Charles M. Tatum – författare

The editors have put together a solid overview of ten areas of popular culture in Latin America. The contributors have skillfully overcome a variety of research obstacles as well as the imposing problem of dealing with many countries. Each contributor has expertly assembled scientific research, intelligent observations, and well-thought-out conclusions to offer a reliable, sophisticated study of his particular area. Popular music, sports, television, popular religion, comics, photonovels, film, newspapers, cartoons, and festivals and carnivals are covered in this much-needed volume.

This pioneering study presents an overview of the Mexican comic book industry, together with in-depth studies of the best selling Mexican comic books of the 1960s and 1970s. Most of the popular superhero, adventure, humor, romance, political, detective, and Western comic books are described and analyzed in detail, and then discussed in terms of how they reflect both Mexican and United States cultures. The study concludes with a critical discussion of the media imperialism hypothesis' applicability to the Mexican comic book.The comic book is Mexico's most popular print medium, read by all ages and socio-economic groups. Many may be surprised to learn that, in Mexico, Mexican comic books far outsell U.S. comic books in Spanish translation. The Mexican comic book is not a clone of its U.S. model, but rather a hybrid product that mixes U.S. forms and conventions with Mexican content. This work is a major contribution to the understanding of contemporary Mexican culture.

This informed and accessible book captures the art, energy, passion, and pageantry of over 60 years of lowrider culture—an absolutely iconic Chicano and American phenomenon.Much like rap music and ethnic foods, Chicano lowrider culture has become sufficiently widespread in recent decades to almost be considered "mainstream." However, those outside of lowriding may not realize that this cultural phenomenon is not the result of a recent fad—it originated in the pre–World War II era, and has continued to grow and evolve since then.Lowriders in Chicano Culture: From Low to Slow to Show allows readers to see how this expressive culture fits within the broader context of Chicano culture and understand how lowriding reflects the social, artistic, and political dimensions of America's fastest-growing ethnic group. It includes chapters that explain the culture of pachucas/os and cholas/os; the unique aesthetics of lowrider vehicles; lowrider music, shows, and clubs; the mechanics of building a lowrider vehicle; and lowrider culture in the media including film, newspapers, and television. The book also traces how lowrider culture has recently expanded beyond the urban streets and into the massive exhibit halls of lowrider shows, exposing lowrider culture to even more enthusiasts.

The literary culture of the Spanish-speaking Southwest has its origins in a harsh frontier environment marked by episodes of intense cultural conflict, and much of the literature seeks to capture the epic experiences of conquest and settlement. The Chicano literary canon has evolved rapidly over four centuries to become one of the most dynamic, growing, and vital parts of what we know as contemporary U.S. literature.In this comprehensive examination of Chicano and Chicana literature, Charles M. Tatum brings a new and refreshing perspective to the ethnic identity of Mexican Americans. From the earliest sixteenth-century chronicles of the Spanish Period, to the poetry and narrative fiction of the second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century, and then to the flowering of all literary genres in the post–Chicano Movement years, Chicano/a literature amply reflects the hopes and aspirations as well as the frustrations and disillusionments of an often marginalized population.Exploring the work of Rudolfo Anaya, Sandra Cisneros, Luis Alberto Urrea, and many more, Tatum examines the important social, historical, and cultural contexts in which the writing evolved, paying special attention to the Chicano Movement and the flourishing of literary texts during the 1960s and early 1970s. Chapters provide an overview of the most important theoretical and critical approaches employed by scholars over the past forty years and survey the major trends and themes in contemporary autobiography, memoir, fiction, and poetry.The most complete and up-to-date introduction to Chicana/o literature available, this book will be an ideal reference for scholars of Hispanic and American literature. Discussion questions and suggested reading included at the end of each chapter are especially suited for classroom use.