Book Reading and Signing in Los Angeles

Sandra Cisneros

Sandra Cisneros will be speaking on Los que No Pertenecen/Those Who Don't Belong at the International Book Fair this Saturday, at 6:30 p.m. in the Sala Javier Villafañe-Pabellon Azul. 

Her books are classics, and The House on Mango Street (1984) is on all YA reading lists.

I chose a quote from Caramelo to begin the chapter in my book on Leaving San Miguel:

That terrible ache and nostalgia for home when home is gone, and this isn’t it. And the sun so white like an onion. And who the hell thought of placing a city here with no large body of water anyway! In less than three hours we could be at the border, but where’s the border to the past, I ask you, where?

~ Sandra Cisneros, Caramelo

There is a reception for her at the U.S. Embassy Residence, to which I was invited, but unfortunately I will be out of town. I would have loved to meet her and to tell her how important her books are to the Los Angeles Public Library and what they have meant to me. 

I Survived La Charla

My book for sale at Kel's stand

A pretty exciting experience for me: my first book reading! I wasn't that great at it, as I get too emotional. But it was a fabulous experience in all--especially because so many friends showed up in support.



The International Book Fair in Buenos Aires has grown to be second only to the Frankfurt Fair, and is the largest one of course in Latin America. It takes place for three weeks every year in the huge Palermo fairgrounds, La Rural, where Ruben and I danced in the tango championship finals in 2006.

Four big pavilions house the many stands of publishers and bookstores from all over the world. Strange to see stands from Cuba and Paraguay, and not from the U.K. (Politics play a part in everything, unfortunately in books and information as well.) It was great to see so many people not only interested in books, but buying them too, even mine!

The U.S. Embassy stand is quite impressive with its sleek white curves and changing colors via spotlights. It is simple, elegant and clean at the same time. There are several iPads in the lobby area with games and puzzles having to do with the U.S. And then a circular room with white poofs for the presentations.

Leave it to the U.S. to have a living Liberty!
Later when Liberty was off duty, Elvis took her place.

My charla announcement in Castellano

Here I am doing my thing. You can't see the plasma screen that showed photos of the book cover, France, Mexico and the Milonga de los Consagrados

Is this ironic? I hope he gets a visa one day!

Celebrating in the VIP Salon

Many of my colleagues from the Buenos Aires English Writers Group were there (not pictured are Stephen Page and Donigan Merritt who also did presentations) Friends Beatrice Murch and Karla Freeman also attended, and several more left messages that they tried but couldn't manage the 90 minute wait in line for tickets.

We all wanted to celebrate, so we stood in line at one of the many cafes and ordered a bottle of Champagne, and another of malbec, while Ruben and Daniel were trying to arrange a table for six in the crowded cafe. Every time I looked over at Ruben, he was carrying a plastic chair over his head through the crowd.

The young man at the register told us we couldn't seat us there, and we said, no problem, our guys are arranging it over in the corner. He called someone on his cell phone while we were anxious to order some munchies to go with the drinks. The line behind us got longer and longer, but he was unflappable. Finally all was paid for, and instead of letting us go to our corner table, a waitress appeared and, opening a velvet rope, ushered us upstairs to the VIP Salon! We sat on purple and cerise velvet chairs and had our wines served in appropriate crystal far away from the bustling and noisy crowd downstairs. It was like a serendipitous miracle. And so much fun. If this is the author's life, then it's for me! But now I've got to get back to work on my prequel.

Happy book signing

Thanks so much to Holly Murten and the U.S. Embassy for inviting me to share my book with the public in such a lovely way.

My Book Reading at the Fair

U.S. Embassy Booth at the International Book Fair

I'm very proud and honored, as well as nervous, to have been invited by the U.S. Embassy to read from The Church of Tango at the International Book Fair.

The reading will be this Monday, April 30 (which is a holiday here in Buenos Aires), at 6:00 p.m. Following my presentation will be Donigan Merritt reading from his novel, Blossom, at 7:00 p.m.

Like many writers who are used to working alone in silent rooms, it's a bit traumatic to read aloud one's own work and in this case, about myself as well. I've always been afraid of public speaking, and for that reason joined International Toastmasters when I first arrived in BsAs, where I met some fabulous folks and got some experience but never conquered my fears. Still, it's a chance for personal growth, as they say.

So if you're around and enjoy books, come to the Fair, the largest book fair in Latin America, and give me some moral support while you're there.

Copies of my book will be available at KEL Books, close to the Embassy stand, for 100 pesos, and I will be delighted to sign it for you.

Hope to see you there!

For complete directions, go here.

38th International Book Fair in Buenos Aires Opens Today

Today begins the 3 week run at the huge fairgrounds in Buenos Aires, La Rural. Don't miss it if you are here and love books. And if possible, please attend my reading of The Church of Tango at the U.S. Embassy booth on Monday, April 30 (a holiday), at 6 p.m. If you go at 5:00 you can hear Ian Mount speak on the wines of Argentina, watch my presentation, and then stay to hear Donigan Merritt read from his novel, Blossom. Another American writer, Stephen Page, will be reading his poetry on Friday, April 27, at 5:00 p.m.

Read about it in Spanish on the official website.

And in English here.      

Here's a complete list and biographies in Spanish of the speakers at the U.S. Embassy booth during the Feria.

Schedules and BIOs 11 Apr 12

For The Kindlephiliacs

I'm happy to announce that due to popular demand, my memoir The Church of Tango is now available as a Kindle download from Amazon.

Also, for those who are reading it or just otherwise curious, photos from the times and places of the book are visible on the Facebook The Church of Tango page.

The Church of Tango: a Memoir, published January 21, 2012

Finally.

I started writing this story at the time it began--in February of 1992, when I was so depressed after my husband's death I wanted to swallow all of his left-over meds and follow him into the beyond. So what began in a way as a journal or diary became the chronicle of my road to survival in four countries. And once I made that decision to live no matter what tragedy came my way, I plugged on, through one tremendous loss after another, by dancing. No, not yet had the tango found me, but whatever dance there was at the time came to my rescue. I had always been a dancer, and now I knew dance could save me from despair.

As my adventures unfolded, the manuscript grew and grew. I had to make cuts in events, characters, reflections and realizations. That was the hardest part of bringing this story to fruition. There is so much left out. Who knows, maybe I'll write The Daughter of the Church of Tango, or a prequel one day.

Our students come from all over the world: China, The Philippines, Australia, Viet Nam, New Zealand, Hawaii, South Africa, India, Nepal, Finland, Russia, Israel, Scandinavia, all over Europe, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. And one question almost all ask me is, how did I end up teaching tango in Argentina?

This book is my answer.

Lots of women have come to Buenos Aires for tango, stayed a while, and went home and wrote about their experiences. There are a couple of tango histories available in English, as well as a couple of Buenos Aires milonga guide books. There are self-help books using tango as a way to better interpersonal relationships. There are some novels about tango in Buenos Aires.

My memoir is not like any of them; it is not a "tango book," but a story of survival that cuts across death, cancer, Alzheimer's, loss of home and homeland and cherished heirlooms and possessions, loss of shared histories, of hope for one's children, of hope for the future, of love. But it's also about finding love and unexpected joy. And about listening to the music and dancing.

It can be ordered from the printer online: https://www.createspace.com/3733773

Now available on Amazon and soon as an ebook for Kindle.

Thanks for the Memoirs!

Just as my own memoir, The Church of Tango, is readying itself for publication, there is yet another woman's tango memoir soon to be published in the UK. I guess that proves there is an audience out there. Where are the tango memoirs written by men? There are a couple of excellent books by men, Long After Midnight at the Nino Bien, kind of a non-fiction novelized travelogue by yanqui Brian Winter, and Here At the End of the World We Learn to Dance, a well-written novel by kiwi Lloyd Jones, a prize-winning author.


Now there is Twelve Minutes of Love by Kapka Kassabova, a Bulgarian who currently lives in Scotland, which is being published this month by Portobello Books. Here is the artistic trailer for the book, featuring oil paintings by animation artist Em Cooper, music by Piazzolla, and stage tango moves.
 Do I have a dirty mind or are there ink blot references to a woman's anatomy?


 

I understand why there are so many tango blogs and memoirs, as people are trying to explain to themselves and others the profundity and emotional content of this dance that is inexplicable in words. Men write tango blogs, but as yet no tango memoir. I wish I were a psychologist so I could speculate as to why. And why women feel compelled to share their emotional tango journeys with others.


You can listen to a BBC interview with Kapka, as well as our own Sally Blake, author of Happy Tango: Sallycat's Guide to Dancing in Buenos Aires.

And now I'd better get to work on my video trailer for The Church of Tango! Any ideas for me out there?

"Dark Tangos" Novel as a Free Download

The starred review from BOOKLIST said, "Delivers its grim story line with artistic mastery....Short and precise, the novel uses the elegance of tango to radiate sensuality throughout. This is an absorbing and surprisingly action-packed tale based in the ugly truths of Argentina's history.'"

I'm reading the novel now and think it's excellent, especially the description of the tango and the milonga scenes.



You can download the free PDF file from the BoingBoing website--just click the book cover.

It's kind of discouraging because I'm getting my memoir, The Church of Tango, ready to publish. And Mr. Shiner is giving his ebook away for free. You can still purchase a hardback copy on Amazon for $23.10.

Tango Lover's Guide to Buenos Aires

Buy on Amazon

Tango tourism is a relatively new phenomenon in Buenos Aires. When I first came in 1997, it was a rarity. We 35 or so Americans were looked on as exotic, and many milongas and milongueros didn't know what to do with us. Luckily we had an expert guide (Daniel Trenner), and for many of us on the tour, it was a life-changing experience.

Since then foreigners from the four corners of the earth have flocked to Buenos Aires to experience the "real" tango in its birth place. Every serious tanguero eventually makes the pilgrimage.

But the milongas are a hidden world. You have to know where they are, which night of the week, what time. There are no neon signs outside saying, "Tango Here Tonight!" That's part of the charm.

But sometimes foreign tangueros get lost. They don't know where, when, what milongas to attend, even if they have a list of them, even if they have all of the free tango magazines in hand.

Because it's important to know what style is danced, the age group, the ambiance, I'm surprised that more tango guides for foreign dancers have not been written. No matter what anyone claims, we all need help to figure out how to spend our time and our pesos when we visit Buenos Aires.

Migdalia Romero has written the Tango Lover's Guide to Buenos Aires: Insights and Recommendations to help the tango tourist make the most of their vacation. One thing I especially like about her book is the Table of Contents, but more importantly the Index, so helpful in finding the information you need that is buried in the middle of the book.

To help keep the information current, she publishes monthly an online guide to changes and special tango events.

Also included is information on tango shows, cultural centers, shopping, restaurants.

Another resource to add to Sally Blake's Happy Tango.

Critique the Beginning of My Memoir

Painting of my tango shoes by Mexican artist Santiago Corral

Please help me by critiquing the beginning of my memoir, The Church of Tango:  Death, Dance, Destiny

by reading the first chapter here and commenting:
Create Space Preview
https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1085242

Be honest. I appreciate it.

Book Crazy

I am a trained information specialist, a librarian. I worked all my life with books and the organization of information. I have advanced degrees. Why then am I stumped with how to arrange the books in my one bookcase?

Showing half the biblioteca with Ruben and lovely student

Do I put them by size--the bottom shelf is the only one that will hold oversized art books. Do I put them by author? Those that are signed to me by the authors? Books that I've read vs books that I've yet to read? Books by country--I've got Argentina, Mexico, Cuba, France and Brazil--with a few about Italy, China, India, Guatemala, and Afghanistan. Books by subject--dance, writing, memoir, cemeteries (yes, I have lots of those), travel, art (generally the oversized ones), music, biography, children's, history (heavy on WWI & II), or as decorators sometimes do, by color?

I only have five shelves. If I get a new book, an old one has to go. Do I keep the really good ones I've read and hope to either reread or to pass on to someone else? If I can't remember I've read them, shall I read them again? If I haven't read them yet, what's the cut off time--how many months, years, decades should they hang around?

Today I emptied the five shelves to organize and to dust. Books accumulate dust like nobody's business and boy am I allergic.

Now I've filled the bookcase and there is still an equal number on the floor. Have they multiplied like coathangers in the back of a closet?

Bringing my books with me has been a tema in my life as a traveler and expatriate. Wherever I've lived there have been books in every room of my house. Just knowing they are there makes me feel good. Having collected books throughout my life, it was painful to pare down when I moved from Los Angeles. But there is nothing heavier than a box of books. And the books I have with me today I brought one by one on the plane with me each trip I made back for visits. I had to leave even more behind in my son's garage. But now he's moved, and I don't ask what happened to all of those books.

Some books I brought to Buenos Aires are quite valuable--so then what happens when I'm gone? No one here will know their value, or care. And realistically, why should I?

Since the living room is also our dance studio, the bookcase is the only area I have to display my tchotkes, and I've got a lot of those too.

No, I'm not ready to start over with a Kindle, thank you very much. But maybe one day.

Margareta's Tango Passion

Margareta (right) with the Swedish Ambassador Charlotte Wrangberg

 Margareta Westergard and I met in 2000 when she made her first tango pilgrimage to Buenos Aires from her home country of Sweden. She, like me from 1997-2003 when I moved permanently to Buenos Aires, comes here to dance whenever she can. And she, like so many other women I know (myself included), wrote a book about her experiences: Tango Passion and The Rules of the Game. Margareta's book is more than a memoir, as her diary is interwoven with sections from other tango books by Sonia Abadi and Gustavo Benzecry Saba to create three different perspectives on the milongas and tango codigos of Buenos Aires.

Originally in Swedish, it has been translated and published in English this year by Abrazos Books. The Swedish Ambassador organized a reception for Margareta in the elegant official residence in Palermo last week, where Margareta did a presentation in Spanish, and there was tango entertainment, as well as a bit of social dancing.

Margareta speaking all in Spanish

Tango Passion: The Rules of the Game

Guest bandoneonista

What tango party doesn't have dancing?

You can catch the highlights of the event on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jMKcbxRAI8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_LK4cn-JNI&feature=related


The book can be ordered from www.abrazosbooks.com.
Contact Margareta at margaretawestergard@msn.com

Congratulations, Margareta!

Simplifying

I just came to a realization today that I've been spending a whole lot of time on emails and phone calls from people I don't know. As a professional librarian, it's my nature to want to give people information, and it's a pleasure when I can, especially about something that I love so much: the tango.

But now that Ruben y Cherie Tango Buenos Aires has 15  5-star reviews on Trip Advisor, and as of this moment we are rated the No. 3 Attraction in Buenos Aires, the emails and phone calls come fast and furious, and include all kinds of questions such as what to wear to a milonga, where can they buy tango shoes, which is the best hotel, which milongas are closest to San Telmo, etc. And I've spent hours and hours answering such questions, many times for people who never took a class.

For some reason I've become the "go to" person in Buenos Aires regarding milongas. Yes, I get phone calls about addresses and times of milongas from locals and foreigners. And even, because Ruben does taxi dancing, I get phone calls at 3 and 4 a.m. for taxis!!!

All of this rather saps my energy from what I prefer to do--teach tango with Ruben. So from now on I'm simply going to recommend that folks purchase Sally Blake's very complete guidebook, Happy Tangos, and read therein all they need to know about tango in Buenos Aires.

Reading Happy Tango--click to buy on Amazon

And I'm going to stick to writing emails about dates, times, prices and class confirmations. And save my energy for our students. Maybe even for writing my own book!

Pink October

It's that time of year again when the media wants us to be aware of breast cancer, get checkups, and above all, find a cure. Should we have to be reminded every October to take care of ourselves and others?

So once again I'm contributing my story, Cancer Dancer, which you can read here.

During my first cancer treatment, I visited a multi-media art exhibit in the big beautiful central library where I worked in downtown Los Angeles
  Art.Rage.Us.: Art and Writing of Women With Breast Cancer. The very moving pieces of art and poetry comprising the exhibit were all by women at various stages of their breast cancer treatment, depicting their emotions about their own personal battles with disfigurement, disease and possible death. And in so doing created a call-to-arms for progress in diagnosis, treatment, and attitude.

Out of this traveling exhibition came a beautiful book published by The American Cancer Society, The Breast Cancer Fund, and the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. featuring illustrations from the exhibit along with the artists' biographies and writings.

available at Amazon

Here are two examples of the art, but many of the sculptures, paintings, collages, photos are very graphic images of the physical trauma of the treatments, showing especially the artists' feelings about mastectomy. And so the exhibit and the book are considered controversial.

"Venus Revisted" painting on silk by Carole Bonicelli

"Diagnosis 1" mixed media by Mary Ellen Edwards-McTamaney

A few years earlier, in 1993, the New York Times Magazine published a daring self-portrait cover photo of artist/photographer and former model, Matuschka, with a story on her stunning series, Beauty Out of Damage.

Many people were appalled and offended at the in-their-face photograph, which the NYT titled, You Can't Look Away Anymore.





 But have things changed so much in the almost 20 years since? Last year Facebook banned photos of cancer survivor Sharon Adams who wanted to share her mastectomy scar pictures to make an impact on women in a stronger way than a delicate and subtle pink ribbon.  Supposedly the photos were reinstated after a hue and cry went up on FB, but now there is only a very tiny one of her surgery scars.

It's hard for me to understand how such photos or depictions could be considered lewd, obscene, pornographic, disgusting, macabre, etc. I find them brave and heroic in celebrating the beautiful women within; femininity is more than a body. Not suitable for children? Not suitable for the sensitive? Anyone can get cancer and they have to deal with it. The more aware people (men get breast cancer too) are of the consequences, the more active they will be in prevention. Because of the efforts of women like these, cancer is no longer a dirty word--at least to most people. Being afraid to look at images of the damage cancer brings is simply outrageous.

 Oscar Wilde said one can either make
a masterpiece or be one. Artist
Matuschka has managed to do both.
Linda Vaccariello
Cincinnati Magazine

Dancing in Brazil

Oh how the Brazilians love to dance! The monthly magazine all about dance in Brazil--Falando de Danca--has ads for every kind of dance instruction, from classical to the newest rage, Forro. And in between there are Arabe, samba, hip hop samba, bolero, salsa, zouk, and tango. The Brazilians dance while walking down the street.







But they dance in their own way, estilo brasileiro. As the old saying goes, you dance who you are. Ruben and I experienced lots of tango in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, but not much tango estilo milonguero. Brazilians dance big and open and with joy, but are not too interested in connection or a great embrace or floorcraft or expressing nuances of the music. It's MOVE! So naturally the tango there is the same--stage moves, nuevo steps, sexy poses, non-traditional music. It was fun, but not the tango we're used to.


Ruben and I were welcomed so warmly and made to feel so at home in the milongas and workshops. The organizers and dancers were very gracious to us. Our heart goes out especially to Selma Sena, the organizer of the milonga Bistro Mac in a gorgeous museum by the water, who took a week off of work to drive us around in Rio. She was a gift!




This is a little condensed video to give you an idea--yes, that's me dancing with the pibe in white trainers!

It was a wonderful experience to visit tango in fabulous Brazil. But there is nothing like tango in Buenos Aires!

Why Is This Country Dancing? A One-Man Samba to the Beat of Brazil by Jon Krich, Simon & Schuster, 1993, puts it all in perspective, historically, culturally and geographically.

For more info on tango in Brazil:

www.riotango.com.br
www.tangoporsisolo.com.br
criatango.blogspot.com
momentosdetango.blogspot.com
www.bardetango.com.br
riotango.fotoblog.uol.com.br

Veneno de Tango

Ramiro Gigliotti's Veneno de tango, or Tango venom in English, is the first book published by El Tangauta magazine.


A collection of short stories and vignettes of the milonga selected from Gigliotti's regular columns in the magazine (written under the name of René). Sad, funny and often hilarious, poetic, and from various points of view, it is simply a delight to read. Available in English as well as Castellano.

Captivating black and white photos by Carlos Furman.

Gigliotti is a tango dancer who has performed in European and American festivals. I believe he was a student of Pupi Castello. There are several videos on YouTube of his dancing with Elina Roldan and Graciela Gonzalez. While his dancing is ok, if dry and hesitant, his writing is passionate, witty, brilliant and true.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a dose of tango poison soon! You'll be glad you did. Here's where you can buy it.

(Oops, I forgot to say that I purchased my copy at full price, and am gaining no swag, nada, by this endorsement, but the pleasure of recommending a good book.)

"The Empanada Brotherhood"

Let's go back to Greenwich Village in the early sixties and take a seat at a tacky empanada stand on the corner of Bleecker and MacDougal Streets. Let's eaves-drop on a bunch of kooky Argentinians as they expound and moan about La Vida. When writer John Nichols did just that, it was long before I had ever thought of Argentina or ever imagined that one day I'd be living here.








I've been a fan of writer John Nichols ever since I read The Sterile Cuckoo (1965) while in college, and then saw the 1969 movie with Liza Minelli. He of course became famous as the "Faulkner of the American Southwest" with such great works as The Milagro Beanfield War, and his Taos trilogy--If Mountains Die, The Last Great Days of Autumn, On the Mesa and many other celebrated works of fiction and non-fiction.






His latest, The Empanada Brotherhood, is a novel like a memoir--New York's Greenwich Village, a young writer just out of college with a completed manuscript on his hands, and a host of colorful Argentine characters who meet daily at the empanada stand to commiserate and celebrate. "Blondie," the narrator (certainly the author himself) is seen as a novelty at first but then unlikely bonds form between them all in this rite of passage story. Quiet Blondie listens and learns as the cast of odd-ball characters converse with personality and wit over their empanadas each day. He even meets an Argentine flamenco dancer and becomes enamored both of her and the art form. The sparkling dialogue brings to life a moment in time and place that now just lives in memory. And we are privileged to listen in.

The author and I became friends in the late '90s when I took a writing seminar in Taos, and we occasionally visited back and forth before I moved to Mexico. Mostly we wrote letters and telephoned. John is handsome, funny, tough-talking, nature-loving, a quirky and good wise-guy who it's been my honor to know and call a friend. (He also wrote my "epitaph" but you won't get to read that yet.)
























He took me hiking above the Rio Grande and showed me these ancient petroglyphs.






Here's a photo of us when I dragged him to his first, and probably last, milonga in Santa Fe.

We kept in touch when I was in Mexico, but unfortunately distance and South American mail put an end to our correspondence. Reading his latest book, I loved going back in time to the empanada stand of his youth and becoming once again, for a brief moment, a part of his colorful brotherhood.

Enduring Antarctica

Argentina is far, far from home for most expats who live here and the tango tourists who visit. Some of us are able to travel a bit and experience more of Argentina than Buenos Aires. And some folks come this far south because they have a passion for Antarctica. (The closest I will probably ever get is rounding Cape Horn on a cruise ship, as I did last April.)










Londoner Jenny Diski writes about her trip to the end of the world in her excellent memoir, Skating to Antarctica, and also about the ill-fated and brave expedition of British Ernest Shackleton and his ship, the Endurance, on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition in 1914.




During Diski's cruise, the documentary film of Shackleman's historic voyage was shown to the passengers, and Diski's writing about it sounded so fascinating I looked it up on YouTube. It's there, in 11 parts, and well worth the effort of viewing. Amazing dramatic footage of brave and strong men and their dogs, and of the ship breaking up in the pack ice. Especially memorable was watching the men hauling the ship by ropes through the ice.
Watch Endurance, Shackleton, and the Antarctic.



If we are interested in Argentina, we owe it to ourselves and to the country to know something of its history, including the Falklands, the islands of South Georgia, Elephant Island, and Antarctica. Not all of us have a burning desire to see the South Pole, but while we are relatively "close," it's something to think about. And read about, and above all, to know about.

Weapon of Instruction!

Check it out! This Arma de Instruccion has been seen roaming the streets of Palermo. As a librarian and book believer and lover, this is my kind of weapon! I often lament the dearth of public libraries in Argentina as we have them in the U.S. But this "weapon" against ignorance gives me hope!


From their website:

The objective of the ADIM is to cover the greatest number of places to document what people think on social, cultural, political, environmental problems (etc.) and to spread it in our uncertain way...

To have an exchange of knowledge and history with the native peoples of the land.

To help with our tools and work to improve lives in pleasing solidarity.

To stimulate the population of artists, institutions, individuals, and to construct a ADIM in the society in which they reside.

Using recycled material collected in our shutdowns, the creation of sculptures in opportune places is our goal.

To share the experience with plastic artists, writers, information retrieval officer, activists, and environmentalists.