The Alphabet in My Hands: A Writing Life

What emerges is an affecting portrait, through one family and related self, of the misunderstood Jew in Chile (and South America). This very eloquent personal account is moving, documentary, lyrical, occasionally melodramatic, seductive and yet, sturdy. The author is a poet who gives remarkable attention to detail. Obstacles as early as in childhood stimulated her imaginary mind which continues to be poetic, creative and immersed in writing, to which Agosín always brings her personal self. Her grandparents from Russia lived in Turkey, and moved to France where her father was born; then they sailed to Chile where they encountered anti-Semitism. Her story reflects what we know from experience: that the point of crises and calamities is not to frighten or beat is into submission or failure, but to encourage us to change, to allow us to heal and grow. Following my first reading, I will savor this book again. I also, highly recommend, HOTEL BOLIVIA by Leo Spitzer (Professor at Dartmouth) about Jewish immigration in Bolivia; much personal experience is shared here. Agosín has been a professor of Spanish Literature at Wellesley Collegefor many years. She has written extensively on contemporary Chilean literature and culture. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, son and daughter.