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Once Upon a Quinceanera by Julia Alvarez
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Once Upon a Quinceanera

Coming of Age in the USA

De niña a mujer en EE.UU.

Coming of Age in the USA

Coming of Age in the USA

By Julia Alvarez

By Julia Alvarez

By Julia Alvarez
Translated by Liliana Valenzuela

By Julia Alvarez
Translated by Liliana Valenzuela

By Julia Alvarez

By Julia Alvarez

By Julia Alvarez
Read by Daphne Rubin-Vega

By Julia Alvarez
Read by Daphne Rubin-Vega

Best Seller

Part of Spanish

Category: Parenting

Category: Spanish Language Nonfiction

Category: Parenting

Category: Parenting | Audiobooks

Paperback $24.00

Jul 29, 2008 | ISBN 9780452288300

Paperback $24.00

Jul 29, 2008 | ISBN 9780452289390

Ebook $10.99

Aug 02, 2007 | ISBN 9781101213407

Audiobook Download $20.00

Aug 02, 2007 | 553 Minutes

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    Once Upon a Quinceanera by Julia Alvarez
    Ebook
    Aug 02, 2007 | ISBN 9781101213407

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    • $24.00

      Jul 29, 2008 | ISBN 9780452288300

      Buy from Other Retailers:

    • $24.00

      Jul 29, 2008 | ISBN 9780452289390

      Buy from Other Retailers:

    • Aug 02, 2007 | ISBN 9781101213407

      Buy from Other Retailers:

    • Aug 02, 2007 | ISBN 9781429586221

      553 Minutes

      Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy the Audiobook Download:

    About Once Upon a Quinceanera

    Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, a “phenomenal, indispensable” (USA Today) exploration of the Latina “sweet fifteen” celebration, by the bestselling author of How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies.

    The quinceañera, a celebration of a Latina girl’s fifteenth birthday, has become a uniquely American trend. This lavish party with ball gowns, multi-tiered cakes, limousines, and extravagant meals is often as costly as a prom or a wedding. But many Latina girls feel entitled to this rite of passage, marking a girl’s entrance into womanhood, and expect no expense to be spared, even in working-class families.

    Acclaimed author Julia Alvarez explores the history and cultural significance of the “quince” in the United States, and the consequences of treating teens like princesses. Through her observations of a quince in Queens, interviews with other quince girls, and the memories of her own experience as a young immigrant, Alvarez presents a thoughtful and entertaining portrait of a rapidly growing multicultural phenomenon, and passionately emphasizes the importance of celebrating Latina womanhood.

    About Once Upon a Quinceanera

    Autora del bestseller De cómo las muchachas García perdieron el acento y 
    una finalista del Circulo Nacional de Críticos Literarios
     
    “Una exploración de un ritual exuberante y decisivo en la vida moderna de los latinos… Como autora de esta travesía, Julia Alvarez es una guía extraordinaria.”—The Seattle Times

    La fiesta de quince años de las muchachas latinas o “la quinceañera” como se le conoce en los Estados Unidos, se ha convertido en una tendencia singularmente americana. Esta espléndida fiesta de vestidos largos y elegantes, pasteles de varias capas, limusinas y banquetes extravagantes, a menudo es tan costosa como un baile de graduación o una boda. Sin embargo, muchas jóvenes latinas sienten que tienen derecho a esto rito de iniciación, que señala el momento en que se vuelven mujeres, y esperan que no se escatime ningún gasto, ni siquiera entre las familias de escasos recursos.

    La aclamada escritora Julia Alvarez explora la historia y la relevancia cultural de cumplir los “quince” años en los Estados Unidos, y usa este acontecimiento como un lente a través del cual examinar el proceso de cambio por el que está pasando la mujer latina en los EE.UU. Sus observaciones sobre una fiesta de quince años en Queens, así como entrevistas con otras quinceañeras y los recuerdos de su propia experiencia como inmigrante joven, componen un cuidadoso y entretenido retrato de un fenómeno multicultural en rápido crecimiento, así como una perspectiva única de un Estados Unidos multicultural.

    “[Alvarez] posa una mirada crítica sobre mitos que están muy arraigados…cada página es un canto de amor a los lazos culturales que vinculan a generaciones de mujeres provenientes de un grupo diversos de países.”—Chicago Sun-Times
     
    “Fascinante, ampliamente documentado.”—The Washington Post
     
    “La sinceridad con la que Alvarez hace frente a la experiencia de haber vivido entre dos culturas resulta cautivadora.”—Entertainment Weekly

    About Once Upon a Quinceanera

    Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, a “phenomenal, indispensable” (USA Today) exploration of the Latina “sweet fifteen” celebration, by the bestselling author of How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of Butterflies

    The quinceañera, a celebration of a Latina girl’s fifteenth birthday, has become a uniquely American trend. This lavish party with ball gowns, multi-tiered cakes, limousines, and extravagant meals is often as costly as a prom or a wedding. But many Latina girls feel entitled to this rite of passage, marking a girl’s entrance into womanhood, and expect no expense to be spared, even in working-class families. Acclaimed author Julia Alvarez explores the history and cultural significance of the “quince” in the United States, and the consequences of treating teens like princesses. Through her observations of a quince in Queens, interviews with other quince girls, and the memories of her own experience as a young immigrant, Alvarez presents a thoughtful and entertaining portrait of a rapidly growing multicultural phenomenon, and passionately emphasizes the importance of celebrating Latina womanhood.

    About Once Upon a Quinceanera

    The bestselling author of How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, Julia Alvarez, examines the parties and preparations of the quincea–era.

    Also by Julia Alvarez

    In the Time of the Butterflies
    How the García Girls Lost Their Accents
    Before We Were Free
    Finding Miracles
    How Tia Lola Ended Up Starting Over
    See all books by Julia Alvarez

    Also by Julia Alvarez

    In the Time of the Butterflies
    How the García Girls Lost Their Accents
    Before We Were Free
    Finding Miracles
    How Tia Lola Ended Up Starting Over
    See all books by Julia Alvarez

    Also by Julia Alvarez

    In the Time of the Butterflies
    How the García Girls Lost Their Accents
    Before We Were Free
    Finding Miracles
    How Tia Lola Ended Up Starting Over
    See all books by Julia Alvarez

    About Julia Alvarez

    Julia Alvarez is the author of the novels How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, In the Time of the Butterflies (a national Book Critics Circle Award finalist), and Yo!. She has also published two poetry collections (Homecoming and The Other side/El

    … More about Julia Alvarez

    About Julia Alvarez

    Julia Alvarez is the author of the novels How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, In the Time of the Butterflies (a national Book Critics Circle Award finalist), and Yo!. She has also published two poetry collections (Homecoming and The Other side/El

    … More about Julia Alvarez

    About Julia Alvarez

    Julia Alvarez is the author of the novels How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, In the Time of the Butterflies (a national Book Critics Circle Award finalist), and Yo!. She has also published two poetry collections (Homecoming and The Other side/El

    … More about Julia Alvarez

    About Julia Alvarez

    Julia Alvarez is the author of the novels How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, In the Time of the Butterflies (a national Book Critics Circle Award finalist), and Yo!. She has also published two poetry collections (Homecoming and The Other side/El

    … More about Julia Alvarez

    Product Details

    Category: Parenting

    Paperback | $24.00
    Published by Plume
    Jul 29, 2008 | 288 Pages | 5-5/16 x 8 | ISBN 9780452288300

    Category: Spanish Language Nonfiction

    Paperback | $24.00
    Published by Plume
    Jul 29, 2008 | 320 Pages | 5-5/16 x 8 | ISBN 9780452289390

    Category: Parenting

    Ebook | $10.99
    Published by Plume
    Aug 02, 2007 | 288 Pages | ISBN 9781101213407

    Category: Parenting | Audiobooks

    Audiobook Download | $20.00
    Published by Penguin Audio
    Aug 02, 2007 | 553 Minutes | ISBN 9781429586221

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    Praise

    Praise for Once Upon a Quinceanera

    “Phenomenal…indispensable. Alvarez’s novelistic eye makes Once Upon a Quinceañera an intimate, intoxicating read.”—San Francisco Chronicle
     
    “A journey into experiencing a vital, exuberant ritual of modern Latino life…As an author, Alvarez is a terrific tour guide.”—The Seattle Times
     
    “[Alvarez] brings a critical eye to long-held myths…Each page is a love song to the cultural ties that bind generations of women from a diverse group of countries.”—Chicago Sun-Times
     
    “Fascinating, exhaustively researched.”—The Washington Post
     
    “Alvarez’s honest grappling with her caught-between-two-cultures experience is compelling.”—Entertainment Weekly

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