I squeezed by the class, turned the corner and found myself facing an entire aisle filled with colorful religious candles. Feeling nostalgic, I picked out one with the Lady of Guadalupe. While I’m Protestant, not Catholic, these candles always remind me of a few years spent in Corpus Christi, Texas and, as writer Viola Canales says, of the “richness of its [Hispanic culture’s] traditions and rituals.”
-- El Rey Market
Pamela Karlan was a long shot, particularly because she is too much of an outspoken liberal without judicial experience, to fill Souter's seat. Her life partner is Viola Canales, who did a little of everything over the years. This led me to suggest she might make a good federal judge, if not justice of the Supreme Court. Not likely, but a diverse background like that, instead of another cookie cutter nominee (Sotomayor not quite that, though it is the prosecutor and judge side that is highlighted).
This includes a collection of short stories and a full length book, both honoring Hispanic culture among those living on the Mexican border via the perspective of someone who seems like a younger version of herself. Both at times having an adult perspective of events, including one story about a girl having her first period, and feeling angry about how unfair it is that boys did not have to deal with it ... not helped by a mother who was taught to feel embarrassed about the whole thing. We get the story through her eyes and then learn ten years later she found out why her mother was so uncomfortable talking to her about it. And, even through the children's eyes, we get perspectives of adults too.*
This is a nice approach, providing a window into a culture of which many have little knowledge, including its richness even when some might deem it low class and primitive. For instance, the practice of honoring saints and the power of food; there is also an important emphasis on family, particularly the wisdom of older members. The collection of stories supplying quick snapshots, making it a good resource of schools or those who like tasty morsels, not bigger feasts. She might have included a glossary of all those Spanish terms though!
But, that is what Babelfish is for, right?
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* Her full length book read as a thinly disguised autobiography (it was first person and the girl grew up to be a civil rights attorney), but the collection of stories had various point of view, including boys, girls, and senior citizens.