First Love (poema de la semana)

It happened in Physics,

reading a Library art book under the desk,

(the lesson was Archimedes in the bath)

I turned a page and fell

for an older man, and anonymous at that,

hardly ideal –

he was four hundred and forty-five,

I was fourteen.

‘Eureka!’ streaked each thought

(I prayed no-one would hear)

and Paradise all term

was page 179

(I prayed no-one would guess).

Of course

my fingers, sticky with toffee and bliss,

failed to entice him from his century;

his cool grey stare

fastened me firmly in mine.

I got six overdues,

suspension of borrowing rights

and a D in Physics.

But had by heart what Archimedes proves.

Ten years later I married:

a European with cool grey eyes,

a moustache,

pigskin gloves.

- Jan Owen

Book of the week: The Bolero of Andi Rowe

Storytelling brings out the most joyful memories of one’s life. In my case, storytelling reminds me of when I was a child and my mother used to tell me stories about fairy tales, which at that age I was completely amazed by them. I loved them! 

However, storytelling has its own meaning for everyone. So stop today by La Casa Azul Bookstore, enjoy your new book of the week, and let the magic of storytelling transport you to the journey waiting to be explore.

- Yajaira

Title: The Bolero of Andi Rowe

Author: Tony Margarita Plummer

Genre: Fiction (English)

Synopsis:   

“The Bolero of Andi Rowe, an impressive work by an exciting new talent, offers a compassionate look at the struggle between meeting cultural expectations and seeking happiness, and the sacrifices and triumphs made along the way.” (http://www.goodreads.com)

Review: 

“heartfelt stories of girls who ache to live in any other world than the one given them and who disastrously believe falling in love is the only way to get there. American tales for the new millennium.” – Sandra Cisneros

Roturas (poema de la semana)

Había siempre un largo silencio

cuando uno de los platos

se rompía en la cocina.

Era la hora de las manos pequeñas

que no son manos para sostener.

Y los largos dedos de mi abuela

levantaban esa dureza rota

extendida como un mapa incompleto

por el suelo de la cocina.

Siempre el largo silencio

hablaba

la angustia de las cosas

que no se pueden volver a juntar.

Y todo lo que se ha roto desde entonces;

arterias, músculos, huesos,

higos abiertos, cáscaras de nueces,

caracoles bajo la suela de los zapatos,

ventanas vencidas por piedras

o pasillos que llevan al cuerpo de mi abuelo,

a las cosas rotas en él y en mí.

Mi madre, mi abuela.

Todas las cosas que se rompen.

 *

Miro mis manos;

las líneas que las cruzan

son accidentes geográficos, cañadas.

Soy lo que se rompe en mis manos.

El padre del mundo

es el padre de las grietas, es

la blanda violencia de lo que se separa

sin hacer ruido.

Hay pájaros que caen de las ramas

antes de estar maduros,

hay espacios en blanco entre los cuerpos

antes de que comience la próxima canción.

Las flores se rompen para abrirse,

las olas se rompen hacia adentro,

como las madres pierden a sus hijos.

¿Por qué estoy más cerca de las rupturas

que de las piedras pulidas?

El acero, las flores, los pájaros,

todas las cosas que se rompen.  

- Javier Peñalosa

Book of the Week: The Storyteller by Mario Vargas Llosa

Storytelling brings out the most joyful memories of one’s life. In my case, storytelling reminds me of when I was a child and my mother used to tell me stories about fairy tales, which at that age I was completely amazed by them. I loved them! 

However, storytelling has its own meaning for everyone. So stop today by La Casa Azul Bookstore, enjoy your new book of the week, and let the magic of storytelling transport you to the journey waiting to be explore.

- Yajaira

Title: The Storyteller

Author: Mario Vargas Llosa

Genre: Fiction (English)

Synopsis:  

 “Through the alternation of two narrators, the novel presents a story of Saul Zuratas, a man who decides to leave his past identity behind and go native in one of the indigenous tribes of Peru. Unlike the ethnographers and linguists who explore the aborigine tribes for professional or rational reasons, Saul’s motive is intimate and emotional – it is an act of love. But his noble intention becomes questionable when the reader gradually finds out that the hero could not leave behind the western dominant discourses on which his entire life had been built.  This novel deals with the problem that not only persists in Peru, but also in many other counties of Latin America: the coexistence of the modern society which is prepared to participate in the cultural, economical and political life of the Global World, and of the indigenous population, which is viewed by modern societies as archaic and primitive.” 

(http://www.english.emory.edu)

Review: 

“It is in the chapters narrated by the storyteller that the novel comes wonderfully alive, transporting the reader to a world where men hang suspended in a delicate web of cosmic relationships.” –Mark Dery, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Where I'm From (poema de la semana)

Because she liked the “kind of music” that I listened to and she liked the way I walked as well as the way I talked, she always wanted to know where I was from.

If I said that I was from 110^th Street and Lexington Avenue, right in the heart of a transported Puerto Rican town, where the hodedores live and night turns to day without sleep, do you think then she might know where I was from?

               

Where I’m from, Puerto Rico stays on our minds when the fresh breeze of café con leche y pan con mantequilla comes through our half-open windows and under our doors while the sun starts to rise.

               

Where I’m from, babies fall asleep to the bark of a German Shepherd named Tarzan. We hear his wandering footsteps under a midnight sun. Tarzan has learned quickly to ignore the woman who begs her man to stop slapping her with his fist. “Please, baby! Por favor! I swear it wasn’t me. I swear to my mother. Mameee!!!” (Herdead mother told her that this would happen one day.)

               

Where I’m from, Independence Day is celebrated every day. The final gunshot from last night’s murder is followed by the officious knock of a warrant squad coming to take your bread, coffee and freedom away.

               

Where I’m from, the police come into your house without knocking. They throw us off rooftops and say we slipped. They shoot my father and say he was crazy. They put a bullet in my head and say they found me that way.

               

Where I’m from, you run to the hospital emergency room because some little boy spit a razor out of his mouth and carved a crescent into your face. But you have to understand, where I’m from even the dead have to wait until their number is called.

               

Where I’m from, you can listen to Big Daddy retelling stories on his corner. He passes a pint of light Bacardi, pouring the dead’s tributary swig onto the street. “I’m God when I put a gun to your head. I’m the judge and you in my courtroom.”

               

Where I’m from, it’s the late night scratch of rats’ feet that explains what my mother means when she says slowly, “Bueno, mijo, eso es la vida del pobre.” (Well, son, that is the life of the poor.)

               

Where I’m from, it’s sweet like my grandmother reciting a quick prayer over a pot of hot rice and beans. Where I’m from, it’s pretty like my niece stopping me in the middle of the street and telling me to notice all the stars in the sky.

- Willie Perdomo

Book of the Week: Woman Hollering Creek by Sandra Cisneros

Theme for July is Storytelling.

 Storytelling brings out the most joyful memories of one’s life. In my case, storytelling reminds me of when I was a child and my mother used to tell me stories about fairy tales, which at that age I was completely amazed by them. I loved them! However, storytelling has its own meaning for everyone. So stop today by La Casa Azul Bookstore, enjoy your new book of the week, and let the magic of storytelling transport you to the journey waiting to be explore.
- Yajaira

Woman Hollering Creek  by  Sandra Cisneros 

Genre: Fiction (English)

Synopsis: “The story begins with Cleofilas remembering her marriage and how her father's words of well-wishing have much more meaning to her now that she is a mother. Cleofilas looks back to the days before she is married and remembers how happy she was. She got married and moved to Seguin, Texas, and wondered about the creek behind the house and the story behind it. Soon her husband begins beating her and she realizes that her life isn't a dream life. She goes to the doctor and they notice her bruises and arrange for her escape back home.” (http://www.angelfire.com)

Review: 

“Radiant… these stories invite us into the souls of characters as unforgettable as a first kiss.” –The New York Times Review.

Stay tuned for the weekly selections that La Casa Azul Bookstore will feature and share some of your thoughts on storytelling!

Frida Kahlo visits El Barrio

On Saturday July 7th La Casa Azul Bookstore celebrated Frida Kahlo's birthday with a Frida dress up contest. 

Check out the amazing costumes and how they took the party to the street! 

Can you guess which one won first place?

Frida Kahlo birthday celebration,  La Casa Azul Bookstore, July 2012

Frida Kahlo birthday celebration,  La Casa Azul Bookstore, July 2012

Frida Kahlo birthday celebration,  La Casa Azul Bookstore, July 2012

Frida Kahlo birthday celebration,  La Casa Azul Bookstore, July 2012

Frida Kahlo birthday celebration,  La Casa Azul Bookstore, July 2012

Frida Kahlo birthday celebration,  La Casa Azul Bookstore, July 2012

Frida Kahlo birthday celebration,  La Casa Azul Bookstore, July 2012

Frida Kahlo birthday celebration,  La Casa Azul Bookstore, July 2012

Frida Kahlo birthday celebration,  La Casa Azul Bookstore, July 2012

Usted no entendió nada (poema de la semana)

Yo quería dibujarte mi país,

anotar mi dirección en el revés de una factura.

Que viéramos juntos el último amanecer,

verte recorrer, de espaldas, el tramo hacia el avión.

Tal vez fue todo culpa de una hamaca,

por incómoda,

o la lluvia que te dejó atrapado en mi automóvil,

o porque soy muy guapa,

entonces te asustabas.

Pero,

no hubo tiempo para memorizar tus manos,

la marca de jeans que usás,

ni la manera de articular tus labios cuando besan.

Hubiera querido tener una hamaca cómoda,

ver el último amanecer que nos quedaba,

pelearnos,

preguntarte el segundo apellido.

- Paula Piedra

Poetry as a Mirror

Poetry appears everywhere; perhaps it is for that reason that it refuses to fit any definition. Strong and stubborn as it is, it has been with us for more than five thousand years, enduring wars, the disappearance of entire languages, and every kind of social turmoil. 

Lucky for us, high-quality poems are still being written all over the world: not only in the best universities and cultural centers, but also on park benches, at kitchen tables, and in prison cells. And, as you may have been able to guess, I am a big enthusiast of the genre. In a world like ours, I find poetry to be a place of refuge and introspection, a mirror that allows me to look within myself at the same time that it shows me the beauty of the outside world. By choosing these poems for you, I hope I can share a bit of that feeling. Because, as Whitman wrote, to have great poets there must be great audiences too.

From, now on, we will be posting a poem every week, alternating between English and Spanish. So, this is our first 'poem of the week'. As Mark Strand wrote in his poem ‘Eating Poetry’, I must confess: Ink runs from the corners of my mouth. There is no happiness like mine. I have been eating poetry.

Enjoy!
Isabel 
 

El Barrio Reads: Best sellers at La Casa Azul Bookstore

El Barrio Reads 

In the store’s inaugural month I have seen people at the bookstore recognize a familiar book, and share memories  of when they first read it. For many, the experience of reading their first book by a Latin@ author took place in college – they even name the class they were in when it happened. 

Now they are buying those books for their younger siblings and for their children. That is one of the objectives of La Casa Azul Bookstore – to place #LatinoLit in the hands of younger generations, because you should not have to wait until an ethnic studies class to read about Latin@ culture, experience and history.

El Barrio Reads

Best sellers at La Casa Azul Bookstore

June 2012

 

Fiction:
1.      Ocotillo Dreams by Melinda Palacio
2.      The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
3.      Bless me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
4.      The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea
5.      House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
6.      So Far From God by Ana Castillo
7.      Say You’ll be Mine by Julia Amante
8.      Under the Feet of Jesus by Helena María Viramontes
9.      Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo
10.   The Madonnas of Echo Park by Brando Skyhorse

 

Young Adult:
1.      Chulito by Charles Rice Gonzalez
2.      El Bronx Remembered by Nicholasa Mohr
3.      How Tia Lola learned to Teach by Julia Alvarez
4.      Nilda by Nicholasa Mohr
5.      How Tia Lola Came to Stay by Julia Alvarez
6.      How Tia Lola Saved the Summer by Julia Alvarez
7.      Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos
8.      Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez
9.      Efrain’s Secret by Sofia Quintero
10.   Wow!   by David Perez

 

Biography/Memoir:
1.      A Wedding in Haiti by Julia Alvarez
2.      Down These Mean Streets by Piri Thomas
3.      Almost a Woman by Esmeralda Santiago
4.      Fish out of Agua by Michele Carlo
5.      Before Night Falls by Reinaldo Arenas
6.      When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago
7.      A Place to Stand by Jimmy Santiago Baca
8.      Pride of Puerto Rico: The Life of Roberto Clemente by Paul Robert Walker
9.      Butterfly Boy: Memories of a Chicano Mariposa by Rigoberto Gonzalez
10.    Frida Kahlo 1907-1954: Pain and Passion by Andrea Kettenmann

Book of the Week: Kahlo by Andrea Kettenmann

Theme for July is Storytelling 

Storytelling brings out the most joyful memories of one’s life. In my case, storytelling reminds me of when I was a child and my mother used to tell me stories about fairy tales, which at that age I was completely amazed by them. I loved them! 

However, storytelling has its own meaning for everyone. So stop today by La Casa Azul Bookstore, enjoy your new book of the week, and let the magic of storytelling transport you to the journey waiting to be explore.

- Yajaira

Kahlo by  Andrea Kettenmann

Synopsis:  

 “An introduction to the life and work of twentieth-century Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, discussing her cultural and historical importance, and including a chronology and over one hundred color illustrations with explanatory captions.” 

(http://books.google.com)

Review:

It’s absolutely an astonishing read! If you’re looking to acquirelegitimate background information on Kahlo’s works or just enrich yourself with knowledge about one of the most influential artists of Latin America, this is the book for you!

Stay tuned for the weekly selections that La Casa Azul Bookstore will feature and share some of your thoughts on storytelling!

"Book of the Week" at La Casa Azul Bookstore

Hello everyone! 

My name is Yajaira and I am an Operations Intern at La CasaAzul Bookstore. As an Operations Intern I help to plan and execute events such as story time, book clubs, author sessions in the store, sales, and other projects as assigned.

What I like the most about being an Operations Intern is that I have the opportunity to expand my horizons. I can come up with an intriguing idea today and tomorrow I will be executing that idea. Yes, it takes a lot of work and effort, but I get to challenge my capabilities and go in depth on what is it that I am trying to accomplish. And for an idealist such as myself to be able to push the envelope and achieve something extraordinary is just amazing!

I chose to work at La Casa Azul Bookstore because it is more than just a bookstore! It’s an establishment of hope among the Latin@ community. The bookstore represents the commencement of a new era of authentic modern and classic Latin literature. It carries out a legacy of unity among the community. It brings people together to make a difference, gives the community a very charming home full of the Latin culture essence, and wonderful reads! As a true believer of work ethic, I wanted to be part of something astonishing. I believe that if we come together, devote ourselves, and unify our forces to serve our communities, we will achieve a brighter tomorrow. It doesn’t matter what the issues are, as long as we focus on changing something for the better, we are making progress. I think of La Casa Azul Bookstore as a great source of enriching ourselves with knowledgeable books affiliated with Latin@ culture. 

I am a full-time student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, majoring in Forensic Psychology.What intrigues me about Forensic Psychology is that it is the intersection of psychology and the law. However, there are numerous of career paths one can take. In my case, after I have acquired my Forensic Psychology BA, I want to go to graduate school to get a Clinical Psychology PhD. As a Clinical Psychologist, I will be able to help people by assisting them with their emotional distress and be a college professor at the same time. I can just picture myself teaching and counseling, working with a diverse audience, and impacting their lives with my passion for progression.

But I have to say, if it wasn’t because of my hero (my mom), I do not know where would I be today. Though my mother was not able to pursue her educational aspirations, she taught me the most valuable skills in one’s life –how to speak, write, and read. Introducing me to the art of the written word, in which,everything imaginable is possible. And for that one gift alone, I could not be more grateful to her.

See, because of that, not only do I LOVE READING, I LOVE WRITING! I am passionately devoted into literature. I think of books as absolutely fascinating journeys just waiting to be explore by one. I came up with the amazing idea of having the book of the week.  In which, every week with the help of my lovely co-workers, we will feature a book that we truly enjoy according to our theme of the month.

Theme for July is “Storytelling.” Therefore, our selections for this month will solely be associated with storytelling.

What makes the particular theme of the month unique?

Storytelling brings out the most joyful memories of one’s life. In my case, storytelling reminds me of when I was a child and my mother used to tell me stories about fairy tales, which at that age I was completely amazed by them. I loved them! However, storytelling has its own meaning for everyone. So stop today by La Casa Azul Bookstore, enjoy your new book of the week, and let the magic of storytelling transport you to the journey waiting to be explore.

Stay tuned for the weekly selections that La Casa Azul Bookstore will feature and share some of your thoughts on storytelling!

Our first Book of the Week selection will be posted on Tuesday July 3rd.