Cool Salsa
Fawcett, 1995
Poetry
ISBN: 044970436X
160 pages
Synopsis
Cool Salsa is a collection of bi-lingual poems written by Latin Americans in order to express their lives here in America, their thoughts about their old countries and cultures, and what they’ve left behind, and how they can fit into the culture they’ve found themselves in while keeping their heritage in tact. Many of the poems are interlaced with both English and Spanish, and most of them are translated into both languages side by side.
Critique
This collection is a treasure among poetry, not only for its rich collection of voices and poignant social commentary on being Latin in America, but for its brutal honesty and courageous content that reveals both the beautiful and horrendous aspects of American culture as well as the Latin culture that these poets have left behind. All of the voices teach educational lessons to the readers, and bring an edge about the realities of living in America that can only be told accurately through the mouths of those experiencing it.
This is an excellent read for all cultures who’ve found themselves in America, especially those who grow up in secluded suburban neighborhoods and have no concept or empathy for ‘the other’. I recommend this text to all readers, especially early teens since so few books of poetry are written for this age group.
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For the Classroom
This text is a perfect classroom companion for English, language, or cultural studies courses.
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