Authors in a Latino Family:: Communication, Transformation, and the Exception to the Rule

Evangelina Brignoni explores the notion that Latinos mostly express their thoughts and emotions, construct their identities, and transmit inter-generationally their rich heritage through the oral domain of language. "Authors in a Latino Family: Communication, Transformation, and the Exception to the Rule" focuses on the exception to the above-mentioned popular view: that Latinos primarily communicate in the oral realm. The author explores the writings of three members in her own family by applying a multi-method approach - a microstoria analysis, interviews through videography, and analysis of writing samples. This multi-generational story, while contextualized historically and politically, aims to challenge the popular view of oral dominance in Latino culture. Furthermore, it elucidates the dynamics of written communication and language choice preference in the very particular historical and cultural context of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican migration to the United States. Although this book is based on one Latino family's history, there are implications for classroom teachers who are interested in validating the stories students bring to the school setting.