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 12
... Street and Second Avenue. When I was accepted a lot of things seemed possible. I now left East Harlem every day and without my quite knowing it, the world became new. Little by little the neighborhood's petty street politics became less ...
... Street and Second Avenue. When I was accepted a lot of things seemed possible. I now left East Harlem every day and without my quite knowing it, the world became new. Little by little the neighborhood's petty street politics became less ...
Page 14
... street nobility incarnated in someone who still believed in dreams. And for a small while, those dreams seemed as palpable as that dagger Macbeth tried to grab. From his younger days as a Young Lord to his later days as Bodega, his life ...
... street nobility incarnated in someone who still believed in dreams. And for a small while, those dreams seemed as palpable as that dagger Macbeth tried to grab. From his younger days as a Young Lord to his later days as Bodega, his life ...
Page 15
... Street with the blanquitos, do you?” “Did you figure all this out by yourself, Blanca?" I acted more interested in looking for the remote, so I could switch on the television. “Did it ever occur to you," I said after finding it under ...
... Street with the blanquitos, do you?” “Did you figure all this out by yourself, Blanca?" I acted more interested in looking for the remote, so I could switch on the television. “Did it ever occur to you," I said after finding it under ...
Page 19
... Street ordered all this shit for a party in one of those penthouses by Park." “I don't know, Sapo.” I was afraid. Not of the cops but of Blanca. "Yo, come on, man, one last favor for your pana, Sapo. You be just taking the sack to ...
... Street ordered all this shit for a party in one of those penthouses by Park." “I don't know, Sapo.” I was afraid. Not of the cops but of Blanca. "Yo, come on, man, one last favor for your pana, Sapo. You be just taking the sack to ...
Page 22
... street. From my place in the Schomburg projects on 111th and Fifth to Casablanca the camiceria on 110th between Lexington and Park is only four blocks. Regardless, Sapo led me to his parked BMW and we drove the short distance. “There's ...
... street. From my place in the Schomburg projects on 111th and Fifth to Casablanca the camiceria on 110th between Lexington and Park is only four blocks. Regardless, Sapo led me to his parked BMW and we drove the short distance. “There's ...
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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