About the book:In the close-knit Argentine-American community of Burbank, California, there are rules about marriage, family, money, and success. Tradition dictates that you must stay close to those who know you best. But two young people are questioning their parents' version of the American Dream--and turning their world upside down.
All her life, Victoria Torres has navigated nimbly between her family's expectations and her own U.S.-born sensibilities. But when her successful, irreverent friend Eric Ortelli unexpectedly returns to the Argentine Club--the heart of their community--she, too, dares to break some rules. Soon secrets are spilling out of marriages. Generations are shifting in and out of conflict. And the dream of a better life for their children held so tightly by the older generation starts to morph into something new. Everything is changing . . . in a place where everything has always stayed the same.
drey's thoughts:
Julia Amante's Evenings at the Argentine Club is a thoroughly enjoyable read. At its core is a story about a young woman trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life, which I'm sure many of us can relate to in one fashion or another. She also has to then convince her family that wanting to try for her dreams isn't something that goes against their traditions and values, but instead is something that should be encouraged and praised.
The Argentine Club, such as it is, reminds me of gatherings--formal or informal--when people who share a common nationality get together while in a "foreign" land. They gather to share stories, to eat together, to keep a hold of the traditions they followed when home. There is something comforting about finding others who share similar backgrounds. And Julia Amante's depiction of the events and activities at the Argentine Club evoke memories of when my family was here for one very short year, while my father was attending Air Command and Staff College, and the group of fellow Malaysians that we would get together with.
Of course, there's also drama aplenty in Evenings at the Argentine Club! Victoria's parents go through a patch, when her mother realizes that she's spent her whole life taking care of Victoria and her sister, and now has drifted away from the man she fell in love with. Her father's not blameless either, sticking to the archaic notion that a man has to provide for wife and children, without input from either. And all of them learn what it means to love each other. Perfect for book clubs looking for a fall read.
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Giveaway!
Thanks to Hachette Book Group, I have up to five copies of Evenings at the Argentine Club for you...
Rules:
-- Contest is open to US and Canada residents, no PO Boxes please!
-- To enter, comment and share something about Argentina, or immigrants.
-- Follow for 1 extra entry.
-- Share for 2 extra entries (let me know what & where, please).
-- Every 10 people entered gets another copy in the hat, so tell everyone! =)
-- Do it all before 6:00 pm CST October 12th. Good luck!
Title: Evenings at the Argentine Club
Author: Julia Amante
ISBN-10: 0446581623
ISBN-13: 9780446581622
Paperback: 330 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, 2009
Challenges: 100+, Pub
