Book Review: 'The Tilting House' is a novel about coming of age in Communist Cuba
Yuri's parents had named her after the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gargarin, hoping that one day she would grow up to be a famous female astronaut. Yuri now has vague hopes of being accepted into the Lenin school, Cuba's prestigious preparatory.
Yuri and her Aunt Ruth's quiet lives are suddenly turned upside down when an unexpected visitor from 'la Yuma' — slang for the United States — shows up at their Havana home with a camera swinging from her neck and announcing she is family. Ruth later tells Yuri that 34-year-old Mariela is her daughter, and that when Mariela was an infant she sent her to live with a family in the United States through Operation Pedro Pan, a U.S. government program in which thousands of unaccompanied children were sent from Cuba to Miami in the early 1960s.
'The Tilting House,' by Miami-based writer Ivonne Lamazares, is an affecting and sometimes amusing coming-of-age novel set in a country that few have had the opportunity to visit, despite its proximity to the U.S.
It's a study of hidden family secrets, the unhealed wound of losing a mother and the quest for home.
Lamazares, who was born in Havana, knows her homeland well, and her book is rife with description and historic detail that only someone with first-hand knowledge could provide. Lamazares left Cuba for the United States in 1989 during a period of shortages and deprivation known as 'The Special Period in Time of Peace.' Her first novel, 'The Sugar Island,' also set in Cuba, was translated into seven languages.
In 'The Tilting House,' Yuri is quickly pulled into Mariela's chaotic world and her absurd art projects, which include a tragicomic funeral for Ruth's dead dog, Lucho, in a public park using highly illegal homemade fireworks. Ruth, already viewed as suspect by the government as a member of the small Jehovah's Witnesses group, is arrested and sent to jail on unexplained charges.
Weekly
A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene.
Mariela later tells Yuri that they aren't cousins, but sisters, and that their now-dead mother gave birth to her as a teenager. Mariela insists that their Aunt Ruth 'kidnapped' her and sent her to live in the U.S., where she was raised on a farm in Nebraska.
More harebrained projects follow, and the family's tilting house finally tumbles after neighbors and acquaintances slowly chip away at the building to repurpose many of the structure's materials.
Yuri later emigrates to the U.S., where she studies and starts a career that allows her to make a return visit to the island. On that trip her past becomes clearer, and she reaches something approaching closure and forgiveness.
___
AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘South Park' co-creator jokes he's ‘terribly sorry' over premiere that drew White House anger
SAN DIEGO (AP) — 'South Park' co-creator Trey Parker had the briefest of responses Thursday to anger from the White House over the season premiere of the animated institution, which showed a naked President Donald Trump in bed with Satan. 'We're terribly sorry,' Parker said, followed by a long, deadpan-comic stare. Parker was asked for his reaction to the fracas as he sat on the stage at San Diego's Comic-Con International at the beginning of a Comedy Central animation panel that also included his 'South Park' partner Matt Stone, 'Beavis and Butt-Head' creator Mike Judge, and actor Andy Samberg, who co-created the animated 'Digman!' Earlier in the day, the White House issued a statement on the 27th season premiere, which aired Wednesday night. 'This show hasn't been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention,' White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in the statement. 'President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country's history – and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump's hot streak.' Later in the panel, Parker said they did get a note from their producers on Tuesday night's episode. 'They said, 'OK, but we're gonna blur the penis,' and I said, 'No you're not gonna blur the penis,'' Parker said. The premiere also took aim at Paramount and its $16 million recent settlement with Trump just hours after Parker and Stone signed a five-year deal with the company for 50 new episodes and streaming rights to previous seasons. The Los Angeles Times and other outlets report the deal was worth $1.5 billion. In the episode, Trump sues the town of South Park when its residents challenge the presence of Jesus Christ – the actual person – in its elementary school. Jesus tells them they ought to settle. 'You guys saw what happened to CBS? Yeah, well, guess who owns CBS? Paramount,' Jesus says. 'Do you really want to end up like Colbert?' CBS and parent Paramount Global canceled Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' last week, days after Colbert sharply criticized Paramount's settlement of Trump's lawsuit over a '60 Minutes' interview. CBS and Paramount executives said it was a financial decision to axe 'The Late Show.' The efficiency of 'South Park' production, and the brinksmanship of its creators, allow it to stay incredibly current for an animated series. 'I don't know what next week's episode is going to be,' Parker said at Comic-Con. 'Even just three days ago, we were like, 'I don't know if people are going to like this.''
CBC
10 hours ago
- CBC
Polka dots are the summer's biggest fashion trend — but they're back in a louder, more joyful way
Lucille Ball's signature dress on I Love Lucy, Julia Roberts flitting about in a flowy brown and white frock in Pretty Woman, Diana's statement dressing when she was Princess of Wales — these are just some of the images that might come to mind when you think of polka dots. But the iconic print is back and in a loud, fun and joyful way. Demi Moore, Katie Holmes and Olivia Rodrigo were spotted in the pattern earlier this year, but the trend is now reaching its peak. Hailey Bieber stepped out in white capris with black polka dots this summer; actor Pedro Pascal recently attended the world premiere of The Fantastic Four: First Steps in a Tom Ford suit with a silk polka-dot scarf; Dua Lipa and Kylie Jenner donned the dots on their swimwear; and Cynthia Erivo accessorized with the print at Wimbledon. Polka dots even took centre stage at the spring shows back in September — on a T-shirt and short shorts at Acne Studios, and on a halter dress and ballgowns at Carolina Herrera. The retailers Reformation, Abercrombie and Mango are also capitalizing on the polka-dot craze this summer with jumpsuits, camisoles and more. Toronto fashion label Horses Atelier — founded by lifelong friends and novelists Heidi Sopinka and Claudia Dey — also incorporated the pattern into its latest collection. "Polka dots are eternally fascinating to us as designers because they are both a statement print and a neutral," Sopinka said. The duo swapped out their usual summer florals for polka dots, thinking it could offer an escape in the current climate. "In these dark times, it makes sense that we are going toward something so classic and dependable, but also a print that contains such buoyancy and joy," she said. "Dots do this for us. They are timeless and grounded in the past, but contain an exuberance that is more magical than any other print." There's also been a backlash against minimalism in fashion over the past few years, and Montreal-based fashion stylist Amanda Lee Shirreffs says the return of the polka dot speaks to this. "We've moved past our moment of quiet luxury and have entered a louder, more decadent time," she said. These days, polka dots are showing up in fresh ways. "They are playful and modern and work on so many looks, from traditional to punk — statement sleeves and slips paired with oversized leather jackets," Sopinka said. Horses' Alma top, for example, features striking white polka dots on a structured black bodice with a puff sleeve. Sopinka sees polka dots as the "perfect gateway print." She said to style it, you could go for head-to-toe microdots, with a slip dress or a midi skirt and ruffle blouse. For a maximalist vibe, she loves mixing dots with other patterns, like oversized camo pants or a fitted leopard-print skirt. If you prefer to dip your toe in, both Sopinka and Shirreffs say accessories are the way to go: a printed shoe or a polka-dot scrunchie, worn on your wrist like jewelry. Despite the polka dot's ubiquity in pop culture and in fashion, Shirreffs keeps coming back to a mental picture from her childhood: Madonna on her Blond Ambition tour. "The sartorial image that is burned in my memory is when she danced around the stage to Holiday wearing an over-the-top polka-dot look," she said. "No one has done it better, really." Scroll on for some polka-dot styling inspo from fashion creators.
Winnipeg Free Press
11 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Trump and Hulk Hogan forged a decadeslong bond based on wrestling, reality stardom and politics
WASHINGTON (AP) — One was a businessman turned reality TV star twice elected president. The other was a professional wrestler who became politically active later in life. Donald Trump and Hulk Hogan's paths first crossed at a late 1980s wrestling event at one of Trump's Atlantic City, New Jersey, hotels, kicking off a more than three-decadelong friendship that was marked by their obvious career parallels. Both were '80s celebrities who found greater fame in the world of reality television before wielding their influence in politics. Just over a year before his death Thursday, Hogan delivered a rousing speech at the Republican National Convention in July 2024 in Milwaukee during which he dramatically ripped off his T-shirt — to reveal another one bearing the Trump-Vance campaign logo — and endorsed his 'hero,' Trump. Hogan said he was motivated by the attempted assassination of Trump days earlier at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. 'What happened last week, when they took a shot at my hero, and they tried to kill the next president of the United States, enough was enough, and I said: 'Let Trumpamania run wild brother. Let Trumpamania rule again, let Trumpamania make America great again,' Hogan said. On Thursday, Trump mourned his 'strong, tough, smart' friend, who died of a heart attack in Clearwater, Florida. He was 71. 'We lost a great friend today, the 'Hulkster.' Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way — Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart,' Trump wrote on his social media site, using the acronym for his 'Make America Great Again' campaign slogan. 'He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week,' Trump said. 'He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive.' Trump offered warm best wishes and love to Hogan's widow, Sky, and said he 'will be greatly missed.' The official White House account on X shared a photo of a suited Trump and Hogan, wearing a Trump-Vance campaign T-shirt with the sleeves cut off, with their arms clasped as if they were wrestling. The caption said, 'Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!' and included a red heart emoji. Trump went on to enjoy a long association with professional wrestling and some of its top officials, including the husband and wife duo of Vince and Linda McMahon, the founders of World Wrestling Entertainment. Linda McMahon served Trump in both of his administrations and is currently education secretary after heading up the Small Business Administration in his first term. In 2013, Trump was inducted into the celebrity wing of WWE's Hall of Fame. In Milwaukee, Hogan said he had known Trump for more than 35 years and talked about how he won wrestling's world title as the future president sat ringside during a WrestleMania event at Trump Plaza hotel and casino in Atlantic City. 'I was bleeding like a pig and I won the world title right in front of Donald J. Trump and, you know something, he's going to win in November,' Hogan said at the convention. Hogan also addressed thousands at a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden last October. After Trump was reelected, Hogan was among thousands of supporters who went to Trump's victory rally at a Washington sports arena on the eve of the presidential inauguration in January.
