Book Review: Mario Bellatin's "Beauty Salon"

The first time I heard Rita Indiana Y Los Misterios I thought they were from another planet--they're just too original, blending merengue with electro, and mambo, and reggaeton, and house, and. . .I can keep going. Well, their new video proves me right! Rita Indiana y Los Misterios are from another planet, and there they sing "La Hora de Volve," line dance, play air instruments, and float on vinyl records and other objects. Check it out. One of my favorite videos and songs of the year. (Side Note: Tune into next week when I review the much talked about Mexican Writer, Mario Bellatin's "Beauty Salon"--review in, yes, 500 Words.)

Latin America lost one if its best story tellers when Mercedes Sosa passed away. Being one of the few voices in Latin America to sing of the continents' harsh realities---of poverty, hunger, violence, and political turmoil---it seemed like the light that illuminated the faces of those struggling, was suddenly turned off. The fact that it happened during a time when the people of Honduras risk their lives for peace in their country, only made Sosa's death much more painful---perhaps, because she sacrificed much of her life as an artist to change the world and prevent such suffering from happening. 

Book Review: Born in the Cavity of Sunsets by Michael Luis Medrano

Who knew Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White, had a soft spot for literature? Turns out back in the day our man, White, was a school teacher and state librarian. And because of that, he acknowledges the power of literature. The man is a believer in literature as an aid for social change, y'all! He says it himself, stating how "crucial books are to the development and education of our society."  That kind of talk is strange coming from a politician. They're not supposed to be book worms! They're supposed to be corrupt senate-seat-selling political mobsters! Don't know if I want to let him in the [book] club--if I should hug him, or quiz him on the characters in One Hundred Years of Solitude.