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Paperback Solito: A Read with Jenna Pick: A Memoir Book

ISBN: 0593498089

ISBN13: 9780593498088

Solito

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Format: Paperback

Condition: Very Good

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Book Overview

New York Times Bestseller - Read With Jenna Book Club Pick as seen on Today - Winner of the Los Angeles Times Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiography - Winner of the American Library Association Alex Award

A young poet tells the inspiring story of his migration from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine in this "gripping memoir" (NPR) of bravery, hope, and finding family.

Finalist for the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction - One of the New York Public Library's Ten Best Books of the Year

Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence and the PEN/Open Book Award

"
I read Solito with my heart in my throat and did not burst into tears until the last sentence. What a person, what a writer, what a book."--Emma Straub

"A riveting tale of perseverance and the lengths humans will go to help each other in times of struggle."--Dave Eggers

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Vulture, She Reads, Kirkus Reviews

Trip. My parents started using that word about a year ago--"one day, you'll take a trip to be with us. Like an adventure."

Javier Zamora's adventure is a three-thousand-mile journey from his small town in El Salvador, through Guatemala and Mexico, and across the U.S. border. He will leave behind his beloved aunt and grandparents to reunite with a mother who left four years ago and a father he barely remembers. Traveling alone amid a group of strangers and a "coyote" hired to lead them to safety, Javier expects his trip to last two short weeks.

At nine years old, all Javier can imagine is rushing into his parents' arms, snuggling in bed between them, and living under the same roof again. He cannot foresee the perilous boat trips, relentless desert treks, pointed guns, arrests and deceptions that await him; nor can he know that those two weeks will expand into two life-altering months alongside fellow migrants who will come to encircle him like an unexpected family.

A memoir as gripping as it is moving, Solito provides an immediate and intimate account not only of a treacherous and near-impossible journey, but also of the miraculous kindness and love delivered at the most unexpected moments. Solito is Javier Zamora's story, but it's also the story of millions of others who had no choice but to leave home.

Customer Reviews

2 ratings

Favorite Memoir

This is such an emotional and captivating memoir. I was sobbing at the end and I had never had a memoir do that to me before. The story telling and vivid details are unparalleled and so genuine. Must read!

intriguing, precious, dirty, disturbing, and quality literature

Zamora's first person account of his immigration to "La USA" is intriguing. Hardships, defeat, fear, and success litter the path like the items and the relationships that the "migrantes" abandon along the way. Zamora is first a poet, and he writes to engage his readers in the feelings and impressions of the main character. He uses details to draw you in and illicit sympathy and heighten tension. At times the plot drags along because of it. The story is told through Zamora’s nine year old eyes and senses. Smells, snippets of conversations, tastes, touches, dreams, and thoughts impact the storyline. Consistent use of the present tense adds a sense of drama. Zamora is a master of language. The book is a primer on Spanish slang and dialects--and especially swear words. There are insights into both Nicaraguan and Mexican colloquialisms. Although I know some Spanish, I had to look up some terms to get the sense, usually a foul sense. Such language would of course impress a nine year old boy. In that way it is a brilliant approach by the author. Often the English reader is left to guess at meanings. Was it necessary on nearly every page? Empathy and disappointment build and wane for the players in the story. Some become heroes, others turn out to be villains, and a sense of distrust dogs the tale all along the way, up to the final page. In that way the suspense never quits. Whom can a migrant trust, especially when so totally vulnerable and terribly desperate? And even more when you are a child who is “solito”. The book opens up a whole new world to those of us who have never experienced the trauma of difficult immigration. Good literature should do that. It is timely in light of the crisis erupting on our southern border. Spoiler alert: the denouement beginning on page 379 is crucial.

Solito Mentions in Our Blog

Solito in Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • September 22, 2022

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual event held from September 15 to October 15. It is a chance to recognize the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to US history and culture. In celebration, here are ten essential Hispanic-American authors.

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