Rating: 5 stars
Headline: “Abuelita, I am Your Grandson” breaks new ground with its warmth and vibrancy
Review:
Grab an apron and join Julio Lucero behind the counter to the best Latin restaurant this side of Mexico City, a place where the onions make you cry and the Tequila makes you speak Spanish (or, at least what you think is Spanish…). As darker nights approach, this is an unforgettable journey you won’t want to miss out on.
Abuelita, I am Your Grandson is the autobiographic memoir of Lucero’s life, growing up against the backdrop of a busy and often chaotic family-owned restaurant in Austin, Texas. From the picky clientele, to the competition of highly academic siblings, the author makes no slight about the “educación de restaurante” (or restaurant education) that shaped her CV as much as it did her personality.
Throughout this 192 page memoir, there are countless anecdotes and tales shared from the kitchen tiles, with plenty to keep readers turning every page right to the very end. A lot like the cover design, this is a book bursting with colour and flavour. The writing style is beautiful, a perfect balance of scene setting and informality, with a tone of voice that draws readers into the storytelling experience as if you had just pulled up a stool and glass of wine with the author herself. Tales of managing a business, navigating the cultural divides that come from having dual-national parents, the fascinating tale behind this book’s eye catching title, no conversational stone is left unturned when you enter Lucero’s domain. The formatting in this book is also elevated by use of mini illustrations at the head of each titled chapter, giving the whole production of Abuelita, I am Your Grandson a professional look and feel.
Memoirs are never an easy genre to crack, not when so many personal stories have been told in so many ways. But Abuelita, I am Your Grandson breaks new ground with its warmth and vibrancy by turning a family-owned restaurant into the beating heart of a beautifully crafted memoir. A five star book, through and through.
AEB Reviews
Links:
Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Abuelita, I Am Your Grandson” by Julio Lucero
Purchase Link: “Abuelita, I Am Your Grandson” by Julio Lucero (Amazon)
Author Website: https://juliolucero.com/
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