Dominican authors II, beyond Junot Diaz and Julia Alvarez

CRISOSTOMO

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I don?t know how many of those in the forum are fluent in Spanish, given the fact that most of the threads are in English ? but I wanted to comment that to me it?s interesting that most of the worthwhile writers of Dominican ancestry are writing in English.

To me it?s an interesting statement on the shift of Dominican identity from a country whose culture was rooted in Hispanic "criollismo" to one whose Diaspora sets the tone of cultural and political dialogue as much as it does affect the country?s economy.

Think of Dominican writers and it?s Junot D?az and Julia ?lvarez who will come to mind. They?re mostly U.S. educated, Americanized, second-generation voices of the ?Dominican? experience.

I?m not saying that?s wrong. I?m saying that it reflects the intellectual stagnation of the half-island.

If you ask about writers in the Dominican Republic, most people would only know of political "caudillos" like Juan Bosch and Joaqu?n Balaguer. Bosch was a good short story writer; Balaguer just an OK writer. Both were mostly politicos. Both are dead.

There are really no major literary works coming from the Dominican Republic. For example, Colombians can speak of ?One hundred years of Solitude? and M?rquez. Mexicans can choose between Carlos Fuentes, Octavio Paz, Juan Rulfo, Mariano Azuela, Elena Poniatowska and many others. Chileans have Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral. Argentinians have Julio Cort?zar and dozens others.

Dominicans can maybe cite Pedro Mir, but he?s not really that well-known outside the island; Salom? Ure?a, but she lived a very, very long time ago; or Manuel de Jes?s Galv?n, but he?s from as long a time ago as the period when Cuban poet Jos? Mart? was dreaming of one Latin America. In the last decade, Viriato Senci?n had some literary success, but that was mostly due to the political undertones of the book and the country?s fascination with Balaguer.

The point is, in my view, we do not have any transcendent literary masters in the country's language. The Peruvian Mario Vargas Llosa had to come and write the only blockbuster Dominican-themed novel in Spanish, "La fiesta del chivo?. I hate him and admire him for it.

So the question I am throwing out there is why is there no real literary tradition in the Dominican Republic? Why are there not writers surfacing that could tell the country?s story in a way that is universally appealing? I don?t expect any definite answers, just sort of opening the discussion.

I blame the country?s poor educational system and sort of anti-literacy, anti-intellectualism mentality of its popular culture.
 

linamia

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[/QUOTE]I blame the country?s poor educational system and sort of anti-literacy, anti-intellectualism mentality of its popular culture.[/QUOTE]


So do I, and its a pity because there are so many stories to tell.

Lina
 

Marianopolita

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I certainly agree with you on many fronts and your question is very interesting. I am an avid reader and I can't say that Dominican literature is recognized when literary giants are mentioned or even when Latin American literature is offered in university studies etc. As you mentioned many other countries have literary recognition past and present which is reflection of the pro-intellectual mentality of the country or its intellectual circle. Well renowned authors from Colombia, Per?, Argentina, Chile, Cuba and Puerto Rico just to name a few have many writers who are a fine display of their country's literary array.

I am not a fan of translated literature therefore Julia Alvarez & co. never appealed to me. Although they put Dominican authors on the map per se it would be nice to have a modern day voice from the island equally as significant in the Latin American literary circle. However, I think you inadvertently answered your own question when you said:

"I blame the country?s poor educational system and sort of anti-literacy, anti-intellectualism mentality of its popular culture".

That is exactly the problem and the literary works of politicians alone do not capture the essence of a country's sentiment the way novels do in my opinion. I think it will be a while before a Dominican literary giant from the island rises to the forefront in the ranks of Gaby M, Mario Vargas Llosa, Daina Chaviano (Cuban) etc. Personally, I love Caribbean literature and I am currently enjoying the literary works by Cuban and Puerto Rican authors.


LDG.
 
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mkohn

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Totally in agreement on this:
"I blame the country?s poor educational system and sort of anti-literacy, anti-intellectualism mentality of its popular culture".

There must be somebody out there who's willing to go out in the DR and interview people regarding their memories, feelings, experiences, etc. and then write it down and get it published...
So many stories!
Anybody?
mkohn
 

DRPAWA

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Lesley D...

The sheer number of quality authors from those Latin American countries one can possibly attribute not only to better educational systems in those countries but also to the size of their populations (from 16M in Chile to 43M in Colombia).

Puerto Rico and Cuba have populations comparable to that of DR but look at the experiences they've had over the last 100 years - Cuba's communism and Puerto Rico's becoming a commonwealth of the US. Those are significant events that will move writers to write significant works. Would you not agree?

As for Julia Alvarez, she's truly a brilliant writter (as can be seen in Yo!) and it made no difference to me that she was raised (born?) in the States. When I read In the Time of the Butterflies and Yo! I felt like wow, she's taken me back to my childhood by capturing the essense of the Dominican experience.
Besides, I came to the states at such a young age that I wouldn't be able to read a novel in Spanish so I'm thankful that I can read them in English.
 

Chirimoya

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There are a lot of active writers in the country. Check out the Dominican authors section at bookshops like Cuesta. Whether they are any good (and I am no judge) is another matter.

Lesley D said:
I am not a fan of translated literature therefore Julia Alvarez & co. never appealed to me.

Julia Alvarez writes in English, so her work is not translated. Unless you refer to your stated preference for reading in Spanish, I don't understand that statement.

I am a big fan of writers who write in English but are not Anglo, if you get my drift. I include people like Rohinton Mistry (from India but living and writing in Canada) and other Indian authors as well as the US-based Latinos writing in English.
 

Marianopolita

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DRPAWA & Chirimoya

DRPAWA,

I appreciate your insight and point of view. Yes, I do agree with you in terms of the educational systems being better in other countries thus the difference in literary quality and output. I am glad you are enjoying Julia Alvarez.


DRPAWA & Chirimoya,

Chiri, I was referring to my preference for reading in Spanish and to the OP's comment: "but I wanted to comment that to me it?s interesting that most of the worthwhile writers of Dominican ancestry are writing in English".

I have not read any of Julia Alvarez' works in English and maybe that could be the fundamental difference. Please note I am not saying she is not a good author. I read ?YO! in Spanish and it was a delight. However, I read En el nombre de Salom? and that was a struggle. It may have been the combination of the theme of the book along with a not so good translation (Eng to Span).

On my list of many errands when I go back to SD is to spend time in the Dominican authors section at Librer?a Cuesta. I would love to read contemporary Dominican literature since I have read many Cuban and Puerto Rican novels.


LDG.



DRPAWA said:
The sheer number of quality authors from those Latin American countries one can possibly attribute not only to better educational systems in those countries but also to the size of their populations (from 16M in Chile to 43M in Colombia).

Puerto Rico and Cuba have populations comparable to that of DR but look at the experiences they've had over the last 100 years - Cuba's communism and Puerto Rico's becoming a commonwealth of the US. Those are significant events that will move writers to write significant works. Would you not agree?

As for Julia Alvarez, she's truly a brilliant writter (as can be seen in Yo!) and it made no difference to me that she was raised (born?) in the States. When I read In the Time of the Butterflies and Yo! I felt like wow, she's taken me back to my childhood by capturing the essense of the Dominican experience.
Besides, I came to the states at such a young age that I wouldn't be able to read a novel in Spanish so I'm thankful that I can read them in English.
 
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CRISOSTOMO

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Follow-up

Chirimoya said:
There are a lot of active writers in the country. Check out the Dominican authors section at bookshops like Cuesta. Whether they are any good (and I am no judge) is another matter.



Julia Alvarez writes in English, so her work is not translated. Unless you refer to your stated preference for reading in Spanish, I don't understand that statement.

I am a big fan of writers who write in English but are not Anglo, if you get my drift. I include people like Rohinton Mistry (from India but living and writing in Canada) and other Indian authors as well as the US-based Latinos writing in English.


Hello everyone. I made it clear with my first post that I don't see anything wrong with those Dominicans who have the American experience to write in English. What I am saying is that there are no Dominican writers from the country whose works are transcending, going beyond the island... That's because there aren't that many good writers in the country... There's a website (www.escritoresdominicanos.com) that has sort of a catalog of Dominican writers. (and, of course, they would write in Spanish living in the DR, but their works could be translated if they were any good) Most are marginal, old and those who have been known outside the country are already dead. So writing does not seem to be flourishing as an art form in the DR, maybe because, to start with, there's a dearth of readers... And yes it's interesting to read D?az or Alvarez, but they are not expressing the "Dominicanness" of those who live (or have lived for long) on DR... Their experience of being Dominican is completely different. As a matter of fact, they do not even fully express the experience of Dominican migration, because they are already one step ahead, assimilated. I don't say that with a negative connotation. It's just what it is... Let me sort of extrapolate and say this. What if all the bachatas and merengues were in English? Would they speak to the experiences of island dwellers, or to something else that derives from there?

I think the country has yet to produce its first literary genius.
 

Marianopolita

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Crisostomo

Thanks for providing that link. It's a good webpage on Dominican literature. After reviewing it I come to same conclusion as you. The DR is yet to have a literary genius as you said or a "renowned" writer who is known in the Latin American literary circle.

Out of the group of contemporary writers I have one book by Pedro Antonio Valdez still to be read so I can't comment on his writing however, the link is not up to date because the novel is not listed. I have Carnaval de Sodoma which takes place in La Vega per the back cover of the book. It makes me curious. I may read it after the book I am reading now just to be able to comment further in this thread.


LDG.
 
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CRISOSTOMO

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Carnaval de Sodoma

Lesley D said:
Thanks for providing that link. It's a good webpage on Dominican literature. After reviewing it I come to same conclusion as you. The DR is yet to have a literary genius as you said or a "renowned" writer who is known in the Latin American literary circle.

Out of the group of contemporary writers I have one book by Pedro Antonio V?ldez still to be read so I can't comment on his writing however, the link is not up to date because the novel is not listed. I have Carnaval de Sodoma which takes place in La Vega per the back cover of the book. It makes me curious. I may read it after the book I am reading now just to be able to comment further in this thread.


LDG.

Hello Lesley; thanks for following up. I read an earlier version of that novel.

It was originally called "Bachata de un ?ngel caido" ("A fallen angel's bachata"), but he rewrote it to be republished with Alfaguara, a major publishing house. I won't tell you what it's about, but I mostly enjoyed it. It was a bit loose and disorganized at times, although that may have been fixed for the reworked edition. Despite its bright moments, it's still not at the level of writing that other Latin American countries are. He's got potential, though.
 

Tordok

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there's hope

As a fan of Spanish language fiction, I must agree that I am dissappointed by the less than stellar performance of Dominican writers. Among the few who have dared to be postmodern, and do it well, is a young woman by the name of Rita Indiana Hern?ndez. Her now 5 years old short novel, La Estrategia de Chochueca, is one of my favorite books by contemporary Dominicans.

Chochueca is a short, up-tempo tale of nihilistic youth. It delivers a welcome moment of irreverence, with a sort of mellowed-out punk ethos with a hip-hop swagger. This is not plain bachata and Brugal, its more like ectasy mixed with Presidente. It is not a novel about the usual suspects of political torture and heroism, or even the repetitive themes of exploited campesinos. There are literary artifacts and mannerisms, sure, but this work is so genuinely different from what we have been accustomed to by other Dominican pens, that it is worthwile the read.

On the surface, it is about a small group of urban petit-bourgeois kids and their pecadilloes. But it is more than just the angst of ennui- concepts alien to the more traditional Dominican writer archetypes who believe that serious matters -like literature and other stuff like class struggles- should always be dealt with "seriously" and with vivid, cruel realism. This book exposes a subculture that is there and could not be anywhere else, yet has nothing to do with the traditional cast of characters associated with the 'Dominicanidad'.

This young author shows an impressive grasp of the ironies of modern culture in its Dominican permutations, and she readily captures the cacophony of 'la capital' in ways that we have never seen the old-school folks do it. She uses slang effectively, with sophisticated humor that doesn't lose its authenticity. I highly recommend this little book.

IMO, Rita Indiana has the talent to grow into more than just a local 1-hit wonder, she might have a chance to gain a larger readership internationally. I'm sure there other young Dominican authors developing their craft as we ponder these questions here. I, for one, am still waiting for THE Dominican version of giants like Garcia Marquez or Vargas Llosa.

- Tordok
Estrategia de Chochueca review in Spanish@:
http://www.cielonaranja.com/hernandez_victoriano.htm
 

CRISOSTOMO

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You should write reviews...

Tordok said:
As a fan of Spanish language fiction, I must agree that I am dissappointed by the less than stellar performance of Dominican writers. Among the few who have dared to be postmodern, and do it well, is a young woman by the name of Rita Indiana Hern?ndez. Her now 5 years old short novel, La Estrategia de Chochueca, is one of my favorite books by contemporary Dominicans.

Chochueca is a short, up-tempo tale of nihilistic youth. It delivers a welcome moment of irreverence, with a sort of mellowed-out punk ethos with a hip-hop swagger. This is not plain bachata and Brugal, its more like ectasy mixed with Presidente. It is not a novel about the usual suspects of political torture and heroism, or even the repetitive themes of exploited campesinos. There are literary artifacts and mannerisms, sure, but this work is so genuinely different from what we have been accustomed to by other Dominican pens, that it is worthwile the read.

On the surface, it is about a small group of urban petit-bourgeois kids and their pecadilloes. But it is more than just the angst of ennui- concepts alien to the more traditional Dominican writer archetypes who believe that serious matters -like literature and other stuff like class struggles- should always be dealt with "seriously" and with vivid, cruel realism. This book exposes a subculture that is there and could not be anywhere else, yet has nothing to do with the traditional cast of characters associated with the 'Dominicanidad'.

This young author shows an impressive grasp of the ironies of modern culture in its Dominican permutations, and she readily captures the cacophony of 'la capital' in ways that we have never seen the old-school folks do it. She uses slang effectively, with sophisticated humor that doesn't lose its authenticity. I highly recommend this little book.

IMO, Rita Indiana has the talent to grow into more than just a local 1-hit wonder, she might have a chance to gain a larger readership internationally. I'm sure there other young Dominican authors developing their craft as we ponder these questions here. I, for one, am still waiting for THE Dominican version of giants like Garcia Marquez or Vargas Llosa.

- Tordok
Estrategia de Chochueca review in Spanish@:
http://www.cielonaranja.com/hernandez_victoriano.htm


Thanks for the recommendation. With that review, I'll have to read it.
 

Tordok

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Hello book lovers,
just got back from the DR and had a chance to find a couple of good Dominican-authored fiction books in Spanish.

1. La Mosca Soldado- Marcio Veloz Maggiolo
If you can accept the somewhat over-the-top metaphors and purposefully "poetic" prose and be patient with the initially repetitive storytelling, you'll be rewarded with a truly compelling and beatiful Dominican story of historical and scientific interest, written with philosophical depth and artistic integrity.

2. EL Secreto de Neguri- Luis Arambilet
Well-crafted. Quite humorous. More cosmopolitan and post-freudian in its treatment of human frailties than those we've been acustomed by more traditional Dominican writers. Well-paced, character-driven with plenty of voyeuristic pleasures.

I also got a copy of the aforementioned El Carnaval de Sodoma but haven't had time to start that one yet. BTW, Crisostomo; I saw a new edition of the Estrategia de Chochueca at the Thesaurus bookstore, in the Dominican authors section. Tiny book, you migh miss it if not careful in your search.
cheers,
- Tordok
:glasses:
 

macocael

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Since I am combing the threads here looking for suggestions as to what to read in Spanish, I came across this thread and felt I had to throw in my 2 cents worth of commentary here -- and it really is just two cents worth, as my knowledge of Spanish language literature is very limited. I agree that DR has yet to produce a significant body of world class literature -- and while poor education and a lack of interest in reading here are factors, I think there are others as well -- but I would like to argue for a revision of opinion vis a vis Pedro Mir, who is not known generally outside of the island because of marketing and distribution, not because of anything to do with the inherent literary qualities of his poetry. Professor Jean Franco of the Spanish Dept at Columbia University tried to change this by publishing his major poems in a bilingual edition (rather well done too). While Mir was not as prolific or as accomplished as someone like Neruda, for example, I think that we can argue safely for a niche somewhere in the ranks of World Literature, no? Would any of you with expertise in Spanish literature care to weigh in on this?
 

Jon S.

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Quick question: where can I buy "La Estrategia de Chochueca"? It's obviously harder to do so here in the US. People have told me about it for years but I never got it. Please tell me, I can have someone buy it for me at a 'Libreria' in Sto Dgo and bring it to me in a few weeks. Also, the books mentioned by Tordok, if yall can point me in the right direction it would be helpful. I miss reading books in Spanish, I devour them as soon as I buy them.
 

andrewpattenden

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You Guys Have Been Reading Too Much And Living Too Little, If You Haven't Lived And Integrated In The Dr Then Don't Expect Dominican Literature To Speak To You, The Charm Is In Knowing What The Hell The Author Is Talking About And The Feelings You Get When Something Is Being Described A Story Being Told Or An In Joke Being Understood, Another Thing Balaguer And Bosch Were Great Writers Much Better Than The Celebrated Gabriel Garcia Marquez Who's Stories Seem To Run Out Of Steam Towards The End And Do Not Have The Depth Or Intellectual Stamina Bosch's And Balaguers Do, Ya'll Are Just 2nd Gen Dominicans/outsiders That Have Gone To University, Read A Few Books And Are Now "experts" On Whats Good. Damn Coconuts! Keep It Real
 

Tordok

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andrewpattenden said:
You Guys Have Been Reading Too Much And Living Too Little, If You Haven't Lived And Integrated In The Dr Then Don't Expect Dominican Literature To Speak To You, The Charm Is In Knowing What The Hell The Author Is Talking About And The Feelings You Get When Something Is Being Described A Story Being Told Or An In Joke Being Understood, Another Thing Balaguer And Bosch Were Great Writers Much Better Than The Celebrated Gabriel Garcia Marquez Who's Stories Seem To Run Out Of Steam Towards The End And Do Not Have The Depth Or Intellectual Stamina Bosch's And Balaguers Do, Ya'll Are Just 2nd Gen Dominicans/outsiders That Have Gone To University, Read A Few Books And Are Now "experts" On Whats Good. Damn Coconuts! Keep It Real

Andrew,
Your're either joking or, else, YOU have been reading too Little and lived too little as well. There's no such malady as "Reading too Much". I'll grant you that some do suffer from "Living too Little", maybe, but reading too much is simply not possible.

Sorry, but both Bosch and Balaguer were cultural warriors who allowed politics to over-run their literary works.

Just because Balaguer read and wrote a lot doesn't mean that he wrote well. He was very well-versed in the European classics, but his writing did not offer anything new, Dominican or otherwise, and none of it was particularly interesting. His style was didactic and pre-fabricated. Not a good writer. Maybe an excellent teacher, but not a good writer.

Another good "professor" was Bosch, a more astute social observer who was also able to craft a few technically sound good stories. He is highly overrated as a writer at the national level, unfortunately he is highly underrated internationally. His real "extra-political" value as a writer is somewhere in-between these two perceptions. Good writer, not superb.

- Tordok
 

andrewpattenden

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Tordok,

Have you ever integrated in the DR to know what I,m on about? You seem to have forgotten about this part of my argument.
 

Tordok

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andrewpattenden said:
Tordok,

Have you ever integrated in the DR to know what I,m on about? You seem to have forgotten about this part of my argument.

Hey Andrew,

I think I understand that aspect of your argument as well, which otherwise stated, it is your opinion that in order to have an appreciation about the quality of Dominican literature it is necessary to have an actual immersion in the local culture.

I think that being "integrated" helps, but it is not entirely essential. I have been fortunate to have read literature from a variety of cultures and historical times with which I couldn't possibly have been a part of in real life, however it was precisely because the literature was good (or bad) that I think that I have been able to intellectually and spiritually grow by learning more about both the mundane and the deeper issues arising from those other cultures and times.

My opinion remains, that most Dominican literature is unsurprisingly conventional but that there are random examples of highly creative and technically superior work.

BTW, I am not a Literature expert, just someone who likes to read.

- Tordok
 

macocael

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Andrew, I do happen to be a literature expert, taught world literature and a lot of other things at Columbia University, and while I grant you that being "integrated" as you put it can help a lot toward understanding a nation's literature, and that reading a lot of books doesnt necessarily make one a good critic of literature in general, your comment is off base, for several reasons. First of all, just by reading Tordok's posts I can tell right off that his judgments are solid and sober, because instead of just making assertions, as you do, he gives reasons for his judgments. Balaguer's style is stiff, formal, consciously classical and European, but thoroughly imitative. He brings nothing original in style or in content. Bosch I happen to like quite a lot, and I am an admirer of his Cuentos Escritos en el Exilio. A big admirer. But I think Tordok is right again, he is overrated by Dominicans but underrated abroad, which is a shame. There is a lot of good Dominican literature that falls into this category.

Which brings me to my original post: Pedro Mir, it seems to me, is an example of Dominican literature that manages to excel national levels and achieve world class ranking. Not only are his themes epic and well sustained,but his form, his stylistic ideas or innovation earn him a special place in the ranks of World Literature. (Well, I admire him for personal reasons too, as I got to know him briefly before he died, and I have to say he was a great gentleman, a fine intellectual, a man of ideas, always curious to know more. he is missed.)

National pride in one's literature is one thing, but that pride shouldnt prevent you from making reasoned judgments about it. As for "integration" being a valid category, I am uncertain. Freud pointed out a long time ago that self knowledge was no less deceptive than any other form of knowledge. Sometimes an outsider can know more, or see better, than an insider. But if this remains your priority, I can tell you I am pretty "integrated" as you put it. I have lived here some time, travelled all around, not just geographically but socially, up and down the social totem, and if you wish I can detail my "qualifications" for being considered integrated and you can draw your own conclusions. And how do you know, for example, that Tordok himself isnt thoroughly immersed, thoroughly Dominican in fact? He is just too polite to get into all that, or uninterested. He sticks to the rational points, which is admirable.

Anyway, no one is trying to put down Dominican literature -- or at least I am not, and i dont read Tordok that way either.

A side note: anyone on this forum know where I can find a copy of Edmundo Desnoes' "Memories of Underdevelopment." Really hard to find.