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Preguntale al Mexicano! = Ask a Mexican!
"DEAR MEXICAN: WHAT IS ASK A MEXICAN ? Questions and answers about our spiciest Americans. I explore the cliches of lowriders, busboys, and housekeepers; drunks and scoundrels; heroes and celebrities; and most important, millions upon millions of law-abiding, patriotic American citizens and their illegal-immigrant cousins who represent some $600 billion in economic p...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
by Aguilar
(first published 2007)
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sometimes i over think things, case in point: this book. I started reading it at Sarah's a few weeks ago and found it entertaining enough but this weekend I tried to listen to more of it on audio and I couldn't stop thinking about it enough to listen to it.
reason #1. should I be laughing at this? why not, I laugh at my own American-ness all the time. the fact that I'm worried about laughing at this might indicate that I feel some sort of affinity to protect Mexicans which might also ...more
reason #1. should I be laughing at this? why not, I laugh at my own American-ness all the time. the fact that I'm worried about laughing at this might indicate that I feel some sort of affinity to protect Mexicans which might also ...more
view all 6 comments
LonewolfMX Luna
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
To any foreward thinking Raza who is realist and not bound by idology and political correctness,
From Orange County's Gustavo Arellano columns he create a book which he answers the questions to those who are curious about Mexicans and the Mexican culture.
As a Mexican/Chicano I took a look at this book thinking it would be offensive, but to my surprise it was highly informative and humorous in which he would poke holes in the arguments of racists and Neoconservatives with facts. As well he doesn't let political correctness hold him back as he would poke fun of Mexican mannerisms....more
As a Mexican/Chicano I took a look at this book thinking it would be offensive, but to my surprise it was highly informative and humorous in which he would poke holes in the arguments of racists and Neoconservatives with facts. As well he doesn't let political correctness hold him back as he would poke fun of Mexican mannerisms....more
The book has some slow parts, but most of it has some good humor. Maybe because I am Latino (but not Mexican; I am Puerto Rican), I was able to appreciate some of the humor more. There are some things that Latinos, no matter which part of Latin American, say and do universally. The best part of the book were the short question and answer questions. I could read through those pretty quickly. Some of the longer essay segments were hit and miss. Some were interesting; others were a little on the sl...more
Very repetitive... And not nearly as fun, fierce or naughty as I had expected. Just a lot of pinche pendejo gabacho and other vocabulary fillers my El Salvadorian friends at high school already taught me...
Everything that is wrong and right with alternative press newspapers (since the book is essentially a compilation of an alt newspaper column by the same title as the book):
RIGHT
A willingness to tackle touchy subjects
A specific tone & viewpoint
A blistering sense of humor
WRONG
An overweening love for shock ("how lewd can I be?")
A tendency to beat dead horses to death a second time (we get it - it's all about sex)
Difficulty viewin...more
RIGHT
A willingness to tackle touchy subjects
A specific tone & viewpoint
A blistering sense of humor
WRONG
An overweening love for shock ("how lewd can I be?")
A tendency to beat dead horses to death a second time (we get it - it's all about sex)
Difficulty viewin...more
I heard about this book in a magazine. Apparently, the book is based on a running article in the Orange County Weekly. A Mexican answers questions from readers. Many of the questions are racist and insulting but the writer responds with clever, tongue in cheek answers. Warning: there are a lot of swear words in the book, both in English and Spanish. Also, some discussion of sex. But it reveals a lot of cultural biases and some of the truths or misconceptions behind them.The writer pokes fun at e...more
In general, I think this is great -- I really like Arellano's blend of no-holds-barred, vernacular lewdness with his periodic (and totally coherent) references to journal articles and his academic experience as a sociology M.S. (Do you want the lewd answer, the Catholic answer, the socioeconomic answer, or the pre-Christian-cultural-traditions answer?) It does, yes, deploy a lot of stereotypes and a lot of hard language, but I agree with Arellano that there's a lot to be said for engaging equa...more
Everything you wanted to know about Mexicans and aren’t afraid to ask.
What began the editor’s idea for filler in the Orange County Weekly, an alternative newspaper in Orange County, California, became a true gold mine of information and fascinating facts in Gustavo Arellano’s hands.
¡Ask a Mexican! is irreverent, bold, politically incorrect and wonderfully witty and informative. Riding the razor’s edge of wit and intelligent information, Arellano pulls no punches as he ex...more
What began the editor’s idea for filler in the Orange County Weekly, an alternative newspaper in Orange County, California, became a true gold mine of information and fascinating facts in Gustavo Arellano’s hands.
¡Ask a Mexican! is irreverent, bold, politically incorrect and wonderfully witty and informative. Riding the razor’s edge of wit and intelligent information, Arellano pulls no punches as he ex...more
Got a question you’ve just been dying to ask your pocho Mexican friend but you’re too afraid to ask? Ever wondered why a lot of Mexican music sounds just like polka? Or curious about what type of tequila is the best? What to call a group of them? Mexican? Hispanic? Chicano? Well here’s your not-so-official guide to Mexicans, or more poignantly, your guide to Mexicans living in south Los Angeles. Gustavo Arellano, author of “Ask a Mexican!,” has collected some of his most hilarious, outlandish, a...more
I wanted to really like this book but as I read the language just got worse. There are so many things you just don't need to know in it. Vulgar and gross. So I skipped through to some of the stuff that I thought was okay and enjoyed the very few there were. Could've been so much more fun. The parts that weren't foul were funny and entertaining. I don't really recommend this book to anyone unless you don't mind bad language and sexual content. Books need ratings.
Absolutely loved this book. As a Chicana I couldn't help but laugh at myself. Arellano has a very unique approach in dealing with racist questions.
When others will get outraged he prefers to counteract those comments and questions with comedy and sprinkling in some historical info along the way. I really was facinated by the knowledge I gained about my own self. Kudos to Gustavo Arellano and I can't wait for the next book. Gracias
When others will get outraged he prefers to counteract those comments and questions with comedy and sprinkling in some historical info along the way. I really was facinated by the knowledge I gained about my own self. Kudos to Gustavo Arellano and I can't wait for the next book. Gracias
Drawn from the author's column in the Orange County Weekly, this is, by turns, funny, off-color, outrageous, and informative. I think it's one of the better books I've read in my quest to understand my neighbors.
The son of immigrants, Arellano mixes humor and a lot of solid information, answering questions like:
- Why do Mexicans like tamales so much?
- Why are Charles Bronson's Death Wish movies so popular?
- Why are Mexican obsenities so creative ...more
The son of immigrants, Arellano mixes humor and a lot of solid information, answering questions like:
- Why do Mexicans like tamales so much?
- Why are Charles Bronson's Death Wish movies so popular?
- Why are Mexican obsenities so creative ...more
A mostly lewd and crude question-and-answer style book highlighting Mexican stereotypes written by a Master’s Degree holding son of two illegal tomato canning immigrants. Sometimes insightful-- his chapter about the plight of illegal day laborers is heart wrenching—but he manages to get his point across with humor. Arellano addresses the most important of the Mexican questions when he answers, “What’s with Mexicans’ obsession with Morrissey?” The answer is simple: death and disenfranchisement...more
As a mexican myself, I found this book to be funny. I've never read his newspaper column, but a lot of what Arellano says is true. He tells it like it is while mixing in some humor.
Some of my favorite parts are: How porn changed his life, When he hangs out with the day laborers, and his guide on how to "Live Like an Illegal Immigrant!".
"Insurmountable odds have a way of bringing out the
best in humans. And its the poorest of the poor who
not...more
Some of my favorite parts are: How porn changed his life, When he hangs out with the day laborers, and his guide on how to "Live Like an Illegal Immigrant!".
"Insurmountable odds have a way of bringing out the
best in humans. And its the poorest of the poor who
not...more
I listen to Gustavo weekly on NPR with his take on Orange County politics and culture. This goes through all the myths, vocabulary and cultural misunderstandings about Mexicans in the US by printing questions to his column and his answers over the years. Gets a bit tedious, but it is entertaining and enlightening. Learn the Mexican Anglo slang, too.
not loving it.
the author totally relies on cliches and stereotypes (he says he "explores" them, which doesn't really happen). i realize stereotypes are often grounded in reality, but it bugs me that, much like african-americans using the "n" word, this book is supposed to be humorous because it is written by a mexican, but if written by anyone else, it would be offensive and racist. i don't think it adds much or helps in the way of explaining a culture. instead, the a...more
the author totally relies on cliches and stereotypes (he says he "explores" them, which doesn't really happen). i realize stereotypes are often grounded in reality, but it bugs me that, much like african-americans using the "n" word, this book is supposed to be humorous because it is written by a mexican, but if written by anyone else, it would be offensive and racist. i don't think it adds much or helps in the way of explaining a culture. instead, the a...more
A collection of the nationwide syndicated alternative weekly article "Ask a Mexican". A funny collection of questions and answers about the mysteries of mexican culture. Why telemundo is so awesome? Why do Mexican kids love Morrissey so much? Lots of fun and extremely insightful and well researched.
Truly informative about Mexican culture as experienced in the U.S. and funny and irreverent.
Learned that Morrissey has a huge cult following in Mexico and radishes help eliminate flatulence. Truth be told I actually have a chapter or two left in this book.
Learned that Morrissey has a huge cult following in Mexico and radishes help eliminate flatulence. Truth be told I actually have a chapter or two left in this book.
Christina
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone who loves or hates Mexicans, or is even just slightly curious about Mexicans...:-P
Shelves:
to-read-am-reading-have-read
The author of this book write a Q-&-A column for the OCWeekly newspaper called "Ask a Mexican," and "the Mexican" answers any & all questions about everything & anything Mexican. It's funny, rather insightful, sarcastic and blunt. Very no-holds-barred. And rather 99.9% correct. (The .1% is deducted for subtle variances with language...otherwise, very good to go!) My Mexican boyfriend & I are both enjoying it -- I'm reading it, and I share parts with him and we discuss th...more
Interesting compilation of questions and responses by a columnist about all things Latino/Mexican/etc. Hard to separate the humor/opinion from the facts.
If you are Mexican and especially if you are not, read this book. Philosophy, comedy, civil rights, sex, it has it all. Very fun read!
Entertaining and ballsy. Not for the faint of heart, the prudish, or the easily offended. 4 1/2 stars out of 5.
I sometimes I don't if I should laugh or not very stereotypical yet it can be funny. I read this off and on.
I love this guys column, cool to see he has a book!
Ask a Mexican by Gustavo Arellano (2007)
Hysterical. I learned that Mexicans do not call white people Gringos - they call the gabachos! Irreverant, fascinating and funny.
Gerry Martinez
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Mexicans and people that hate Mexicans
I learned a lot about my people.
Reading this book was like reliving the last 12 years of me asking Eddie questions about why Mexicans do this that or the other thing. Gustavo Arellano is (usually) a bit more caustic than Eddie, but is entertaining nonetheless. I was a bit disappointed at times when I was hoping for a real answer to a question and just got a joke or insult for the question asker. Sometimes he does a lot of research into the answer, and some times not so much. I have to say I appreciate it a lot more when he...more
Funny, if a little raunchy, book.
Leslie
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
white folks, gringos, gabachos
Shelves:
humor,
triviaknowledge
The author has a column and website in which he answers crazy questions about Mexicans from Mexicans and non-Mexicans alike. The author usually responds with a well-researched answer, citing statistics and studies. The author takes a humorous approach, all the while enlightening us with facts such as Mexicans like Morrisey (who knew?) and big butts. He also answers questions about illegal immigration, etc. Call him the Dear Abby of Mexicans. He answers all the questions you're afraid to ask.
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Gustavo Arellano is the author of ¡Ask a Mexican!, a nationally syndicated weekly column published by Orange County's alternative weekly OC Weekly. It was first published in 2004 as a one-time spoof, but it ended up becoming one of the weekly's most popular columns.
Every week, readers would submit their questions based on Mexicans, including their customs, labor issues, and illegal imm...more
More about Gustavo Arellano...
Every week, readers would submit their questions based on Mexicans, including their customs, labor issues, and illegal imm...more
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“Your life depends on a random stranger who could kill you, will probably disrespect you, and will most likely pay you much less than you deserve. But even those prospects are better than the ones you used to have. This is the life of los jornaleros – the day laborers.”
—
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