Spanglish—a spoken hybrid of Spanish and English, which has become increasingly prevalent in Latino communities—is for Morales a metaphor for the developing multiracial America, where one's identity "is about not having to identify with either black or white, while at the same time having the capacity to be both." Morales, who has written extensively for the Village Voice, focuses on underground and mainstream Latino culture and what he sees as their changing modes of assimilation and cultural exchange. In discussing the Lower East Side's famous Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Morales examines the effect of gentrification, finding that the (now defunct) Jennifer Lopez–"Puffy" Combs relationship mirrors the economic and cultural help that black culture has supplied in the mainstreaming and commercialization of Latino culture. Similarly, Morales describes gay culture's apparent influence on John Leguizamo as an example of how Latino artists meld together contemporary urban styles. Much of the book deftly theorizes the moves of these more visible figures, as well as street-level negotiations that are just as engaging. Morales has a deep political aim, backed by a real concern with lesser-known histories, as when he connects his 1992 Mexico City trip to the student uprisings there in 1968 or rhapsodizes about the norteño-
hybrid music scene that includes bands like Café Tacuba. If the book sometimes reads like a series of arts profiles somewhat stiffly strung together, Morales's passion for this—our—emerging culture still comes through. (Mar.)
Forecast: Morales doesn't quite find the hook that will catapult this book to the fore of discussions of multiculturalism, but in the unlikely event that the legalization of Mexican immigrants comes back onto the political table, that would give it to him. For now, a lackluster cover that fails to advertise the book's celeb engagements may limit its reach.
