Carmen Haydée Rivera – författare

Author of The House on Mango Street, which has sold more than two million copies in English alone, activist, MacArthur grant genius, figure of inspiration and controversy, Sandra Cisneros is unequivocally one of America's most important and much discussed contemporary literary figures. In a writing career that has spanned more than three decades, Cisneros has written acclaimed poetry and prose, including, My Wicked, Wicked Ways, Loose Woman, Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories, and Caramelo, or, Puro Cuenta. Border Crossings and Beyond: The Life and Works of Sandra Cisneros traces the ways in which Cisneros's personal history, art, and influence are intertwined. The result is a revealing and multi-faceted portrait of the artist as writer, woman, and Mexican American. From a childhood defined by repeated migrations between Texas and Mexico, to the Chicano and women's movements, and the impact of her father's death, author Carmen Haydée Rivera offers a comprehensive and thoughtful engagement of Cisneros's writings, as well as her tremendous personal struggles and significant gifts. It will become mandatory reading for those who wish to understand the significance and power of Cisneros's contribution to Latina/o literature and American letters.

The intertwined stories of two archipelagos and their diasporasThis volume is the first systematic comparative study of Cuba and Puerto Rico from both a historical and contemporary perspective. In these essays, contributors highlight the interconnectedness of the two archipelagos in social categories such as nation, race, class, and gender to encourage a more nuanced and multifaceted study of the relationships between the islands and their diasporas.Topics range from historical and anthropological perspectives on Cuba and Puerto Rico before and during the Cold War to cultural and sociological studies of diasporic communities in the United States. The volume features analyses of political coalitions, the formation of interisland sororities, and environmental issues. Along with sharing a similar early history, Cuba and Puerto Rico have closely intertwined cultures, including their linguistic, literary, food, musical, and religious practices. Contributors also discuss literature by Cuban and Puerto Rican authors by examining the aesthetics of literary techniques and discourses, the representation of psychological space on the stage, and the impacts of migration.Showing how the trajectories of both archipelagos have been linked together for centuries and how they have diverged recently, Cuba and Puerto Rico offers a transdisciplinary approach to the study of this intricate relationship and the formation of diasporic communities and continuities.Publication of this work made possible by a Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.