Important Latino musicians who used the universal language of music to impact the world

Music is a language we all speak. It doesn’t matter what language the lyrics are in, the melodies and harmonies speak to each of us in a universal language. Music is also a big part of any culture and the Hispanic culture is no different. In fact, I’d say music is extremely important. Have you ever been to a Latino home for a party when the radio wasn’t playing? I haven’t. In fact, most Hispanics and Latinos won’t considered it a party until there is music they can dance to. So when I asked my Facebook friends for their advice about who in music has been influential in Hispanic and Latin communities, the response was strong. It was hard to pick just three but I feel I have chosen three performers whose music has a lasting impression on his audience.

First, Vicente Fernández was born February 17, 1940 in Huentitán el Alto, Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico. He is called El Rey de la Musica Ranchera (The King of Ranchera Music). Ranchera music is a genre of traditional Mexican music which dates back prior to the Mexican Revolution and become closely associated with the mariachi groups which evolved from Jalisco, Mexico. Fernández spent his early years on his father’s ranch. At 8, he began playing the guitar and singing ranchera music. He begab to sing in contests at local festivals and won many times. By 1960, he devoted himself full time to music. His big break came in the spring of 1966 when Javier Solis, the El Rey del Bolero Ranchero died and Discos CBS offered Fernández a recording contract. He would have a long and successful career until he retired from live performing on April 16, 2016. Even though he retired from performing, he continues to record and publish music. While he was usually accompanied live by a mariachi group, he is not considered a mariachi musician because he does not play an instrument live. His greatest hit was Volver, Volver (1972). It is a song about going back to a love her left behind. Fernández sings the song with such emotion you can hear the tears in the narrator’s voice. I listened to this song twice. Once without the English translation and once with the translation, the emotion is so raw in the song, you can’t help getting choked up. I read several comments online which describe family functions and a drunk dad or uncle will eventually play this song and sing along. One commenter said “We all have that one dad or tio that plays this and cries.” While another commenter said “Is this like the universal sad song for Hispanic families? Every single woman in my family cries when this plays.” Volver, Volver reminds me of many country and rock songs where a man realizes he was wrong to leave and is coming home…if she’ll let him. Vicente Fernández is currently 77 years old. When he does pass away, I know the response from his fans and the music world will be resounding.

Second, Juan Gabriel was born Alberto Aguilera Valadez on January 7, 1950. He was a beloved Mexican singer and songwriter. Nicknamed Juanga and El Divo de Juárez, he was known for his flamboyant style, breaking barriers within Mexican music. He is considered one of the best and most prolific Mexican composers and singers of all time. A true pop icon. At 13, he composed his first. In the 1960s, he would perform at various bars around Juárez, Mexico. While trying to achieve a recording contract, he was wrongfully accused of robbery. He spent a year and a hald in prison until he was released due to the lack of evidence. He chose his stage name Juan Gabriel in honor of Juan Contreras, his mentor, and his father, Gabriel. He released his first studio album in 1971 with his first of many hits, No Tengo Dinero. He had successful hit after another. He became a world renowned singer performing in a wide variety of styles from mariachi to pop to disco. His lyrics often spoke of heartbreak and romantic relationships. Although he never married, he had 6 children. Four of them with Laura Salas whom he describes as “the best friend I ever had.” When his sudden death of a heart attack was announced on August 28, 2016, the shock rippled through his fans. Even though I wasn’t familiar with his work, I remember the impact the news of his death had. One of his most well-known songs is Querida, a song about a lost love and begging her to come back. The song sounds like a very 80s pop love song but it is one that still sounds good and resonates decades later. Another song is Amor Eterno, a song he wrote for his mother after her death. It was first recorded and made famous by Spanish singer Rocio Durcal. It has become a standard song at funerals for those who refuse to say goodbye. He would call the song a prayer of love and a mediation on love. It is a song about the grief and life after a loved one has passed. Both songs and many others are a testament to the versatility of this man’s amazing talent.

Third, Carlos Santana was born July 20, 1947 in Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico. He learned to play the violin at the age of 5 and the guitar at the age of 8 under the tutelage of his father, a mariachi musician. The family moved around for years before eventually settling in the Mission District of San Francisco, California. He graduated in 1965 from Mission High School and was accepted at both California State University, Northridge and Humboldt State but chose not to attend college. He was influenced by artist of the 1950s, Ritchie Valens, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker with musical influences of jazz, folk, and rock and roll. He became known for Latin infused rock, jazz, blues, salsa and African rhythms. He began his career with the Santana Blues Band, which was later shortened to Santana, and quickly gained popularity in the club circuit of San Francisco. A memorable performance at Woodstock in 1969 would lead to a recording contract with Columbia Records. He is most known for covers of Oye Como Va (written and original recorded by Tito Puente in 1963) and Black Magic Woman (written by Pete Green and originally recorded by Fleetwood Mac in 1968). Santana would see records sales sag in the 1980s as the tastes in music were changing. He would see a resurgence in popularity in 1999 with the release of his corroboration album, Supernatural. This album is how I was truly introduced to Santana with the song Smooth with Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty. Seventeen years away from the charts, Supernatural would help him achieve hits and numerous Grammy awards. In 2002, he’d released another corroboration album, Shaman, which didn’t have the same success as Supernatural. However it would produce 2 radio friendly hits including The Game of Love with Michelle Branch. He continues to create music and release albums experimenting with sounds and styles. Santana has been cited as an influence by Prince and Kirk Hammett of Metallica. I think he will continue to influence many future guitar musicians as he experiments and expands his style.

In conclusion, Santana once said “There’s a melody in everything. And once you find the melody, then you can connect immediately with the heart.” The music of these men are perfect examples of melodies which connect with the heart. It doesn’t matter what language it is in, the melody drives the emotion that words will often fail to convey. There are so many more examples of amazing music which transcends language and culture. Listening to the story told in these songs reminds me that no matter what culture we are form, we all experience love, hurt, grief and joy. You may not understand the words but you can hear the emotions in these songs and the musical notes pull at your heart in a language we all can understand. 

Jonah, Micah, Nahum: minor prophets with a major message

This month’s study is one three minor prophets with very important messages. Jonah, Micah, and Nahum are short book with a big impact. Everyone is familiar with Jonah and the big fish. However, what are the important themes in the book? What lessons can we learn from his story? In the book of Micah is the answer to what does it mean to pervert one’s faith? As well as to the question what does God truly expect from us? Nahum is the prophecy against a powerful and once repented nation. What does it mean to say that God is judge and ruler?

Jonah was a prophet who was sent by God to the city of Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria during the approximate time of 785-760 BCE. At the time, Assyria was a great enemy of Israel and Jonah resisted being sent to Nineveh into the arena of bitter enemies. Why should they hear and receive God’s message of salvation? Jonah took to the sea and God sent him a violent storm and into the belly of a great fish (Jonah 1:17). The book of Jonah is unique because it is a narrative story of the prophet rather than his prophecies. There are three major themes in the story of Jonah. First, God is sovereign. God is in control despite our desires to obey or not. The storm was used by God to guide Jonah to see God’s wisdom in sending him to Nineveh. Second, God’s message to all peoples. He loves all and offers his salvation to all. Jonah’s message was simple “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned” (Jonah 3:4). The Nineveh heard the message and repented. The king proclaimed that everyone “urgently call on God” (Jonah 3:8). However, even though Jonah delivered the message as he was commanded. He still didn’t want to see the Ninevites receive God’s salvation. He was angry when God didn’t bring destruction to the city. God sent him another message about compassion (Jonah 4:1-11). Third, when your repentance is real, God will forgive. When you respond in obedience, you will receive God’s mercy, not his punishment. Jonah offered his repentance from the belly of a great fish and God heard him (Jonah 2:1-10). The Ninevites turned from their evils way and God had compassion on them (Jonah 3:10). There is no place you can sink that God cannot hear you.

Micah was a prophet to the people of Israel during the dates of 742-687 BCE. The main theme of Micah is about perverting faith. Micah speaks directly to the false prophets, disobedient leaders and selfish priests in Judah and Israel. While they publicly carried out the religious ceremonies, they were privately seeking to gain money and influence. “Hear this, you leaders of the house of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and distort all that is right” (Micah 3:9) and “Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the Lord and say ‘Is not the Lord among us? Mo disaster will come upon us” (Micah 3:11) It is because of these leaders that the Lord will destroy Israel (Micah 3:12). To mix selfish desires with an empty display of religious piety is perverting faith. To remain silent for fear of losing money or church members is dangerous for the church; however, many pastors are influenced by these factors and will not speak up for what is right. On a similar note, God delights in faith not the sacrifices at the temple or the tithes you may give the church. He delights in faith that produces justice, love for others and obedience in him. Micah 6:6-8 tells us that God is more please with acting justly, be merciful, and walk humbly with him. The type or amount of sacrifices doesn’t matter. What God truly wants is faith and obedience. True faith generates kindness, compassion, justice and humility. We can please God by seeking these results in our work, family, church and neighborhood. We may not always succeed but with God’s guidance we can succeed in the future.

Nahum was a prophet to Judah and Nineveh approximately between 663-612 BCE. His purpose was to pronounce God’s judgement on Assyria. Nahum is writing his prophets approximately 100 years after Jonah prophesied in Nineveh which means that Nineveh’s repentance was short lived. God judged Nineveh for its idolatry, arrogance and oppression. Even though Assyria was a great military power of the day, God would completely destroy this powerful nation. Nahum 1:3 states “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.” Nahum 2 describes Nineveh’s fall which come true in 612 BCE as the armies of Babylon and Medes destroyed the seemingly invincible Nineveh. The city was so completely wiped out that its ruins were not discovered until the 1840s! God is judge and no human power can avoid his wrath. God also rules over all the earth even those who don’t acknowledge him. God is all-powerful and human plans are futile against God’s plans. Overconfidence in their wealth and power was the key to Assyria’s downfall. However, there is a bright light in Nahum’s message of doom. Nahum 1:7 states “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” This verse is important today as we are bombarded with news of nuclear weapons, armies and war. When we place of faith and trust in God, he alone can truly rescue us from fear and oppression. When we place our confidence in him because he alone rules all of history, all the earth and our lives. Does this mean we will survive any danger? Not necessarily, however, God is more powerful than anything on earth. What can physically hurt us can never spiritually hurt us as long as our trust is in the Lord.

In conclusion, Jonah is the lesson that God’s message is for everyone. It does not matter if we like the person or people, we are to bring his message of salvation to everyone who can hear and receive it. If God has shown us mercy and compassion, then we are to follow his example and show mercy and compassion to others by giving them God’s message. Micah is the important lesson for those in power. Whether it be church leaders, political leaders and leaders in our families, twist God’s word for your own personal gains and God will judge you harshly. The inner acts of faith are often more important than the outwardly acts of religion. Nahum is the lesson that God is more powerful than anything on earth. He can save and destroy.  

What is game theory?: a basic introduction

Recently I noticed in movies and TV shows, game theory is being mentioned and it struck me that I don’t know what game theory is. So here I am researching it and sharing what I learned with you. First, let me say that there is so much more to game theory than what I can write about without being long winded or boring. I will only cover the basics. That being said, here we go. Game theory is the study of mathematical models of conflicts and cooperation between intelligent rational decision makers. It is mainly used in economics, political science and psychology. It can also be applied to logic, computer science and biology.

The first known discussion of game theory occurred in letter to James Waldegrave, a British diplomat from Charles Waldegrave, his uncle, in 1713. Known as the Waldegrave problem, it was a mixed strategy solution to a two-person card game called le Her in which a standard deck of 52 cards are played between a dealer and a receiver. James Madison used what is now called game theoretic analysis to predict how the states can be expect to act under different taxation systems (Vice of the Political System of the United States, April 1787). Throughout the years, many other theories devised their own game theories. In 1838, Antoine Augustin Cournot used duopoly, a form of oligopoly where only two sellers exist in one market, and presented a solution to the Nash equilibrium. The Nash equilibrium is a solution concept of a non-cooperative game. The study of game theory didn’t truly exist as its own field until 1938. While there are many game types in game theory, I will be discussing three.

First, cooperative versus non-cooperative games. In cooperative game theory, players are able to form binding commitments externally enforced, i.e. contract law. The focus is on predicting which coalitions will form place and the resulting payoffs. Cooperative game theory does not focus on how coalitions achieve their payoffs. For example, a coalition can exchange whatever it wants among its members; however, it does not discuss how offers or counteroffers are made. The image of a bargaining table in which two or more people are hashing out a business deal or even a criminal plea deal. Non-cooperative game theory, players cannot form alliances or if all agreements need to be self-enforcing, i.e. credible threats. The focus is on predicting individual players’ actions and the possible payoffs while trying to predict what strategies the players will choose. In essence how people should or do act for the maximum individual benefit.

Second, symmetric versus asymmetric game theory. In symmetric game theory, payoffs for playing a particular strategy depends only on the other strategies played and not who played them. If the players changed without changing the strategies, the playoffs would be the same. The game of chicken is an example of a symmetric game. Each player has two decisions to yield or not. Regardless who yields and who doesn’t, the payoff is the same. If one player yields, the other player should not yield. If one player won’t yield, the other player should. In asymmetric game theory, there are no identical strategy sets for both players. For example, the ultimatum game which is used in economic experiments. One player receives a sum of money and proposes how to divide the money. If player two accepts the proposal, the money is split according to the proposal. If player two rejects the proposal, neither player receives any money.

Third, zero sum versus non zero sum game theory. In zero sum game theory, the choices made by the players can neither increase nor decrease the available resources. The total benefit to all players always adds to zero. In other words, a player only benefits at the expense of another. Chess is an example of a zero sum game as one player benefits when the other player loses a piece or cannot make another move. In a non-zero sum game, the outcomes results are greater or less than zero. A gain by one player does not necessarily correspond with another player’s loss. In layman’s terms, it is a win-win situation. One example is The Prisoner’s Dilemma. It is the problem faced by two accomplices locked in separate cells. Each is offered three choices by the police: one, they can both confess to the charges, both will be jailed for five years. Two, if only one confesses, he will be freed but the non-confessor will be jailed for ten years. Or three, if neither confesses, both will be tried for a minor offense and will be jailed for one year. If both prisoners know that the other will not confess, neither will confess and serve one year in jail. It’s a win-win for both prisoners.

In conclusion, game theory is, at its core, about prediction. Predictions of behavior, strategies, decision making and payoffs. It is about keeping an equilibrium or balance. It is about human conflicts and cooperation within competitive or game situations. It is about optimal decision making for the best outcomes for all involved or one individual over another. The theory is applied to many games we play: chicken, chess, poker and other situations where decisions are made for the best outcomes. It is a very simplified explanation and only hits the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what game theory is and how it is used. I’m curious to read further and hope it was informative for you, if you were unaware of what game theory is. 

Latinos in movies and TV: laughter, thought provoking and beauty

Today’s post will focus on a famous Latinos in movies and TV. It was very hard to pick just three because there are so many great actors and actresses who deserve to be celebrate as the talents they are. To me, they are amazing people, talented actors who just happened to be Latino. Actors who made us laugh, who made us think and mesmerized us with their beauty. Actors who helped paved the way for future generations of actors. Individuals who came from nothing to rise above and become beloved and revered actors. Two of the names you will recognize as they are household names but one you may not know. My hope is that you learn something that you didn’t know about these individuals and see them beyond their profession, beyond their characters and see the person behind the famous name.

First, Desi Arnaz otherwise known as Ricky Ricardo from I Love Lucy (1951-1957). Born Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III on March 2, 1917 in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. I featured Arnaz in a post year and learned a great deal about the man. While I tried to find someone else to profile, I could deny his influence on TV, so I wanted to feature him again. Leaving Cuba as a young man, he came to America with nothing. And he learned to deeply love his adopted country. He was deeply patriotic and devoted to the United States. He wrote in his memoirs that he knew of no other country in the world where “a sixteen year old, broke and unable to speak the language” could achieve the success that he had. It is amazing to me that somewhere in the world, at any point in the day, I Love Lucy is still on the air and being enjoyed by millions of fans who weren’t even alive when the show first aired. Arnaz had a successful career after I Love Lucy. Toward the end of his life, he owned a horse breeding farm and raced thoroughbreds. He contributed to various charities and nonprofit organizations including San Diego State University. He also taught classes in studio production and acting for television at San Diego State. He died December 2, 1986 at the age of 69 from lung cancer.

Second, Edward James Olmos is an accomplished actor of both TV and movies. Born February 24, 1947 in Los Angeles, acting wasn’t his first choice. He really wanted to be a baseball player. At 13, he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system playing as a catcher. He left at 15 to join a rock and roll band. He would later pursue acting as he took classes at the East Los Angeles College. He starred in Miami Vice (1984-1989) as Lt. Martin Castillo and Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009) as Admiral William Adama. He is most famous for his movie roles. In Stand and Deliver (1988) as Jaime Escalante, the teacher who taught math to Latino students that everyone else had written off. In American Me (1992) as gang leader Montoya Santana and in Blade Runner (1982) as Detective Gaff, a role he will be reprising in the upcoming sequel Blade Runner 2049 (releasing October 6. 2017). He is also well known for his activism where he devotes most of his time to causes particularly involving children especially at risk kids. His main message is that we all have a choice about where life takes us. He also stresses the importance of education, the risks of gang life and tries to promote taking responsibility for one’s actions and happiness in life. He once was quoted, saying “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Third, Dolores del Rio had a successful career in TV, movies and the stage. Born August 3, 1904 as Maria de los Dolores Asúnsolo Lopez-Negrete, del Rio is considered to be the first Mexican actress to crossover to Hollywood and have a successful career in the 1920s and 1930s. She was a silent film star who was among the few who could continue in talkies. She is considered one of the more important female figures of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema of the 1940s and 1950s. She was, at first, billed to be the female Rudolph Valentino, the female Latin lover. However, her beauty and elegance shined brighter than that image. She embraced her Mexican heritage and enjoyed playing roles which allowed her to showcase it. Her film debut was in the film, Joanna (1925) and her first talkie film was The Bad One (1930) in which she could speak and sing in English “with a charming accent.” Del Rio was one of the prototypes of female beauty in the 1930s. She was never played the stereotypical Latin bombshell. Her image included words like “sophisticated, aristocratic, elegant, glamourous lady” by her contemporaries such as Marlene Dietrich and Joan Crawford.  Dolores del Rio died on April 11, 1983 at the age of 78. She is still celebrated as royalty in Hollywood as well as in Mexican cinema. She had appeared in over 50 films, none of which, I am sad to say, I have heard of or seen. I hope I can get the chance to see one of her films.

In conclusion, Desi Arnaz is one of my favorite actors. His character of Ricky Ricardo is a part of lexicon that when my husband speaks in rapid Spanish, I always tease him and call him “Ricky.” Although he is always remembered as Ricky Ricardo and the man who was married to Lucille Ball, he was also a man who did great work in and out of Hollywood. Edward James Olmos is an actor that has been an icon for many years and will continue to be held in high esteem. Dolores del Rio was an actress who broke the image of a Latin bombshell with her grace and beauty. While she has faded into obscurity for most of us, she still is remembered as the talented actress of American and Mexican cinema. Three amazing actors who opened our eyes to amazing characters and stories through the magic of movies and TV. 

A Minor Fall: a major disappointment

A Minor Fall by Price Ainsworth is a legal thriller about up and coming personal injury lawyer Davy Jones. He is giving cases he’s not supposed to win; however; somehow he finds a way to win and win big. After one particular case, he is given a big case by his boss, mentor and father-in-law, Timothy Sullivan. He tries to emulate him in every way. He is sent to Kentucky to represent landowners in a suit against an oil company. Beth Sheehan, a beautiful contract lawyer, is added to the team and soon the sparks fly between Davy and Beth. While in Kentucky, they have a brief affair. The stress of the affair and the pressure of the case starts to get to Davy. He starts a downward spiral which seems out of control. He begins to questioning everything. Will he lose his wife? Will he lose his job at the firm? Will he abandon law altogether?

Unfortunately, I could not finish this book. I made it through three chapters and I was disgusted that I didn’t want to continue. First, the language. There were a couple scenes when character use dirty sex talk. I don’t care what people say, it is NOT sexy. I don’t like it. Second, there is a scene as they are heading to Kentucky to start the next case, they are on a plane. Davy, pretending to be asleep, witnesses his boss and father-in-law, receives a blowjob from his paralegal! That was the final straw. I realized I didn’t care about Davy. I didn’t want to see how or if Davy changes after his moral crisis. Mr. Ainsworth is a lawyer who wrote a book. While the legal knowledge and descriptions are spot on, his story never takes off. He’s no John Grisham. I do not recommend A Minor Fall.   

A Minor Fall

is available in hardcover and eBook

Latinos in Literature: life, heroism and beauty

Today I will discuss three famous Latinos in literature. As an avid bookworm for most of my life, I have read a variety of books across genres, languages and cultures. When I decide to discuss a few important Latinos in literature, I didn’t realize what a task it would be. While there are so many great writers to choose from, it was hard for me to pick just three. However, I hope discuss the wide range of talent and cultural impact in these writers’ works. All three have been influenced by the world around them as well as influenced those who followed. All three are from different ancestral backgrounds but through their writing they attempt to bring the world closer together with stories of growing up, stories of heroism and beautiful poetry of love.

First, Sandra Cisneros was born December 20, 1954 in Chicago, Illinois. The only daughter in a family with six sons, she often left pushed aside and isolated. Ms. Cisneros is best known for her debut novel The House on Mango Street (1984) which is taught in classrooms across America. It is a coming of age story of Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago with Chicanos and Puerto Ricans. The major themes include the quest to lead a better life and the promise to help those who remain behind. The biculturalism and bilingualism is very important in Ms. Cisneros’ writing. She will use Spanish in place of English when the flow of the passage is improved by the beauty of the language. For example, instead of saying “my girl,” she will use “mihija” which is a Spanish endearment literally meaning my girl. However, there is a poetry with the use of mihija. I didn’t read The House on Mango Street in the context of a classroom but after the recommendation of a friend. The themes are common of any coming of age story: the beloved childhood adventures, the heartbreak as one realizes that life is dirty, unfair and requires hard work from you. In many ways, the book reminds me of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1943) as the main character grows from a child’s point of view of the world into the jaded adult view of someone who grows up too soon.

Second, Julia Alvarez is a Dominican-American poet, novelist and essayist. Born March 27, 1950 in New York, she spent the first ten years of her life in Dominican Republic until her father’s involvement in a political rebellion forced the family to flee. One of my favorite of Ms. Alvarez’s books is In the Time of Butterflies (1994), a historical novel about the Mirabal sisters: Minerva, Dede, Maria Teresa and Patria during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. The sisters were active in the underground revolution against Trujillo. Three of the sisters were murdered on November 25, 1960 while on Puerto Plata Road. Their code name, Las Mariposas “The Butterflies” and their story has remained with me years after reading the book. Ms. Alvarez once said “A novel is not, after all, a historical novel, but a way to travel through the human heart.” In her books, the reader is able to see, feel and experience another side of life through the eyes of her characters. There is a beauty and brutal honesty in her writing. The scenes in which the sisters suffered in prison and later the scene of their death are hard to read; however, gives the reality of what the sisters and their fellow revolutionaries suffered to fight Trujillo. These are the scenes which I remember the most. As with most courageous stories, the Mirabal sisters have not been lost to time thanks, in part, to Ms. Alvarez’s book. When a writer has such an important impact to help keep such stories alive is noteworthy.

Third, Pablo Neruda is the pen name, and later legal name, of Chilean poet-diplomat and politician Ricardo Eliecer Neftail Reyes Basoalto. Born July 12, 1904, he has been called the greatest poet of the 20^th century in any language. He began composing poems at the age of 10 and was published by 13. It has been thought that he published under a pseudonym to avoid his father’s disapproval of his poems and interests in writing and literature. Neruda would serve in various diplomatic posts including Buenos Aires, Barcelona, and Mexico City. He was an ardent communist for most of his life and an admirer of Stalin and Lenin. He died September 23, 1973 at the age of 69. However, it is his poetry which has gain him notoriety. Pablo Neruda has influenced many in music and movies. Jackson Browne featured a Neruda poem on the back of his album, The Pretender (1976). One of his famous poems, LA Muerta (The Dead Woman) was featured in the film, Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990) starring Alan Rickman and Juliet Stevenson. The poem is about grief and living after a loved one has passed. My favorite quote from this poem is “I shall walk with frost and fire and death and snow, my feet will want to walk to where you are sleeping, but I shall stay alive, because above all things, you wanted me indomitable.” An image of a constant grief and missing the person once they’re gone; but a moving forward because the beloved wouldn’t want him to be defeated by her death.

In conclusion, these are just three examples of amazing writers who are a great asset to their culture as well to the world of literature. They are just writers for the Latino community but for the world as a whole. Their writings speak to the universal truths of life that we all must face and the lessons we all must learn. I highly recommend reading the books and poetry I have discussed here as well as branching out to other writers. I think we can learn about a culture, a people and ourselves within those pages. Within the adventures of a book, we can discover that we aren’t that different after all. 

The Art of Hiding: when life comes crashing down

The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse is the story of woman who must rebuild her life when her husband dies and the life she had disappears. Nina McCarrick is 34 years old with a wonderful husband, Finn, and two sons, Connor and Declan. One day she gets the dreaded call that no one wants to get. Finn has been in a car accident. After the daze and shock of his death and funeral starts to clear, she learns that Finn had been hiding terrible secrets which leaves her and the boys destitute. Having to leave their post home, they move back to her childhood home to Portswood, Southampton to be near her sister, Tiggy. It is a world away from the life they are used to; but Nina tries to their new home comfortable. As they adjust and move on with life, Nina begins to question herself, her abilities, even her own strength. She rediscovers who she was before Finn came into her life and dictated everything for her. Can she finally follow her dreams she long pushed aside? Will she be able to forgive Finn for his mistakes? Can she and the boys truly be happy in their new life and home?

This is the third book I’ve read by Ms. Prowse and while I enjoyed it, I must say it wasn’t as good as the other two. The Art of Hiding was so fast paced, I felt it was over too quickly. Even though it takes place in England, I feel this story could have taken place anywhere in the world. The pain, the anger, the tears, the recovery is universal. Questions can be running through the readers’ heads: “How could Nina not know?” While Finn never really speaks a word in the story, only through memories, he is a strong influence and you understand how Nina did not know about the details of their life. It wasn’t her job to know, which angers me but it fit the story. It fit Nina as she focused being a wife and mother. I think my favorite character is Tiggy. She was blunt and helped Nina realize what she gave up without really wanting too. If you’ve enjoyed Ms. Prowse’s other books, you will enjoy The Art of Hiding.

The Art of Hiding

is available on Amazon

in paperback and on the Kindle