009. 324p. ISBN 978-84-663-2290-4. pap. $9.99. THRILLER

Muerto hasta el anochecer.
(Dead Until Dark)
Harris, Charlaine.
tr. by Laura Jambrina Alonso. Spain/U.S.: Punto de lectura: Santillana. 2009. 329p. ISBN 978-84-663-2282-9. pap. $9.99. THRILLER

Vivir y morir en Dallas.
(Living Dead in Dallas)
Harris, Charlaine.
tr. by Omar El-Kashef Calabor. Spain/U.S.: Punto de lectura: Santillana. 2009. 382p. ISBN 978-84-663-2291-1. pap. $9.99. THRILLER

Aurora Boreal.
(Sunstorm)
Larsson, Asa.
tr. by Pontus Sánchez Jiménez & Mayte Giménez. Spain: Seix Barra: Planeta. 2009. 381p. ISBN 978-84-322-2851-3. pap. $19.95. FICTION

At the start of Larsson’s solid procedural debut, neurotic, troubled Sanna Strandgård discovers the brutally butchered body of her brother, Viktor, on the floor of the church he founded in Kiruna, a provincial town in the north of Sweden. Sanna turns to her childhood friend, Rebecka Martinsson, a tax attorney in Stockholm, for emotional support and legal assistance when Sanna is charged with her brother's murder. While the local police investigate, led by refreshingly down-to-earth Insp. Anna-Maria Mella, Martinsson starts digging into the case as well as her own past connection with the victim and his church. Potential motives for Strandgård's murder range from the church’s business dealings to sexual intrigue, but the focus is on Martinsson's anger and frustration at being sucked back into her own past. The story builds to a thrillerlike ending, though Larsson introduces far more characters than she needs or can handle. The book won Sweden's Best First Crime Novel award. [PW 3/13/06]

NONFICTION

Lucha por tu dinero.
(Fight for Your Money)
Bach, David.
tr. by Martha Baranda Torres. U.S.: Vintage Español: Random House. 2009. 468p. ISBN 978-0-307-47391-2 pap. $18.95. FINANCE

Financial guru Bach is the best-selling author of 11 books and the creator of the Finish Rich Seminar series, through which he helps people take control of their financial lives. He has been a regular or featured guest on almost every major news or talk show, and several of his titles have been translated into Spanish, including The Automatic Millionaire. Written in response to the current mistrust of the financial world, this book helps people identify and take action against deceptive tactics and fees in routine financial transactions. Chapters focused on such topics as automobiles, home, retirement, and travel let readers zero in on the information they need. Each chapter is a basic introduction and includes tips on what fees or sale schemes to watch out for, suggestions on what to do if something goes wrong, a list of resources to consult, and a plan of action. Bach’s writing style is easy and comfortable and makes challenging topics understandable. Highly recommended for all public libraries, business collections, consumer resource collections, and general bookstores.—Yolanda J. Cuesta, Cuesta MultiCultural Consulting, Sacramento, CA

Negociando como un Fenicio. Descubriendo TraDEAbLes™
(Negotiating Like a Phoenician: Discovering TraDEAbLes™)
Chamoun-Nicolas, Habib with Randy Doyle Hazlett.
tr. by Maria Martha Mesén. U.S.: Keynegotiations LLC. 2009. 250p. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-9792073-1-0. pap. $29.95. FINANCE

Mexican-born Chamoun-Nicolas, who was educated in the United States and Mexico, claims to have trained over 50,000 business professionals in his cross-cultural approach to sales and negotiation, including in the Spanish-speaking world. The title’s suggestion that the book draws on ancient wisdom, proffered by the great Phoenician traders and subsequently incorporated by other successful economic entities, is somewhat misleading. The authors do include numerous illustrations of ancient coins and ships, maps of trading routes, and battles in a pseudo-historical text that purport to illuminate time-honored “secrets” to negotiating, but the information is not straightforward or particularly relevant. Indeed, the bibliography does not include a single tome on ancient history, instead listing unnecessary endnotes and a variety of “how to” manuals, including several articles by Chamoun-Nicolas himself. Overall, the text is a straight translation of the original; the authors have not even bothered to change half of the subtitle (which in Spanish is intelligible) or translate the PowerPoint presentation at the end. Not a serious assessment of negotiation in a cross-cultural setting, this book ultimately serves as an advertisement for Chamoun-Nicolas’s courses—and indeed would probably work only as a complement to one of them. Not recommended.—Catherine Rendón, Savannah, GA

El camino a la iluminación.
(Becoming Enlightened)
Dalai Lama.
tr. by Vicente Echerri. U.S. Atria Español: S&S. 2009. 336p. ISBN 978-1-4391-3873-1. pap. $14. SELF-HELP/SPIRITUALITY

Nobel laureate, best-selling writer, and famed Buddhist leader Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, here describes the basic tenets of Buddhism while tying its practice to modern everyday life. The organization of the book is simple, with a fair amount of repetition presumably used to help familiarize the reader with the different lists of importance to Buddhist practitioners. […] The Dalai Lama is clearly a fantastic teacher, offering great compassion when discussing difficult topics. Highly recommended for [readers] of all faiths. [Translated from the English-language translation by Jeffrey Hopkins, the Dalai Lama’s longtime interpreter.—Ed.] [LJ 4/15/09]

Este es tu momento. Activa tu fe, alcanza tus sueños y asegura el favor de Dios.
(It’s Your Time: Activate Your Faith, Achieve Your Dreams, and Increase in God’s Favor)
Osteen, Joel.
tr. by. Rosario Camacho-Koppel. U.S.: Free Press. 2009. 337p. ISBN 978-1-4391-6097-8. pap. $16. SPIRITUALITY

Times are tough, but they need not be so for you, says Lakewood Church pastor and best-selling author Osteen. In this latest rendering of the supremely popular message of the power of positive thinking, Osteen uses practical, down-to-earth language and copious biblical and contemporary anecdotes to demonstrate how to manifest the health and wealth he says we are meant to have, as favored children of God. Broadly, Osteen directs the reader to have faith, avoid negative, defeatist thoughts and behaviors , and believe that one can derive strength from adversity. He exhorts the reader to recognize, seize, and give thanks for the foreordained moments of grace and blessing when they appear. In the meantime, we should do our best, persevere, believe, and “walk toward God’s blessings” so that we can eventually prevail. On the surface, there is little to argue with here, and while media pundits and theologians debate Osteen’s Prosperity Gospel and logic, it only fans the flames of his popularity. Those seeking hope and optimism during challenging times will be inspired, motivated, and comforted by this book. Recommended for most bookstores and public libraries, especially where Christian and motivational literature are popular.—Carolyn Kost, Stevenson Sch. Lib., Pebble Beach, CA

La guía de salud. Consejos y respuestas para la mujer latina.
(The Latina Guide to Health: Consejos and Caring Answers)
Delgado, Jane.
tr. by Susana Bellido Cummings & Rosamaría Graziani. U.S.: Newmarket Pr. 2010. 240p. index. ISBN. 978-1-55704-855-4. pap. $15.95. WOMEN’S HEALTH

Recent health studies on the Hispanic community provide revealing insights. Although Hispanic women are more likely to be overweight than non-Hispanic white women, they live longer. They are less likely to get breast cancer but more prone to depression, diabetes, and arthritis. Latinas have very strong family and community ties and, as a result, are more likely to take care of others and neglect their own health. Delgado, a clinical psychologist who heads the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, has written a guide to the health concerns of Latinas. Divided into three sections, the book first examines how Latinas see themselves and how family and community ties affect them. Here, Delgado offers advice on finding a balance in life and remaining healthy. Part 2 covers common health issues affecting Latinas. The last section includes resources for keeping personal health records and finding more information, with charts for tracking blood pressure, allergies, medical visits, and medications as well as feelings, symptoms, and menstrual periods. There is also a resource list of web sites and organizations, many of which have information in Spanish. Delgado lists Physicians’ Desk Reference for drug information, but a better choice would have been the drug information section of MedlinePlus, which has objective information in Spanish. More current than the popular Nuestros Cuerpos, Nuestras Vidas (Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, 2003), this excellent book is recommended for public and consumer health libraries serving Spanish speakers.—Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L., CA

NEW TO THE MARKET

FICTION

Luna llena.
(New Moon)
Meyer, Stephanie.
tr. José Miguel Pallarés. U.S.: Punto de lectura: Santillana. 2009. 574p. ISBN 978-1-60396-698-6. pap. $11.99. FICTION

On Bella’s 18th birthday, Edward Cullen sweeps her off to his unorthodox family home (in the first book readers learn that the Cullens are vampires who hunt animals rather than humans) for a birthday celebration. But when Bella unwraps a gift and gets a paper cut, her drops of blood set off a chaos that culminates in the Cullens leaving town. Edward exits on page 73, and does not reappear for nearly 400 pages, except for his voice in Bella’s head when she embarks on dangerous adventures, such as motorcycle riding and cliff diving. Instead, this book focuses on Jake, her friend from La Push, who has some unusual traits of his own. A Quileute legend that he confides in Bella in the first book comes to the fore here (and ties in with the title), and Bella is tracked down by the “bad” vampires from the first book, who seek revenge. [This is the second installment of Meyer’s best-selling series, Twilight, which is quite popular in Spanish. This movie tie-in edition will likely be in demand.—Ed.] [PW 7/17/06]

Nada importa.
(Nothing Matters)
Robledo, Álvaro.
Colombia: Villegas, dist. by IPG. 2008. 160p. ISBN 978-958-8293-40-0. pap. $16.95. FICTION

Together with three of his friends, the novel’s unnamed protagonist—a young man who cleans bathrooms for a living and is tired of spending his life as if it were on autopilot—sets off in a ’74 Ford Mustang on a quest to find a barn where the British rock group Jethro Tull once hung out and cure his desperate ennui. Inevitably, the friends realize that their trip’s destination is irrelevant; what matters is that they keep pressing onward. While some may be tempted to compare the novel’s protagonist with Salinger’s Holden Caulfield, a more accurate comparison would be with Kerouac’s Sal Paradise. This Colombian ex-pat living in England certainly admits to being depressive and even entertains suicidal thoughts, but never does one get the sense of hopelessness associated with Caulfield. Robledo, 1998 finalist for the prestigious Premio Herralde, here uses fluid, crisp, and accessible language, and run-on sentences with remarkable ease. He writes first-person narrative, but the protagonist is the king of digression, taking more and more tangents as the narrative progresses. Still, the reader never feels isolated or disconnected from the main character, no matter how often he retreats into the deep recesses of his mind. This excellent read hits hard and deep; highly recommended for public libraries and bookstores.—Vivian Gómez, New York, NY

NONFICTION

El yo evolutivo.
(The Evolving Self)
Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly.tr. Miguel Portillo. Spain: Kairós. 2008. 489p. ISBN 978-84-7245-666-2. pap. $38.95. PSYCH

This title aims to provide “a deeper understanding of the direction in which life on earth has been going, and hence a clearer sense of what the meaning of one’s own life might be.” The author believes that becoming an active, conscious part of the evolutionary process can give our lives meaning and joy. In fact, the fate of humanity in the next millennium depends on the kind of selves we become today. An interesting feature of this book is the space provided at the end of each chapter for readers to jot down their thoughts about the issues covered, though libraries might find this problematic. Csikszentmihalyi goes beyond the psychobabble and traces human behavior from the beginning of time and shows with great clarity why we do the things we do. Recommended for libraries with a solid psychology collection. [LJ 11/19/93]

La cocina paso a paso. Más de 650 técnicas y 400 recetas.
(Good Housekeeping Step by Step Cookbook)
Marsden, Emma, ed.
tr. by Ana María Pérez Martínez.
Spain: Blume dist. by IPG. 2008. 464p. glossary. photogs. ISBN 978-84-8076-743-9. $36.95. COOKING
The Institute of Good Housekeeping was founded in 1924 and has since maintained a high standard in culinary traditions. This work begins with a thorough chapter on kitchen equipment and then moves to various basic techniques for preparing soup, jam, and cakes, in addition to sauces and soufflés. There are classic pasta recipes, as well as instructions on how to prepare paella, risotto, pilaf, polenta, and couscous. The section on vegetables is excellent, particularly in describing how to deal with okra, artichokes, fennel, and fava beans. Here, steaming and filleting fish not an overwhelming chore but a pleasure, as is choosing and preparing lobster, crabs, octopus, or squid. Chapter 19 provides useful tips on how to freeze food and dry fruit for longer conservation, while the last chapter demystifies some of the microwave’s basic functions and advantages. As the title implies, the approach is straightforward and thorough, and the result will please novices as well as more experienced cooks. Recommended for bookstores and public library collections where cookbooks are popular.—Catherine Rendón, Savannah, GA

Aprender moviendo el cuerpo. No todo el aprendizaje depende del cerebro.
(Using the Body To Learn: Learning Does Not Always Depend on the Brain)
Hannaford, Carla.
tr. by Oscar Franco. Mexico: Pax. 2008. 308p. ISBN 978-968-860-851-7. pap. $16.95. HEALTH

Neurophysiologist and special education teacher Hannaford uses her scientific knowledge of the nervous system to demonstrate that movement is crucial to learning. Beginning with an explanation of the nervous system, she shows that all of the senses are involved in the learning process and that sight, hearing, touch, and emotions are an important part of the process. The author then discusses movement and shows how it can improve learning, using case histories of children with learning disabilities. She stresses the importance of drinking water and provides a series of exercises to stimulate learning. Hannaford notes that people have different learning styles and refuses to label them, further arguing that too many children are diagnosed as hyperactive and given drugs. She ends with examples of effective educational programs and an extensive English-language bibliography for parents and teachers. This book is primarily for teachers, but parents will find it helpful, too. A good addition to education collections.—Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L., CA

Gimnasia para embarazadas.
(Exercise for pregnant women)
Fehrenbach, Lisa.
tr. by Seven. Spain: Edimat (Salud y Vida). 2008. 80p. index. photogs. ISBN 978-84-9794-004-7. pap. $9.95. WOMEN’S HEALTH

First published in Germany, this book features a group of simple exercises that will strengthen the body and prepare a woman for childbirth. The author, a German midwife and childbirth educator, begins by explaining the bodily changes that occur during pregnancy and how exercise helps to prepare women for labor and delivery. She then offers a series of exercises tailored for the new center of gravity and looser ligaments and muscles of the pregnant woman. These exercises include stretches, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques, as well as massage techniques that in some cases require a partner and an exercise ball or a chair. For ease of use, the book has three color-coded sections—total energy, wellness and agility, and fitness and relaxation—and color photographs and clear instructions help readers perform the movements correctly. An explanation about the purpose and the effects of the exercises appears in sidebars. A very useful book for pregnant women; recommended for public and consumer health libraries serving with pregnancy and childbirth collections.—Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L., CA

CLASSIC RETURNS

FICTION

Sirena Selena vestida de pena
(Sirena Selena Dressed of Sorrow)
Santos-Febres, Mayra.
Spain/U.S.: Punto de Lectura: Santillana. 2009. 288p. ISBN 978-1-60396-859-1. pap. $14.99. FICTION

Arguably the most famous novel by 2009 Guggenheim fellow Santos-Febres, this is the story of Sirena (“mermaid”) Selena, a teenage Puerto Rican transvestite with an enchanting voice and a complicated past, who flies to the Dominican Republic with his/her manager, Martha Divine, an older and wiser cross-dresser, in an attempt to find success as a hotel singer. Using first- and third- person narrators, the author explores the emotional, mental, and physical challenges of male sexuality and its transformations within the context of a traditional, superstitious, and classist Caribbean society. Mimicking the nostalgic and tragic aura of the boleros (the kind of songs that Serena learned from her grandma), the language is lyrical and melodic, with tints of humor. The time line of events is sometimes confusing, but the author does a great job of unfolding a story of ambitions and lack of opportunities, mixing flashbacks from Serena’s life in the streets, Martha Divine’s stand-up routine, and stories about the characters that work at the hotel. Recommended for public libraries with a Spanish-language Caribbean literature or LGBT collection.—Angela Lang, New York, NY

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