Books by Latina Authors For Women’s History Month

By Editor March 20, 2018 10:42
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Books by Latina Authors For Women’s History Month

Barbara Gonzalez of Latina.com gives us 10 Latina authored books we should dive into for Women’s History Month.-

“Happy Women’s History Month!

Throughout March, we celebrate the incredible achievements of women in the United States. However, as we all know, there are very few moments when we get to see Latina women killing it in mainstream history lessons.

The good thing? We have some amazing Latinx authors who have made sure their stories have gotten out there in the world.

Check out some of our favorites down below.

1. “A Cup of Water Under My Bed: A Memoir” by Daisy Hernández

This coming-of-age memoir by Colombian-Cuban, Daisy Hernández is about shaping lessons from home into a new, queer life. In this lyrical memoir chronicles what her family taught her about love, money, and race. One tía bemoans that her niece is turning out to be “una india” instead of an American. Another auntie instructs that when two people are close, they are bound to become like uña y mugre, fingernails and dirt.

2. “Song of the Simple Truth” (Canción de la verdad sencilla) by Julia De Burgos

Predating the Nuyorican poetry movement, this Puerto Rican’s poems engage themes of feminism and social justice. De Burgos is widely admired as the greatest woman poet of the island. This book captures more than 200 poems and is the first bilingual edition of her complete poems.

3. “The House of Spirits” by Isabel Allende

Under the genre of Magical Realism, this novel follows three generations of the woman of the Trueba family. The story follows Clara, a woman with a mystical connection to the spirit world and her daughter Blanca who embarks on a forbidden love affair that defies her class. Blanca’s daughter Alba, a beautiful and strong-willed child leads her family and her country into a revolutionary future.

4. “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros

This NYT best-selling novel by Mexican-American writer Sandra Cisneros follows Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl, and her life growing up in Chicago with Chicanos and Puerto Ricans. Esperanza is on a quest for a better life and the learns the importance of her promise to come back.

5. “Like Water for Chocolates” by Laura Esquivel

This novel by Mexican screenwriter Laura Esquivel follows the story of a young girl named Tita, who longs for her lover, Pedro, but can never have him because of her mother’s upholding of the family tradition: the youngest daughter cannot marry, but instead must take care of her mother until she dies. Tita is only able to express herself when she cooks.

6. “This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color” Edited by Gloria E. Anzaldúa

This piece serves as a classic in intersectional feminism, challenging white feminists who made claims to solidarity based on “sisterhood.” While it is a product of the ’80s, the piece is still very relevant to ongoing issues in the feminist movement today.

7. “In the Time of the Butterflies” by Julia Alvarez

This historical novel tells the story of the outstandingly brave Mirabal sisters during the time of the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. The Mirabal sisters were activists who were involved with the underground fight against Trujillo.

8. Borderlines/La Frontera: The New Mestiza

In this semi-autobiographical piece, Anzaldúa comes to terms with the various aspects of her identity (Chicana, lesbian, female, etc.) through essays and poems. She challenges ideas that exist about borders, U.S. vs. Mexican culture and how they inform her life and people like her.

9. “When I Was Puerto Rican” by Esmeralda Santiago

This memoir is the first in a trilogy telling the story of Santiago and her journey from Puerto Rico to the United States. It demonstrates various themes of womanhood, machismo, racism and other common issues Latinx women go through.

10. “The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano” by Sonia Manzano

This novel takes place in 1960 Spanish Harlem in a time where The Young Lords party is startng to emerge in New York City and take back the neighborhood. This coming struggles on what it means to grow up as a brown young woman in such a politically charged time.

By Editor March 20, 2018 10:42

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