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As tectonic shifts continue to shake the publishing world, there’s yet another sign that things aren’t the way they used to be. At 79 years of age, Carmen Balcells, the queen bee agent to Spanish-language literature’s biggest lions, just completely over passed book publishers to make a deal with a digital book publisher. The Spanish company Leer-e currently has rights to approximately 12 classic titles from Balcell’s agency’s list for downloading onto your Kindle or ebook. The number will eventually grow to 120 titles, from authors such as Gabriel García Márquez, Mario Vargas Llosa, Rosa Montero, Julio Cortázar, Juan Marsé and Juan Goytisolo. Relato de un náufrago, by García Márquez; Viaje a la Alcarria, by Camilo José...Read More


These are tough times all around, I know. But I believe that if enough of us write and respond to this decision, there will be reconsideration. Or if not, at least assurance that Spanish-language books and media will still receive a sufficient amount of coverage in Library Journal, School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly. Write your comments on why Críticas is important to you to Francine Fialkoff at fialkoff@reedbusiness.com and Ron Shank at rshank@reedbusiness.com.
In response to the Críticas closing and Publishers Weekly layoffs, the group's publisher Ron Shank said in a Publishers Marketplace interview:
"The most response I have received ...Read More


DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION:
The General" ("El Ge...Read More

Here's information regarding the 2nd Annual Latino Children's Literature Conference's Call for Proposals:
The Universities of Alabama and South Carolina are pleased to announce the Second Annual Celebration of Latino Children’s Literature Conference to be held at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. This national conference, sponsored by the College of Education and the School of Library and Information Sciences at USC and the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alabama, is designed for individuals interested in celebrating Latino children’s literature in their schools, libraries, literacy organizations, homes, and community-based sites of learning. Featuring nationally-acclaimed L...Read More


Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalban y Merino was born in Mexico City on Nov. 25, 1920, and moved to Los Angeles as a teenager. Already having made many Spanish-language films in his native Mexico to make him feel like a star, Montalban made his Hollywood debut in 1947 in Fiesta. He was cast as an aspiring torero in this musical that co-starred E...Read More


I read that the new film Rudo y Cursi starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, had the biggest first day opening in Mexican history. In one week it earned $1.4 million dollars, making it the 5th biggest box office opening in Mexican cinema. Rudo y Cursi reunites the boyish heartthrob duo García Bernal and Luna in a comedy about two brothers competing in the world of soccer. But from the trailer, which I included below, it looks totally campy: scantily dressed girls and boys and tons of polyester shirts. The film is written and directed by Carlos Cuarón. You may remember that his brother, Alejandro, directed Y tu mamá también while Carlos penned the screenplay. More brotherly love, like in the film. And it’s the first film put out by Cha Cha Cha Films, a production company made up Mexican directors Guillermo de...Read More

Criticas has written up many glowing stories about the efforts of Libreria Martinez founder, Rueben Martinez. The former barber, turned bookstore owner, turned MacArthur award winner, turned inspirational speaker about Latino literacy, has yet a new accomplishment to add to his admirable biography. At 68, you can now call him, Professor Martinez. As a presidential fellow for


