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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 11 February 2020
Focus turns to Latino authors amid 'American Dirt' debate

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS panic literature in the U.S., mended as a work to un-
Associated Press said he noticed last month derstand life on the border-
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) some of his books by immi- lands. The collection was
— When Oprah Winfrey grant writers selling out. sought out as comfort fol-
endorsed the novel "Ameri- "I'm not on Twitter but my lowing the August 2019 kill-
can Dirt" for her book club staff told me some of our ing of 22 people in a shoot-
last month, many Latinos books were appearing on ing that targeted Mexicans
took to social media to de- these lists as suggestions," in El Paso, Texas.
cry the selection for its ste- Kanellos said. "They are In addition, Latino ad-
reotypes and caricatures. gone now." vocates told followers to
The novel about a Mexican Journalist and novelist Luis look out for new work from
mother and her young son Alberto Urrea, who Cum- memoirist and essayist Luis
fleeing to the U.S. border mings cited as an influence, J. Rodriguez, who released
had been praised widely reported seeing sales of his on last month, "From Our
before its Jan. 21 release. early 2019 novel "The House Land to Our Land: Essays,
But anger built over "Ameri- of Broken Angels" jump to Journeys and Imaginings In this file photo taken Monday, Sept. 12, 2011, writer and activist
can Dirt" by Jeanine Cum- his surprise. It was one of From a Native Xicanx Writ- Luis J. Rodriguez poses for a photo at his independent bookstore
mins — a writer who primar- the books mentioned on er." and community center "Tia Chucha" in Los Angeles.
ily identifies as white — and social media. "I've seen interest in my Associated Press
Latinos shared reading "Thank you. #14 on the LA new book. Yeah, people (Flatiron Books, which pub- this week from "American
lists and pointed to recent Times bestseller list. Again," are asking about it," said lished "American Dirt," is a Dirt" to Levi Romero. The
work that went overlooked, Urrea wrote on Facebook. Matt Sedillo, a Los Angeles- division of Macmillan) this bilingual Spanish-English
offering "alternative" op- "Big Angel keeps coming based poet and author of week to demand the pub- poet was named as the
tions for those who wanted back." "Mowing Leaves of Grass." lisher hire more Latino staff. state's inaugural poet lau-
to read about the Latino Wendy C. Ortiz's memoir He's also getting more of- Domingo Garcia, national reate. He will document his
experience in the United "Excavation" in California's fers to visit colleges to read president of the Latino civil travels around the state to
States. San Fernando Valley also his work. rights group the League of promote poetry through a
Across the U.S., Latino writ- sold out on Amazon. Myriam Gurba, a Long United Latin American Citi- web journal and podcast.
ers say they are seeing a Others suggested read- Beach, California-based zens, said he didn't have a Santiago Vaquera-
jump in sales of those works ers buy the novel "Domini- writer who has been a vo- problem with non-Latinos Vásquez, an Albuquerque-
following social media cana" by New York-born cal critic of Cummins, said writing about immigration. based writer and author
campaigns to draw more Angie Cruz and El Paso- she saw "no silver lining" in "But it's important to have of "One Day I'll Tell You the
attention to Latino literature born Sergio Troncoso's short the controversy of "Ameri- a conversation with pub- Things I've Seen," said he's
as big New York publishers story collection, "A Peculiar can Dirt." She said readers lishers about who is getting happy Latino works are
face criticism for ignoring Kind of Immigrant Son" — should have been picking published and the lack of getting recognized but he
the work or not promoting works released last year. up books by Latinos writers Latinos in the industry," he hopes the interests doesn't
it enough. PEN-award winner and anyway. said. die down. "Let's not be
Nicolas Kanellos, founder Fresno, California-born Gurba and a group of In New Mexico, the state angry for two weeks and
and publisher of Houston- writer Daniel Chacón's other Latino writers called with the largest percent- forget about it," Vaquera-
based Arte Publico Press, "Kafka in a Skirt: Stories from #DignidadLiteraria met age of Hispanic residents, Vásquez said. "Let's be an-
the largest publisher of His- the Wall" also was recom- with publisher Macmillan the conversation shifted gry for months." q

Ben Platt named Hasty Pudding’s 2020 Man of the Year

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (As- remarkable career as an him a Golden Globe nomi-
sociated Press) — Award- actor and musician." nation.
winning actor and musi- Platt will receive his pud- He also stars in the film
cian Ben Platt was named ding pot at a celebratory "Run This Town," which pre-
2020 Man of the Year by roast on Friday. miered at last year's SXSW
Harvard University's famed A performance of "Mean Film Festival and will be
Hasty Pudding theater Ghouls," Hasty Pudding's released this spring. It was
troupe on Monday. second production includ- recently announced that
Platt, 26, is the youngest ing women in the cast, will he will star in the film ad-
recipient in the 54-year his- follow. aptation of the Stephen
tory of the award, handed Platt won a Tony in 2017 for Sondheim musical "Merrily
out annually by the troupe "Dear Evan Hansen," while We Roll Along."
that dates to the late 18th the cast recording took Also a musician, Platt's
century. home the Grammy for best debut album "Sing To Me
"We're thrilled to honor musical theater album, as Instead" was released last
Ben Platt as our 54th Man well as a Daytime Emmy year.
of the Year because of for their performance on Former winners of the Man
the incredible impact he "The Today Show." of the Year include Tom
has had on Broadway Platt is also known for his Hanks, Robert De Niro and
and in Hollywood at such role as Benji Applebaum Harrison Ford. Last year's
a young age," Hasty Pud- in the films "Pitch Perfect" Man of the Year was Milo
ding co-producer Natalie and "Pitch Perfect 2." Ventimiglia.
Needle said in a state- He is currently filming the Hasty Pudding's 2020 In this Jan. 25, 2020 file photo, Ben Platt poses in Beverly Hills,
ment. second season of the Net- Woman of the Year, Eliza- Calif. On Monday, Feb. 3, Harvard University's Hasty Pudding
"As our youngest Man of flix series "The Politician," beth Banks, was honored Theatricals announced Platt as their 2020 Man of the Year.
the Year, Ben has had a which last season earned last week. q Associated Press