Caribbean Cultures: Puerto Rico

Last week I watched the movie Piñero, which is a 2001 biopic celebrating the Latino poet-playwright-actor Miguel Piñero, whose urban poetry is recognized as a precursor to rap and hip-hop.  Piñero used to call himself "Nuyorican" in homage to his Puerto Rican heritage-he was one of the founders of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe.  The same day, I watched the movie based on Julia Alvarez's wonderful book In the Time of the Butterflies, set in the Dominican Republic, which got me thinking that it might be interesting to showcase different cultures of the Caribbean with a short list of selected items for all ages from our library catalog. So, here goes-Puerto Rico! Some related fiction, poetry, a play, & music for you to enjoy.


Latino Visions: Contemporary Chicano, Puerto Rican, and Cuban American Artists by James D. Cockcroft

Growing Up Puerto Rican: An Anthology edited by Joy L. De Jesus

Puerto Rican Cookery by Carmen Aboy Valldejuli

Juan Bobo and the Pig: A Puerto Rican Folktale retold by Felix Pitre

Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa by Micol Ostow

Cinnamon Girl: Letters Found Inside a Cereal Box by Juan Felipe Herrera

When the Spirits Dance Mambo: Growing up Nuyorican in El Barrio by Marta Moreno Vega
Short Eyes : A Play by Miguel Piñero

Remedios: Stories of Earth and Iron from the History of Puertorriquenas by Aurora Levins Morales

Song of the Simple Truth = Obras Completa Poética = The Complete Poems by Julia de Burgos

The House on the Lagoon by Rosario Ferré

Las Christmas: Favorite Latino Authors Share Their Holiday Memories edited by Esmeralda Santiago and Joie Davidow

Conquistadora by Esmeralda Santiago

Puerto Rico Mio: Four Decades of Change = Cuatro Decadas de Cambio photographs by Jack Delano

Captain of the Sleepers by Mayra Montero

Los Puertorriqueños (DVD)

Música + Alma + Sexo, Ricky Martin (CD)

Visit the Welcome to Puerto Rico! website or the  CIA World Factbook to learn more about its history, culture, & people.