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Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love
Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love | Oscar Hijuelos
10 posts | 12 read | 10 to read
From FSG Classics, a special twenty-fifth anniversary edition of Oscar Hijuelos's beloved Pulitzer Prize winning novel It's 1949 and two young Cuban musicians make their way from Havana to the grand stage of New York City. It is the era of mambo, and the Castillo brothers, workers by day, become stars of the dance halls by night, where their orchestra plays the lush, sensuous, pulsing music that earns them the title of the Mambo Kings. This is their moment of youth, exuberance, love, and freedom a golden time that decades later is remembered with nostalgia and deep affection. Hijuelos's marvelous portrait of the Castillo brothers, their families, their fellow musicians and lovers, their triumphs and tragedies, re-creates the sights and sounds of an era in music and an unsung moment in American life. Exuberantly celebrated from the moment it was published in 1989, "The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love" won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1990 (making Hijuelos the first Hispanic recipient of the award). It was adapted for a major motion picture in 1992 and remains a perennial bestseller. The story's themes of cultural fusion and identity are as relevant today as they were twenty-five years ago, proving Hijuelos's novel to be a genuine and timeless classic."
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TheKidUpstairs
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Starting this one for #TBRTarot #December. One of the first books I grabbed off my shelf to check and it fit the bill, the blurb starts with "it". First few pages are off to a great start!

CBee Don‘t forget to tag me so I‘ll see it 😊😊 2y
48 likes1 comment
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Centique
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#weeklyforecast

A much smaller library haul this week with nothing for the Elderly Father or the Young Reader son. I‘m still ploughing through Our Mutual Friend but will take a break for Becky Chambers and try out Mambo Kings from my ancient TBR.
Speaking of ancient, here‘s my recent purchase of a 110 year old chest that came over with a British immigrant back in the day. Love it bc it‘s the right height and width for sitting on too!

wordslinger42 I love old trunks! My aunt gave me an old steamer trunk that came over from England with a family member and it's one of my favorite things! 5y
Centique @wordslinger42 oh that‘s lovely! Yes I was so pleased to find this one hidden away in an old barn attached to a country store. 5y
wordslinger42 @Centique Oh, I love places like that! We have a similar place and the lady who owns it always finds the most unusual stuff! 5y
See All 9 Comments
batsy Oh, that chest! 😍 5y
Centique @batsy I love old things that have been well used like that. 💕 5y
Cinfhen That chest is fabulous!!! It looks like it contains a lot of history and potential stories. Good purchase!!! Sorry nothing new for your dad this week. 5y
Centique @Cinfhen I‘ll have to tell him to pick up his game 😉🤣 5y
Cinfhen No pressure but I love seeing what he‘s reading!!!! 5y
readordierachel Becky Chambers 💞 5y
78 likes9 comments
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Leftcoastzen
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#AMonthOfSongs In the early 1950‘s brothers Cesar & Nestor Castillo leave #Havana for NYC to bring their special music to the states with a dream of playing with Desi Arnaz on “I love Lucy”.A lush story of music and the ups & downs of leaving home to start a new life in a new country.Made into a play & movie .Won the Pulitzer in 1990 .

Susanita IIRC the movie was the first English one for Antonio Banderas. 6y
OriginalCyn620 Awesome choice! 👌🏻 6y
Suet624 I still remember the feeling of reading this book years ago. 6y
Leftcoastzen @Suet624 I thought it was pretty special. 6y
43 likes4 comments
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MrBook
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These are the replacements for my 20th-Century #Classics Display. 😊 Have you read any of these?

#LitsyLovesLibraries #MrBooksDisplays

Alfoster The three on the bottom.😍 6y
BibliOphelia Sigh. Hadn‘t thought of Mambo Kings in ages! 😍😍 6y
TheBookAddict 👍🏽💕💕 6y
See All 6 Comments
rjsthumbelina I hated this one, but read it in 8th grade for school, so maybe I just couldn't appreciate it yet back then. I don't think I am willing to mount a reread though! 6y
Wife A favorite of mine is 6y
Leftcoastzen All of them 6y
79 likes1 stack add6 comments
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TheSpineView
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#2X2giveaway @DivaDiane

Congrats on reaching your goal!👏 Thanks for doing this giveaway! 😊

GripLitGrl 🎉🎉🎉 6y
Cortg Wow! I‘m glad you caught it 😍 6y
DivaDiane Thanks for the recommendation! Thank you for entering! 6y
SilversReviews Great number. 😍 6y
51 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
josie281
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Bailedbailed

I tried. Really tried. Now to find a different 1989 book.....
I did not feel connected to the story or characters. I bail rarely.

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josie281
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I'm not sure what I think of this book yet but I don't see what would be wrong with books out of my ears.

EliNeedsMoreShelves Right? That sounds like a dream come true! 7y
37 likes1 stack add1 comment
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josie281
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Starting this 1989 book! And I may have taken a half day unplanned to hang out with my sister and read!

Michelle_mck Oh lovely! Have fun 7y
51 likes1 comment
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josie281
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Went to pick up my hold (singular) but raided the #YA section!
I just bought North of Happy for my Kindle but sometimes I want solid bookage in my head. #bookhaul #litsyloveslibraries

tjwill Great choices! 8y
Eggs Yes there's NO substitute for 'solid bookage' !! Love it! 8y
47 likes2 comments
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Hreynolds
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One of the loveliest books I've ever read on sale today! Romantic and heartbreaking.

7 likes1 stack add