In the true footsteps of "Like Water For Chocolate", Fanny Buitrago has brought forth another erotic Latin book that has to do with deceit, food, sex, and human emotions. I thought this story was excellent in the way it was told, and I do encourage Ms. Buitrago to write more like it!

This book by the Nobel Prize winner Octavio Paz is a great account of the life of one of the best writers of Hispanic literature. Sor Juana created astonishing poems about life, love, and people. It is a pity that only little is known about the facts of her life. As with Shakespeare, must of what we know about her comes from her literary legacy. Octavio Paz is able to solve some of the mystery that surrounds Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz.

Jaime Manrique has carved out a unique and vibrant place for himself in contemporary literature. A gay, Colombian-born poet/novelist/translator/nonfiction writer who lives in the United States and writes in both English and Spanish, Manrique brings both passion and a complex perspective to his work. "Tarzan / My Body / Christopher Columbus" is a fine collection of Manrique's poetry.

This book is actually three volumes in one. "My Body" is a bilingual collection of his poetry, with his Spanish original on every even-numbered page and the English translation on each odd-numbered page. The poems in "My Body" had previously been published as a separate volume in Colombia in 1999 (as noted in the acknowledgments at the end of the book). "Tarzan" is a collection of poems written in English. And "Christopher Columbus" is a long poem about the final days of the iconic explorer; like "My Body," this appears in bilingual format. The translations have been done by Margaret Sayers Peden and Edith Grossman. In addition, the late Reinaldo Arenas, the great Cuban-born writer who lived his final years in the U.S., contributed an introduction to the "Christopher Columbus" section of the book.

The description of the book may sound complicated, but Manrique's beautiful poetry speaks with clarity and directness. His subjects include gay life and sexual awakening, bilingualism, Latin America, New York City, and more. Many of his poems pay tribute to the work and legacies of writers who have had an impact upon him: Emily Dickinson, Stephen Crane, Manuel Puig, Walt Whitman, and others.

Some of his best poems include the following: "Inscriptions from a Lost Tablet," in which a concubine from the ancient court of Tiglath-Pileser III speaks; "Poem for Matthew Shepard," a beautiful tribute to the young gay man who was brutally murdered in 1998; and "Al Was from Alabama," a moving poem about a man dying of AIDS-related complications. But perhaps my favorite lines come from "Train Trip at Nightfall": "Like smoky honey / night spills over the countryside."

"Tarzan / My Body / Christopher Columbus" is a complex and rewarding work of literature. Manrique's voice is earthy and compassionate, attentive to the world around him, and always striving towards transcendence. Those who are interested in Latin American literature, gay studies, bilingualism, or contemporary poetry should explore this book, and other works by Jaime Manrique.

TERRA NOSTRA stands as Carlos Fuentes' most incredible achievement -- and as one of the great books of the 20th Century. The depths and heights of Man's history swirl around the reader as a controlled maelstrom -- grab a handle and hang on for dear life. In this masterpiece, Fuentes attempts nothing less than to transfer the last 500 years or so of the New World -- including its origins in the Old -- into words. Alternately achingly real and mind-bendingly surreal, the story unfolds almost as a jigsaw puzzle falling into place before the reader's eyes.

As cliched as it might sound, this is truly a work that MUST be experienced by any reader who recognizes the awesome power of language in the hands of a master craftsman -- there is nothing else like it in Western literature.

This book will make you cry and laugh and everything in between. The first half of the book is a letter to her daughter written in the hope that she will wake from her coma. In fear that Paula will not remember her past Isabel Allende tells her the true story of their family. The second half is a farewell to Paula. It is a story of love and loss in many aspects. Love and loss of family, of country, and of life. It is gripping to read of people who have had to live in exile and find their way without the safety of being able to go "home." It is even more beautiful to find that their home is found wherever they are. This book should be read by mothers, daughters, immigrants, and anyone decending from people who have lived through persecution, exile, or political turmoil.

Isabel Allende has made her name as a writer in the genre of magic realism, where fantastical events occur, often without warning. When her daughter Paula collapsed into an irreversibly coma due to a rare disease, Allende found herself desperate for a story to tell her dying daughter. This is the book that arose out of a mother's need to understand the past, the future, and the mysterious connection between the two. Allende tells of events before her birth, of Chilean politics and how it affected her famously political family, of falling in love, of becoming a writer, of motherhood, of her journey through Paula's illness - while embracing the spirituality that pervades her fiction. Surprisingly, the story of Allende's life bears remarkable resemblance, both in fact and in imagery, to her bestselling novel THE HOUSE OF SPIRITS.

While sadness frames this memoir, the core of it pulses with life and faith. Beautifully written, with moments that will make you pause with admiration, this book is startling and powerful. Every fan of Allende should read this, both for the context it provides for her writing and for the force of her storytelling.

"Paula" is a memoir of the author's life. It began as a letter to her daughter during her battle with the debilitating disease, porphyria. Paula slips into a coma and remains in that state for over a year. In this memoir, Allende reveals the trials of her life in Chile and her travels abroad. She writes of the political unrest in her homeland, her role in assisting political fugitives during that time and her eventual launch into the literary career she enjoys today. The book is filled with love of family, country and an unrelenting passion for life. Allende's connection with the spirits of her ancestors provides a magical and mystical backdrop for a real life experience that could not be replicated by the most imaginative of writers.

This memoir allowed Allende to come to terms with her daughter's death and to appreciate her life more fully. Translated in flawless English, this memoir takes the reader on a spiritual and historical journey of discovery. Paula will remain a central figure (spirit) in the life of her family, and this story ensures that she will maintain a place in the memory of readers as well.

What I enjoyed most about these short stories was how they were complete and concise. In Allende's work there tends to be a propensity to drift as she introduces so many possible roads for the story/character to go to. But the short story formula forces Allende to stay on topic/character and not digress into irrelevant historical facts.
The one flaw I would say that I noticed about this book, and I wouldn't term it flaw but there are points where a character or situation touches briefly onto a former story or heralds something of a future tale. Unfortunately this skill is used so deftly that it left me clamoring for me but there wasn't any. That was my only disappointment with the book. Buy it, an excellent resource for teaching short story form (which is what I used it for) or for studying how to do it well. Or even to read on a short trip, the subway perhaps....?

This is not a feminist novel in the politically correct fashion, yet still enables an integrity in the women that is rarely seen. Isabel Allende has extraordinary ability to tell stories that reflect emotions so strongly that the characters become a part of you. I don't recall how many times I've read this book. I'll read a favorite story before I go to sleep for pleasant dreams, or the whole book from time to time. Everytime I borrow the book out, my recipient has enjoyed it so much that I end up giving the book to them. Read this book, and realize the beauty of Allende's world.

Anyone wishing to read a book of stories that mesmerizes you like the first stories you ever heard need look no further than this superb collection. The framing premise is that Eva and her lover Rolf have relaxed after an amorous encounter, and now Rolf wishes Eva to tell him a story ("Make it up for me," he tells her). From the bed, Eva spins 23 amazing stories drawing from fairy tales, magic realism, the chaotic history of Latin America, and the reality (including dream reality) of women's contemporary and past lives. Varying broadly in their setting and characters, the stories remain unified in their unflinchingly tough-minded view of life, filtered through the wish fulfillments of a tempestuous seductress. Using the inspiration of The Thousand Nights and a Night, Allende refracts the empowerment of women in a male-infested world through the lens of the power of words. The stories have a cumulative impact, but individual titles that stand out to this reader include "The Little Heidelberg," "Walimai," "If You Touched My Heart," "The Judge's Wife," "Our Secret," "Ester Lucero," and the wrenching final story, "And of Clay Are We Created" (with an ending similar to Woody Allen's Radio Days). Having been stranded on the flotsam of political chaos herself, Allende acutely details shifts in the characters' fates as citizens of impoverished and disempowered cultures. Moreover, the notion that postmodern narrative offers style but little feeling or substance is disproved by this author and book. Highly recommended

I loved the House of Spirits, and count it among my top favorites, but Eva Luna was disappointing. The book begins fairly well, then teeters off into a dreamy poorly written romance novel where Allende lives vicariously through the heroine. Allende's character development and plot was unoriginal and unrealistic, and towards the end her writing style left a lot to be desired.

Isabel Allende wrote Eva Luna in a way that would keep the readers wondering what happens next. I got trapped reading the story because I wanted to know what happened to the characters. Allende talked about a different character of the story until the last few chapters of the book and then she put them together. Every character that Allende wrote about in the book was somehow connected to the life of Eva Luna. By the time I got to the second chapter, I had already figured out the ending of the book, I thought.

Eva Luna's mother, Consuelo, brought up a good question when she talked to the nuns at the church where she had been sent: "Yes, but who had the say in heaven, God or his Mama?" For some reason that question just stuck in my mind. I think Allende wrote this in her story to show that Consuelo had a questioning mind, although people thought that she was silly. Eva Luna was six years old when her mother died, and she instantly became an orphan. A man said that he was going to leave Eva Luna everything, "Write in my will Pastor. I want this little girl to be my sole heir. Everything is to go to her when I die." Allende creates sympathy for Eva because the Pastor did not write in the will what the man had wanted for her. All of the people who worked in the man's house had ot go find more work for themselves. The government did not know of Eva Luna's existence until she got Riad Halabi to pay someone to get her some type of papers. Eva worked very hard when she was a little child. People said that they would teach her how to read, but they never seemed to have the time. When Eva finally learned how to write and read she said "Writing was the best thing that had happened to me in all my life; I was euphoric." Through out Eva's life she told stories to people who would listen to her. As she learned how to write, she started to write down her stories. She ended up being a writer as she became an adult. Allende has written a story that expresses a child's life and lets the readers watch her grow up. I got confused by some of the Spanish words that Allende used. There were a couple of other words that she used that confused me, but it did not take away from the book. I think that if I reread the book, I would pick up on things that I missed the first time. There was one time during the book that I was confused about the idenity of a couple of her characters. I had to go back and find whick name she used for a certain character when she would bring them back into the story.

Isabel Allende held my attention through out the book. I felt that I could relate to the characters of the story because I know how hard it is when you move from place to place. Allende gave me an excellent picture of what she was writting about. I liked the fact that she used a large cast of characters in her story. I think that it added to the book. I enjoyed reading about how hard it was for Eva Luna to receive an education, and what she did with it afterward.

One feels like a heel for even writing a review of Allende books. While there are a couple of duds, most of her books are so infused with magic that there's nothing a reviewer can say to improve upon or invoke the sense of wonder that he takes away from such a text.

In Paula, Allende said that this book was the most difficult to write as she was trying to write a novel from the outset and she got stuck halfway through as Eva Luna ran into her revolutionary boyfriend only to realize that he was a clod. Intended ending had to be changed but what resulted was one of the most brilliant texts ever. Eva Luna is a strange girl of the streets learning to tell stories in order to transform reality into something wondrous. Her soulmate is the abused son of a Nazi captain whose childhood leaves indelible scars. Throughout the course of the novel these two go through various adventures, accidents and side tracks on the inevitable road to each other. A road which neither can recognize until they are staring each other in the face.

Of all of Allende's books this is the one where Magical Realism is most pervasive as two headed children are born and bodies refuse to decompose. Besides House of the Spirits and Paula this is her best book. It's on a smaller scale than House of the Spirits but the life of Eva Luna is just as compelling as the history of Chile.

I found Sor Juana dull the first time I read her 'Responce' and even more dull when I reread it. She is very good at being subtle though, and alot of the time its what shes not saying that makes you think, I don't know if it was the translators fault, or what, but I just didn't enjoy it. But her poetry was beautifully translated in this edition.

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz is one of those remarkable literary figures whose extraordinary body of work forces one to either reevaluate or refine one's ideas about the complex interrelationships between religion, gender, national identity, and ethnicity. A nun who lived in seventeenth century Mexico, she distinguished herself as a poet, playwright, and prose writer.

"Poems, Protest, and a Dream" is an excellent introduction to the life and work of this fascinating woman. This selection of her works includes her famous prose piece addressed to "Sor Filotea de la Cruz," a hearty helping of her poetry, and two selections from her dramatic corpus. The bilingual format of the text, with Sor Juana's Spanish original on each even-numbered page and Margaret Sayers Peden's elegant English translation on each odd-numbered page, allows one to easily compare the two versions.

The distinguished scholar Ilan Stavans has written an extensive 32 page introduction. Stavans describes in detail the historical and cultural context from which Sor Juana wrote; his sensitive and intelligent portrait of the woman and her age made me appreciate and enjoy her writings even more.

Sor Juana takes on themes that are still relevant (and often hotly debated) more than three centuries after she wrote these works. The response to Sor Filotea is a defense of female intellectual aspiration in a male-dominated culture; in the defense Sor Juana critically responds to those who use the Judeo-Christian Bible as a tool for intimidating and marginalizing women. With certain factions of the "religious right" still using the Bible as a weapon for demonizing certain individuals and social agendas, Sor Juana's words continue to ring fresh and clear.

Equally extraordinary is Sor Juana's loa (a dramatic scene which prefaces a longer play) to "The Divine Narcissus." The loa is an allegory depicting the early contact between Christianity and the religion of the Aztecs; in this piece I detect a subtle satirical thrust which adds to the complexity of Sor Juana's vision.

Sor Juana was a masterful stylist in multiple literary genres, and her depth of psychological and moral insight adds to her stature as a literary giant. Nobody should consider herself or himself literate in the fields of women's studies or Latin American studies without having read the works of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. "Poems, Protest, and a Dream" is an excellent resource for both independent reading and classroom use. Enjoy Sor Juana's artistry, and reflect on her ideas.

A great intellectual is not commonly thought of to be a woman, especially in 17th century New Spain. In the midst of the highly structured Baroque literary period, an illegitimate child was baptized as Juana Ramírez de Asbaje, spent her adolescence at court, and left to become a nun where she could continue her studies in peace, rather than marrying. Although she was almost entirely self-educated, the word quickly spread of her intelligence. This caused envy and animosity towards her that she tried to avoid her entire adult life. Four years before she died, the church forced her to give up her writings and worldly studies. In her letter of response to this request, (included in the book) she became the first woman in Latin America to defend her gender's right to study and write as men could. Much of her work was commissioned, but more is being discovered of her autobiographical writings. This book includes one of the few known poems (Primero Sueño) that was not commissioned. The book is in Spanish and English on opposing pages. This is very advantageous if you are bilingual, and even if you aren't, I can't say enough about Margaret Sayers Peden's translations. Not only does she give you as close to word for word; she also preserves the original structure, themes, and rhyme schemes that are so essential in Baroque literature. Even if you go no further than this book, you will not be disappointed. It has a very complete collection of her most famous works. Unfortunately, so few people in the English-speaking U.S. has even heard of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. I was first introduced to her wonderful poetry in a Mexican History / English dyad in college. Since that first poem I read, I have been searching for books of her works, and about her life. I highly recommend the addiction.

Succeds enormously in every task it seems to set for itself, and there are quite a few. Aphrodite has similarities to traditional cookbooks, but is certainly not traditional; it has similarities to Diane Ackerman's "Natural History" books, but is far more conversational and playful; it also works remarkably well as a romantic and sensual aide, though I won't go into many details with respect to that. The book reads much like a letter from a friend who, writing from somewhere far, you wish were standing next to you so you could kiss them.

I've taken stabs at several of the recipies in the book (though many aren't necessarily convenient for people cooking on a budget), and have had a lot of fun and success with the results, especially when trying to impress some man. And while I continue to consult this book on culinary matters (particularly the mushroom-heaven Reconciliation Soup and the various dessert recipies) and its quick-reference breakdown of countless aphrodisiaics, I find that I've gleaned even more satisfaction from the aphrodisiac properties of the stories and the book itself - it's filled with glee even when recounting very scientific facts about the nature of human senses, and manages to simultaneously entertain and inform, usually in very delicious ways.

My forays into reading Allende's novels and short stories have resulted in very mixed impressions - some books I've loved, some been less impressed with, and sadly, one or two I've been uninspired to finish. With Aphrodite, however, I found myself enticed to read very slowly at first, by way of savoring. Since then, I've read it a couple of more times in completion, with several hundred other visits for a ready recipie, a short tale, or some other version of a quickie. Even the book's design is beautiful, with vibrant images in full color (in both hardcover and paperback). I've had my copy for years now, but it never seems to make its way back onto the shelf -- and so a word of advice: since both the kitchen and that other room may get a little messy with Aphrodite around, I also recommend you pick up one of those plastic cookbook covers - I have one, and it comes in awful handy.

Allende has created a stunning rumination on life in her new book. And as an added bonus, she's thrown in a pretty good cookbook as well. This book serves as a wonderful counterpoint to Paula. While Paula was about death and it's effects on the human spirit, Aphrodite is about living life to its fullest by savoring what nature gives us.

Allende's strength as a writer is in using the powerful emotional connection that she has to the material to create an effective narrative flow. If she doesn't have that emotional connection, she ends up relying on her characters' dialogue, which is definitely not her strong suit (see The Infinite Plan). In Aphrodite, she uses only narrative, which shines with a playfulness and joy that comes from someone who is enjoying the material.

I remember attending a lecture where Allende said that after Paula, she thought she would never write again. I'm very glad that rice pudding helped her get over these feelings. This book should be read by everyone so that they may be reminded (as she obviously has been) that it's the simplest pleasures of life that make life worth living.

Allende has created a lighthearted, slyly humorous, and flavorful essay on the relationship between food and sex. The writing is robust, sensual, alluring. There are many recipies designed to provoke lust -- Cream of Artichoke Soup, Pears Roquefort, and Filet Mignon Belle Epoque and all trustworthy and tantalizing concoctions. The book is enhanced by beautiful color drawings and paintings on nearly every page. Its beautifully designed and feels much more expensive than it is. It would be a waste to buy the paperback, so indulge a little in this deliciously written and artfully illustrated book.

I've yet to read a book quite like this one. This book is written in simple language but creates a complex imagery that is surreal and haunting, revealing a story for the ages. It is one of those books that takes the reader on a journey that is nonexistent, into a world that is part real, part myth. The interweaving of ghost like characters into Pedro Paramo's search for his family history unviels things from the past that are possibly left buried with the dead. A truly bizzare piece of fiction that is like a fine herringbone weave, the threads all intertwined , that upon closer examination reveal an orderly pattern in a new creation, covering the subject beautifully in classic detail. Juan Rulfo was a master of uncanny prose, he creatied poetic imagery that is alive amidst the ghosts of Pedros Paramo's past. This book is difficult to understand without complete attention given , I also think this book deserves more than one read. Having recently read the original Spanish version it will be interesting to compare the translation on my next reading of this book. The conversations in this book stir up genetic memories that are haunting peeks into the past. Considered a classic, this book is a beautiful yet eerie glimpse into one mans search for his identiy.

Rulfo's masterpiece is infinitely complex, a challenging puzzle with countless hidden facets and inter connections, a surreal account of a small town and its inhabitants which defies human conceptions of both time and space. In short, the book is an utter delight for those who enjoy a good challenge. Pedro Paramo is not a book to read just once, and then forget; it stays with you, and requires multiple readings to truly understand and appreciate the brilliant metaphors and plot. After the first reading I was very confused. During the second reading I began to understand how the various narations and story lines fit together. During the third reading I fell in love. The fourth and fifth readings only increased my appreciation of the beauty and power of Rulfo's imagery and symbolism. Who knows what new questions and connections a sixth reading will reveal?

Pedro Paramo is one of the greatest books in Mexican literature. It captures the very essence of Mexico and its magic and mystery.

I've read reviews of people who say they don't understand the book, that it's dark, confusing, depressing, etc. But you have to keep in mind that this book was writen by a Mexican writer, and this is the vision of the universe we Mexicans have. It's a vision of a world full of ghosts, full or mysteries, full or things that have no answer. A timeless world where present, future and past some times are hard to tell apart. This is a book that speaks about the very heart of Mexico itself.

My recommendations to the readers of this book: keep a notebook and a pencil at hand. You'd want to make some brief notes about who's who. That helps a lot throughout the story.

Just free your mind and remember: this book is a vision of the world through the eyes of a Mexican and maybe that's why some non-Latin people find it so hard to understand. But it's a very enjoyable story and a book you shouldn't miss.