COUNT ON ME

An anthology celebrating sisterhood and the special bonds that connect Latinas from diverse backgrounds.

Edited by López (Fifteen Candles: 15 Tales of Taffeta, Hairspray, Drunk Uncles, and other Quinceañera Stories, 2007, etc.), this wide-ranging collection mostly represents the work of prominent Latina authors and is published as a work of joint authorship by Las Comadres Para Las Americas, an organization with a membership of nearly 15,000 Latina professionals. In an introduction, CEO and president Nora de Hoyas explains that the “term [comadres] encompasses some of the most complex and important relationships that exist between women,” from best friends to midwives. In 2000, she attended an informal gathering of Latina professionals and was inspired to build “a multigenerational, multiracial sisterhood where Latinas can learn about and celebrate their culture.” In 2008, they organized a book club to explore American Latina literature. The stories in this collection all deal with the topic of female friendship, except for the contribution of Luis Albert Urrea, who writes about his close relationship with a woman he met as a child in a Tijuana garbage dump. Several of the pieces deal with the relationship between a Latina author and a cherished teacher who became a lifelong comadre. One of the highlights is “Every Day of Her Life" by Carolina De Robertis, who formed a deep relationship with a Lebanese writer while both were in graduate school. Her comadre died at age 47, leaving an unfinished novel for De Robertis to complete. In “Casa Amiga,” Teresa Rodriguez commemorates the life of a Mexican human rights activist who made a particularly strong impression on her.

A beautiful evocation of love, friendship and community.