The Death of the Brown Americano


Book Description

The Death of theBrown Americano follows on The Buenavida Dilemma and examines the experiences of one Hispanic family living in the territory of New Mexico from 1850 through 1913. Th e author details the life and times of the Buenavida family as it struggles to survive and adapt to a new country while preserving its cultural values. PRAISE FOR THE BUENAVIDA DILEMMA The author has written a compact and poignant treatment of the subject (the experiences of the Hispanics who settled the Southwest) which not only informs us of the history of Hispanics in the Southwest, but also of the impact of that history on the social structure of southwest society and the success of Hispanic peoples. Barbara Couture, PhD, President, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico PRAISE FOR THE DEATH OF THE BROWN AMERICANO I could imagine my own ancestors in these situations (those of the Buenavidas)in fact much of what Jose Uranga recounts is probably very similar to what most early Hispanics experienced. Some had the foresight and courage to cope with the situations proactively as the Buenavida family did, but others obviously did not and many opportunities were lost or not fully exploited. Many, however, through the generations not only persevered but succeeded wildly. Manuel Pacheco, PhD, Phoenix, Arizona, President Emeritus, University of Missouri, University of Arizona A touching story of a traditional Hispanic family which brings to life key events in the history of New Mexico during the late 1800s by weaving them with family history. An excellent supplement for New Mexico history teachers. Cynthia Castaeda, PhD, Professor of Government, Eastfield College, Dallas, Texas




The Buenavida America


Book Description

The Buenavida America continues to follow The Buenavida Dilemma and The Death of the Brown Americano by describing the trials and successes of the Buenavida family from 1900 to the present in New Mexico and the southwest in general. A central theme of the book is whether Hispanics must necessarily sacrifice their language and culture in order to fully assimilate and be successful in the U.S. society. Praise for The Buenavida America Generational novels have that rare gift of granting the reader insights into ones own past and future. Jos Uranga performs that task exceedingly well, adding the pleasant placement of the Buenavidas into meaningful historical context. Paul A. Garca, Ph.D, University of Kansas, School of Education, retired Sharing a life story is not as easy as just telling a story. Jos Uranga does this with historical references and background that intrigue and educate. Rebecca Dukes, Vice-President, University Advancement, San Jos State University Jos Uranga does a fine job providing important food for thought in The Buenavida America and his book highlights poignant cultural threads imbedded in the history of New Mexico. The fictional yet historical based testimonios illustrated by the Buenavida family shed light on the complexities, challenges, and victories Hispanics experience while traversing identity in present day America. Maria Martnez Bain, Ph.D, New Mexico State University




The Buenavida Dilemma


Book Description

The Buenavida Dilemma is a rich account of the history and life experiences of Hispanics in the Southwest and West from the 1850s through today. Using five generations of the Buenavida family, the author describes the social and cultural events and issues, including legal conflicts affecting Hispanics. Hot and controversial topics such as "English Only" laws; discrimination in schools and environmental justice are examined and pointedly analyzed. The book will illuminate the Hispanic struggle to maintain one's culture while succeeding in the U.S. mainstream. Jose Uranga has successfully interwoven the history of Mexican Americans in the Southwest with the experiences of the Buenavida family. To be or not to be is a dilemma that many Latinos faced when they encountered Anglo society and the United States or local governments. The Buenavida family's journey on that path of adjustment always meant choices of giving up or suppressing their native culture in order to work with the larger Anglo culture. More often, choices were made for Latinos in terms of schools and classes, who their friends would be and what kinds of jobs they could have. This is an excellent book for anyone who wishes to more fully understand the historical contexts of Mexican Americans in the Southwest and the impact of Anglo society on Latinos. This book would be a fine addition for those teachers who also wish to have cultural materials for their classes at the middle, high school and college levels. Dr. Raymond Sandoval has taught at several universities including UCLA, University of Colorado at Denver and the University of Santa Clara. He is a well-recognized Latino scholar and expert in cultural diversity training.










The American Stationer


Book Description




Critical Perspectives on Afro-Latin American Literature


Book Description

After generations of being rendered virtually invisible by the US academy in critical anthologies and literary histories, writing by Latin Americans of African ancestry has become represented by a booming corpus of intellectual and critical investigation. This volume aims to provide an introduction to the literary worlds and perceptions of national culture and identity of authors from Spanish-America, Brazil, and uniquely, Equatorial Guinea, thus contextually connecting Africa to the history of Spanish colonization. The importance of Latin America literature to the discipline of African Diaspora studies is immeasurable, and this edited collection provides a ripe cultural context for critical comparative analysis among the vast geographies that encompass African and African Diaspora studies. Scholars in the area of African Diaspora Studies, Black Studies, Latin American Studies, and American literature will be able to utilize the eleven essays in this edition to enhance classroom instruction and further academic research.




The Great American


Book Description

From Simon & Schuster, The Great American is Alex Abella's romantic novel about a young revolutionary. Involved in a romance with Laura, a young revolutionary, Ohio Marine William Morgan, stationed in pre-Castro Havana, becomes caught up in the turbulent struggle against Batista, only to be faced with disillusionment, loss, and betrayal in the aftermath of Castro's triumph.




Civil War in American Culture


Book Description

The Civil War is an event of great cultural significance, impacting upon American literature, film, music, electronic media, the marketplace and public performance. This book takes an innovative approach to this great event in American history, exploring its cultural origins and enduring cultural legacy. It focuses upon the place of the Civil War across the broad sweep of American cultural forms and practices and reveals important links between historical events and contemporary culture.The first chapter introduces a discussion of ante-bellum culture and the part cultural forces played in the sectional crisis that exploded into full-blown war in 1861. Subsequent chapters focus on particular themes, appropriations, interpretations and manifestations of the War as they have appeared in American culture.




The Secret Price of History


Book Description

1850s Rome. Goffredo, Sandor, and Eleonora, selfless idealists fighting for Italian unification, find a medallion after a violent face-off with French soldiers on the last day of battle for the new Italian Republic. The medallion is connected to an elusive treasure which, if found, could help the French Emperor Napoleon III secure his place in history. Ignorant of these connections, and desperate for money, the three friends consider having the medallion melted down; but circumstances have it otherwise. Meanwhile, Eleonora, Goffredo, and Sandor continue their fervent fight for freedom: first in Italy, on the side of Garibaldi, Margaret Fuller and Cristina Belgioso, and then in America in the Civil War wherein they re-find themselves years later. Meanwhile, Eleonora and Sandor fall in love; but only Eleonora and Goffredo get married. And through it all, they keep finding themselves in strange moments of danger which connect them to the medallion. They live the rest of their lives in an uncertain truce masked in the mystery contained in the medallion—a mystery finally resolved in the twenty-first century by their great-great granddaughter, Angie Cebrelli. The source of the mystery goes back to a caste of Northern Italian merchants who specialized in moving trade-route gold and silver from one place to another, and in lending credit at trade fairs in Europe between 12th and 15th centuries: What town or city, in the Western World today, doesn't have a Lombard Street to remember them by? And yet they were not from Lombardy but from Piedmont—a peaceful Barolo-wine-producing area, the casane and the Monferrato; that dynasty once ruled the world, achieving its zenith of power under Pope Boniface I, the benevolent ruler of Constantinople in the immediate aftermath of its brutal sacking by Crusaders in 1204. Previously, only Boniface I and the casane were aware of the existence of an ancient treasure—a fragment of Alexander the Great's last treasure buried nearby with the Roman Emperor Aurelian. This is the treasure that comes to light in Rome in the 19th century. 2008s America. Angie Cebrelli, wearing her inherited medallion during a Gettysburg Civil War reenactment, receives a bullet in the arm. A photo of her medallion is found a few days later in Rome next to the mutilated body of Father Kevin, a priestly scholar of Ancient Art and a student Mithraism, a lost religion. She joins forces with the unconventional Italian police detective, Filippo Dardanoni, who has been tailing her for clues about the priest's murder. Moving in on the treasure for reasons of its own, Dardanoni has to also deal with the dangerous and powerful Vatican Bank. Questions: Who will find the treasure? Can it be right under our noses and us not able to touch it?