Growing Up Latino

Augenbraum, a librarian, and Stavans ( Imagining Columbus: The Literary Voyage ) have gathered together the best in autobiographical reflections and fiction by Latino authors to produce this intriguing and excellent volume. These pieces raise the question: What does it mean to grow up Latino in the United States, where there are so many nationalities of Spanish origin? Is a pan-Hispanic identity being forged? A brief excerpt of Oscar ``Zeta'' Acosta's The Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo is about growing up during WW II, the son of a Mexican father who has become an enthusiastic American and a mother who sings songs from the homeland. A selection from Jose Antonio Villareal's seminal novel Pocho tells of a strike by farm laborers during the Depression through the eyes of a young boy . Masterful stories are also collected from Rudolfo Anaya, Sandra Cisneros and Gloria Anzaldua. Edward Rivera's seriocomic tale of his first Communion and Nash Candelaria's tale concerning the nature and cultural character of hero worship deserve to be singled out. The introduction, a fine overview of Latino autobiography, helps put the selections into their cultural context. (Feb.)