Bridges to Cuba / Puentes a Cuba

Book Description

Through personal essays and poetry, short fiction and painting, book reviews, interviews, performance pieces, and hybrid creations of text and image, Bridges to Cuba/Puentes a Cuba opens a window onto the meaning of nationality, transnationalism, and homeland in our time. For more than thirty-five years U.S.-Cuban relations have been couched in terms of the Cold War, often pitting Cubans in the diaspora against Cubans who remain in their homeland. Bridges to Cuba/Puentes a Cuba celebrates the informal networks that Cubans in both countries have maintained through artistic, academic, family, and other ties.

The book brings together for the first time in English Cuban voices of the second generation, both on the island and in the diaspora. The multivocal and multigenre collection includes both scholarly and creative writing and an impressive range of visual art. The participants are earnest, angry, witty, and hopeful. They are sometimes visionaries, but they are not deluded about Cuban or North American realities. Their voices offer testimony to the continuing efforts of Cubans and Cuban-Americans to look beyond the animosities and failings of their respective societies and find possibilities for personal and international reconciliation, dialogue, and renewal.

"Ruth Behar, as editor of Bridges to Cuba/Puentes a Cuba, leaps across conventional intellectual boundaries in an effort to show the complexity of nationhood, exile, and revolution in the Cuban experience of the last thirty years. An important book about the possibility and impossibility of building cultural and political bridges."--Arcadio Díaz-Quiñones, Princeton University

"Behar narrows the straits of Florida with a richly textured dialogue of voices in and out of Cuba. Bridges to Cuba is sure to make history."--Liz Balmaseda, Miami Herald

"A vital and interesting anthology about contemporary Cuba."--Oscar Hijuelos, author of The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love

"Bridges to Cuba is the first U.S. anthology that looks at Cuban creativity from an integrated perspective, refusing to kneel before the painful and often arbitrary divisions that have split the voices of this passionate culture into forever separate bands. The results are magnificent. Read this book and get a long overdue understanding of contemporary Cuban literature and art."--Margaret Randall, author of Women in Cuba: Twenty Years Later

"In order for memory to be recovered, there must be a community that remembers and tells the story. . . . Bridges to Cuba displays a wealth of insights that leave the reader with a sense of having experienced first hand the intricate web of thought and feeling that is Cuban life."--Latino Review of Books

"Ruth Behar's anthology represents one of the most important and moving bridges yet published on contemporary Cuba and its condition as the island that is still absent from the Western world. Bridges to Cuba is an extraordinary example of the faith and ability of Latin American intellectuals to cross true bridges, bridges of solidarity."--Marjorie Agosín, Wellesley College

Ruth Behar is author of Translated Woman: Crossing the Border with Esperanza's Story and coeditor, with Deborah Gordon, of Women Writing Culture. She has been the recipient of awards from the MacArthur and Guggenheim foundations.

Customer Reviews:

Relevant and Revealing.......2006-08-21

It has been over ten years already since this anthology was first published, but the writings, photos, art, and interviews contained within it are still as stimulating, inspiring and necessary as when Behar's beautifully edited book first came out. Despite what was hoped for in the mid-90's, relations between Cuba and the United States have worsened and it seems that the possibility for dialogue between the two countries has narrowed even further. But at least we have the dialogue that Behar has so elegantly revealed in this volume.
Bridges to Cuba presents a diversity of perspectives in an attempt to piece back together the fragments of what politics and exile have divided. An excellent interview with poet Nancy Morejon succinctly summarizes this project. Morejon says, "the miracle that we could hold a conversation. That we could confront each other. Without imposing exile as a precondition, and without us imposing the precondition of being revolutionary islanders... it was only through [Cuban] culture that we could establish those links, recognize each other" (134).
The conversations are physical, between Cubans on the island and exiled Cubans, as well as intertextual. Fundamentally, however, this book converses with the reader, challenging his or her notions of the Cuba that resides in the popular imagination. Until the embargo is lifted, this book is the closest the average American reader can get to Cuba.

Behar has given us an incredible gift.......2000-08-14

Bridges to Cuba is a collection of art, poetry, personal essays, and fiction written by Cubans on both sides of the straits of Florida.

A magnificent attempt to bring together all who are Cuban by birth, to share the complexities of what it has been like to be separated these many years. The submissions in this book capture magnificently the diversity of experiences, thoughts, emotions and conflicts caused by the separation of Cubans from each other, and for many, from the land of their birth. Having been born in Cuba and having lived in the U.S. for the last forty years, the contributions in this book spoke personally to me in a way that nothing I have ever read before has done. But the beauty of this book and the gift Behar has given, is to present the challenges and emotional depth of separation that all us feel in our lives. Each contribution gives us a different perspective, a unique view of the subject, and a deeper understanding of what it is like to be separated from that and those which we love.

Ruth, thank you.

Excellent.......1998-02-19

I had the pleasure of being a student of Ms. Behar and she is a wonderful woman. It's no surprise that her book is as informative and exciting as the class. I only wish I had asked her to sign it...

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Sweet, sad, beautiful, and thoroughly interconnected
Stories of Real Humanity
"Weekly Alibi" review, 9/28/00

El Puente/The Bridge
Ito Romo
Manufacturer: University of New Mexico Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0826322530

Book Description

This tenderly wrought novel by a gifted new writer about a town on the Rio Grande resonates with pure border voices. Thirteen women—all ages and backgrounds—react in unexpected, humorous, and mysterious ways when one day the river suddenly turns crimson red. The bridge, which the women cross and re-cross in the course of this cycle of stories, becomes a site where the women acquire knowledge about their lives and their landscape as the mystery of the color of the river unravels. Romo illuminates a cross-section of border life in classic, lyrical prose, rich with elements of fable, ancient morality tales, and magic, all the while capturing the extraordinary textures of contemporary border life. El Puente/The Bridge captivates and entertains with its mix of closely observed reality imbued with deep spirituality.

“A story cycle that bridges together, like a string of papel picado, the lives of several women on both sides of the Tex-Mex border. The world, according to Romo, is bizarre, troche moche, heartbreaking, rasquache, endlessly romantic, tender and touching. As funny as a fotonovela, triste as a telenovela and wild as any Fellini.”—Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on Mango Street and Woman Hollering Creek

“Each voice of the women Romo has created blooms into a real life that we recognize immediately. He has created his own bridge between the seeming ordinariness of the women with an extraordinary event, beautifully told. We stand captivated in the presence of full human beings.”—Helena María Viramontes, author of The Moths and Under the Feet of Jesus

“Ito Romo's El Puente/The Bridge will charm its readers—meaning both delight and enchant them. Thirteen women's lives are woven together into the story of a possible miracle, or perhaps it is a hoax, or maybe sabotage with political overtones. Like an old-fashioned folktale, this deceptively simple novel unfolds the secrets of a community. Ito Romo is our storyteller at the border, bridging two cultures and many lives with his first novel.”—Julia Alvarez, author of How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, ¡Yo!, and In The Name of Salomé

A novel about thirteen women and their simultaneous voyage to the bridge on the Mexico/U.S. border the day the river mysteriously turns red.

Customer Reviews:

Sweet, sad, beautiful, and thoroughly interconnected.......2006-10-01

Imagine Joyce's Dubliners set on the Rio Grande. Like life itself, this book is sweet, sad, beautiful, astonishingly interconnected, and all too short. When Tomasita burns the beans, she sets in motion a series of events that touches the lives of a dozen other women, and attracts the notice of millions. Romo employs a series of brief vignettes to tell powerful, emotion-packed stories of life and death and love and pain, and ties them all together into an exquisite package. Short, but delightful in its richness and complexity, this is a perfect gem of a novel, and one of few works of fiction this reviewer has read recently that didn't cry out to be edited down. All of the main characters are Mexican-American women, so women and Latinos may find this book especially endearing, but such is the power of Romo's achievement that this slim volume can readily be appreciated by everyone.

Stories of Real Humanity.......2000-12-14

"These stories are at once bittersweet, tender, and funny without ridiculing. We recognize ourselves or know someone in those shoes and they touch our hearts. We root for or pray along with them as they try to unravel the puzzle of their lives. Romo skillfully maintains and heightens the momentum and allure of the story with folkloric intrigue: how and why has the Rio Grande turned red?" -- Liz Raptis Picco, for El Andar.

"Weekly Alibi" review, 9/28/00.......2000-10-10

"Romo has a pleasing, unpretentious writing style, and he sometimes exhibits a real eye and ear for the ordinary moments that give life meaning. Throughout EL PUENTE, I was frequently reminded of John Steinbeck. Romo isn't as obsessed with social and economic justice, but he has a similar knack for describing the lives of plain, simple folk on the street.... EL PUENTE shows a lot of promise."--Steven Robert Allen

Construyendo Puentes (Building Bridges): Concepts and Models for Service Learning in Spanish (Service Learning in the Disciplines Series)

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Construyendo Puentes (Building Bridges): Concepts and Models for Service Learning in Spanish (Service Learning in the Disciplines Series)

Manufacturer: Stylus Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Study & Teaching | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1563770229

Book Description

Thirteenth in the Service-Learning in Disciplines Series, this book provides a sound approach to the many conceptual and methodological changes that have taken place in the teaching of languages and cultures. By reviewing the accomplishments of Spanish teachers and what theory informs us, the editors have compiled a series of suggestions to help students and teachers "connect with communities in order to facilitate learning with each other rather than about each other".

Del Cemento Al Puente/from Cement to Bridge (De Principio a Fin/Start to Finish)

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Del Cemento Al Puente/from Cement to Bridge (De Principio a Fin/Start to Finish)
Robin Nelson
Manufacturer: Ediciones Lerner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

How Things Work | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0822566303

Puentes Y Fronteras / Bridges And Borders: Bridges and Borders

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Puentes Y Fronteras / Bridges And Borders: Bridges and Borders
Gina Valdes
Manufacturer: Bilingual Review Press.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

short poems, bilingual ed, tr K King & author

Del Otro Lado Del Puente/from The Other Side Of The Bridge: Nivel 2 (Suenos De Papel)

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Del Otro Lado Del Puente/from The Other Side Of The Bridge: Nivel 2 (Suenos De Papel)
Olga Monkman
Manufacturer: Sigmar
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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El Puente Akashi Kaikyo/the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge: El Puente Mas Largo Del Mundo (Estructuras Extraordinarias)

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El Puente Akashi Kaikyo/the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge: El Puente Mas Largo Del Mundo (Estructuras Extraordinarias)
Mark Thomas
Manufacturer: Rosen Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Architecture | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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El puente de los cerezos/ The bridge of the cherry trees

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El puente de los cerezos/ The bridge of the cherry trees
Bianca Alvarez
Manufacturer: Anaya Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

El Puente Hacia El Infinito/the Bridge Across Forever

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Un encuentro con uno mismo
This is book is a must. You just have to read it!

El Puente Hacia El Infinito/the Bridge Across Forever
Richard Bach
Manufacturer: Javier Vergara-Argentina
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Un encuentro con uno mismo.......2000-12-13

No se podía esperar menos de Richard Bach. En la infatigable búsqueda de un alma gemela, Richard nos revela cómo es necesario vivir toda una vida de experiencias para alcanzar la madurez y comprender quien es esa persona que todos buscamos.

This is book is a must. You just have to read it!.......1998-03-31

I just finished reading this book and wanted to let people know that there's hope on finding your soulmate. The person who is going to answer to all of your questions, and have questions for all of your answers. The one you've waiting/looking for so long. Please, do not despair. Do not lose hope. That person exists and Richard Bach let me know. Thank God I read this book. I had already given up the idea of finding a special love and I am just 21. There's no such a thing as a soulmate, I thought. But these pair of wookies made me change my mind. Thanks Mr. Bach for bringing hope to my world. Mr. and Mrs. Bach I love you both very much.

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El puente/ The Bridge
Iain Banks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Psychological & Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Peter Parker, the Amazing Spider-Man, and the estranged love-of-his-life, Mary Jane, continue to deal with the aftermath of the decision that changes their relationship forever. As Peter deals with matters of the heart, his web-swinging alter ego faces dangers lurking behind every corner, and calls upon all his astonishing abilities to make it out alive!

Customer Reviews:

I only wanted the Straczynski stories.......2007-08-17

I was really disappointed when I saw they included the Fiona Avery stories in this collection. I read them when they came out as individual issues and I hated them so much I threw them out so they weren't taking up comic space. The dialogue was forced and it was so cause focused rather than story focused. I even decided not to buy the trade because they included the non-Stracynski issues... Bad decision by Marvel to include those issues.

Impressive, read them all.......2006-06-12

Through reading these and other recent Spider-Man books (25 issues worth) one thing comes to mind: even through bad stories, Spider-Man is still the man. It may be controversial but I like the idea of Ezekiel, Morlun, the Spider totem, all of it. Spider-Man has to be changed up every once in awhile and this is a much better way to do it then killing people off, or a new costume. As Straczynski's run goes on he shows a new side to Spider-Man/Peter Parker, MJ, Aunt May, even Uncle Ben. Spider-Man is firmly in the Marvel Universe in this series, with random comings and goings from other heroes. On the other hand, Peter Parker is firmly in the real world during this run. Peter Parker in college has been tried before, but Peter Parker (as an adult of course) in high school? Well, that's different and incredibly entertaining. The new villains are memorable and the older cast reminds you why you loved them to begin with.

Straczynski and Romita Jr. send Spidey towards issue #500.......2004-02-06

"Amazing Spider-Man: Unintended Consequences" is the fifth trade paperback volume representing the work of writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist John Romita, Jr. that has revitalized America's favorite web-spinner. Collected here are issues #51-58 of "The Amazing Spider-Man," which starts in the aftermath of Mary Jane's decision to return home with Peter.

The first four issues deal with a new character, called Digger. In 1957 there was a gangland hit in Las Vegas, and now, after a Gamma bomb test near where the bodies were buried, a mutated creature crawls out of its grave and head to New York City to find the mobster to find Forellli, the mobster who ordered the hit. Meanwhile, Peter and Mary Jane are having fun out on the town reconciling, until the creature starts ripping a nightclub apart. The next thing we know our hero is getting weird clues from Lt. Lamont, having chats with mobsters, taking a trip to Las Vegas, and, most surprisingly, being hired by Forelli to protect his daughter.

The rest of this volume consists of a pair of two-part stories. "Unintended Consequences," co-plotted and scripted by Fionna Avery, is the best story in the volume. Peter Parker takes an interest in Melissa Coolidge, a student on crutches with a sharp wit, a pretty strong vocabulary, and an attitude problem. Peter gets her into his Honors Biology course and escorts her home. After an encounter with some local thugs working for the building's landlord, he meets Melissa's mom and learns that from Melissa that her older brother Jack in is jail because that vigilante creep Spider-Man nabbed him for stealing a car. After sending the landlord a message, Spider-Man talks to Ezekiel and the doctrine of unintended consequences and the fact that even bad guys have families.

"Happy Birthday" sets up the big 500th issue of "Spider-Man" (if you put Volume 1 and Volume 2 together). Things start going bad when Peter discovers that instead of "Poetry and Science" the school got copies of "Essentials of Cooking With Fowl, Pig and Cow" for his biology students. That night there is red lightning, which Spider-Man goes to investigate. What he finds is every superhero in the city fighting the Mindless Ones, which are invading from the Faltine Dimension. Spider-Man joins the fight. Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four has a solution but Dr. Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts, arrives to tell the heroes they have been tricked into bringing back the dread Dormammu. However, be forewarned that we do not get to the big payoff for this one (drawn by John Romita, Sr.) by the end of this one.

I got back into Spider-Man because I wanted to use "The Essential Spider-Man, Volume 1" is my Popular Culture class. The idea is that students read those first twenty issues of "Spider-Man" and come up with the defining elements of the comics, which they then apply to a current issue of the web-spinner. That meant I had to get current with what was happening in the various titles, and seeing what Straczynski and Romita Jr. was pretty impressive. I gave up about the time of the clone nonsense, so it was nice to see a different tone, better sense of pacing, and more interesting villains. Obviously, if you have been missing out on the fun the last couple of years you should go back to the first of these trade paperback volumes and pick up on what these guys having been doing from the start of what has to be considered a solid version of Spider-Man.

Straczynski Keeps Dishing It Out.......2003-11-25

I've been following Straczynski's run on "Amazing Spider-Man" ever since the first book caught my eye in the graphic novels rack. This is his fourth volume, and he shows no sign of slowing down. Quick summary: Peter and his wife have just reunited, but -- as these things tend to happen in their world -- a reincarnated gangster shows up in New York, bent on getting revenge on the now-elderly Mafia boss who killed him fifty years before. On again, Straczynski shows himself to be one of the most capable writers in comics -- great dialogue, great plots, and his character work is something you have to see to believe. I've never seen anyone get inside Spidey's head like he does; in only five issues, he makes the new villian, Digger, one of the most sympathetic characters I've seen in comics at the same time (just take his reaction as he catches up to the fifty years of history he's missed...). An excellent job -- I can't recommend this book highly enough.

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