Book: Almost a Woman, by Esmeralda Santiago

Paperback, 314 pages, published 1998. Good used condition. This copy has some overall cosmetic wear and the spine is a bit faded but the binding is still tight. No writing, no highlights, no dog-ears. "This memoir is a follow-up to Esmeralda Santiago's book 'When I Was Puerto Rican' and continues the riveting chronicle of her emergence from the barrios of Brooklyn to the theaters of Manhattan. 'Negi,' as Santiago's family affectionately calls her, has left rural Macun in 1961 to live in a three-room tenement apartment with seven young siblings, an inquisitive grandmother, and a strict mother who won't allow her to date. Now at thirteen, she yearns for her own bed, privacy, and a life with her father, who remains in Puerto Rico. Translating for Mami at the welfare office in the morning, starring as Cleopatra at New York's prestigious Performing Arts High School in the afternoons, and dancing salsa all night, she yearns to find balance between being American and being Puerto Rican. When Negi defies her mother by going on a series of hilarious dates, she finds that independence brings its own set of challenges. This is at once a universally poignant coming-of-age tale and a brave and heartfelt immigrant's story, as well as showcasing a triumphant journey into womanhood." 💃🇵🇷