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 4
... big and bad when you hated your life and felt meaningless. You lived in projects with pissed-up elevators, junkies on the stairs, posters of the rapist of the month, and whores you never knew were whores until 4 t R N t 5 To Q U 1 No N t z.
... big and bad when you hated your life and felt meaningless. You lived in projects with pissed-up elevators, junkies on the stairs, posters of the rapist of the month, and whores you never knew were whores until 4 t R N t 5 To Q U 1 No N t z.
Page 5
... knew was that one day a block would have people, the next day it would be erased by a fire. The burned-down buildings would then house junkies who made them into shooting galleries or become playgrounds for kids like me and Sapo to ...
... knew was that one day a block would have people, the next day it would be erased by a fire. The burned-down buildings would then house junkies who made them into shooting galleries or become playgrounds for kids like me and Sapo to ...
Page 6
... knew more about Italy than our own Latin American countries. To Mr. Varatollo, the social studies teacher, everything was Italy this, Italy that, Italy, Italy, Italy. Didn'the know the history of the neighborhood? Hadn'the ever seen ...
... knew more about Italy than our own Latin American countries. To Mr. Varatollo, the social studies teacher, everything was Italy this, Italy that, Italy, Italy, Italy. Didn'the know the history of the neighborhood? Hadn'the ever seen ...
Page 7
... knew she cared, for the simple reason that she never called us names; she would yell but never call us names. She only wanted us to listen, and when we did well on her math tests she was all smiles. The Hispanic teachers, on the other ...
... knew she cared, for the simple reason that she never called us names; she would yell but never call us names. She only wanted us to listen, and when we did well on her math tests she was all smiles. The Hispanic teachers, on the other ...
Page 8
... knew named Junior, of 109th and Madison. Junior not only carried a knife, a jiga, in his backpocket, he had used it to cut someone's face. It was no big deal to carry a knife in your back pocket. Everyone did and everyone knew that 80 ...
... knew named Junior, of 109th and Madison. Junior not only carried a knife, a jiga, in his backpocket, he had used it to cut someone's face. It was no big deal to carry a knife in your back pocket. Everyone did and everyone knew that 80 ...
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Common terms and phrases
ain't Alberto Salazar Alleluia asked aunt b'cause baby Barrio bitch Blanca Blessington building called Chino church Claudia Colombia cops crazy DeJesus door East Harlem East River Enrique everything eyes face fire Fischman floor fuck fucken girl gonna hand happy hated head hear heard hope inside Iris Chacón Izzy Julia de Burgos Julio killed knew Latin laughed leave living looked married Mercado mother Nazario Negra neighborhood Nene never nigga night nodded okay opened Ortiz pana Pentecostal 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 Vasquez Vera's Veronica Victor Vidal waiting walked Whassup whispered wife William Irizarry Willie Bodega Yeah yelled