description When I Was Puerto Rican Overview
When I Was Puerto Rican is a 1993 memoir by Esmeralda Santiago recounting her childhood in rural Puerto Rico and her family's migration to New York City during her adolescence. It follows her experiences of poverty, family change, schooling, language, and cultural adjustment from a child's developing perspective. The book combines autobiography with a coming-of-age narrative and is read by audiences interested in Puerto Rican identity, migration, and bilingual life in the United States.
help When I Was Puerto Rican FAQ
What is the significance of the title When I Was Puerto Rican?
The title reflects Esmeralda Santiago's childhood self-identification before her family migrated to New York. The memoir traces her move from rural Puerto Rico to Brooklyn and her negotiation between those two identities.
Is When I Was Puerto Rican part of a trilogy?
It is the first book in Santiago's memoir trilogy, followed by Almost a Woman and The Turkish Lover. Together they cover her life from childhood in Puerto Rico through adulthood in the United States.
Where in Puerto Rico did Esmeralda Santiago grow up?
Santiago spent her early childhood in Macún, a rural community, before moving with her family to San Juan. The memoir describes both settings in detail before the family's departure for New York.
What age is Esmeralda Santiago when she arrives in New York in When I Was Puerto Rican?
Santiago was an adolescent when her family moved to Brooklyn, around thirteen years old. The memoir describes her struggles with English and her adjustment to the New York school system.
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