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Santa Rita Stories
Andrew J. Rodriquez, author
Adult; General Fiction (including literary and historical); (Market)
In the course of ten linked stories, the author brings to vivid life the rhythms of daily life in mid-1950's Cuba, and the transition from Carlos's carefree, nurturing childhood to his awakening to the responsibilities--and possibilities-- of young manhood. Carlos resists authority; but he can't resist Pedro's wisdom as the Old Man dispenses advice about everything from the proper method of romantic kissing, to how to avoid judging a book by its cover--dramatized by a tale of Ernest Hemingway and an encounter with a Nazi spy. By the final story, just as Carlos longs to escape the restrictions of a small town and spread his wings in the big city of Havana, we also long, right along with him, to linger forever in the magical, love-filled world of Santa Rita.
Reviews
Set on the docks of the fishing town Santa Rita, Cuba, in the 1950s, Rodriguez’s novel follows Carlos, an adolescent who has cultivated a friendship with Pedro, an old man who lives on the docks. Pedro teaches Carlos about life through telling him stories of the Santa Rita past—stories of Nazi spies, Ernest Hemingway, how to charm girls, and many other important life lessons. The more Carlos hears, the more he yearns to break free of Santa Rita and go to Havana, even as Pedro’s stories about the village’s past cement him to his birthplace. Rodriguez captures Cuba with affection and longing. Though the stories themselves feature commonplace plots, readers will find the relationship between Carlos and Pedro suffused with warmth, enough to make up for the minor frustrations with pacing. (BookLife)
