The Mystery of Survival and Other StoriesFiction. In THE MYSTERY OF SURVIVAL AND OTHER STORIES, Gaspar de Alba considers the boundaries between sexes, lovers, cultures, generations, and beliefs and presents a body of work that allows her characters to both defy and celebrate these borders. This collection is peopled by those tenaciously exploring their places in the world: an ambitious young Mexican American reporter who quietly comes to understand the profound impermeability of this boundary as his Anglo editor refuses to see him as anything but an underling; a young woman haunted by the memories of her childhood along the United States/Mexico border; a boy who crosses the brittle line his parents have drawn between each other and chooses to show his allegiance to his mother. Gaspar de Alba reveals characters who, by exploring these boundaries, learn to define themselves and, ultimately, discover not just how to survive, but to flourish. |
Contents
The Mystery of Survival | 9 |
El pavo | 19 |
American Citizen 1921 266 | 26 |
Copyright | |
7 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
afraid Alberto apá Apolonio Armando Atizania Aztec princess barbudo basket blindfold bolsas called cara Chicana child Chimayó Ciriaco Coatlicue compadre Corbitt curandera Death card después destiny dice dijo Dionisio dirt Don Abuelo El Paso estaba Estrella González eyes face father Gabriela glass Gran María Grandma Gregorio guitarrón había hair hand Hazel heard hija hijo Hortensia inside Iowa Jack Joaquín José Juárez kids knew La Llorona La Malinche La niña Llorona looked Lucía Madre Malinche Mamá mano mariachis Mary memory Mercedes Mercedes felt Mercedes's Mexican mezcal Mitla monkey-faced girl Moralees mother mouth Mystery of Survival never niña Oaxaca ojos padre palabras parrot Paso pavo Pepe piernas piñata dream Querétaro quiere quinceañera rabbits remember San Martincito scorpion Silverio smell Soledad Mercedes started stories Subida Susana tell Tenía thing told took tortillas turned vendido Vieja viejo village waiting walked watched woman Xochitl Zulema