Bodega DreamsIn this "thriller with literary merit" (Time Out New York), a stunning narrative combines the gritty rhythms of Junot Diaz with the noir genius of Walter Mosley. Bodega Dreams pulls us into Spanish Harlem, where the word is out: Willie Bodega is king. Need college tuition for your daughter? Start-up funds for your fruit stand? Bodega can help. He gives everyone a leg up, in exchange only for loyalty—and a steady income from the drugs he pushes. Lyrical, inspired, and darkly funny, this powerful debut novel brilliantly evokes the trial of Chino, a smart, promising young man to whom Bodega turns for a favor. Chino is drawn to Bodega's street-smart idealism, but soon finds himself over his head, navigating an underworld of switchblade tempers, turncoat morality, and murder. "Bodega is a fascinating character. . . . The story [Quiñonez] tells has energy and verve." —The New York Times Book Review |
From inside the book
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Page 3
... called Sapo and no one called him by his real name , Enrique . Usually Enriques are nicknamed Kiko or Kique . But Sapo didn't look like an Enrique anyway , whatever an Enrique is supposed to look like . Sapo could only be Sapo . And ...
... called Sapo and no one called him by his real name , Enrique . Usually Enriques are nicknamed Kiko or Kique . But Sapo didn't look like an Enrique anyway , whatever an Enrique is supposed to look like . Sapo could only be Sapo . And ...
Page 98
... called you last night to tell you I was coming to meet you , " he said smoothly , as if he and I had been friends for years . " Nene called me , " I said . " Great . " I could already see that Nazario was a chameleon . He had the ...
... called you last night to tell you I was coming to meet you , " he said smoothly , as if he and I had been friends for years . " Nene called me , " I said . " Great . " I could already see that Nazario was a chameleon . He had the ...
Page 115
... called all this atten- tion to me . ” " No way . You think the cops don't already know what you're doing ? " " They might be sniffin ' , they ain't that stupid . They got a little piece of it too . But everything is still layin ' low ...
... called all this atten- tion to me . ” " No way . You think the cops don't already know what you're doing ? " " They might be sniffin ' , they ain't that stupid . They got a little piece of it too . But everything is still layin ' low ...
Contents
Because Men Who Built This Country Were Men from the Streets | 1 |
Because a Single Lawyer Can Steal More Money Than a Hundred Men with Guns | 83 |
A New Language Being Born | 201 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
ain't Alberto Salazar Alleluia asked aunt b'cause Barrio Blanca Blessington building called Chino church Claudia Coño cops crazy DeJesus door East Harlem Enrique everything eyes face fire Fischman floor fuck fucken girl gonna hand happy hated head hear heard hope inside Iris Chacón Julia de Burgos Julio killed knew Latin laughed leave living Loisaida looked married Mercado mother Nazario Negra neighborhood Nene never nigga night nodded okay Ortiz pana PEDRO PIETRI Pentecostal Piri Thomas Puerto Rican Robert Frost Roberto Vega Salazar salsa Sapo Sapo's shit sister smiled someone Spanish Harlem stared street Taino talk Tapia tell Thass Thass right things thought told took Vera's Veronica Victor Vidal waited walked Whass whispered wife William Irizarry Willie Bodega Yeah yelled yo'r