The Best Adult Books and Videos of 2007
By Aída Bardales -- Críticas, 12/15/2007
This year’s wide-ranging list of our top choices for best Spanish-language works for adults reviewed in Críticas in 2007 includes noteworthy, memorable, and indispensable works. Some titles are prize winners, others best sellers, but all are an important contribution to the U.S. Spanish-language book (and video) market this year. Again, we looked beyond translations of popular and best-selling English-language titles in order to highlight works not highly publicized in U.S. media. This list is recommended as a reference guide for librarians and booksellers aiming to keep their Spanish-language collections up to date and in high demand. The reviews are abridged and listed alphabetically by author; to read the full review, click on the title.
Look for the Best Children’s Books of 2007 in the January issue.
FICTION | NONFICTION | VIDEO
Los peces de la amargura.
(The Fish of Bitterness)
Aramburu, Fernando.
Spain: Tusquets, dist. by Urano Pub. 2006. 242p. glossary. ISBN 84-8310-345-1. pap. $19.95. STORIES
The ten tales in this extraordinary book clearly show that literature is the best way to gain insight into human suffering amidst social and political conflict. But beyond the political context lies a magnificent literary work populated with extremely complex individuals. In one story, “Los peces de la amargura” (“The Fish of Bitterness”), a man describes how his life changed when his recently engaged daughter lost movement in one leg after being hit by a bomb. He helps her take a shower, though he hasn’t seen her naked in years; goes walking with his wife when their daughter’s fiancé visits so that the couple can talk; and realizes that he is able to take better care of his fish now that his daughter has left the hospital. Narrated in nostalgic and heartbreaking language, what is most impressive about these stories is that the voice, style, and structure are completely different in each, showcasing Aramburu’s geniality in storytelling. [Críticas, 4/01/06; starred]
La bruja de Portobello.
(The Witch of Portobello)
Coelho, Paulo.
tr. by Ana Belén Costas. U.S.: Rayo: HarperCollins. 2007. 250p. ISBN 978-0-06-133883-0. $24.95. FICTION
Internationally best-selling Coelho here tells the story of Sherine Khalil, also known as Athena, through the accounts of various people whose lives she touched. Born in Beirut, Athena eventually ends up in London but is never content, for happiness is too static, too pat. In the effort to discover her true self, she enters trances through dance, learns the importance of “white space” through calligraphy, and comes to experience unconditional love through motherhood. All of these elements converge in her devotion to the Great Mother, the immanent sacred oneness of all things. Athena’s mission becomes retrieving this primal spirituality, long ago suppressed by formal religion, which brings her and her followers into direct conflict with Christianity. [Críticas, 3/12/07; starred]
El enigma de París.
(The Paris Enigma)
De Santis, Pablo.
Spain/U.S.: Planeta. 2007. 281p. ISBN 978-958-42-1686-1. pap. $18.95. FICTION
The winner of the first Premio Iberoamericano Planeta Casa de América, the critically acclaimed Argentinian De Santis’s latest [novel] takes place in Paris during the 1889 World Fair. There, The Twelve Detectives, the most famous detectives in the world, are to meet an expose their secrets and most impressive cases to the public. But their rendezvous is cut short when one of the Twelve dies under mysterious circumstances. Together, the remaining detectives embark on this mysterious case that leads them on a fascinating adventure through the streets of Paris. Addictive and exhilarating the novel’s complexity unravels in the author’s sophisticated prose, making for a pleasurable and enlightening read. [Críticas, 9/01/07; starred]
Obras reunidas I. Fundaciones mexicanas.
(Reunited Works 1: Mexican Foundations)
Fuentes, Carlos.
ed. by Julio Ortega. Mexico/U.S.: Fondo de Cultura Económica. 2007. 674p. ISBN 978-968-16-8393-1. $49.95. FICTION
This is the first volume of an ambitious project: to compile all the works of Carlos Fuentes (b. 1928), one of the most important Latin American writers of the 20th century. In his introduction, recognized scholar Ortega states the compilation is an invitation to re-read Fuentes through contemporary eyes. This first volume includes two of Fuente’s most famous novels: La muerte de Artemio Cruz, a groundbreaking novel in Latin American literature, and Los años con Laura Díaz (originally published in 1999), a family saga that starts in pre-revolutionary Mexico and ends in Los Angeles in the 21st Century. Renown writers Héctor Aguilar Camín and Sergio Ramírez provide short and enlightening prologs for each novel. This volume, and surely the entire series to come, is essential. [Críticas, 9/01/07; starred]
Mira si yo te querré.
(See How Much I Love You)
Leante, Luis.
Mexico/U.S.: Alfaguara: Santillana. 2007. 308p. ISBN 978-970-770-888-4. pap. $19.99. FICTION
Leante, the winner of this year’s coveted Alfaguara Prize, is a fairly obscure Spanish author of several novels. Montserrat Cambra and Santiago San Román are two young Barcelona natives who fall in love, fall apart, and struggle to make sense of their own lives and the turbulent times in which they live. Set in both Barcelona and the Spanish Sahara during the mid to late Seventies, the novel aptly captures life in the colony. From the descriptions of Santiago’s wanderings down the streets of Tindouf to Montse’s accidental journey from Barcelona to the Sahara, Leante’s evocative prose envelops the reader in the barren yet inherently poetic land of northern Africa. [Críticas, 6/15/07; starred]
Tu rostro mañana 3. Veneno y sombra y adiós.
(Your Face Tomorrow 3: Poison and Shadow and Goodbye)
Marías, Javier.
Spain/U.S.: Alfaguara. 2007. 705p. ISBN 978-987-04-0812-3. pap. $24.99. FICTION
With this last installment to his vast trilogy Tu rostro mañana (“Your Face Tomorrow”), which he began in 2002, Spain’s leading novelist Marías has finally concluded his magnum opus. The wait has been worth it: this last book is the best—and longest—of the three. More than a trilogy, this is one novel divided into three parts, so that you have to read them all to understand the story fully. Likely one of the great literary endeavors of our times, this trilogy is highly recommended. [Críticas, 11/15/07; starred]
Obras reunidas II: Novelas I.
(Collected Works II: Novels I)
Poniatowska, Elena.
Mexico/U.S.: Fondo de Cultura Económica. 2006.
586p. ISBN 978-968-16-7860-9. $49.95. FICTION
This second volume of Poniatowska’s collected works contains three classic novels: Hasta no verte Jesús mío (“Until I See You Jesus of Mine,” 1969), La “Flor de Lis” (“Fleur-de-Lis,” 1988), and Paseo de la Reforma (“Reforma Promenade,” 1997). It’s clear that the author identifies with the female protagonists of these three exceptional works. Jesusa Palancares, Mariana, and Amaya, the respective heroines, live in a society that marginalizes women. This collection delivers a vivid look at Mexico’s history, gender divide, and class problems. [Críticas, 06/01/07]
Los ejércitos.
(The Military)
Rosero, Evelio.
Spain: Tusquets, dist. by Urano Pub. 2007. 203p. ISBN 978-84-8310-391-3. pap. $19.95. FICTION
Acclaimed Colombian author Rosero has published two short story collections and seven novels. For this, his eighth novel, he was awarded the first Premio Tusquets Editores de Novelaat last year’s Guadalajara International Book Fair. This is the story of Ismael, a retired professor who lives with his wife, Otilia, in the verdant mountains of Colombia. For 40 years they have lived peacefully there, but then the violence that has ravaged the entire country comes to their door. With undeniable elegance and a masterly command of the Spanish language, Rosero offers a profound exploration of human life in the face of irrational violence. The powerful cast of characters that populates this novel is deeply moving and will continue to haunt readers long after the last page is turned. [Críticas, 6/01/07; starred]
El olvido que seremos.
(The Oblivion We Become)
Abad Faciolince, Héctor.
Colombia/U.S.: Planeta. 2006.
274p. ISBN 978-958-42-1500-0. Pap. $18.95. MEMOIR
It took the author nearly 20 years to get the courage to write this book about his father, Héctor Abad Gómez, a human rights leader in Medellín who was murdered by Colombian paramilitaries. The result is a cathartic and sentimental—but not clichéd—account of a man who fought against oppression, paramilitarism, and social inequality and whose voice was shut down by six bullets in the head. Abad Faciolince goes beyond memory, opening up his own feelings and responses to his loss and depicts his father as the symbol of the ongoing fight against injustice, thus, illuminating and strengthening the Colombian memory. [Críticas, 5/01/07]
Canciones del que no canta.
(Unsung Songs)
Benedetti, Mario.
Mexico/U.S.: Alfaguara: Santillana. 2006.
143p. ISBN 978-970-770-997-3. pap $16.99. POETRY
A well-loved octogenarian poet of Uruguay, Benedetti has published over 80 books, from fiction and short stories to poems and essays. This newest book of poems, dedicated to his wife of 60 years, now deceased, continues his accessible and musical writing tradition. The narrative is divided into four sections, each with its own theme and style, including 18 whimsical sonnets on everything from tango to class struggle. Perhaps best when writing about love, he suggests that lovers should be kept at the zoo to keep them safe from jealous exes in “Enamorados” (“Lovers”). As the caged lovers age and children visit them, “they laugh and say/ look how the grandparents love each other,” transforming the zoo metaphor into a beautiful witnessing of mature love. The poems are often sentimental and necessarily deal with aging, but they are also moving, as in the final poem, “Epílogo” (“Epilog”), which tells of his wife’s final moments. [Críticas, 11/15/07; starred]
Guatemala: Linaje y racismo.
(Guatemala: Lineage and Racism)
Casaús Arzú, Marta Elena.
Guatemala: F&G Editores. 2007. 339p. ISBN 978-99922-61-53-8. pap. $60.95. SOC SCI
Now in its third edition, this is a revised, expanded, and updated version of an important study on the development of Guatemala’s elite. In this superb volume, Casaús studies the genealogy and history of eight of the most prominent families in Guatemalan history and shows that a fundamental aspect of the thinking and activities of these families was a racism that was used to justify suppression of the country’s indigenous majority population. Well written and easy to read, this work provides the background needed to comprehend present-day Guatemalan political and economic events. [Críticas, 10/15/07; starred]
Ayude a sus hijos a triunfar en la escuela secundaria y llegar a la universidad.
(Help Your Children Succeed in High School and Go to College)
Dabbah, Mariela.
U.S.: Sphinx: Sourcebooks. 2007. 128p. ISBN 978-1-57248-644-7. pap. $5.95. PARENTING
Teenagers often face many obstacles to doing well in school, including peer pressure and the lure of gangs, particularly if they are new to the United States and/or the English language. This brief guide contains useful information for parents of high school students. Dabbah begins by reassuring parents that their children may attend public schools regardless of immigration status and proceeds to go over the basics. Information on how adults can and should get involved in school activities, help students stay out of trouble, and help children separated from parents is very useful and not available in similar guides. Sidebars with hints from teachers and other experts and messages from students who have graduated and gone on to college will inspire both parents and students. [Críticas, 11/15/07; starred]
La ventaja Latina en el trabajo. Aprovecha quién eres para alcanzar tus metas.
(Latino Advantage in the Workplace)
Dabbah, Mariela & Arturo Poiré.
U.S.: Sphinx Publishing: Sourcebooks. 2007. 218p.ISBN 978-1-57248-600-3. pap. $19.95. BUSINESS
This simple and friendly book helps Latinos exploit their unique cultural strengths while searching for or performing on the job. Directed at young professionals, the work is divided into four sections that delineate what it is to be Latino, what advantages that entails, suggestions for advancing oneself in the workplace, and a last section about keeping everything in balance, with two well-developed appendixes that offer listings of Hispanic associations, employment web sites, professional associations, scholarships, and more. Numerous exercises allow readers to apply the book’s advice to their own employment situations. [Críticas, 9/01/07; starred]
Ismaelillo.
Martí, José.
tr. by Tyler Fisher. U.S.: Wings. 2007. 126p. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-916727-42-0. $19.95. POETRY
Martí (1853–95) is perhaps the best-loved poet from the isle of poets. Often recited classics in Latin America, the poems in this collection are not nearly as well known in the United States. The facing translation of Martí’s first published book of poems makes this the first complete bilingual edition. Dedicated to his then three-year-old son, José Francisco, and written in exile and without his family, the poems speak lovingly of the father-son relationship. For first-time readers, Martí’s gentle affection may come as a surprise. [Críticas, 10/15/07; starred]
El regalo del tiempo. Cartas a mis hijos.
(The Gift of Time: Letters to My Children)
Ramos, Jorge.
U.S.: Rayo: HarperCollins. 2007. 189p. ISBN 978-0-06-135311-6. $16.95. MEMOIR
Ramos, co anchor of Univision News since 1986, is one the most influential, respected, and popular Latinos in the United States and Latin America. Written as a series of 15 letters to his children, this is his most personally revealing book. In his letters, he shares important principles and perspectives, such as spending time with family and building loving relationships, finding and dedicating yourself wholeheartedly to your passion, and appreciating different perspectives and values while honoring your own. Ramos has written an intimate and timeless book that will appeal to parents and children of all ages. [Críticas, 9/15/07; starred]
Amando a Pablo, odiando a Escobar.
(Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar)
Vallejo, Virginia.
Mexico: Grijalbo, dist. by Random House Spanish. 2007. 220p. ISBN 978-0-30739-174-2. pap. $18.95. MEMOIRS
Colombian journalist and former television personality Vallejo met Pablo Escobar, the infamous drug lord of the notorious Cali Cartel, during the 1980s, when she had an exclusive story covering Escobar’s generous, large-scale projects to help the poor. Although their affair lasted fewer than two years, their relationship continued for almost 12 years, during which the author witnessed the inner workings of the drug lord’s empire. The lavish lifestyle eventually succeeded in cocooning Escobar from recognizing the ever-present corrupting influence of power and violence in his life, which was ultimately swallowed up by constant hounding and danger. Vallejo ultimately decided to cooperate with various U.S. agencies. This is a fascinating and informative memoir. Though some of the circumstances seem far-fetched, many of the scenes have that fantastic quality of excess characteristic of the nouveaux riches, as super models, bodyguards, subservient wives, and entire brigades of urban poor people the pages of this kiss-and-tell. [Críticas, 11/15/07]
Con muy alto riesgo. La salud maternal en los Andes Peruanos.
(At Highest Risk: Maternal Health in the Peruvian Andes)
(U.S., 2006). color. Spanish and Quechua (English subtitles). 42 mins. Documentary Educational Resources. 2006.
DVD. $175. DOCUMENTARY
REVIEWED WITH:
Ausangate.
(U.S., 2006). color. Spanish and Quechua (English subtitles). 61 mins. Documentary Educational Resources. 2006. DVD. $225. DOCUMENTARY
Cartoneros.
(U.S., 2006). color. Spanish (English subtitles). 60 mins. Documentary Educational Resources. 2006. DVD. $195. DOCUMENTARY
Quechua ancient communal traditions are the focus of two of these three documentaries, At High Risk and Ausangate. The first documents the pregnancy of Judyth, the city secretary of Capacmarca, a remote Andean village. Because of national health regulations intended to curtail the high incidence of child mortality, women are required by law to deliver their children in traditional medical facilities. This documentary follows Judyth as she struggles to accept the regulation, which includes the stipulation that she move to Cuzco one month prior to the child’s expected birth date. Of particular interest is the in-depth view of Quechua alternative medicine for the expected mother. Ausangate traces the religious, social, and economic ways of traditional Quechua villages located in the outskirts of Ausangate, the highest mountain peak of the Andean chain in southern Peru. The peak is well respected by the inhabitants, who observe a variety of rituals to gain the blessings of the Apu (or sacred peak). The third documentary moves further down the continent and sheds light on the lives of Argentina’s cartoneros, independent street collectors of papers and corrugated cartons. This documentary includes extraordinary interviews with individuals who offer candid descriptions of a complex street code that regulates their behavior toward one another and toward their “clients,” the people who give them the trash to be taken to recycling centers. [Críticas, 9/01/07]
Guatemala: The Human Price of Coffee.
(USA, 2004) English & Spanish (English subtitles). 26 mins. Films for the Humanities & Sciences: Films Media Group (Fighting the Tide: Developing Nations and Globalization). 2006.
DVD. $89.95. DOCUMENTARY
In this documentary, filmed at exceptionally beautiful rural farms, Guatemalan campesinos speak about the hardships of producing coffee. The film investigates the deep financial problems endured by coffee growers mostly of indigenous background who work in the Guatemalan highlands. This film also exposes the reluctance of farmers to organize for fear of retaliation. At the center of the discussion are Mayan peasant coffee farmers who make up about one third of the country’s total rural population. [Críticas, 9/15/07]
Land, Rain and Fire: Report on Oaxaca.
(USA 2006) color. English and Spanish (English subtitles). 30 mins. Third World Newsreel. 2006.
VHS & DVD. $150. DOCUMENTARY
Tami Gold, a well-known documentary filmmaker, and Gerardo Renique, professor of history at City College of the City University of New York, offer an in-depth exploration of the current volatile political situation in the city and state of Oaxaca. One hour away from the city, poverty is extreme, and “children are malnourished while government officers get rich.” Teachers seeking radical changes, particularly plans opposed to the privatization of the educational system, called for a teachers’ strike in June 2006; the police soon intervened. The documentary follows a series of demonstrations involving activists, workers, and peasants who speak openly against the governor. The most radical solution calls for the return of an indigenous system of government known as “habits and customs,” or communal governance without election by political parties. [Críticas, 9/15/07]
Nicaragua: Turning Away from Violence
(USA, 2004) color. English & Spanish (English subtitles). 26 mins. Films for the Humanities & Sciences: Films Media Group (Fighting the Tide: Developing Nations and Globalization). 2006.
DVD. $89.95. DOCUMENTARY
According to estimates, 29 percent of Nicaraguan women will be targets of physical aggression by a man every year. Here, men and women speak openly about their own experiences in violent households and against rampant machismo that prompts men “to hit, to kill women and children, and even to kill themselves.” Briefly mentioned is the high number of child molestation cases, particularly of young girls at the hands of relatives. The Association of Men Against Violence has been instrumental in teaching men how to avoid becoming involved in domestic crimes. Of particular interest is that association’s work with former gang members who are trained to give up their violent fights and respect women’s rights. [Críticas, 9/15/07]
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