Everything You Need to Know about Latino History - Softcover

Novas, Himilce

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0452271002 ISBN 13: 9780452271005

Publisher: Plume, 1994

Synopsis

A question-and-answer format dispenses a myriad of information on the history of Spaniards, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and others, with the contributions and sacrifices made by those in the fastest growing minority in the U.S.

About this title

About the Author

Novas is the author of numerous works of fiction and non-fiction. Her fiction works include Mangos, Bananas and Coconuts: A Cuban Love Story (Arte Público Press, 1996; Riverhead/Penguin, 1997 paperback) and Princess Papaya (Arte Publico Press, 2005). Among her works of non-fiction are the popular Everything You Need to Know About Latino History (Plume/Penguin 1994;1997;2003); Latin American Cooking Across the USA (Knopf, 1997); La Buena Mesa (Knopf, 1997); Latino Art and Culture in the United States (The National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 1996); Everything You Need to Know about Asian American History (Plume/Penguin, 1996; 2003 ); The Hispanic 100: A Ranking of the Latino Men and Women Who Have Most Influenced American Thought and Culture (Citadel Press, 1995); Remembering Selena: A Tribute in Pictures and Words / Recordando a Selena: Un tributo en palabras y fotos (St. Martin's Press, 1995).

Himilce Novas has taught literature and writing as visiting author at vatious colleges and universities, among them the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB), Wellesley College and Tulane University and continues to speak on Latino history and culture at colleges across the country. She spans both coasts and currently resides in the West.

Reviews

Not everything you wanted to know, and probably some you didn't (or didn't know you wanted to know, or were afraid to ask because someone might be offended, like ``What was so great about the Inca?''). But for people whose only link with Latino culture is the occasional enchilada, Cuban-born journalist and lecturer Novas lays it all out. From Montezuma to Tito Puente, from santer¡a to bacalao, Novas offers a nifty (if glib) blend of history and pop culture (did you know that Desi Arnaz's ``Babaloo'' was a ``song to the Yoruba deity Babalu''?). Perhaps best of all, she offers help with the all-important question facing p.c. gringos (and if you are benighted enough not to know who they are, Novas will tell you that, too): Is it more correct to say ``Hispanic'' or ``Latino''? -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

If present demographic trends continue, Latinos will emerge as the largest ethnic minority in the U.S. within a decade. Despite recent efforts at multicultural education, most U.S. citizens (including most Latinos) remain woefully ignorant regarding the history and contributions of those who trace their cultural roots to Spanish-speaking countries. Using a question-and-answer format, Novas significantly alleviates that deficit. In a snappy, rapid-fire manner, she provides loads of useful and frequently surprising information. For example, of the 5,000 U.S. casualties during the Spanish-American War, only 379 were battlefield related; the balance were from a variety of tropical diseases. During the Mexican War, both Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant protested against the "injustice" of that conflict. In a broader sense, Novas provides an invaluable service by illustrating the rich diversity of Latino culture in the U.S. This book is suitable for the general reader and can be utilized in teaching multicultural studies at the high-school level. Jay Freeman

Designed for "interactive reading," this book is organized in a question-and-answer format that allows one to look up specific information (e.g., "What Were the Zoot Suit Riots?") or to read from cover to cover. Chapters include the following: definitions and overview; the Hispanic, African, and indigenous roots of today's Latinos; the newest immigrants-Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, and Central Americans; the political impact of Hispanics in the United States; and famous Latinos. Overall, the tone of the work is light-hearted; the all-too-frequent instances of Anglo-Latino duplicity (and even Latino-Latino antagonisms) are treated with a measure of good humor and without rancor. Sources for further reading are current and ample. This is both an informative and entertaining volume, written in a conversational, colloquial style. Recommended for general readership.
Charles E. Perry, East Central Univ., Ada, Okla.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Plume
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0452271002
• ISBN 13: 9780452271005
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 334