In her new memoir, the acclaimed author of When I Was Puerto Rican continues the riveting chronicle of her emergence from the barrios of Brooklyn to the theaters of Manhattan.

"Negi," as Santiago's family affectionately calls her, leaves rural Macún in 1961 to live in a three-room tenement apartment with seven young siblings, an inquisitive grandmother, and a strict mother who won't allow her to date. At thirteen, Negi yearns for her own bed, privacy, and a life with her father, who remains in Puerto Rico. Translating for Mami at the welfare office in the morning, starring as Cleopatra at New York's prestigious Performing Arts High School in the afternoons, and dancing salsa all night, she yearns to find balance between being American and being Puerto Rican. When Negi defies her mother by going on a series of hilarious dates, she finds that independence brings its own set of challenges.

At once a universally poignant coming-of-age tale and a brave and heartfelt immigrant's story, Almost a Woman is Santiago's triumphant journey into womanhood.  

Praise for Almost A Woman:"A universal tale familiar to thousands of immigrants to this country, but made special by Santiago's simplicity and honesty."
--The Miami Herald

"A courageous memoir. . . . One witnesses. . .the blessings, contradictions and restraints of Puerto Rican culture.
--The Washington Post Book World

"Not only for readers who share [Santiago's] experiences but for North Americans who seek to understand what it means to be the other.
--The Boston Globe

 
WINNER - YALSA Best Books for Young Adults
WINNER - New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age
WINNER - ALA Alex Award

 
Esmeralda Santiago came to the United States from Puerto Rico at age thirteen, and attended junior high school in Brooklyn and Performing Arts High School in New York City.  After the extraordinary years described in this book, she graduated from Harvard University and received an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College.  Santiago is the author of When I Was Puerto Rican and America's Dream, and is coeditor, with Joe Davidow, of Las Christmas: Favorite Latino Authors Share Their Holiday Memories.  Santiago lives in Westchester County, New York, with her husband and two children.