Book Summary and Reviews of Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed by Saraciea J. Fennell

Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed by Saraciea J. Fennell

Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed

15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora

by Saraciea J. Fennell

  • Published:
  • Nov 2021, 272 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

Edited by The Bronx Is Reading founder Saraciea J. Fennell and featuring an all-star cast of Latinx contributors, Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed is a ground-breaking anthology that will spark dialogue and inspire hope.

In Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed, bestselling and award-winning authors as well as up-and-coming voices interrogate the different myths and stereotypes about the Latinx diaspora. These fifteen original pieces delve into everything from ghost stories and superheroes, to memories in the kitchen and travels around the world, to addiction and grief, to identity and anti-Blackness, to finding love and speaking your truth. Full of both sorrow and joy, Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed is an essential celebration of this rich and diverse community.

The bestselling and award-winning contributors include Elizabeth Acevedo, Cristina Arreola, Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Naima Coster, Natasha Diaz, Saraciea J. Fennell, Kahlil Haywood, Zakiya Jamal, Janel Martinez, Jasminne Mendez, Meg Medina, Mark Oshiro, Julian Randall, Lilliam Rivera, and Ibi Zoboi.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
  1. In her introduction, Saraciea J. Fennell writes of the contributors, "We are letting our truths run wild, and pushing against whatever it is you think is the ideal Latinx individual." The anthology celebrates the diversity of the Latinx diaspora and the full range of identities among the contributors. Are there also common stereotypes and preconceptions that the contributors face and interrogate?
  2. Mark Oshiro understands the phrase "eres un pocho" to mean "You gave up your culture. You assimilated ... You betrayed who you were." What pressures do they face to assimilate, and what are the consequences of assimilation? How do they eventually begin to push back against assimilation to reclaim their full identity?
  3. In "The ...
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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Exquisitely curated ... With its inclusion of historically underrepresented Latinx voices, including Afro-Latinx, Caribbean, and Central American perspectives, the book uplifts and celebrates breadth and diversity within a broader community. A standout array of talent." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"This anthology will help young people gain the confidence to use their own 'wild tongues,' gnash their sharp teeth, and liberate their fierce hearts... . Unique, beautiful, and inspiring, this essay collection is a must-purchase." ―School Library Journal(starred review)

"Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed offers a wide scope of personal essays ranging in narrative voice and structure, the stories unflinching in their earnestness but also filled with music and food and joy. This collection is necessary reading. A remarkable collection of essays depicting the joys and sorrows of the Latinx diaspora." ―Shelf Awareness

"Tremendously thought-provoking ... an impressive roster of voices from an array of cultural backgrounds claimed and unclaimed. The contradictions and interplays that emerge between essays serve to illuminate the immeasurable realities of the Latinx diaspora." ―Kirkus Reviews

"Candid ... nuanced ... Each theme is worthy of its own volume, but the standout is undeniably colorism, a crucial topic within the Latinx community, herein brought to light with strength and vulnerability. The deeply personal approach of each contributor will connect with readers of all backgrounds and empower those seeking to define their own experiences." ―Booklist

This information about Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

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Author Information

Saraciea J. Fennell

Saraciea J. Fennell is a Black Honduran American writer, founder of The Bronx is Reading, and creator of Honduran Garifuna Writers. She is also a book publicist who has worked with many award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors. She is the editor of the nonfiction anthology, Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed, and her work has appeared in Popsugar, Refinery29, and Culturess, among others. Sign up for her newsletter, Black Girl Dreaming, on Substack for more of her writing. She lives in the Bronx with her family and black poodle, Oreo.

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