Just recieved my review copy of “A Sense of Belonging – Senator Mel Martinez” and am looking forward to digging into this week. I’ll let a famous, award winning author describe the book, as only he can:
“An extraordinary and inspiring book, Mel Martinez’s account is at once a memoir, a historical document, and a tribute to both his native homeland and his adopted country. Of the fourteen thousand stories that the children of the Pedro Pan airlift could tell, this is definitely one of the most exemplary. Senator Martinez reveals here, as he does in his public life, how the hyphen in ‘Cuban-American’ is like gold refined in a blazing furnace. Years from now–even centuries from now –readers will surely marvel still at the history recorded in these pages.”
—Carlos Eire, National Book Award—winning author of Waiting for Snow in Havana
It’s probably just a funny coincidence, but this blurb on Mel Martinez – probably one of the biggest homophobes in the Senate, showed up right next to the Babalu Blog ad for Johnny Diaz’s book “Miami Manhunt”. I don’t really have anything against Mel other than he ran a very ugly campaign against his Republican opponent, using anti-gay slurs, and generally using a smear-filled campaign. I understand it is par for the course these days, but it has tainted my view of him ever since. I don’t fee like I have to like someone just because they are Cuban and share a disdain for the Castro regime. There are millions of us and not all of them use hate as a divider. Just my 2 cents and I’m glad to see Babalu is so progressive in its advertisements!
P.S. Let Johnny Diaz know the ad worked – I bought the book through the link and have told other friends about it! 🙂
Gracias for supporting Johnny, Cangrejo. He’s a great guy and excellent writer. If you havent already, here’s his blog, which I have been remiss in addingto the blogroll:
http://www.beantowncubanito.blogspot.com/
I’m in the middle of the Martinez book, and although it’s not Eire’s masterpiece, so far, so good. I’m liking it.