April 2012 Conversations with Las Comadres: Teleconference Series
The Madness of Mamá Carlota — Outside Links: Publisher
Our Lady of Guadalupe — Outside Links: Author Publisher
The Piñata/La Piñata — Outside Links: Book Author Publisher
LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW Length: 00:48:11 | Size: 11.56 MB
April 2012 Book of the Month
The Madness of Mamá Carlota
By Graciela Limón
Published by Arte Público Press
ISBN-13: 978-1558857421
It’s 1852 in Cholula, Mexico, and three sisters, indigenous girls of the Chontal people, seek work at the Hacienda La Perla. They rapidly make their way from dish washers to the cook’s assistants before entering the house as servants to the wealthy Acuña family. But when the youngest sister is viciously raped by a family member, they flee the estate—after taking their revenge—only to be caught up in the historic Battle of Puebla, where native Mexicans defeat invading French troops.
Fearful that the Acuña family will not rest until the sisters are found and punished, they keep moving, ultimately finding work as servants at the National Palace in Mexico City, where the French have recently taken control. There, the sisters’ fortunes become intertwined with that of the Empress Carlota. Both beautiful and extremely intelligent, she dedicates herself to the empire, chastising Napoleon when he reneges on his promise to send troops and antagonizing the Church by proposing that the empire secularize at least part of its holdings. But her love for Mexico’s people is not reciprocated, and soon the sisters have to decide whether to stay behind without the Empress’ protection or to accompany her to Europe.
Weaving the story of Mexico’s indigenous peoples with that of the tragic Belgian princess who became the wife of the Austrian Archduke Maximillian von Hapsburg, acclaimed author Graciela Limón once again explores issues of race, class and women’s rights. She skillfully crafts a gripping novel about a smart, wealthy woman who is not afraid to challenge powerful men, and re-imagines the story behind Empress Carlota’s descent into madness and eventual imprisonment in a remote
About the Author: Graciela Limón
Graciela Limón is a Latina/Chicana writer and a native of Los Angeles, California. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish Literature from Marymount College, Los Angeles, a Master of Arts Degree in the same field from the University of the Americas in Mexico City, followed by a Doctoral Degree in Latin American Literature from the University of California in Los Angeles.
Until recently, Limón had been a professor of U.S. Hispanic Literature as well as Chair of the Department of Chicana/o Studies at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California. She is now Professor Emerita of that university as well as a Visiting Professor at UCLA and UC Santa Barbara.
Limón has written and published reviews and critical work on Mexican, Latin American and Caribbean Literature. She has now concentrated her writing efforts on creative fiction, including In Search of Bernabé (1993), which won The Before Columbus Foundation American Book Award (1994). The novel has been released in Spanish under the title En busca de Bernabé (1997). Limón has also published The Memories of Ana Calderón (1994), Song of the Hummingbird (1996), which was published in Spanish under the title of La canción del colebri, in 2006. The Day of the Moon (1999), was also published in Spanish as El dia de la luna (2006). Erased Faces, which was awarded the 2002 Gustavus Myers Book Award, was published in 2001. Her previous novel Left Alive, was released in 2005. All of Limón’s novels have been published by Arte Público Press, University of Houston, Texas.
Limón’s fiction has been anthologized in In Other Words: Literature by Latina Writers of the United States, (Arte Público Press1994), Latinas: Borderland Voices (Simon & Schuster 1995), The Hispanic Literary Companion (Visible Ink Press 1997), American Mosaic: Multicultural Readings in Context (Houghton Mifflin 2001), Herencia (Oxford Press, 2002), Under the Fifth Sun: Latino Literature from California (Heyday Books, Berkeley 2003), Chicanos, Latinos & Cultural Diversity (Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., 2004).
April 2012 Additional Conversation
Our Lady of Guadalupe
By Carmen Bernier-Grand
Published by Marshall Cavendish
ISBN-13: 978-1594487484
One morning, while walking to an early church service, Juan Diego hears a voice calling, Juanito! Juan Dieguito! He comes face to face with the Virgin Mary! I would like a shrine built on this hill, she tells him, and she instructs him to take her wish to the bishop. Juan Diego, a lowly peasant, protests that the bishop will pay no attention to him, but the Virgin says that she will protect him. Juan Diego visits the bishop three times, but only after he brings a sign from the Virgin, a bunch of roses that are miraculously blooming in December, does the bishop relent and agree to the Virgin’s request. From then on, the image of the Virgin is imprinted on Juan Diego s rough cactus-fiber tilma, the cloak in which he carried the roses. Today, millions of pilgrims visit the shrine and pray before the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Tonya Engel’s sweeping oil-and-encaustic illustrations capture 16th-century Mexican country and city landscapes with stunning clarity. An Author s Note about the origins of the legend and miracle is included.
About the Author: Carmen Bernier-Grand
Carmen T. Bernier-Grand has received much recognition for her free-verse picture-book biographies.
She is the author of several children’s books, including Shake It, Morena and Juan Bobo: Four Folktales from Puerto Rico. Also Alicia Alonso: Prima Ballerina; Diego: Bigger Than Life (Pura Belpre Honor Award for Narrative and Illustration and an ALA Notable Children’s Book; Frida: Viva La Vida! Long Live Life! (Pura Belpré Honor Award of Narrative and Illustration); César: Si se Puede! Yes, We Can! (Pura Belpre Honor Award for Narrative and Illustration) and an ALA Notable Children’s Book; and Sonia Sotomayor: Supreme Court Justice (Also available in Spanish). She grew up in Puerto Rico and now lives in Portland, Oregon.
April 2012 Additional Conversation
The Piñata/La Piñata
By Rita Rosa Ruesgua
Published by Scholastic en Español
ISBN-13: 978-1594487484
Scholastic and Latin Grammy nominee Rita Rosa Ruesga have rejoined to bring a new book of songs for all ages from the Hispanic tradition. Among the fourteen new songs are “Antón Piruero,” “Las mañanitas,” and “A la rueda rueda.” Full of beautiful illustrations by Soledad Sebastián and a brief description of the origin of each song, La Piñata/The Piñata also includes music notation and guitar chords for each tune and a link from which the songs—sung by the author—can be downloaded.
Scholastic y Rita Rosa Ruesga, artista nominada para los premios Latin Grammy, se han unido nuevamente para ofrecernos un libro de canciones latinoamericanas para todas las edades. Entre las catorce canciones nuevas se encuentran “Antón Pirulero,” “Las mañanitas,” y “A la rueda rueda.” Con hermosas ilustraciones de Soledad Sebastián y una breve descripción del origen de cada canción, La piñata/The Piñata también incluye las partituras y los acordes para guitarra correspondientes, además de un enlace para bajar las canciones interpretadas por la autora del libro.
About the Author: Rita Rosa Ruesgua
Rita Rosa Ruesga was born in Cuba and holds a degree in choral conducting from the National School of Fine Arts of Cuba. Rita Rosa created Musikartis, a bilingual music curriculum, and works as a music producer, teacher, and voice coach. She is a 2009 Latin Grammy Award Nominee.
Rita Rosa Ruesga nació en Cuba y se graduó de Dirección Coral en La Escuela Nacional de Arte de La Habana, Cuba. Rita Rosa creó Musikartis, un programa bilingüe para enseñar música, y trabaja como productora musical y maestra de canto. Fue nominada para los premios Latin Grammy en 2009.