Reviews (2)

Elegant book on an elegant style
The term art Nouveau encompasses a style of architecture, figurative and applied arts that flourished in the last decades of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th. During the final decade of the 19th century Western society was being transformed radically. The automobile, photography and the rise of psychoanalysis were just three elements that contributed to this change.

Costantino's book examines the sources of Art Nouveau in the English Arts & Crafts Movement, in Expressionist painting and in Symbolist poetry. These forms were themselves a reaction to rapid industrial development. Art Nouveau is seen by many as the expression of the last vestiges of a unity in European culture and the continuous interchange of ideas within it. It is a flowing style characterised by a love of detail, pattern and texture.

This work profiles the remarkable figures that gave style and shape to the movement, including René Lalique, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Antonio Gaudí and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. It is a dazzling visual record of the ebullience and breathtaking variety of the objets d'art produced in this lively and elegant era.

My favourite plates here include Edvard Munch's painting Madonna, Fernand Khnopff's The Caresses Of The Sphinx, Gustave Klimt's Female Friends and Music plus a leaded glass window by Louis Comfort Tiffany, Aristide Maillol's tapestry Concert des Femmes and Jules Chéret's 1893 poster for the dancer Loïe Fuller at the Folies Bergère.

The chapters are titled A Changing Society, Introducing A New Style, Graphic Design and Photography, Architecture and Interior design, The Applied Arts, Painting and Sculpture, a Far-Reaching Style. This beautiful book with its more than 300 illustrations concludes with a chronology, a bibliography and an index.

Treatment of the works of Art Nouveau designers and artists
Ms. Costantino has produced another well illustrated book on design; however, she strives to cover too much territory in the text while also trying to make the work accessible to those unfamiliar with ArtNouveau.

Ms. Costantino covers Art Nouveau in two chapters: The AppliedArts and Architecture and Interior Design with a concluding chaptersummarizing Art Nouveau's influence on contemporary design. In general, thetwo chapters are organized by treating separately the contributions to ArtNouveau of the major artists and designers of each country.Sometimes thetransitions from one designer to the next are abrupt. Subchapter headingswould help with these transitions.

Also, Ms. Costantino occasionallyreferences important works: e.g. August Endell's Elvira Studio or ArthurMackmurdo's Wren's City Churches; without providing illustrations, soessential to understanding their significance. Or in the case of mentioningW. Benson's metalwork being exhibited at the opening of Siegfried Bing'snewly renovated store without explaining the importance of Bing or hisstore, it is easy to see how the significance of the reference could belost to readers unfamiliar with his role in Art Nouveau.

The work does,however, contain crisp, clear color illustrations of major works ofarchitecture, jewelry, metelwork, and furniture as well as outstandingpieces by lesser know Art Nouveau designers and for this reason alone is avaluable work.

The book is written as an introductory work for those newto Art Nouveau yet Ms. Costantino's desire to be thorough results inoccasional lapses to obscure and inadequately explained references whichmay at times confuse those not familiar with Art Nouveau.

Despite theseoccasional lapses, Ms. Costantino provides us with excellent descriptionsand explaination of the far-reaching influence and significance of themajor works of the designers and artists of Art Nouveau. Particularilydelightful is the treatment of lessor known though equally importantartists and their works. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Summoning Females to Macho
I have only recently become acquainted with Ortiz-Cofer's splendid honesty and stretching creativity, yet I am overwhelmed with the power that she exudes in "Woman in Front of the Sun". Having read "The Latin Deli", I was ecstatic when I found another collection that calls her memory and lessons learned to dance for the curiosity of her readers. Aside from the traditional definition of the term, Ortiz-Cofer is powerful through the pure simplicity of her accounts of life. In "Woman in Front of the Sun", she places value on what is valuable, she learns through the grades of life, and she exposes her tender realities to those she hopes will appreciate her. She inspires readers to find the innocence in being "Macho", the same value others might call confidence. By opening the pages of this book, you'll find a comfort similar to that of your own thoughts.

You cannot be passive and create.
I stumbled upon this title while reading an issue of The Oxford American and decided to give it a read. What a revelation! I am not familiar with any of Judith Ortiez Cofer's other works, but if this is any indication, I will be reading them all. A collection of essays, poems and folktales, this book blends the author's emergence as a writer with memories of growing up as a Puerto Rican in Patterson, New Jersey. The influences of the island her parents left behind, the Catholic Church as well as the emerging women's movement, combine with a Growing knowledge that the author wants to write. This is not only an autobiography, it is a compelling argument of why she has answered the call to write, and the struggles with self, that she, as a writer has faced. It examines the drive to create, the forces that pull one away from writing, and the quest to have a place of one's own. In clear, lyrical language, she encourages women to seek a life of truth, no matter the route or medium. She reveals some of the writers (a diverse group) that ignited her imagination and passion for writing. "Take what you can use and let the rest rot" is an expression used, and this book is invaluable to women, actually , to anyone who loves to read and who longs to use words to reach others. The best "writing" book I have read in years, and a treasure to keep. ... Read more

Book Description

A book for everyone interested in Hollywood and especially the history of Latinos in American film.

Heroes, Lovers, and Others tells the fascinating history of Latinos in film, from the birth of the movies to the present, through a series of stories about Hollywood's most famous and enduring stars. The book features such Latino legends as Dolores del Rio, Rita Hayworth, Ramon Navarro, Desi Arnaz, Anthony Quinn, Raquel Welch, Selma Hayek, and Antonio Banderas. But this is much more than a just collection of celebrity stories. Clara E. Rodríguez shows how the careers of these stars were shaped by the temper of the times in which they lived and how they managed their own sense of personal and screen identities.The sparkling parade of Latino film stars presented against the backdrop of American social and cultural history changes the way we think of race and ethnicity in Hollywood and challenges us to reexamine conventional ways of viewing our past. Not least of all, Heroes, Lovers, and Others will inspire readers to watch old and new movies with a sharpened sense of the personal, artistic, and social dynamics underlying their history and, by telling the stories of several long-forgotten stars, make readers wish these stories themselves would be made into movies. 57 b/w photographs. ... Read more

Book Description

Por primera vez, y en sus propias palabras, Celia Cruz cuenta la historia de su vida, sus alegrías, sus tristezas y los múltiples obstáculos que tuvo que enfrentar para convertirse en una de las artistas más destacadas de nuestra época.

Cuando Celia Cruz murió , el 17 de julio del 2003, más de medio millón de personas -- en Miami y en Nueva York -- esperaron en fila durante horas para presentarle sus últimos respetos a la Reina de la Salsa. Varios millones más le rindieron homenaje en pequeñas celebraciones conmemorativas, organizadas en sus propias casas y en festivales callejeros a través del mundo entero.

Al son de su inconfundible voz y las canciones que la llevaron a la cima, la muerte de la Reina de la Salsa fue marcada por el mismo gozo que ella supo transmitirle a millones de personas a todo lo largo de su increíble vida y su carrera, una carrera que abarcó toda la segunda mitad del siglo veinte.

Sin embargo, a pesar de su fama y popularidad, la vida de Celia Cruz siempre estuvo cubierta por un velo de misterio. Hasta ahora, nunca le había contado a nadie la historia de su vida y nadie nunca había visto su colección privada de fotos. En este libro, por fin les abre las puertas a sus admiradores y nos cuenta su historia, en sus propias palabras.

De su modesta infancia en Cuba, a sus años de exilio en México y su impresionante carrera en Estados Unidos, de sus extravagantes vestidos a su personalidad sencilla y reservada, Celia fue sin duda alguna, una mujer de contrastes. Era sincera, espontánea y accesible para sus fans, pero siempre fue muy privada con su vida personal. Era desinhibida sin ser decadente, honesta sin ser ofensiva, confiada sin ser arrogante y generosa a más no poder. Sin embargo, antes que nada, Celia era una mujer auténtica. Y esa autenticidad que la caracterizaba, es la que hizo que su público la quisiera tanto.

Basado en más de 500 horas de entrevistas grabadas tan sólo unos meses antes de su muerte, Celia incluye fotografías y anécdotas inéditas sobre la vida de Celia Cruz, revelándole a sus millones de admiradores, una vida que había permanecido muy privada a pesar de haberse vivido sobre el escenario.

Celia es la celebración de la vida de una mujer dotada de un talento extraordinario. Es la historia de una mujer apasionada, trabajadora y que tenía una fe indestructible en Dios y en toda la humanidad. En estas, sus últimas palabras, le rinde homenaje al público que tanto la adoraba.

Book Description

Through oral histories and a captivating array of historic and contemporary photos, this book records a vibrant and resourceful way of life that has contributed so much to the region. Descendants of pioneer ranching and farming families tell stories about rural life and vaquero culture that enrich our knowledge of settlement, culinary practices, religious traditions, arts, and education of Hispanic settlers of Arizona. They also talk frankly about how the land changed hands and tell how they feel about the disappearance of the rural lifestyle. ... Read more

Book Description

The moving collection evokes the agony and frustration borne of growing up in terminal exile and cultural limbo. But, from anguish and turmoil, the artist has wrought inspiration and crafted one of the most eloquent and commanding voices of contemporary Latin American literature. "This slim volume is studded with poetry that adds depth to the characters and action ... With short chapters that flow fluidly between the first and thurd person, Suárez reflects on 36 years as an outsider and on the memories--and the record of them--that kept him sane" (from Publishers Weekly). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A wonderful memoir written with a steady and insightful hand
This book pulls you in from page one as it travels like the human subconscious from beautiful memories to the skeletons we place delicately in closets. Suarez's knack for both poetry and prose makes the writing interesting--something you go back to again and again. I recommend this book to anyone who loves great writing and wants to experience another life and experience in a most intimate way.

Pretty good stuff from a interesting fellow
I read this book twice because it was so unusual. I like the way it blends fiction, poetry, and essays into a congruous whole. Very nice work. I highly recommend this for anyone interested in learning about the Cuban-American experience. ... Read more

Book Description

a memoir including some poetry ... Read more

Reviews (2)

If you haven't read it yet, get it now!
In a seemling easy narrative of remembrance, Ortiz Cofer brillantly weaves in dense yet accessible political thought on the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized through her literary genius: her keen use of metaphor. Ortiz Cofer's outloud conversational tone is engaging and unintimidating even in the face of the deep issues she raises and the hard questions she subtly yet clearly asks. Through "Silent Dancing," Judith Ortiz Cofer takes the reader along for a very enlightening journey through her self-exploration and self-definition. Ortiz Cofer discusses the ways that race, class, gender, and culture interact in shaping her life experiences without sounding dogmatic or naive. "Silent Dancing" is a work of substance, a work worth revisiting again!

An intriguing personal narrative worth reading!
Judith Ortiz Cofer's book, Silent Dancing, is an intriguing personal narrative, which creates an instant curiousity within the reader! The structure of this book is creative in that Cofer writes each chapter as a different phase/aspect of her life and creates a desire, for the reader, to read on. Cofer writes of her childhood and specific memories she holds of her family and herself. Her shared memorites of childhood allow her book to be well understood and allow her readers to relate to their own personal childhoods. In addition, Cofer's shared memories of her life in Puerto Rico and the emphasis on her family's culture had on her life, is very insightful. She opens a wide window into the Puerto Rican culture and allows her readers to see her life as it truly was. This book, although well written and very interesting, should not be considered for young readers. The main reason this book should be read by an adult audience is because of some specific content within the book. Questionable references to sex and other material including the use of one profanity makes this book one for adults. Overall, this book is extremely interesting in nature and one which should be read in enjoyment. This book offers great insight into the Puerto Rican culture and allows readers to be reminded of the many different cultures which make up the American culture. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A book you will love
This little book fell off the bookstore shelf in front of me while I was browsing so I knew it was meant for me to buy and read. It was also the first time I felt so inspired to write to the author to say how much his writing moved me. The book tells of his travels around the Western US while trying to find direction in his life but it is really a heart to heart talk with the reader. You will feel like you have an author for a best friend and you will never forget the beauty of how he puts his words together.

Urrea's words are a national treasure
This American poet writer delivers songs in sentences and has a singular voice that calls out to you long after the book is lost on the shelf. His words don't just stay with you, but the spirit of a decent man does too. An engaging, funny, reflective, lyrical read.

One of the greatest writers of the heart I've ever known
Luis writes from his soul; he is a wonderful person and it shows in his work.Kirkus doesn't know what he/she's talking about...Luis is one of the world's greatest writers, and one of my favorite people. I hope he's happyand well. I am, Nicolina

good work--now time to move along!
I knew Luis and the other half of this "troubled marriage" (Kirkus Review) that ended.She left, he fell apart, she fell apart.But that was seven years ago!He's remarried and she has a two year-old bysomeone else!This is one of the great writers of our time; surely he canfind something more interesting to think and write about.P.S. where doyou want me to send your dad's records???

This is one of the finest books I've ever read.
It is a shame that Amazon.com has to put on-line the review by Kirkus.I don't know who wrote it--he didn't sign his name--but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a jealous, inferior writer lashing out with his tinypen.

The shame is this:Wandering Time is a fine book.A great book.One of the best books I have read.Urrea's language has a music all itsown.That's as clear as I can say it.He knows the word-music, the secretcombination that strings the right sounds together in the rightorder--turns the language into something better, something sweeter than itis for the rets of us, something delicious.

The Kirkus review sounds anawful lot like what they said about Mozart.In that regard it isappropriate.But in no other way. ... Read more

Book Description

"A unique biographical source revealing the experiences common to Mexican-Americans as well as the `diversity and complexity of their struggles to enter the mainstream.' Of the 270 men and women included, approximately 200 are contemporary Mexican-Americans. . . . [H]ighly recommended for large public libraries and special collections." Library Journal ... Read more

Book Description

In recounting her life's journey from Romania to the United States, Vlasopolos writes movingly of the peculiar attributes of displacement in the contemporary world. Vlasopolos renders a loving portrait of her mother, an Auschwitz survivor courageously raising a young girl alone after the death of her husband, a political dissident, and finally, details their years of limbo in Brussels and Paris and settlement in Detroit, Michigan.

Reviews (7)

Educational, with a touch of arrogance.
I selected this book because I enjoy biographies and history. I have been reading various histories of World War 2, and this book was interesting in that respect. I want to learn the "human" side of history (versus the military or government view). Ms. Vlasopolos paints a very detailed picture of life in Eastern Europe immediately after the war. A secondary, intertwined biography of her mother adds greatly and importantly to these details. I did, however, find this book difficult to follow at times. In my opinion, this book was written for Ms. Vlasopolos fellow literature experts. Numerous references to the literary works of others left me feeling fairly uneducated, my Master's degree not withstanding. I finished the book with a significant reading list that one might consider a "pre-requisite" to reading this book. My high school French failed me in a few places, as well! While I describe these concerns as shortcomings of the book, they may simply be my own. I found it amusing that while presenting stereotypes and prejudice in an appropriately negative light, the author feels it necessary to mention that she would never sleep with a Republican. I came away from this book with a feeling that, once again, a European had to point out cultural weaknesses of Americans (language, literature, and food). Perhaps that is a goal of this professor, to make the reader want to improve and learn. If so, she may have succeeded! However, she may have also put valuable educational material out of the literary reach of many.

oral transgressions
This is the most moving and meaningful memoir I have ever read. The author tells a personal history, a national and international history, as well as a short history of western thought in a way that ties together beautifully. Near the start of the book, it is said that religion is a control over what goes into and out of the mouth, and this metaphor sticks with the incredible telling/story-telling throughout.

AN EXTRAORDINARY BOOK
A stunning memoir of enormous power--a work both accessible and phenomenal. This book, with a lyric and incisive style, uses the politics of appetite, language, and other modes of communication (or censorship) as a lens through which to describe the author's and her family's (primarily her mother's) lives and various displacements. Filled with vivid details that range from the nightmarish (the stories Vlasopolos's mother tells her of Auschwitz) to the exquisite (the precise flavor of sour-cherry liquor, or the burnt-sugar smell of the Paris Metro), this memoir is at once a story you can't put down and a poem you never want to end, whose every phrase makes your breath catch in your throat with wonder. The book combines the personal with the political movingly with a seeming effortlessness that is as fascinating as it is impressive.A hauntingly beautiful book: no one should miss this.

A Life Well Written
I don't usually read autobiography, but -- since I very much liked Anca Vlasopolos's mystery novel MISSING MEMBERS (and have been waiting in vain for a sequel) -- when I saw this title by the same author, I happily took a chance. And I'm glad I did. NO RETURN ADDRESS has enough plot and incident for several novels (and as many movies; I kept visualizing the possibilities and casting the lead roles). It's vividly written and reads like poetry. Vlasopolos's life (and those of her concentration-camp-survivor mother and political-prisoner father) is intrinsically interesting, but -- even if nothing had ever happened to her and her family -- her writing would make the whole thing compelling. My favorite part among many is the Greekly tragi-comic incident involving the author as a little girl, a treasured out-of-print book of plays, and a playful puppy.

A Mother of all Memoirs
"No return address" is unlike any book I have read since my own exodus from the Communists. The long journey from corrupt "Socialist" Romania to the West under Anca Vlasopolos's pen unveils unexpectedly some of life's greatest lessons and the delivery is impeccable...like a Stradivarius in the hands of a music teacher's teacher! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Review of Gloria Golden's Work
The interview and photographs of the people in Gloria Golden's book Remnants of Crypto-Jews Among Hispanic Americans show a special dedication to the story these unique people have to tell.Careful attention to detail make their stories very enlightening.The photographs help the reader make the human connections to each story.
I am of Sephardic ancestry on my father's side with his ancestors leaving Spain during the Inquisition and settling in Turkey.Our family was fortunate and never had to question our Jewish background as the Crypto-Jews do.
After reading Gloria Golden's book I was able to get an insight into an unusual and often difficult transition these people of Jewish ancestry had to face when they found out about their Jewish heritage.
Gloria Golden's book not only informs but also shows in a very dramatic way, how these Hispanic Americans are coping with their identity crisis.

Nadine Behar Ellman

BOOKLOVER's review
For many years I have followed the career of prize-winning photographer Gloria Golden, and I consider her a great artist.In her new book, Golden has transcended the world of the visual arts and become an important scholar, photojournalist, and chronicler of Jewish history.Despite the many chronicles that fill CRYPTO-JEWS with human interest, both the book's opening essay and its compelling accounts of Golden's interviews with southwestern American Crypto-Jews embrace an impressive range of intellectual disciplines, Jewish history, world history, sociology and anthropology among them.

Though this landmark study will appeal to scholars, Golden's absorbing page-turner reads like fiction.Anyone fascinated by the human condition should purchase this gem of a book.I look forward to reading more of Golden's writing. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Jose Clemente Orozco: Mexican Artist
This historical book was an excellent source of information, not only about Jose Clemente Orozco, the artist, but about 20th century Mexico and it's history. The illustrations are good and done in black and white. I would recommend this book for students from the 7th grade up, as well as teachers and parents. ... Read more

Book Description

Armando Marsans, who joined the Cincinnati Reds in 1911, was the first Cuban star of the major leagues.Events in baseball have often mirrored America's social development-Jackie Robinson's breaking of the color barrier is one example-and the story of Armando Marsans has much to teach about the United States and Latin America during the early 20th century.

In detailing the career of Marsans, this work also recapitulates baseball history in Cuba and describes the early development of professional baseball in America. Examples of how Americans reacted to Marsans as a player and a person, and the prevalence of Latino stereotypes during this era, are fully explored. Part biography, part sociological study, this book introduces the reader to a physically gifted player and to a young, powerful America struggling to find its own identity in its new ethnic makeup. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The best player you've never heard of.
If he were playing today, Armando Marsans would be a household name. Until this remarkable book, Marsans' name survived only in boxscores, in the occasional mention in the sports pages, and in the memories of those few surviving fans who remember seeing him play. Through his in-depth research, Toot manages to rescue the player from obscurity and bring his story to life.

Toot's book is also an interesting sociological study of our country's first hispanic celebrity's struggle for acceptance. Further, it provides an eye-opening picture of the early days of baseball, when players played year-round, when sharp metal spikes threatened devastating injury with every slide, and when there was still the prospect of multiple professional leagues in the US.

If you love baseball and America...
...then you have to read this book. Toot is that rare breed of writer who can weave together an impressive array of details and facts into a compelling story. This is a great baseball tale with larger-and-lower-than-life characters, nail-biting games, and interesting off-the-field background. It's also an important book about the integration of hispanics into baseball--their experience and the reaction from the American baseball community. In this day and age of hispanics playing such an integral role in baseball, it's more important than ever to understand where they got their start. ... Read more