This is an incredibly depressing and dull book, there's no plot, the characters are flat and the narrator repeats himself a lot. In the summer before his senior year, Sammy falls in love with the beautiful, independent, and intensely vulnerable Juliana. A LOT happens, probably too much for one novel, but with characters as vivid and real as these, it's hard to file any serious complaints. The Hollywood where Sammy Santos lives is not one of glitz and glitter, but a barrio at the edge of a small New Mexico town. Fast and free shipping free returns cash on delivery available on eligible purchase. 212) I wish it was funny because it was untrue, but it's not funny, and it's true. It's a YA novel about regret. Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood (Audible Audio Edition): Benjamin A. Sáenz, Robert Ramirez, Listening Library: Amazon.ca: Audible Audiobooks Loss. (FROM MY BLOG) Benjamin Alire Sáenz is a Mexican-American novelist, poet, and author of books for young children. Benjamin Alire Sáenz—novelist, poet, and writer of children's books—was named one of the "Fifty Most Inspiring Authors in the World" by Poets & Writers magazine. I loved this book. Without the shock of Juliana’s death, the readers would not have been so involved in the story. He lives in a loving home with his father and little sister, as his mother died of cancer years ago. Prime members enjoy Free Two-Day Shipping, Free Same-Day or One-Day Delivery to select areas, Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Reading, and more. I've grown skeptical of "young adult fiction," which is typically cheesy or full of shallow shock-value. Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2016. There is no glossary in this book, no italics to show that it is a Spanish word. This book talks about being kind in a world full of hate. He creates a cast of characters that embody humor, toughness, innocence and survival —and in doing so, he evokes the bitter-sweet ambience found in such novels as Larry McMurtry's The Last Picture Show . 1st ed. In 1968, during the summer preceding his senior year at Las Cruces High School in southern New Mexico, seventeen-year-old Sammy Santos hooks up with Juliana Rios. Between this and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, I am a die-hard Saenz fan for life. No Kindle device required. But I didn`t like how all these bad things kept happening to Sammy. Author Benjamin Alire Saenz should be in the pantheon of YA writers. He hasn't found himself yet, but he is sure of some things. I thought that I experienced heartbreak, I thought that I experienced real-life discrimination, I thought that I lost my family and friends. After concluding his theological studies at the University of Louvain, he was ordained a Catholic priest. Sammy and this friends—members of the 1969 high school graduating class—face a world of rac… Please try your request again later.
The “Hollywood” where Sammy Santos and Juliana Ríos live is not the West Coast one, the one with all the glitz and glitter. The book talks a lot about what it meant to grow up in Hollywood, a poor neighborhood, and the group starts hanging out with a gringo so there was some discussion of that, but I thought it could be teased out a bit more. This Hollywood is a tough barrio at the edge of a small town in southern New Mexico. It's sad, it's very VERY sad, with the tiniest faint glimmers of hope. This is a book I highly recommend. This Hollywood is a tough barrio at the edge of a small town in southern New Mexico. He is best known to the general public as a writer of Young Adult fiction. At the age of 30, he entered the Creative Writing Program at the University of Texas at El Paso. Account & Lists Account Returns & Orders. In the summer before his senior year, Sammy falls in love with the beautiful, independent, and intensely vulnerable Juliana. All his books are so beautifully written and this story is so powerful. August 1st 2006 He loves Juliana Ríos, he loves his father, and he loves his younger sister Elena. Sammy's chronicle of his senior year is both a love story and a litany of loss, the tale of his love not only for Juliana but for their friends, a generation from a barrio: tough, innocent, humorous, and determined to survive. The writing was excellent and the plot was great. From the traditions, to the music, to the discrimination faced in the day-to-day life, so this book automatically drew my attention because the culture of this book was in fact Mexican-American. Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood, how do I talk about you. Skip to main content.ca. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. His story was so real and you felt like you actually knew him. Sammy Santos has never known a life outside of the barrio of Hollywood, New Mexico. I was given a different point of view that for me as a reader was truly easy to relate to. Its a riveting story about survival and hope, and it was beautiful in every way. Sammy, an introverted and pensive teenager lives in the Hollywood barrio in New Mexico with his father and little sister. Account & Lists Account Returns & Orders. This Hollywood is a tough barrio at the edge of a small town in southern New Mexico. Sammy's life is hard; he is a realist, but hopeful. This coming of age story captures the essence of growing up as Mexican-American teenager in the 1960’s and conveys the reality of dealing with issues such as sex, violence, drugs, racism, discrimination, sexuality, religion and death. Sammy and this friends—members of the 1969 high school graduating class—face a … “Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood” depicts the struggles and challenges of growing up and coming to terms with unfortunate circumstances surrounded himself, his friends and family. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. I know that, as soon as I read the news of her death, I couldn’t put the book down. Benjamin Alire Sáenznovelist, poet, and writer of children's bookswas named one of the "Fifty Most Inspiring Authors in the World" byPoets & Writers magazine. One of those I've read was marketed as adult fiction, and the other four as YA. Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood is a Young Adult Library Services Association Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award for Young Adults. But I didn`t like how all these bad things kept happening to Sammy. This is a story about true love through the change of oneself, and the environment around them. I alternately laughed, cheered, and cried as Sammy and his Hollywood friends encounter the prejudices, the Church, the hormones, the War, the drugs, the violence, the music, the aspirations, and the dress code, while making their way through that year both inside and outside of the barrio. Maybe it was a joke, maybe it was a prayer.”, Jennifer De Leon Celebrates Trailblazing YA Literature. Saenz has created such authentic, sympathetic characters that you'll almost wish you were at La Cruces High with them. Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2004. Although he is very smart, he goes to a community college and takes care of his sister after his Dad dies. This man is truly gifted. I loved Sammy and all the characters in the story. Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood: Saenz, Benjamin Alire: Amazon.sg: Books. Chicano life in the 70s. At first I thought it was going to be centered around a friendship or somewhat of a love story, but there was a twist to it and everything completely changed. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Sammy Santos is a boy coming on his senior year. His story was so real and you felt like you actually knew him. Of course I loved Sammy, a very cool kid. Sammy just wants to get through high school and leave Hollywood for college, but he has challenges throughout the book. Unable to add item to Wish List. The voice is fantastic, with. Reminded me so much of the "outsiders". Buy Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood by Saenz, Benjamin Alire online on Amazon.ae at best prices. If I had to choose a single "top" book from the 200+ new books for teens that I've read in 2004, SAMMY & JULIANA IN HOLLYWOOD would be the one. The writing was excellent and the plot was great. © 2008-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Fiction About Prejudice & Racism for Young Adults, Fiction About Death & Dying for Young Adults, Fiction About Dating & Sex for Young Adults. Saenz has written a thought-provoking book that tells about the United States during the late 1960's through the eyes of a Mexican-American student. The Hollywood where Sammy Santos lives is not one of glitz and glitter, but a barrio at the edge of a small New Mexico town. It's a YA novel about regret. At the start of this assignment, I didn’t know what to expect from this book. The voice is fantastic, with a stylistic repetition I've never seen used before. Relatable characters with equally relatable plotlines. This book, however, is beautifully written and tells a story worth hearing. And I don’t mean learned more historically because yes, this book did include historical facts I’ve been taught, like children protesting the war with black armbands to teenagers getting drafted into the war, I learned something deeper than facts. I thought that I experienced heartbreak, I thought that I experienced real-life discrimination, I thought that I lost my family and friends. Every book that Alire Saenz writes is incredible, moving, diverse and welcoming as he invites the reader to be become one of the characters. SAMMY & JULIANA IN HOLLYWOOD by Benjamin Alire Sáenz AWARDS • Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults, YALSA, 2005 • Americas Award • Finalist, L.A. Times Book Prize • JHunt Award for Young Adult Literature • Texas TAYSHAS List • Capitol Choices THEMES I got it in the mail on Sat and finished it by the next day. Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults, 2005–Young Adult Library Services AssociationA young adult novel Latino-style–the year is 1969. Start by marking “Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood” as Want to Read: Error rating book. I think if I knew Spanish or had been near a computer I would have taken even more away from it, because there were bits of conversation throughout lost on me--but even so, I don't think I necessarily lost anything because of it. Moreover, I am extremely glad that this is the book that caught my attention in the first place, because now I know more about the Vietnam war era then from what I’ve already learned in my US history class. We’d love your help. Three and a half years later, he left the priesthood. But before school starts, she is brutally murdered be her own father. But when one event shakes his world, he finds himself facing the greatest loss he has ever faced, right next to the one of his mom. The writing is engaging, beautiful and heartbreaking. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. This edition was published in 2004 by Cinco Puntos Press in El Paso, TX. Sammy, an introverted and pensive teenager lives in the Hollywood barrio in New Mexico with his father and little sister. Be the first to ask a question about Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood. To say I chose the most captivating book is definitely an understatement. The novel “Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood” is definitely a novel I can say put me on a roller coaster of emotions and never let me get off. He is best known to the general public as a writer of Young Adult fiction. Furthermore, since the book is titled by her name it is kind of odd how the author would name it by her when she dies so early in the book, but she was obviously a very important person to Sammy and even though she wasn't physically in his life anymore, he kept her inside of him 24/7 and I think that is what made the whole entire novel as captivating as it was. One of the title characters dies within the first few chapters and then every other chapter or so, someone else dies, but not much else happens. The “Hollywood” where Sammy Santos and Juliana Ríos live is not the West Coast one, the one with all the glitz and glitter. At times laugh out loud funny, at times wipe the tears away sad, but always tender, endearing, moving and insightful, this is one of the best YA books I've ever read, if not THE best. Love. Well, she did and they been passing this book around ever since. He later received a fellowship at the University of Iowa, and in 1988, he received a Wallace E. Stegner Fellowship in poetry from Stanford University. The "Hollywood" where Sammy Santos and Juliana Ríos live is not the West Coast one, the one with all the glitz and glitter. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. After her death, Sammy must come to terms with her death which reminds him of his mother’s death. Don't be scared about the Spanish that's integrated into the story, there are multiple sites that help with cultural definitions. Sammy Santos has never known a life outside of the barrio of Hollywood, New Mexico. I found it so interesting to read about views on homophobia and treatment of gay people in that particular place and time. Saenz has created such authentic, symp. Sammy's chronicle of his senior year is both a love story and a litany of loss, the tale of his love not only for Juliana but. A Top Ten Best Book for YA in 2005, I don't know how I missed it until now. It is 1969, America is at war, "Hollywood" is a dirt-poor Chicano barrio in small-town America, and Sammy and Juliana face a world of racism, war in Vietnam, and barrio violence.Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood is a Young Adult Library Services Association Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults and a finalist for theLos Angeles Times Book Award for Young Adults. His school is strict and the time period is full of strange twists and. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood by Benjamin Alire Saenz at the best online prices at eBay! His love, Juliana, is murdered by her own father, along with her siblings, and leaves Sammy essentially alone in the world. Emotionally brutal and tragic, yes, but maybe the best novel I've ever read about coming to terms with change, growing up, and the transient nature of life. His family spoke mostly Spanish at home, and it was only through his education in the public schools that he learned to speak and write in English. He lives in a loving home with his father and little sister, as his mother died of cancer years ago. He loves Juliana Ríos, he loves his father, and he loves his younger sister Elena. The “Hollywood” where Sammy Santos and Juliana Ríos live is not the West Coast one, the one with all the glitz and glitter. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages that interest you. But through it all, he loves Juliana. A LOT happens, probably too much for one novel, but with characters as vivid and real as these, it's hard to file any serious complaints. This is his first book for young adults. He entered the seminary in 1972, a decision that was as much political as itwas religious: he was heavily influenced by such Catholic thinkers as Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, César Chavez and the Berrigan brothers. The reader must figure that out from themselves and use the context in order to translate it. To see what your friends thought of this book, I'm not sure I've ever given a book 5 stars before, but this one is remarkable. Ugh, this book broke my heart a bit. My only critique now that I've freshly put it down is that it would have been interesting to hear more about discrimination and prejudice between white people and this Hispanic population. Sammy lives in Hollywood - not Hollywood, CA but Hollywood, NM, a barrio outside of Los Crues. He hasn't found himself yet, but he is sure of some things. Refresh and try again. This Hollywood is a tough barrio at the edge of a small town in southern New Mexico. Sammy just wants to get through high school and leave Hollywood for college, but he has challenges throughout the book. It's a great portrayal of a group of Hispanic teenagers living in a barrio in New Mexico in the 1960s. His love, Juliana, is murdered by her own father, along with her siblings, and leaves Sammy essentially alone in the world. He finds new friends and discovers new parts of him that lay hidden under years of concealed sentiments. He is faced with even more hardships, as the year in 1969 as homophobia. Probably the only novel I've ever read that has a twist BEGINNING instead of a twist ENDING, with one of the biggest shocks I've ever read in a book coming in the first 50 pages.
The “Hollywood” where Sammy Santos and Juliana Ríos live is not the West Coast one, the one with all the glitz and glitter. this book is from the same author who wrote Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. (pg. And there really wasn`t a happy ending. But overall, really loved it! (FROM MY BLOG) Benjamin Alire Sáenz is a Mexican-American novelist, poet, and author of books for young children. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. BENJAMIN ALIRE SÁENZ was born in his grandmother's house in Picacho, New Mexico--on the outskirts of Las Cruces, New Mexico where Juliana in Hollywood is set. As for the look at how gay people were treated, I don't think many current students know how bad homosexuals had it in the '60s and '70s, even though that was supposed to be a "liberating and accepting" time. Maudlin. I never knew that a 291 page book could get me so invested as a reader to the point where I thought I was a character in th. Beautiful. I conclude that the publisher arbitrarily decides the category -- the author, at least Sáenz, doesn't sit down to write a "YA novel" or an "adult novel" in the sam. It's a great portrayal of a group of Hispanic teenagers living in a barrio in New Mexico in the 1960s. Sammy is a member of the graduating class of 1969 from the high school in the poor barrio of Hollywood, New Mexico. I wasn't sure what to think when I started this but Sammy will forever linger with me and he is a character who has become a friend. At the end of this book, I found myself in tears, it felt as if I was living Sammy Santos life. He is faced with even more hardships, as the year in 1969 as homophobia and racism are especially prevalent and some of his friends are being drafted into the Vietnam War. About love and friendship and hardship and how hate or dislike can change into friendship or love over time. Maybe because both were set against the backdrop of Vietnam war. Start a free 30-day trial today and get your first audiobook free. This was not an easy read, but the story is very powerful. Free shipping for many products! Tragic. . Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2020. Listen to "Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood" by Benjamin Alire Sáenz available from Rakuten Kobo. The reader must figure that out from themselves and use the context in order to translate it. by Rayo. “The world wasn't all that good to her and she wanted to remind everyone around her, but mostly herself I think, that she was worth something, that the air was hers too, that the ground she walked on was as much hers as it was anybody else's.”, “Someone had named the barrio we lived in Hollywood. This Hollywood is a tough barrio at the edge of a small town in southern New Mexico. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Welcome back. That never, ever changes. Skip to main content.sg. A good student and an avid reader (his classmates nickname him "The Librarian"), he works hard for his dream of college. Realistic verging on tragic. He learns about people, and about life, and loss. Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood by Benjamin Alire Saenz The "Hollywood" where Sammy Santos and Juliana Rios live is not the West Coast one, the one with all the glitz and glitter. I`m Mexican so I had no problem reading this book at all. Alire broke me in this one. I'm not sure I've ever given a book 5 stars before, but this one is remarkable. Sammy and Juliana's Hollywood is a New Mexico barrio, where Sammy loses more than his virginity and his girlfriend during his difficult 1969 senior year. I am happy I gavel this another change because when I initially started it I felt it was a bot boring and almost decided to drop it. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. The writing is engaging, beautiful and heartbreaking. It is a coming of age story set in a New Mexican barrio ironically named Hollywood. But when one event shakes his world, he finds himself facing the greatest loss he has ever faced, right next to the one of his mom. Alire killed me. Read "Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood" by Benjamin Alire Saenz available from Rakuten Kobo. Guilt, grief, shattered dreams and sadness too, but mostly regret, dealt with in the most poignant and heartrending fashion. And there really wasn`t a happy ending. At times laugh out loud funny, at times wipe the tears away sad, but always tender, endearing, moving and insightful, this is one of the best YA books I've ever read, if not THE best. Sammy and this friends—members of the 1969 high school graduating class—face a world of racism, dress codes, war in Vietnam and barrio violence. Hello Select your address Kindle Store Hello, Sign … Hello, Sign in. The novel “Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood” is definitely a novel I can say put me on a roller coaster of emotions and never let me get off. In the summer before his senior year, Sammy falls in love with the beautiful, independent, and intensely vulnerable Juliana. Sammy Santos is a boy coming on his senior year. Before the start of his senior year, he falls in love with Juliana Rios. He has won many awards for his writing, and after reading Sammie and Juliana in Hollywood, I believe they are deserving. I`m Mexican so I had no problem reading this book at all. Sammy & Juliana in Hollywood. Please try again. In Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood, Benjamin Alire Sáenz captures the essence of what it meant to grow up Chicano in Smalltown America in the late 1960s. Hello Select your address All Hello, Sign in. One thing that I loved a lot about the book is that it uses a lot of Spanish words. Some of those quotes and images are going to really stick with me. Richie's Picks: SAMMY & JULIANA IN HOLLYWOOD, Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2004. And he is the only one of his friends to stay in Hollywood, when he was the one who really wanted to get out. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Benjamin Alire Saenz~ SAMMY AND JULIANA IN HOLLYWOOD~ SIGNED 1ST/DJ~ NICE COPY at the best online prices at eBay! Sáenz lives in El Paso, Texas. Being the story of a small barrio in New Mexico, it was a lot different from most of what I've read of late. I never knew that a 291 page book could get me so invested as a reader to the point where I thought I was a character in the story. I conclude that the publisher arbitrarily decides the category -- the author, at least Sáenz, doesn't sit down to write a "YA novel" or an "adult novel" in the same way he decides to write a children's book. It is 1968 and America is in an upheaval which is reflected in the narrator Sammy Santos' senior year experience. Sammy and this friends—members of the 1969 high school graduating class—face a world of racism, dress codes, war in Vietnam and barrio violence. Written by award-winning, bilingual author Benjamin Alire Saenz from the outskirts of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Chicano novel Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood (2004) features a protagonist, Sammy Santos, who also comes of age in Las Cruces. Sammy and this friends—members of the 1969 high school graduating class—face a world of racism, dress codes, war in Vietnam and barrio violence. At the end of this book, I found myself in tears, it felt as if I was living Sammy Santos life. Benjamin Alire Sáenz—novelist, poet, and writer of children's books—was named one of the "Fifty Most Inspiring Authors in the World" by Poets & Writers magazine. It is 1968 and America is in an upheaval which is reflected in the narrator Sammy Santos' senior year experience. A lot of the story lines were sad, yet left you with hope. It's also about love in friendship, and discovering that not everyone is perfect, and that in fact, there are rarely people who turn out to be who they seem. Ah! The powerful and achingly tragic story Sammy recounts of Juliana and that summer is but a mere preface in this stunning ode to growing up in the barrio--a neighborhood that some joker has named Hollywood. Contemporary young adult literature has often led the way in depicting the real-life issues facing teens from all backgrounds. Sammy ends up losing a lot in just a short time, but he also gains so much. But let me break you down. He was also a finalist for PEN/USA's literary award … Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood book. In a way, they’re acting like a hook reeling a fish in until they finally catch it in their hands. My only critique would have to be that I don’t like how the main ideas happened so quickly in the book. On the fourth chapter, the narrator already talks about how Juliana dies, because her father murdered her.