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We invite you to read "If you love your books, set them free…" , a beautifully written story by Ari Belathar about books and libraries in a small Mexican town. Below we provide an excerpt of Ari's memories and the link to the full text.
Ari Belathar is a Mexican poet and playwright in exile. Between 1994 and 2001, she facilitated creative writing and popular theatre workshops for indigenous women and children throughout Mexico. Belathar’s work has been awarded support by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. Currently Belathar is working on the development of La Danza del Venado, a multidisciplinary play inspired by her own experience of illegally crossing the border into the United States as a child to reunite with her father. More about Ari Belathar at http://aribelathar.com/
If you love your books, set them free…
I grew up extremely poor in southern Mexico, in a world where books were seen as a luxury. The closest library was two hours away by bus and the only book I owned as child was a Pocket Spanish Dictionary.
At the entrance of our village there was a big tarnished sign: Tilzapotla. Population: 4,698. But nobody bothered to update the number after the exodus to the United States in the mid 80’s. Perhaps they were afraid to record the abandonment, the kisses always arriving late in battered envelopes (…)
In a place where the houses, the orchards, the swings and even the cats belonged to everyone, the only private properties were the two libraries: one belonged to the Parish of San Antonio Abad and the other to Isaías Manzano, an old sullen man.
Read complete text here:
http://aribelathar.com/2012/04/09/if-you-love-your-books-set-them-free/
Ari Belathar is a Mexican poet and playwright in exile. Between 1994 and 2001, she facilitated creative writing and popular theatre workshops for indigenous women and children throughout Mexico. Belathar’s work has been awarded support by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. Currently Belathar is working on the development of La Danza del Venado, a multidisciplinary play inspired by her own experience of illegally crossing the border into the United States as a child to reunite with her father. More about Ari Belathar at http://aribelathar.com/
If you love your books, set them free…
I grew up extremely poor in southern Mexico, in a world where books were seen as a luxury. The closest library was two hours away by bus and the only book I owned as child was a Pocket Spanish Dictionary.
At the entrance of our village there was a big tarnished sign: Tilzapotla. Population: 4,698. But nobody bothered to update the number after the exodus to the United States in the mid 80’s. Perhaps they were afraid to record the abandonment, the kisses always arriving late in battered envelopes (…)
In a place where the houses, the orchards, the swings and even the cats belonged to everyone, the only private properties were the two libraries: one belonged to the Parish of San Antonio Abad and the other to Isaías Manzano, an old sullen man.
Read complete text here:
http://aribelathar.com/2012/04/09/if-you-love-your-books-set-them-free/