FEB - When I Was Puerto Rican

February review for Book Riot's Read Harder 2017: When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago, 1994. [book about immigration or by an immigrant category]

The second February book I chose for Read Harder is When I Was Puerto Rican, by Esmeralda Santiago, as the "book about immigration or by an immigrant" category filler. When I Was Puerto Rican is not your typical memoir: it starts and stays in the author's past, beginning when she was very young, growing up in rural Puerto Rico and following her through her journey to New York. It is told from a very young point of view, never really alluding to the fact that it is reminiscence, and the reader's comprehension--of the world, of Santiago's story--grows as hers does.

In light of today's political climate surrounding immigration, it was interesting to hear an immigration narrative in the voice of someone who doesn't necessarily understand what it means; When I Was Puerto Rican does not boast a self-aware take until the end. Santiago grew up in the 1950s, in the midst of the push for the Americanization of the Puerto Rican territory, with aid groups coming to distribute food to rural villages and teach them about health and nutrition during the election. I needed to do a little reading on Puerto Rico's history as a supplement to Santiago's story, since it was told through her child's perspective, but it was interesting to note the different perspectives and racial divides Santiago notes upon her move to New York, hearing echoes of current pains.

I enjoyed Santiago's writing immensely, though it was simplistic and relatively easy to digest. I loved her inclusion of Spanish, and I would love to read the text in Spanish at some point.