This autobiographical work discusses the author’s childhood and school years in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from 1942 to 1959. It is the author’s paean to the two major influences of her life: family and place. The narrative unfolds in a mostly chronological manner and includes detailed descriptions of her extended family history and the neighborhoods and areas outside Santa Fe that she knew as a child. As such, it is an insightful account for those interested in family dynamics and patterns of the Spanish population in Santa Fe, and for historical researchers of the city’s past. I have used the author’s preferred terminology here, as she states, “I have used the term ‘Spanish’ throughout the book, as it is the term we used when referring to ourselves while growing up.” The author frequently mentions her mother’s tortillas, which were much in favor in her neighborhood, and which serve symbolically to tie her to her childhood roots, as evinced by the book’s title. As in many human accounts, it is the sense of smell and taste which the author remembers most vividly from a distant time and place.
In 1973 the author returned to Santa Fe after living away for several years. Her prologue begins in 1996 with her impressions of the modern-day city, in which she bemoans the modernization and trendy changes that have taken place, with the throngs of tourists, strip malls, and chain restaurants. In contrast, she nostalgically describes the city of her youth, with the locally run businesses and historic landmarks. Her neighborhood, La Loma, in the South Capitol section of the city, was approximately a mile south of downtown Santa Fe. It was inhabited by Spanish families, most of which had deep roots in the area. In her discussion of her family and neighborhood, there are many references to the food, music, and ceremonies of her culture. Pride of heritage, adherence to ritual and tradition, warmth of home, and most of all, love and respect for parents, are central themes. Her deep love for her parents pervades the narrative, and she chronicles their industrious work ethic, respect for others, joy for life, and deep religious conviction. She describes her family as “semi-poor, but happy.”
Other childhood themes that are explored are dealing with cold winters, walking as the only mode of transportation, and prejudice from the Anglo population. She describes the different cliques that formed at school, with ethnicity being the first and foremost factor. Her account of the “Stompers,” fans of square dancing and country-western music, and the “Pachucos,” Spanish teens who identified with gangs, are particularly interesting. Although the account of her childhood is mostly warm and nostalgic, filled with a sense of wonder and an overall feeling of being loved and secure, there are many dark incidents touched upon, some personally experienced and others witnessed. The author was a victim of bullying, flashers, and even a form of child molestation at the hands of a physician. One of her brothers was involved in shoplifting and burglary. Alcohol abuse was not uncommon, and the inevitable influences of Fifties teen culture, the television, and the automobile were ever-present.
Overall, this is a warm and enthusiastic account of a happy childhood, full of love and memorable experiences. The author shows a strong sense of humor in her narrative, as well as an essential joy for life and passion for the culture and customs of her family and the other Spanish inhabitants of her neighborhood. As such, it comprises a warm, lighthearted, and thoroughly interesting narrative of a childhood long past, and will appeal to a general readership as well as to folklorists and historians.
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[Review length: 609 words • Review posted on September 22, 2009]