Review: A realistic look at the experiences of Latino migrants to the USA, gritty yet postive
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 23, 2014
Living La Vida Spanglish is a collection of stories reflecting the experiences, good, bad and dreadful, of Latino people who have come to the USA, either legally or illegally. This is the English version of a book originally written in Spanish.Author Maria Pinto presents us with a variety of fresh, imaginative stories. Despite the prejudice and other obstacles many of her characters face, they are optimistic, strong people, which I am sure this author is too. Her fiction is intended to inspire and educate her readers, as well as entertain them. She doesn't pack any punches and her writing reflects the gritty realism facing immigrants. Yet it is undeniably positive. As she says in the introduction to this book, "It is very likely that we will find what we are looking for [when coming to live in the USA] since it mostly depends on how hard we strain in achieving our goal." Successful integration into life in a new country depends on how motivated the new arrivals are, and Maria Pinto's fiction is full of motivation and encouragement.Even if you're not a migrant, you should still read this book as it gives a frank insight into what life is like for people arriving in a new country whose language they may not speak and whose rules and regulations are a bewildering puzzle. The book also illustrates, through its wide variety of characters, the reasons behind people making such a huge step and moving abroad, and how it affects not only themselves but the family they leave behind.It's an eye-opening and highly enjoyable book.