Talking While Female & Other Dangerous Acts

by Teatro Luna

Talking While Female & Other Dangerous Acts is a fresh collection of original short stories on themes of risk and resilience, written and performed by Latina womxn across the USA. Curated by Teatro Luna West: America's All Latinx and All Women of Color Theatre Ensemble, these stunning stories are combined with original music by Maria Chavez and poetry by Gabriela Ortega in order to fully transport the listener to each individual life and journey.

Although rooted in the incredibly diverse spectrum that is the US Latina experience, this collection of stories is crafted for anyone who has ever felt invisible, powerless, or alone. This compilation provides a platform and much needed space for the many generations of women who have been tucked away into the corners of our history, erased, and ignored and shines a light on vibrant voices of today celebrating our power to heal, transform, and rise again. From interviewing public figures as problematic as Fidel Castro, to experiencing a leaky brain and the miraculous feats of modern medicine or losing a loved one to the brutalities of Alzheimer's, these storytellers share it all. Modeling vulnerability for the listener, we are given access to somber reflections on the current administration's impact on the marginalized - from those in violent cycles of poverty to those experiencing the gentrification crisis firsthand, to a passionate call to remember the children still in cages. This collection wouldn't be complete without vital stories of incredibly heartwarming coming-out experiences and journeys abroad that uplift us and remind us of our ability to overcome anything that comes our way.

Original stories by: Liza Ann Acosta, Maria Alexandria Beech, Sarah Bogdanski, Gabriela Bonet, Franceli Chapman, Antonieta Carpio, Marissa Chibas, Gina Cornejo, Ginna Diaz, Mari DeOleo, Melissa DuPrey, Georgina Escobar, Cristina Frias, Virginia Grise, Christina Igaraividez, Isabel Jimenez, Maya Malan-Gonzalez, Alexandra Meda, Jasminne Mendez, Elisa Noemi, Elizabeth Nungaray, Karari Olvera, Jessica Perez, Lorna Silva, Gabriela Ortega.

Created by Teatro Luna & Teatro Luna West - an ensemble creating original theatrical productions, digital media, and direct-action events toward a social justice purpose.

Directed by Alexandra Meda

Co-produced by Christina Igaraividez and Alexandra Meda

Original music by Maria Chavez & Mark VanHare

Sound design by Fan Zhang

©2019 Audible (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.

Genres: Audiobook, Poetry, Fiction, Short Stories, Feminism, Latinx, Social Justice

190 pages, Audiobook

First published April 23, 2019

Reviews

[Ayala Levinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a short stories collection, all in the first person POV and each is so different than the other. some are relatable, some heart breaking. the fact that there are different narrators who read them is also interesting and I love narrators with accents😊 it also helps to understand spanish 😉

[Khulud Khamis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this audible original over a period of three weeks. I thoroughly enjoyed these unique stories coming from Latina womxn. They were at once new and familiar; although their experiences were unique to their social and geopolitical context, yet they have something of the universal with which all women can relate to.

The stories vary in their themes: resilience and healing, hope and resistance, violence against women, death, relationships between mothers and daughters, and the experience of living as a minority.

We need more stories like these from women of different backgrounds.

I especially enjoyed the production, which was accompanied by music. The women reading the stories made them come to life.

[Jami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting collection of stories written by Latina women. As with any collection, I liked some more than others, but I appreciate the variety of subjects.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional. Honest. Diverse.
So many different stories told. Latinas in Europe, in college, becoming mothers, feeling unsafe, feeling safe, medical experiences...

Thought invoking

I think the poems in full Spanish were my favorite.

[Kira Munoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is difficult to rate, as it is hard to encompass all of the stories that were shared in this audiobook. There were some stories that I absolutely loved, a few I could personally relate to, others that made me tear up, others that felt incomplete or that I didn't understand the purpose of it's inclusion in the collection of stories.

This book is about resilience, and I loved hearing stories from multiple women who have lived through some difficult situations or made difficult decisions and how they moved forward. It was a very social justice oriented book with a feminist lens and it was empowering to listen to. I also loved that so many different cultures were represented in the book from the Latinx and Hispanic Cultures. This book was so inclusive of light, brown, and afro- Latinx people and I was also happy to hear a story from a trans womxn included.

I would reccommend this book to my friends and family with similar ideology as me, but include the warning that there are many sensitive topics talked about that may be triggering. There are stories that include mental health issues, death, abortion, sexual assault, and other traumatizing events/experiences.

My critiques would be that some of the narration wasn't appealing to me- some stories were very dull, some were very quiet, some seemed abrasive which took away from the storytelling for me. I also think some of the sound effect choices included were unnecessary and distracting. There was one story that had a high pitched squeeling sound to it, that I paid more attention to than the story itself, and while I was listening to it as I was driving, I thought something was wrong with my car, so I turned it off a few times only to realize it was a sound effect.

[Laura May · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredibly intense set of poems and short stories from a vast array of mostly-Latina perspectives. It covers the gamut of immigrant, minority, and women's experiences and was intense as heck. The performances were astonishingly good.

Did I mention it was intense?

Most stories towards the end of the book do contain an amount of Spanish, but there are only ~4 poems and stories you won't be able to follow if you don't speak any Spanish at all. Worth it either way.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A theme of resilience, love, and the strengths and weaknesses surrounding not only the Latin culture but women. My mother-in-law, a Mexican-American woman really enjoyed it. And I felt her presence as I listened to each story. It’s hard to rate this as it is a compilation of stories but the big picture of this book really touched my heart.

[Jules · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the stories are wide-ranging, I found it hard to relate to them. Not because they are written and performed by Latina women but because they are relentlessly millennial.

[Priyanka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this collection of short stories on Audible and though I couldn't relate with or understand all the stories, there were some that really struck a chord - that I felt I needed to hear and needed to know about. I loved the courage of the women behind the stories, and the permanent beauty and strength in their truths. I loved the self-discovery.

One story stuck with me the most: "What we lost in the road."It was about a girl whose grandfather was dying. I couldn't stop replaying it. It just made me feel so much. I could feel how her heart was breaking in that moment. I could feel her regret, her sorrow, but also, her love. It was so beautiful.

"In this moment I wish I was ice so I could break. I wish there would be sun so I could melt. I wish I had the guts to call more often. I wish I stopped talking about it so much, why did I not call?" she says to us, after she finds out her grandfather has passed away.

"My father says, he knew you loved him. He loved you. You loved him, yes. I wish I had shown it."

"No tengas miedo." "Don't be afraid." Those are her grandfather's last words to her.

We never really know how much time we have left with someone. All we could do is show them we love them today and hope they carry that love for all time.

[Joy]

This was a really interesting collection of stories. I really enjoyed the blend of English and Spanish and how some of the stories freely interchanged between the two. (Even though I don’t speak Spanish I still felt like I could understood)

As with all collections of short stories there will be some that are more moving than others or that you relate to more but this was really good and felt very raw.

I haven’t given a star rating as I don’t know how to judge across the board for this one but it was well worth listening to and was very insightful.

[Jamie (Books and Ladders) · Rating 3 out of 5]

See this review and more on Books and Ladders!

I really enjoyed some of these, but others not as much. I think this is a great collection of short stories, especially with the different narrators to bring it to life. There are some interesting topics discussed, but not all of them felt as well paced or developed to me.

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[Yamileth Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The multiple narrators were a nice touch to the audiobook. There were a few great stories, but overall, I was not amazed or swpet off my feet on any of them. It truly was a collection of stories. It felt like compilation of segments in a person's life. Just when some were getting good. It would stop abruptly and move on to the next story.

[Reba Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel this is the Latina version of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Short stories from a diverse cast, sharing the real Latina experience from their own perspective. Uplifting, sad, inspiring, relatable. This made me feel very seen in a very sad and troubling time in our country.

[Ana Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this one on Audible & I really enjoyed it! The stories were very diverse some funny, some intense, & some heartbreaking. I loved how the stories were so relatable. I would definitely recommend it.

[Ariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories were hit or miss, not in their context but in their execution. As the book progresses I found myself enjoying it more, especially the last chapter.

[Nithuir · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars for some of the really well written and narrated stories, 3 for some of the less well executed stories. I didn't really have any expectations so I was pleasantly surprised.

[Sylvia Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book.

[Ambisaurus Rex · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many amazing short stories packed into just a few hours.

[Abbe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect. It was just a bunch of females telling a story from their life, from facing something difficult and overcoming it. Honestly, I got bored.

[Joänna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting stories with annoying production elements. Inconsistent voices, frustrating background noises, and the title credit song kept playing randomly. I would have prefer to read this one.

[Mackenzie Avitia · Rating 5 out of 5]

So effing beautiful from beginning to end

[Hadley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories! There were so many emotions on display throughout. I commend these women for their transparency.

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much not in my usual wheelhouse for literature, and I found myself feeling a variety of mixed emotions, but I am glad I read it 💛

[Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed hearing all the different experiences and perspectives in this!

[Stephanie Borges Folarin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Passionate stories. Very moving.

[Angie Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The last couple of stories were phenomenal and empowering.

[Constanza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quería tanto que me gustara más este libro, que fue una pena que a ratos perdiera tanto. Algunas de las historias son bellísimas y las actuaciones mantienen bastante la atención sobre las que no son tan buenas. Lamentablemente la disparidad de las historias (y la cantidad de ellas) terminó por agotarme un poco.

[Whatcha Reading Heather? · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much that can be learned regarding basic human decency from the stories these women share and I think it should be required reading for anyone who isn't BIPOC regardless of gender or walk of life.