Cambria Press New Book! Contemporary Chicana Literature is now available!

Cambria Press is pleased to announce that Contemporary Chicana Literature is now available!

Excerpts from this new book by Cristina Herrera:

“A major element of Chicana women’s experience is navigating a society that is often racist, sexist, homophobic, and classist. … In order for the Chicana daughter to forge an identity, she must first come to terms with what her mother represents, despite her perceived difference from other mothers. … Examining the mother-daughter relationship in Chicana fiction necessarily entails contextualizing this relationship by discussing the three mother archetypes that pervade Chicana/o culture … [which] define “appropriate” (La Virgen) and “inappropriate” (La Malinche and La Llorona) models of motherhood and womanhood. The existence of these powerful female archetypes strains the mother-daughter relationship, given that the archetypes reinforce the limited categories of women and mothers as either good or bad. Only by applying a mestiza feminist vision to La Virgen, La Malinche, and La Llorona can mothers and daughters succeed in defining their relationship outside a narrow framework.”

Dr. Herrera also explores queerness and parenthood:
“Doubly oppressed by a rigidly heterosexual church and a patriarchal culture, Chicana lesbians seek refuge in the mestiza goddess who accepts all people regardless of their sexuality.” Citing Carla Trujillo, she elaborates that “it is the Chicana mother who socializes her daughters to conform to culturally ‘acceptable’ modes of behavior–namely, heterosexuality. Daughters learn at an early age not only that homosexuality is taboo and thus off limits but also that ‘bad’ girls (in this case, lesbians) must be avoided at all costs.”

This book will be showcased at the Cambria Press booth at the 2014 LASA conference, but you don’t have to wait. Browse Contemporary Chicana Literature now!

This book offer excellent chapter readings for undergraduate and graduate courses in Chicana/Latina literature, LGBT studies, queer studies, and women writers. Professors can now avoid the hassle of textbook orders and simply assign a book chapter (or more) to students for the week’s reading for only $8.99! Check out the e-book rentals under “Detailed Info” on each book’s webpage.

Questions? E-mail sales[at]cambriapress.com.

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