Amá, Your Story Is Mine : Walking Out of the Shadows of Abuse

"A significant contribution to the field of Latina autobiography. . . . It would [also] be very useful to many readers in other disciplines, especially to those in American studies, sociology, and women's studies." --Norma E. Cantú, Professor of English and U.S. Latina/o Literature, University of Texas at San Antonio, and author of Canícula: Snapshots of a Girlhood en la frontera In the preface to her memoir, Ercenia "Alice" Cedeño recalls the secrecy and turmoil that marked her youth: "I spent most of my growing years mad at my mother and wanting her to change to fit in with the rest of the world," she writes. "When my sisters and I wanted her to visit our friends' mothers, she would say, 'Why do people need to know other peoples' lives?' Looking back, I wonder if she was really saying, 'I don't want them to know our business.' There was so much to hide." Now bringing those hidden memories to light, Walking Out of the Shadows traces the hardship, violence, deceit, and defiance that shaped the identity of two generations of women in Alice's family. Born in the mountains of northern Mexico, Alice's mother married at age 14 into a family rife with passion that often turned to anger. After losing several infant children to disease, the young couple crossed into the United States seeking a better life. Unfolding in a series of powerful vignettes, Walking Out of the Shadows describes in captivating detail a daring matriarch who found herself having to protect her children from their own father while facing the challenges of cultural discrimination. By turns wry and tender, Alice's recollections offer a rare memoir that fully encompasses the Latina experience in the United States "A significant contribution to the field of Latina autobiography. . . . It would [also] be very useful to many readers in other disciplines, especially to those in American studies, sociology, and women's studies." --Norma E. Cantú, Professor of English and U.S. Latina/o Literature, University of Texas at San Antonio, and author of Canícula: Snapshots of a Girlhood en la frontera In the preface to her memoir, Ercenia "Alice" Cedeño recalls the secrecy and turmoil that marked her youth: "I spent most of my growing years mad at my mother and wanting her to change to fit in with the rest of the world," she writes. "When my sisters and I wanted her to visit our friends' mothers, she would say, 'Why do people need to know other peoples' lives?' Looking back, I wonder if she was really saying, 'I don't want them to know our business.' There was so much to hide." Now bringing those hidden memories to light, Walking Out of the Shadows traces the hardship, violence, deceit, and defiance that shaped the identity of two generations of women in Alice's family. Born in the mountains of northern Mexico, Alice's mother married at age 14 into a family rife with passion that often turned to anger. After losing several infant children to disease, the young couple crossed into the United States seeking a better life. Unfolding in a series of powerful vignettes, Walking Out of the Shadows describes in captivating detail a daring matriarch who found herself having to protect her children from their own father while facing the challenges of cultural discrimination. By turns wry and tender, Alice's recollections offer a rare memoir that fully encompasses the Latina experience in the United States

In the preface to her memoir, Ercenia "Alice" Cedeño recalls thesecrecy and turmoil that marked her youth: "I spent most of mygrowing years mad at my mother and wanting her to change to fit inwith the rest of the world," she writes. "When my sisters and Iwanted her to visit our friends' mothers, she would say, 'Why dopeople need to know other peoples' lives?' Looking back, I wonderif she was really saying, 'I don't want them to know our business.'There was so much to hide."

Now bringing those hidden memories to light, Amá, Your StoryIs Mine traces the hardship, violence, deceit, and defiancethat shaped the identity of two generations of women in Alice'sfamily. Born in the mountains of northern Mexico, Alice's mothermarried at age 14 into a family rife with passion that often turnedto anger. After losing several infant children to disease, theyoung couple crossed into the United States seeking a betterlife.

Unfolding in a series of powerful vignettes, Amá, Your StoryIs Mine describes in captivating detail a daring matriarch whofound herself having to protect her children from their own fatherwhile facing the challenges of cultural discrimination. By turnswry and tender, Alice's recollections offer a rare memoir thatfully encompasses the Latina experience in the United States.

In the preface to her memoir, Ercenia "Alice" Cedeño recalls the secrecy and turmoil that marked her youth: "I spent most of my growing years mad at my mother and wanting her to change to fit in with the rest of the world," she writes. "When my sisters and I wanted her to visit our friends' mothers, she would say, 'Why do people need to know other peoples' lives?' Looking back, I wonder if she was really saying, 'I don't want them to know our business.' There was so much to hide." Now bringing those hidden memories to light, Amá, Your Story Is Mine traces the hardship, violence, deceit, and defiance that shaped the identity of two generations of women in Alice's family. Born in the mountains of northern Mexico, Alice's mother married at age 14 into a family rife with passion that often turned to anger. After losing several infant children to disease, the young couple crossed into the United States seeking a better life. Unfolding in a series of powerful vignettes, Amá, Your Story Is Mine describes in captivating detail a daring matriarch who found herself having to protect her children from their own father while facing the challenges of cultural discrimination. By turns wry and tender, Alice's recollections offer a rare memoir that fully encompasses the Latina experience in the United States.