Lengua Fresca: Bold Short Stories – A Cutting-Edge Anthology of Latino Fiction

by Harold Augenbraum, Ilan Stavans

Brazen, bold, edgy, and an unexpected take on Latino life, spotlighting some of the culture’s most exciting innovative and emerging voices.

An entertaining, provocative and often exhilarating collection, Lengua Fresca celebrates some of the most original and cutting-edge work to emerge from the cultural collide that is Latino life in the United States. Featuring an eclectic mix of Latino writing—including fiction, journalism, essays, comics, and even cultural ephemera—this unique anthology showcases literature found in unexpected places. Selections include stories from Salvador Plascencia, Christina Henriquez, and Ana Menendez; graphic pieces from the Hernandez brothers (creators of the groundbreaking comix Love and Rockets) and Lalo Alcaraz (creator of La Cucaracha); and essays by Stephanie Elizondo Griest and Dagoberto Gilb on pop culture topics such as The George Lopez Show and Taco Bell. The growth of Spanglish, the lingua franca of Hispanic communities, is highlighted as well. Compiled by the editors of the classroom favorite Growing Up Latino, Lengua Fresca offers an unconventional window on a vibrant, quickly expanding culture.

Genres: Fiction, Latino, Short Stories, Essays

226 pages, Paperback

First published November 16, 2006

Reviews

[Monica Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a great collection. this book has undoubtedly introduced me to the type of authors I've been looking for for a long time. the chosen contributors write how I speak, how I communicate. I finally see me and my people in fiction and in real life. I can understand stories, I can see depth, I believe that Latino literature is not dead. and its people like me and like them that will carry these words and stories forward. I can see how someone who doesn't speak the language or understand the dialogue feel detached, but I urge these readers to look beyond it and not make it about them, but of the authors and the stories they have to tell.

[Maria Maniaci · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is charming collection of poems, comics, essays and short stories of varied theme and quality that purports to be the new wave of Latino writing, which means the authors are varied and not the same stale mix of tried and true diehards. The title Lengua Fresca riffs on the idea that they're purposefully embracing "Spanglish," but some of these stories (a minority) are actually in Spanish--just a head's up. Not every story included is great, but there are some real gems, and the good outweigh the bad. Recommended.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although one can certainly argue about what "the edge" is and who is qualified to determine it, there can be little argument that this anthology is a welcome sampling of contemporary Latino-American writing. For full review, see http://www.amazon.com/review/R3MTTO09...

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know too little of Spanglish to understand some of the entries in the anthology, but the pieces in English from new Spanish/American authors are funny, ribald and reveal that life in these United States is becoming increasingly accented by Latino/Hispanic culture.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

i like these short stories a lot; very well-written vignettes; especially like the spanglish; like the Urrea story the best so far

[S]

El chango was my favorite. some not so great, per usual anthology style.

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

some good stories, love the intro

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great mix of stories, poems, essays & other texts: cartoons, a restaurant menu, email chains, plays.