The Dirty Girls Social Club Large Print
by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez (Goodreads author!)
The Dirty Girls Social Cl...
Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez |
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
women
I like this book. I didn't love it. I was told that if I enjoyed "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" "Waiting to Exhale" or "The Joy Luck Club" then I would like this book. And I did. I liked it. I just didn't love it.
The book follows the story of the sucias, the dirty girls on the title, six women in their late twenties who went to college together in Boston. The thing that bonds these women in college, and later in life when we meet them,...more
The book follows the story of the sucias, the dirty girls on the title, six women in their late twenties who went to college together in Boston. The thing that bonds these women in college, and later in life when we meet them,...more
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Read in May, 2005
I love this author's writing style. She certainly has a sense of humor.
The Dirty Girls Social Club tells the story of six Latina women in their late 20s who met at Boston University as freshmen. Their Buena Sucia "Dirty Girls" Social Club still meets twice a year. The book takes us on a journey into their lives, each chapter is written in one character's perspective. This was an interesting way to move along the story, you were not left wondering what another character was thinking...more
The Dirty Girls Social Club tells the story of six Latina women in their late 20s who met at Boston University as freshmen. Their Buena Sucia "Dirty Girls" Social Club still meets twice a year. The book takes us on a journey into their lives, each chapter is written in one character's perspective. This was an interesting way to move along the story, you were not left wondering what another character was thinking...more
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Read in September, 2007
Women’s Fiction / Dirty Girls? Pigeons and Doves.
This was a fun, quick read and I enjoyed entering the Latina world of the six Suisas and felt welcomed there—as though it were the author’s intention to give the reader a group of girlfriends for the duration of the read. I use the term “read” rather than “story,” because there wasn’t much of one. A lot happens. There are dramatic events such as the outing of a gay news anchor, a severe wife beating and murder, a st...more
This was a fun, quick read and I enjoyed entering the Latina world of the six Suisas and felt welcomed there—as though it were the author’s intention to give the reader a group of girlfriends for the duration of the read. I use the term “read” rather than “story,” because there wasn’t much of one. A lot happens. There are dramatic events such as the outing of a gay news anchor, a severe wife beating and murder, a st...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in September, 2004
In an effort to support Latina authors and their work, I read this book. I was not disappointed. I loved it, loved its flaws, loved its strengths, loved it. I loved the style Alisa picked for the novel. Each chapter is told in first person by one of the six main characters. As a result, we come to know each one of her protagonists both through their own storytelling and through the views of the other five. I don't know if this was a result of Alisa's own weakness in writing in third person...more
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Read in February, 2008
Meh...started reading it, made it in about 50 pages and decided to stop. Ok, it wasn't even 40. I thought I'd like it, because I love Valdes-Rodriguez's blog and her resignation letter at the LA Times, which was 3,000 words or something ridiculous but pretty entertaining. I figured if a writer could really exploit the possibilities in the resignation letter genre, chick lit would be no problem.
But this was like a weak, novelized version of her rant against the Times. The narrator is a weak, ...more
But this was like a weak, novelized version of her rant against the Times. The narrator is a weak, ...more
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Read in January, 2006
i like reading chicklit that's aimed at "other" audiences - just to see what it's like.
this is basically sex & the city meets hispanic new york, and it's just genius. i don't know how to describe it. there's Usnavies - (yes, her mother named her US Navies, but she pronounces it different) - and there are four other fantastic characters. you feel for them all, you love them all, you get the idea of the differences between hispanics - puero rican, dominican, latin american, mexi...more
this is basically sex & the city meets hispanic new york, and it's just genius. i don't know how to describe it. there's Usnavies - (yes, her mother named her US Navies, but she pronounces it different) - and there are four other fantastic characters. you feel for them all, you love them all, you get the idea of the differences between hispanics - puero rican, dominican, latin american, mexi...more
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Read in July, 2007
I think I never read a book about Latinas (or Latinos for that matter), so it was really interesting to see how they see themselves and what differences they make between themselves (from which country someone or their ancestors are).
In the beginning I really didn't know what to expect from this book, in which direction it will go. But it turned out (surprisingly) nicely. Each chapter is dedicated to one member of the Club, so that they take turns in telling their story.
The episodes abo...more
In the beginning I really didn't know what to expect from this book, in which direction it will go. But it turned out (surprisingly) nicely. Each chapter is dedicated to one member of the Club, so that they take turns in telling their story.
The episodes abo...more
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Read in July, 2005
My daughter and me (she was 15 back then) we loved it. This was what I wrote about this book on Monday, July 04, 2005
In case you did not,Rowena (15) stole it from me and she loved the book.
She pleaded to me not to release it + she wants me to check if this writer has written more books. (I think this was her first one )
so it was a great success
I had read the first pages but had some problems because so many names and characters are introduced by Lauren in that first chapter
Any...more
In case you did not,Rowena (15) stole it from me and she loved the book.
She pleaded to me not to release it + she wants me to check if this writer has written more books. (I think this was her first one )
so it was a great success
I had read the first pages but had some problems because so many names and characters are introduced by Lauren in that first chapter
Any...more
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Read in January, 2007
recommends it for:
fans of Hispanic literature and/or chick lit
This book was not as good as Valdez-Rodriguez' first novel, but it was still pretty enjoyable. the characters are interesting and diverse, even if obviously intended/ specifically written to be diverse to illustrated the diversity of the Hispanic world and cultures (a major theme in this book). the main problem with the characters is that there are just so many of them! it can be hard to keep track of them all--to remember what they're doing and which one is narrating at the moment.
it's reall...more
it's reall...more
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Read in June, 2007
recommends it for:
women
Great beach/poolside read. I'm glad i knew ahead of reading this that each of the women fit into a specific stereotype, because otherwise i think it would have been harder to look past that, but once you do it brings up some great topics to think on, especially if you haven't been exposed to them before. I think this book had some great takes on race, and on the american/latina/female identity and how it all fits together. I liked how the 5 different characters all expressed such different vie...more
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Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
women/all interested in broadening their cultural perspective
Sent to me by a California aunt, first read by my summer intern -- an incredibly intelligent and talented young U.S.-born "Mexica" -- I hardly put this book down once I started reading it. It's a fun story about female friends, it's a dramatic story of friends supporting each other though life's threats and challenges, and it's a rich, enlightening story of "Hispanic" women. It helps us understand that "Hispanic" is no more one flavor of people than "Anglo&qu...more
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Read in November, 2007
It is about six college friends who all come from different Latina backgrounds who still meet twice a year. They have differences and still love each other. There is a lot of interesting information about the incredibly different backgrounds people can have and still be considered Latina, some sharply observed commenatary on culture and race and their intersections.
The women all have different problems and personality types, and no one is cookie-cutter. She tells the story from the six di...more
The women all have different problems and personality types, and no one is cookie-cutter. She tells the story from the six di...more
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Read in May, 2008
recommends it for:
Professional Latinas
I liked this book. It was the tale of six Latin friends, who all have a personal growth at the same time. I thought that the author;s ability to change the tone to match the character was pretty intriguing. I also liked that this was the only book I have ever read that details the issues plaguing professional Latinas. The only thing I hated about this book is what another reviewer mentioned...the name brand mentions. I think this is due to Sex and the City and other chick lit where they thi...more
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Read in January, 2004
recommends it for:
All Women! Latinas especially can relate to this book.
This book was so great to read. It's a book told from about 4 or 5 different points of view, so you really get to know each character indepthly. It's about 4 (I think that's the right no.), that met in college and remained friends. They reunite atleast once a year and have a night all to themeselves. It's girl talk to the max. The great thing is, it's not about petty crap. It's about stuff that everyone goes through at one time or another (for the most part). Anyone, can relate to atleast...more
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recommends it for:
Chronic chicklit-ers
When I first saw the book in a local bookstore, I was a bit intrigued. Maybe by the colorful cover (yes, I'm a judge-by-its-cover reader), or the title, or by my own presumption. Point is, I thought this book would be like a good party. Fun, and maybe inspiring in some way (wait, do parties inspire?).
However, after I read it, it was... nyeh, okay. I can't even rememeber the whole story. All I remember is, it had the Desperate Housewives vibe to it when I read it. Not what I was lookin...more
However, after I read it, it was... nyeh, okay. I can't even rememeber the whole story. All I remember is, it had the Desperate Housewives vibe to it when I read it. Not what I was lookin...more
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Read in June, 2007
It's a pretty good book - It takes a little while to get into the writing style, but once you adapt, the book just flies. It's fun, and it's relatable. Some of the Spanish was just plain lost on me, but you get the gyst of the situation and feeling. I thought it ended rather abruptly. You spend the majority of the book establishing the girls, then they have their conflicts and resolve them quickly. Little wrap up and the book is over. I think she could have and should have drawn out the en...more
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Read in August, 2005
I picked up this book partly as an act of defiance against someone who was being dismissive of "chick list." I actually enjoyed the book quite a bit -- a story told in alternating voices by six Latina friends who form a group while in college and continue to get together twice a year. For once I didn’t find the first person writing to be irritating, and it was really interesting to see how differently each woman’s life was from the life the others imagined for her.
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Read in January, 2004
recommends it for:
Women who want a good beach book.
Great beach/summer read- This is a book about the beauty of real friendship between very different women. This is not great literature, nor is it intended to be. Alisa is the Plum Sykes/Sophie Kinsella of the Latin community. The characters are stereotypical and are meant to be- it makes it easy to identify with/ understand and or appreciate the girls. If you are a fun-loving woman- you can appreciate this book. If you are a Hispanic/Latina woman- you must read this book.
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Read in December, 2006
This is my favorite of Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez's books. Clearly, the book--which features six Latinas--is written for an Anglo audience: each of the characters is a caracature of Latina women in America. Any Latina reading this book would probably roll her eyes. Despite the characters' cartoonish nature and predictable problems, the book is a page turner and it helps the audience (again, I maintain it's aimed at Anglos) to realize that "Latino" isn't just one thing.
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Read in May, 2004
recommends it for:
Any of my college friends
I love this book! I think this is one of a few books that got me back into reading for pleasure. Each character is a brief microcosm of post college life for Latinas (and all women for that matter). I even dressed up as Usnavys for the favorite book character day at my school. :)
I have since read her other books (Playing With Boys, Make Him Look Good, Haters) and am eagerly anticipating her next book. Woo hoo for chic lit!!
I have since read her other books (Playing With Boys, Make Him Look Good, Haters) and am eagerly anticipating her next book. Woo hoo for chic lit!!
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