What a roller coaster ride--a bit too detailed at times, but full of rich, powerful emotion. Overall, I felt like I was on the journey with these two families every step of the way, and that I lived their entire lifetime with them. I was a bit disappointed that the author's generation was not covered in nearly as much detail, even though he would have had his own memories to draw from, instead of having to conduct interviews.
What happened to: Duel, Mark, the "T A grand story, of epic proportions. What happened to: Duel, Mark, the "Tom Mix" fellow what was his deal, anyway? How did Victor become a writer? I wondered if he originally wrote it in Spanish because of particular turns in phrases, but he says he wrote it in English on paper.
So many stories left untold. I guess one would just have to buy his next book This book was a little of what I expected and a lot of what I didn't. I'd heard that it was a great tale of Mexican history and traditions, and that it was hopeful and full of Chicana o pride.
The book was all these things and so much more. Most of all though, it was filled with such truths that it's almost impossible for someone to be unable to connect with this book. Throughout the book, we learn of the horrors of war, the drama and dysfunction that meets many families along the way, and the This book was a little of what I expected and a lot of what I didn't.
Throughout the book, we learn of the horrors of war, the drama and dysfunction that meets many families along the way, and the incredible spiritual power behind two women who raised their families up out of the hate and taught them about love. Throughout the book, even at the darkest moments, there are spiritual lessons being learned and love is shown as a tool that grows both our hearts and minds Sep 11, Licha rated it it was amazing. Oh, why did this have to end? I was completely lost in a good way in this story of the author's family.
This book demonstrates the importance of family stories, family heritage, family legacy. We are a sum of all the things our families have gone through, all the struggles, all the happy times, all its accomplishments.
The love comes pouring out as the author tells the story of his mother and father. Two families that were uprooted from the homes they loved in Mexico during the Revolution in o Oh, why did this have to end? Two families that were uprooted from the homes they loved in Mexico during the Revolution in order to offer their children a future. I am in love with Villasenor's family and so happy to have the author share his family's legacy with me.
I only wish there had been more pictures in the book to get a good idea of what the family looked like. I look forward to reading more by this author. Fantastic book. Nov 28, Yvette Primero rated it it was amazing. This book speaks to me. The culture, the choices, the reality of our life is all in there. There are very limited books that can bring this all together without seeming fake and everything in this book was so real I could feel it. In a time when people tend to omit the "undesirable" parts of family history this story tells it all.
I only wish there were more pictures I am not even joking I would have liked to see any pictures of his great grandma and more of his parents before they got married. Also seeing a map of where they lived in Mexico. This would make a great book for Mexican American Culture studies. Jun 21, Raquel rated it it was amazing Shelves: , favorites. Rain of Gold is the quintessential Mexican-American novel.
Villasenor weaves the lives of his father and mother into a compelling narrative that makes it a feat to stop reading. Set during the Mexican revolution, RoG depicts the hardships Mexican went through due to the turmoil and bloodshed caused by the revolution. Many Mexicans especially the poor migrated to the U. It's shameful how poorly Mexicans were treated, es Rain of Gold is the quintessential Mexican-American novel. It's shameful how poorly Mexicans were treated, especially considering that half a decade before this was set, California was part of Mexico.
A major theme in this book is prejudice, which went both ways. I love how Villasenor wasn't one-sided about the blind hatred Americanos harbored towards Mexicans; he recognized Mexicans were also prejudiced against Americanos. All characters in Villasenor's novel are interesting and dynamic in their one way. I wish I could have met many of them. Of course, the main characters Lupe and Juan Salvador are unforgettable.
Villasenor's writing style resonates within Mexicans, who will find familiarity with words and phrases he uses. Family is a fundamental part of a Mexican's life, and it is reflected in this book.
Survival is motivated by love for one's family. The mothers in the stories are portrayed as the strongest beings known to their children. I was astonished by their bravery and dedication. However, look for one example of what a mother shouldn't be, according to Juan Salvador.
This book sounds like one of those stories Mexican grandmothers tell their grandchildren. Wait, that's just what it is. Nevertheless, RoG's story is fascinating. The hardships Villasneor's family went through is almost unimaginable, and some events will leave the reader angry that someone could do such a thing. There were so many moments where I had to stop reading, go back, and read the same paragraphs over and over again; I would be that shocked.
In addition, humor is rampant in this book. Books hardly ever make me laugh out loud. This novel questions religious authority, and the pedestal on which Mexicans sometimes placed Americanos on. The exploration of the supposed inferiority-complex Mexicans have is also intriguing. All things considered, this book is not at all like the caca it often mentions.
RoG makes me proud of the hardships fellow Mexicans surpassed. It makes me proud of what beautiful prose our culture can inspire. Not only will this shed light on the injustices Mexicans lived through some live it to this day , but it shows how much we have to be proud of. By the way, excuse the lack of the tilde over the "n"s. I'm not sure how you do that. Sep 15, Therese rated it it was amazing Shelves: top-favorites , page-turners , literary-and-general-fiction , historical-fiction , magical-realism.
I read this ages ago, but was reminded of it again because with all the controversy over American Dirt, a lot of people have been talking about their favorite books by Mexican and Mexican-American authors.
I loved American Dirt, as you can see from my review , but have found all the reading recommendations a positive byproduct of the sometimes-toxic controversy! On that note, I wanted to give Rain of Gold a shout-out because I remember it being one of my top favorite books of all time, and it p I read this ages ago, but was reminded of it again because with all the controversy over American Dirt, a lot of people have been talking about their favorite books by Mexican and Mexican-American authors.
On that note, I wanted to give Rain of Gold a shout-out because I remember it being one of my top favorite books of all time, and it probably was a way-back inspiration for me to eventually try my own hand at writing magical realist historical fiction. I think that was a much newer concept for fiction back when Villasenor did it, and Villasenor's beautiful writing and his philosophy of faith and hope, along with the unforgettable events he describes, all combined to blow my mind.
I really need to go back and re-read it, because I remember the first time I read it I was still at a time in my life when I thought a lot about religion and the meaning of faith. Now that I have more distance from those years and am comfortable in my secular humanism, will that part of the book still seem as insightful to me? Feb 25, LisaRose rated it did not like it Recommends it for: I wouldn't. Recommended to LisaRose by: It was a book club selection. Shelves: latin-american-authors , history-historic-fiction.
Just not getting all the great reviews for this book. I'm reading it for my book club and ugh! It's plod, plod, plod, trudge, trudge, trudge My fourth graders wrote this way. There's no depth to or challenge in the ideas.
Phrases such as "Lupe fou Just not getting all the great reviews for this book. Phrases such as "Lupe found her truelove," make me want to gag. I suspect he didn't need pages to tell his story View all 5 comments. It will take you through an emotional roller coaster. It will let you experience poverty and misery, hunger and hatred, prejudice and all things bad done in the name of survival. But it will also show you love and redemption, strong family ties and kindheartedness as well as all things good that make us humans.
It will make you question most of what you thought was right and wrong as well as humanity itself. It is non-fiction and based on real events but reads like a novel, beautifully written at that. It completely swept me off my feet and I highly recommend it. Jan 10, Mary Lins rated it it was amazing Shelves: complete. It reads like a novel, something Villasenor understood before he undertook writing this family history: that some of what happened was so spectacular that it would seem unbelievable!
But his research showed him otherwise. Something is always happening; it is action-packed! Jul 02, Kelly rated it it was amazing Shelves: couldntputitdown. La lluvia de Oro I read this book back during the undergrad years, and absolutely fell in love with it. I hesitate to call it fiction, because it it based on the stories of the author's grandparents journey from Mexico to the U.
I saw Victor Villasenor speak, and he said that as a child, he always assumed his grandparents were making the stories up, since they were so far-fetched, however after returning the Mexico and following their stories, he came to find ou La lluvia de Oro I saw Victor Villasenor speak, and he said that as a child, he always assumed his grandparents were making the stories up, since they were so far-fetched, however after returning the Mexico and following their stories, he came to find out they were true.
Oct 05, Elizabeth Aldape rated it it was amazing. Thanks to my sis-in-law Stacey's recommendation, I didn't get to live a life of having never read this book. I soaked in the beautiful descriptions of Mexico and the rich culture of Lupe and Juan's families, and I fell in love with their stories as each page to me closer to their wedding.
When they said I do, I felt like I had suffered, rejoiced, and grown with them in their journeys. It was remarkable to look back to where the tale began and how far we all had grown and changed. The best part is that this was a true story! Don't miss out on reading this! Jul 19, Trisha rated it it was amazing. Victor Villasenor is dyslexic and has written a great autobiography called Burro Genius that describes his miserable experience in school and how many rejection letters he received before ever getting a book published.
My midwife recommended Rain of Gold to pass the time while I was awaiting the birth of my baby. I loved this book. Villasenor traces the story of his family on both his mother's and his father's side, leading up to how they met and married. The beautiful storytelling completely Victor Villasenor is dyslexic and has written a great autobiography called Burro Genius that describes his miserable experience in school and how many rejection letters he received before ever getting a book published.
The beautiful storytelling completely draws you in. I was sad when I hit the last page Aug 28, Aaron Dennis rated it it was amazing Shelves: chicano-lit , cvhs I enjoyed the landscape imagery, both in Mexico and in California. Every page brought new twists and turns that sometimes are hard to believe they are nonfiction and not just invented plot twists in a work of fiction. Countless times I found myself shocked in disbelief, or laughing, or shaking my head at both the events of the story and the lovable characters.
The book is not perfect, as other reviewers have noted, but it tells an important story that is shared by so many immigrant and refugee families. There are many themes to that would appeal to a range of readers. Given the current attitudes on immigration and giving refuge, this book effectively humanizes those who would simply seek a safe haven in which to raise their families as contributing members of society. Oct 18, Christopher Alert rated it really liked it. The story has a range of drama, romance, idealistic characters and ruthless pragmatists.
It captured the complex relationships immigrants - especially visible minority immigrants with a complicated relationship with their own compatriots - can have, and the psychological scars it can leave. The length of the book gave it runway to deeply explain the family culture and ideals taught and lived by the strong matriarchs in either family and gave the dance of their eventually courtship an excitement that makes it hard to believe real life could be unpredictable in such dramatic ways.
Where the unlucky immigrant pulls himself up through his own risk, ingenuity and by cultivating the right friendships and business dealings. Overall I really enjoyed it. The time was worth it. Im sure theres even more to appreciate in the book that currently escapes me but I highly recommend.
It is a story filled with great tragedies and great joys. And in its telling, it shows us much about the mexicanos of the Northern Mexican hills and of Southern California, both their culture and the tribulations they had to endure to survive. For example, the descriptions of the ways the mexicanos were treated by some Northern American gringos , whether in Mexico or in the U. He is careful to warn the reader in his foreword of the ubiquitous presence of miracles and discussions of the devil and God as movers in the narrative: they were perceived as real forces in the lives he is describing, so there was no other way to tell their stories.
And his telling makes it easy to suspend disbelief and simply accept the characters' own explanations of things. One theme that stretches through the book and which the author also dealt with in a short fiction work is the macho concept that is such a driving force in the lives of mexicanos. Parallel with that is the fascinating way the maternal characters are portrayed, as women full of strength whose faith and determination held their families together despite all odds.
This is a long book, and worth every page. Jul 21, Paul Gaya Ochieng Simeon Juma rated it it was amazing Shelves: philosophy , family-saga , cultural , books-which-i-bought-and-which-i-en , favorites , war , historical-fiction , religion.
Men are concerned with three things in this life, love, money and alcohol. We are always striving for love, searching for money, and addicted to alcohol. To be rich is another game altogether. You need business. Juan Salvador knew exactly where to employ his talents. He made the best whyskey in town. Though illegal, most of his customers loved it. They didn't care whther the authorities wanted it or not. To find love you need a good wife from a good family.
Most of us don't want to be religious. Yet we always expect our spouses to be religious and have good manners. We expect that their parents have given them the best schooling on the planet. As for Alcohol, sell it to the poor and addicted. Victor Villasenor tells the story of the Mexican revolution and their flight into the United States. Two families cross paths in America.
Juan Salvador and Lupita Guadalupe fall in love in America. The former a bootlegger on the run struggles to be rich causing him to fall out of favor with the law of the day. The latter a pious woman brought up under strict religious laws of her mother Dona Guadalupe. Jun 01, Yvonne Mendez rated it it was amazing. I remember listening to this audiobook many years ago and recently a friend of mine reminded me of the book, so I got it from the Library again. It is such a beautiful story that I just had to hear it again.
This is a journey through memory lane, looking into the author's family history. A story of two families ravaged by war who were forced again from their homes into a new country that needs them while at the same time doesn't want them. Listening to the way life events are explained in the book I remember listening to this audiobook many years ago and recently a friend of mine reminded me of the book, so I got it from the Library again.
Listening to the way life events are explained in the book, one can't help but wonder if the hand of God made everything happen so a specific man, Juan, would meet a specific woman, Lupe, and the author would come to life. The two family lives and journeys are a great story that can be read over and over.
Rain of Gold is the first part of the story, I already ordered the second part to learn about Juan and Lupe's journey together. Jun 25, Jen rated it really liked it Shelves: my-library. Rain of follows Juan Salvador and Lupe Gomez the author's parents and their families on very different journeys through the hard times of the Mexican Revolution and into the U. They meet new challenges and find each other as they adjust and learn to make a life in this new country. Villasenor is an impressive writer who pulls a reader into the story immediately!
The novel challenges the reader to experience the harsh realities of the characters' hardships and triumphs. Villasenor's adherence Rain of follows Juan Salvador and Lupe Gomez the author's parents and their families on very different journeys through the hard times of the Mexican Revolution and into the U. Villasenor's adherence to myth, religion and a little of the magical paints a vivid image of a people -- survivors not only of physical challenges, but spiritual ones as well.
Well detailed and well developed Rain of Gold is truly an epic in every sense of the word. This is one tale that is absolutely unforgettable! Readers also enjoyed. Magical Realism. His book Burro Genius: A Memoir describes his life. The author has received awards and endorsements, including an appointment to serve as the founding Steinbeck Chair at Hartnell College and the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, from February to March Related Articles.
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Click here to sign up. Download Free PDF. Conservacion de la materia "Lluvia de oro". A short summary of this paper. Download Download PDF. Translate PDF. Profesor: Dra. Patricia Pizarro C. Minerva books. Es un cristal blanco muy soluble en agua, al contrario de otras sales de plomo II. Varilla agitadora 2. Papel filtro 3. Soporte universal 4. Tubos de ensayo 5. Vaso precipitado 6. Pipetas 7. Mechero Bunsen 8.
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