In Few Words/En Pocas Palabras: A Compendium of Latino Folk Wit and Wisdom (NEA Heritage & Preservation Series)
This is an inviting book. Its butternut squash and royal blue-edged cover evokes Southwestern and south-of-the border landscapes, the bark painting illustration intensifies the mood, and the succinct ,catchy title encourages readers to browse through the pages. The enticement continues inside where a frieze design adorns each page between attractive chapter headings. Peruse. Dawdle. Savor. Enjoy the flavors of words, pithiness, and everything that advertising can't do.  Did you see the movie Like Water For Chocolate? Did you get the gist of the title? Check yourself at the top of page 55. On the same page, there are seven other sayings in Spanish that use chocolate imagery. Hispanic-American readers can probably come up with a few more if they call or visit older relatives. It is an opportunity for the lengthening and strengthening of Hispanic roots.  Students of Spanish who have gotten past basics will recognize that, after a point, language learning is about culture. This bilingual book is for them too. It is also for poets, language lovers of all stripes, and comparative cultural-holics. Occasionally, a phrase translated into English needed but lacked an annotation. It is a mild lapse in an otherwise lovely book. --FromIndependent Publisher