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Almost A Woman (1999)

Almost a Woman (1999)

Book Info

Rating
4.09 of 5 Votes: 2
Your rating
ISBN
037570521X (ISBN13: 9780375705212)
Language
English
Publisher
vintage

About book Almost A Woman (1999)

apr 15: started this book on my way home from a business trip. i hadn't had much sleep and wasn't sure that i'd make any headway, but it is wonderful! the story - her personal life - is fascinating and her style is light and easy to read. i also am an immigrant to this country and it is very interesting to read the experience of another and compare it to mine. i ended up not sleeping for most of the flights! will probably finish it this weekend.apr 22: ok so I had to wait until another trip to be able to finish it, but it was good. the ending was a bit abrupt but I understand there are more books to follow. I loved her fight and determination, and I understood her inability to leave her family. It's so interesting that she met so many foreigners as potential love interests. I also liked how she admitted there was some 'daddy complex' stuff I'm her relationship with Ulvi, but she enjoyed the relationship anyway. I smiled when she described telling everybody and relating everything to Puerto Rico. I know several Trinidadians who are the same way. It was a well-written, honest book and I can see why, as she said in her remarks at the end, that some of her family had issues with her writing it.

''Almost A woman'' by Esmeralda Santiago is an inspiring book. The memoir starts off by introducing us to the 13-year-old Esmeralda. She and her family had just moved from Puerto Rico to Brooklyn, New York. She tells us of the difficulties of fitting at school and a new country. Since she didn't speak English everything was a challenge for example helping her mother through economic times. Being the oldest of her siblings, her strict mother forbid her to date and had high expectations for her. At the age of 15-16 she became interested in acting. Esmeralda became a student at performing Arts high school and starred as Cleopatra in a play. She graduated from high school and continued her dream to be on Broadway. At the age of 19 she had come across many men but never settled. She always focused more on her career. I think she was doing the right thing, after all the right man would come as destined. This is such a great book because Esmeralda Santiago made it in Brooklyn, she accomplished her dream. After her mother being very over -protective Esmeralda learned to be on her own and make her own decisions. People should take some time to read this book.

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This was a very good book that really went into the life experiences of Esmeralda Santiago. Before I read Almost A Woman I read another book by Santiago, When I Was Puerto Rican. I Loved When I was Puerto Rican and wanted to read Almost a Woman because of that. Although I found a lot of overlap between the two books, they are still amazing texts. Almost a Woman is a very relateable text that goes through Santiago's struggle with maintaing her Puerto Rican culture while trying to assimilate and become a successful American. Santiago must deal with the differences between Puerto Rico and New York City. It is a really enjoyable book to read because Santiago does in fact become successful due to her intense drive. It is interesting to read about all of the people Santiago encountered that both were in similar situations and ha no idea where she was coming from. Overall this is a great book that I would recommend to anyone interested in reading about a problem that is very common in NYC, assimilation without losing where you come from and who you are.
—Hannah

Is on page 150Negi has a secret life while a sleep as like a dream, she would do whatever she wanted and think how she wanted. She would feel free.she became an American in those dreams. I know i would dream the same if i wasn't American Negi wants to loose her puerto rican accent. Negi realizes how much her mom has done for them. Negi becomes ashamed of where they live. Negi starts thinking about guys. After Negi's mom starts to feel better after the death of her boyfriend she takes Negi out to club's with her. Negi feels the beauty of her self as she dances.After Negi gets disappointed at her father because he was never there for her. She misses him more than ever as she gets older.
—Mary S.

What a lovely book. Santiago shares her feelings, fears, and fantasies, growing up as a young Puerto Rican girl. She arrives in New York at the age of thirteen. That's a crucial time in a girl's life. Her experiences within her large family are recounted lovingly, with humor and typical teen-aged disdain. Her experiences with men are recounted honestly, without any sugar-coating, I believe. This was a fast read for me. I was engaged in the story from beginning to end and see this as a true, coming-of-age story from the 60's.
—Doreen

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