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THE GIRLS FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY CANTINA
"A heartfelt, honest story of how career, men and misunderstandings can rock the best of friendships. A natural-born writer, Padilla has an ear for dialogue and razor sharp wit that brings to life these flawed and intriguing heroines."
– Mary Castillo, author of Switchcraft"Padilla’s debut novel delivers plenty of laughter, a pinch of intrigue and a whole lot of drama. Readers will be so eager to find out what happens next, they won’t be able to put this down."
— Margo Candela, author of More Than This"Padilla’s compulsively readable novel is centered around a group of Mexican American friends living in California’s San Fernando Valley. Readers will find these gals great company, and Padilla’s second outing is a rollicking good ride with plenty of flare and heart."
—Kristine Huntley, Booklist -
HARD LANGUAGE
“Padilla’s writing is straightforward and full of engaging images and metaphors. Fresh and free of cliché, his stories shed a warm light on Latino lives in the U.S.”
– Publishers Weekly“The immigrant experience in America is often more heartbreaking than uplifting. Every émigré group has had a voice for chronicling the bittersweet life in the New World, and Padilla follows admirably in that tradition. This sentiment lies at the heart of the short stories in Language. He poignantly recounts the joys and sorrows of making a new life in a strange country. Padilla’s heroes and heroines are Mexican immigrants, trying to make the most of life in their new country. Padilla’s stories offer eloquent snapshots from their world returning to Mexico for a funeral and suffering a reunion of family rivalries, struggling to learn a new language as a marriage falls apart, going to college on a scholarship and leaving without a degree but with the most improbable friendship. Padilla’s writing is intimate, evocative, and often heartbreaking and surprising.”
– Ted Leventhal, for Booklist
About Mike
Mike Padilla is a native Californian in love with his state and its inhabitants that inspire his stories. His characters run the gamut of personalities, from cholos to movie stars, from elderly comadres to party-seeking club rats. His books include the novel “The Girls from the Revolutionary Cantina” (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press, 2010) and the short story collection “Hard Language” (Arte Publico Press, 1997).
Padilla was born in Oakland, CA in 1964 and grew up in neighboring San Leandro. He has received numerous awards, including the UC Irvine Chicano/Latino Literary Award and an Artist Fellowship from the California Arts Council.