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Coconut: Brown on the Outside, White on the Inside
The lives of a Mexican-American family living in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley during the turbulent 1960's and 1970's are the focus of "Coconut: Brown on the Outside, White on the Inside".
Despite living a middle class life, "The Rodrigos" have to endure terms like "wetback" and "beaner"- even though they don't speak Spanish. To top it off, their daughter is a Chicano rights activist who is mixing with the wrong group of militants; their sister-in-law suffers at the hands of an abusive husband; and their precocious son is gifted and headed for the Ivy League, only his parents don't have a clue what "gifted" means and are afraid of him deserting "la familia." Sure, he could be one of the 8% of Latinos to graduate from college during that time - if racism, marginalization and his parents don't extinguish his dream first.
'COCONUT' takes us back to a time when everything was "groovy," and bell bottoms, brown power and disco collided with Civil Rights, earthquakes and the quest to be accepted as an American.
If you've ever been called a "coconut," "banana" or "Oreo," this novel will leave you laughing, crying and better understanding what racism and life were like for people of color then - and why we are who we are today.
Despite living a middle class life, "The Rodrigos" have to endure terms like "wetback" and "beaner"- even though they don't speak Spanish. To top it off, their daughter is a Chicano rights activist who is mixing with the wrong group of militants; their sister-in-law suffers at the hands of an abusive husband; and their precocious son is gifted and headed for the Ivy League, only his parents don't have a clue what "gifted" means and are afraid of him deserting "la familia." Sure, he could be one of the 8% of Latinos to graduate from college during that time - if racism, marginalization and his parents don't extinguish his dream first.
'COCONUT' takes us back to a time when everything was "groovy," and bell bottoms, brown power and disco collided with Civil Rights, earthquakes and the quest to be accepted as an American.
If you've ever been called a "coconut," "banana" or "Oreo," this novel will leave you laughing, crying and better understanding what racism and life were like for people of color then - and why we are who we are today.
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 8, 2020
1009 people want to read
About the author
Manuel Padilla Jr.
2 books23 followersManuel Padilla Jr. has over 40 years of professional writing experience in the media and publishing worlds, working as a newspaper reporter and editor; marketing, public relations and advertising professional; and public speaker. He has written pieces which have appeared in the Los Angeles Times and other publications, and was also a regular columnist for the Los Angeles Daily News. He has held management positions with Los Angeles Police Federal Credit Union, The California Endowment, City National Bank and Los Angeles Daily News. www.manuelpadillajr.com
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 27, 2022
**Goodreads giveaway recipient**
I think everyone has an important story to tell, and I especially enjoy reading/listening to stories from people of different backgrounds, cultures, skin colors, religions, etc. The overarching themes of la familia and life often being unexpectedly more than one hoped for are wonderful messages.
However! written in a glancing, nonfiction style (although it’s fiction), it felt too stilted and detached to me. Racism and family strife hit hard and deep, no matter how they are written about…but I still felt like I was just passing through, being blown about by the winds of time through the lives of the characters, rather than being asked in to stay awhile and get to know them more deeply.
Also, this book could have done with an extensive proofread before publication. Even a quick, peripheral proofread would’ve done the trick…
Important? Yep. Well-written? …ehhh, not quite.
I think everyone has an important story to tell, and I especially enjoy reading/listening to stories from people of different backgrounds, cultures, skin colors, religions, etc. The overarching themes of la familia and life often being unexpectedly more than one hoped for are wonderful messages.
However! written in a glancing, nonfiction style (although it’s fiction), it felt too stilted and detached to me. Racism and family strife hit hard and deep, no matter how they are written about…but I still felt like I was just passing through, being blown about by the winds of time through the lives of the characters, rather than being asked in to stay awhile and get to know them more deeply.
Also, this book could have done with an extensive proofread before publication. Even a quick, peripheral proofread would’ve done the trick…
Important? Yep. Well-written? …ehhh, not quite.
June 13, 2025
Thank you
This book should be in every middle school library and required reading for anyone who wants to run for public office.
You have joined the history and humanity of so many families in this country. What a wonderful way to show the joy and struggles all families endure and conquer.
The places you mentioned brought smiles as I traveled though memories of "Aww that's where I met my husband and we had our wedding reception there or we liked to go to that restaurant for date night"
This book should be in every middle school library and required reading for anyone who wants to run for public office.
You have joined the history and humanity of so many families in this country. What a wonderful way to show the joy and struggles all families endure and conquer.
The places you mentioned brought smiles as I traveled though memories of "Aww that's where I met my husband and we had our wedding reception there or we liked to go to that restaurant for date night"
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews