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Without claiming to speak directly on anyone's behalf, "Color: Latino Voices in the Pacific Northwest" presents a tapestry of poignant conversations with people from various Central and South American countries and backgrounds; dialogue they could not communicate on their own. The majority of these new arrivals in the United States can neither read nor speak English. Few are educated; some struggle to sign their own name. Their professions range from attorney to school bus driver. Some embrace the new culture; others merely tolerate it. The author's single page vignettes depict their hopes, dreams, and life experiences—from the ordinary to the overwhelmingly difficult—and offer a fresh, unique look into their seldom seen world. In "Color," a young man who wants to be an auto mechanic cannot understand why he is required to take Psychology 101 at the local community college. "Tell me they're not doing it just to cheat the students out of even more money." A mother recounts how as a little girl, she swept a dirt floor, cooked over a wood fire, and washed clothes in a muddy river. Now, keeping her apartment clean is one of her most enjoyable activities. A laborer is unable to comprehend the poor work ethic of his fellow employees. "Minimum wage is more per hour than I would make at home by a long shot. So I work as hard as I can…but my citizen coworkers are always complaining. They even tell me not to work so hard because I make them look bad!" A father speaks of the intense hunger he felt as a child and his profound joy when he realized that his young son had the luxury of turning down food. Another family endured the opposite. "We never got ahead. The jobs kept drying up on us…we had to pay $800.00! a month to live in an unheated basement with just two mattresses to share for the five of us…Life has been horrible here…I would like to write a book and tell my people, don't come. It isn't like the movies. Don't come." Whether about love, work, play, finances, or family, these accounts illuminate cultural differences in attitudes, rights, and values, and pose intriguing questions about the effects of prosperity and how welcoming this country actually is. Author Lorane A. West paints a very real picture of life for many new immigrants to the United States, and through her portraits, gives Americans a glimpse of themselves that may both surprise and challenge. -- Book Description Compare prices:
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