Conflicts of Interest: The Letters of Maria Amparo Ruiz de Burton (Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage) - Softcover

Ruiz de Burton (1831-95), believed to be the first author of Mexican origin to write and publish novels in English in the United States, is the focus of this well-researched, comprehensive work on her life and correspondence. S nchez and Pita (Univ. of California, San Diego), internationally recognized authorities on the subject, also edited the recently reissued novels of Ruiz de Burton, The Squatter and the Don and Who Would Have Thought It? Here they provide the context for these novels and other writings in six chronological chapters. The editors have gathered extensive historical and critical commentary on the time period and on Ruiz de Burton's life, covering U.S., Mexican, and French history. These commentaries bring in-depth, contextual information to the letters, legal documents, court records, newspaper articles, and other documents that follow. Most of Ruiz de Burton's correspondence is in Spanish, her first language, and is here presented in the original without translation. The commentaries and the correspondence reveal an intelligent, spirited, persistent, enterprising writer and the tensions of gender, race, class, and nationality within her and within 19th-century American culture. This scholarly work, suited for bilingual readers, crosses the boundaries of gender studies, history, politics, economics, and literature. Highly recommended for academic and large public libraries, and Southwest collections. Jeris Cassel, Rutgers Univ. Libs., New Brunswick, NJ
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

"Highly recommended for academic and large public libraries and Southwest collections."