Notes on Latino Pop Culture en-us http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481.html?nid=4126 Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information. Subject to its Terms of Use October 14, 2009 http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/340040034.html?nid=4126 As tectonic shifts continue to shake the publishing world, there’s yet another sign that things aren’t the way they used to be. At 79 years of age, Carmen Balcells, the queen bee agent to Spanish-language literature’s biggest lions, just completely over passed book publishers to ma… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1670039967.html?nid=4126 Over these eight wonderful years the magazine has had incredible people on board adding their brilliant two cents to the pot. A wealth of tireless librarians, distributors, publishers, and academics that were always on call and ready to lend a hand. People like David Unger, Teresa Mlawer, Linda Good… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/550039855.html?nid=4126 For those who haven’t heard yet, Reed Business is suspending the publication of Críticas. These are tough times all around, I know. But I believe that if enough of us write and respond to this decision, there will be reconsideration. Or if not, at least assurance that Spanish-l… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1160039716.html?nid=4126 I'm reporting to you *live* from my living room, regarding the winners of this year’s Sundance Film Festival. My last blog included a list of all the other Latino interest films competing in each category and their description. I must say it was a good year, with six awards going to new talent… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/790039679.html?nid=4126 The only quasi Latino thing to celebrate at the Oscar Awards this year is Penelope Cruz’s nomination for best supporting actress. Personally, I think she deserved it more for Almodovar’s Volver than the shticky Woody Allen dramedy, Vicky Cristina Barcelona. While we’ll have to wait… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1820039582.html?nid=4126 If you have ideas on how to celebrate Latino literature in your insitution, this is a great way to get involved. Here's information regarding the 2nd Annual Latino Children's Literature Conference's Call for Proposals: The Universities of Alabama and South Carolina are pleased to announce… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/120039412.html?nid=4126 The Latino children´s literature consultant and advocate, Oralia Garza de Cortes, sent out an email recently pointing to quite a frightening break down for The Newbery Award for children’s literature. The article in Bloomberg.com by Melita Marie Garza focused on a Brigham Young study tha… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1260039326.html?nid=4126 %blog_post_abstract.compliant(xml,striphtml,left,300,…); http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1810039181.html?nid=4126 Normal 0 false false false ...Read More http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/500039050.html?nid=4126 To add to my blog from the other day about the Mexican film Rudo y Cursi, a pseudo Y Tu Tambien Part II if you will, I found this video that goes with the film's set to be released two cd soundtrack. It’s Gael Garcia Bernal singing a Norteno version of the Cheap Trick classic , I Want You To W… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1590038959.html?nid=4126 I read that the new film Rudo y Cursi starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, had the biggest first day opening in Mexican history. In one week it earned $1.4 million dollars, making it the 5th biggest box office opening in Mexican cinema. Rudo y Cursi reunites the boyish heartthrob duo … http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1120038712.html?nid=4126 Criticas has written up many glowing stories about the efforts of Libreria Martinez founder, Rueben Martinez. The former barber, turned bookstore owner, turned MacArthur award winner, turned inspirational speaker about Latino literacy, has yet a new accomplishment to add to his admirable biography. … http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1220038522.html?nid=4126 For those wondering what books people are going to be talking about in 2009, take a look at this advanced review of the new novel by the Cuban-American writer Achy Obejas. She recently translated Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao into Spanish and edited Havana Noir. Here, we see Obej… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/140038414.html?nid=4126 Spain's relatively new and somewhat alternative newspaper Público published an article a few days ago about the Bolaño fever that has struck the United States. Writer Yolanda Pividal interviewed several key people in the U.S. asking why they think the late Chilean writer has become as … http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1410038341.html?nid=4126 Pancho Claus (The Night Before Christmas) Written by Eduardo "Lalo Guerrero" ...Read More http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1160038316.html?nid=4126 If you’re looking for more book reviews about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender publishing concerning Spain and Latin America, Lamda Book Report has a new column. Stanford University’s uber librarian, Adan Griego, sent word that the Fall 2008 issue of the Lambda Book Report debuted … http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/640038264.html?nid=4126 If you’re in need of some quality children’s picture books, and fast, the celebrated children’s bilingual book author, René Colato Laínez (I Am René, the Boy/ Soy René, el niño, Waiting for Papá/ Esperando a Papá) put together a top … http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1150038115.html?nid=4126 There’s a new voice on the Latino blog block. It’s Críticas’ fomer Children’s Review Editor, Adriana Dominguez, and she’s created a place for and about Latino authors and their books. Tapping into her ten years of experience in Latino Publishing and working as Ex… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/70038007.html?nid=4126 The Daily News’ Viva section asked thirteen authors from Latin America and the United States to pick their favorite . Here’s the list, both predictable and surprising, compiled by former Críticas contributor Carlos Rodríguez Martorell. And yes, of course, Bolaño is a… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1410037941.html?nid=4126 Sadly, I got word from Emanuel Molho of French & European Pulbications, Inc. bookstore in New York about their closing. He reached out after seeing my last blog about alternative Latino book venues in the city and wanted to spread the word about his Spanish-language books offering...buy one get … http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/850037885.html?nid=4126 Yours truly was interviewed for a piece in New York’s Daily News a few weeks back about the state of Latino literary venues in New York. The article by Elisa Straus has some useful information about how the Latino book world in NY, post Lectorum and other bookstore closings, is still ma… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1190037719.html?nid=4126 Post the publication of the Enciclopedia del español en Estados Unidos (a co-project by the Instituto Cervantes and Santillana), a book with an enormous amount of statistics and data pointing to the continuing growth of Spanish being spoken in the U.S., Eduardo Lago, the writer and director o… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/1910037591.html?nid=4126 Stuck sitting in front of my computer all week, I dreamed of walking those aisles at FIL searching familiar faces. Alas, these wings couldn't travel this year, but I still got to peek in daily on all the fun I was missing. And then I discovered that Bruce Jensen and I both shared a laugh at the shot… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/2000037400.html?nid=4126 Rudolfa Anaya’s novel Bless Me, Ultima, published in 1972, has been blacklisted yet again, even after making it on Laura Bush’s pristine “10 Best for All Ages,” list. The person made uncomfortable with this coming-of-age novel set in post WWII New Mexico this time, is the sup… http://www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/810000481/post/640037264.html?nid=4126 I’m picking off from where I left off yesterday, quoting another glib prize-winner in Spanish-language letters this week. Yesterday it was the Catalan writer Juan Marse talking about how he was going to spend his Cervantes Prize money on wine and women. Today it’s another great writer wi…