Latin@ Literature Discussion Group Kicks Off at EPL
The Evanston Public Library has launched its first-ever Latin@ Literature Bilingual Discussion Group at the Main library. Instead of Latino or Latina, the Library is using Latin@, which incorporates both. The Evanston Public Library Latino Outreach Library Assistant and bilingual native Spanish-speaker Elvira Carrizal-Dukes will facilitate the group, which will discuss books by or about Latinas and Latinos.
The group will meet the second Wednesday of every month through July. Books are available in English and Spanish. Discussions may be bilingual; however, participants do not have to be bilingual.
The next book discussion will be on March 14 and the book will be In the Name of Salomé by Julia Alvarez. An epic fictional account of the real life Salomé Urena, the Emily Dickinson of the Dominican Republic. Alvarez explores the mystery and multiplicity of identity through the extraordinary journeys of two women— mother and daughter, iconic poet and expatriate teacher— who are embattled but not defeated by the parameters of life in a tumultuous world.
“EPL is working to strengthen our continuing efforts to reach out to the community and support Evanston’s diverse population,” says Interim Library Director Donna Dziedzic. “Latin@ Literature Bilingual Discussion Group not only engages our growing Latino community but also helps recognize and celebrate Evanston’s diversity.”
The book selections this year cover Latin@ stories all across the Americas—Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Chile, and Puerto Rico to name a few.
This program hosted by the Evanston Public Library is free of charge and is open to all adult and teen readers interested in reading and discussing Latin@ Literature and at the same time honing English and Spanish language skills. The group meets the second Wednesday of the month at the Main Library, 1703 Orrington Ave., in the third floor west conference room. For more information, call (847) 448-8658 or email Elvira at ecarrizaldukes@cityofevanston.org.
House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
April 11, 7 p.m., Main Library. The House of the Spirits has frequently been compared with García Márquez's masterpiece One Hundred Years of Solitude because of her mixture of magical and realistic elements and her multigenerational plot. While there are some similarities between the two works, The House of the Spirits is distinguished by its author's unique perspective as a woman and a Chilean. This is a saga spanning three generations of the Trueba family during Revolutionary
times in Chilean history.
The Green House by Mario Vargas Llosa
May 9, 7 p.m., Main Library. Mario Vargas Llosa's classic early novel takes place in a Peruvian town, situated between
desert and jungle, which is torn by boredom and lust. Don Anselmo builds a brothel on the outskirts of the town while
he charms its innocent people, setting in motion a chain reaction with extraordinary consequences. The brothel brings
together the innocent and the corrupt: Bonificia, a young Indian girl saved by the nuns only to become a prostitute;
Father Garcia, struggling for the church; and four best friends drawn to both excitement and escape.
Me by Ricky Martin
June 13, 7 p.m., Main Library. International superstar, Ricky Martin, who has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide, opens up for the first time about memories of his early childhood, experiences in the famed boy band Menudo, struggles with his identity during the Livin’ la Vida Loca phenomenon, reflections on coming to terms with his sexuality, relationships that allowed him to embrace love, and life-changing decisions like devoting himself to helping children around the world and becoming a father. Me is an intimate memoir about the very liberating and spiritual journey of one of the most iconic pop-stars of our time.
The Labyrinth of Solitude by Octavio Paz
July 11, 7 p.m., Main Library. In this international classic, Paz has written one of the most enduring and powerful works ever created on Mexico and its people, character, and culture. The Labyrinth of Solitude is is a beautifully written and deeply felt discourse on Mexico's quest for identity that gives us an unequalled look at the country hidden behind "the mask."