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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

CrazyLoco Love: A Memoir by Victor Villaseñor

Crazy Loco Love: A MemoirFrom Shelfari:
From one of America's most beloved writers comes this compelling memoir of his adolescent search for meaning and identity. When Victor Villaseñor turned sixteen, his father's gift of a brand-new, turquoise pick-up truck was accompanied by another gift: words of wisdom that would guide him on his path to manhood. "You are a man now, he said, and to be an hombre, a man must not only know right from wrong, he must also know who he is and who he isn't." In the weeks to come, however, Victor disregards his father's advice. Swayed by his friends ridicule, he has his new truck painted white to cover the vibrant turquoise, once his favorite color. Soon, he realizes his mistake. "I'd done exactly what my dad had told me not to. I'd listened to other people's opinions instead of listening to what I'd felt inside." So begins this poignant and moving account of Villaseñor's coming of age. 
Growing up on his parents ranch in North San Diego County, Victor Villaseñor's teenage years were marked by a painful quest to find a place for himself in a world he didn't fit into. During his search, Victor wrangles with the usual questions of adolescence: Is it normal to think about sex all the time? Do good girls like sex? Is sex before marriage a sin? But Victor struggles with more than just his burgeoning sexual awareness. 
The son of a self-made, successful man, he is different from his peers because of his Mexican heritage, and he experiences both subtle and outright discrimination because of this. Raised in a tight-knit, Catholic family, he questions the tenets of his faith and the restrictions it places on his own developing spirituality and sexuality. After high school, Victor's quest for who he is and who he isn't takes him to Mexico, where he is shocked to learn that Mexicans aside from his father are successful. They are architects, professors, and artists. Most importantly, he meets an older woman who cultivates in him a deeper understanding of his own intellectual capacity and helps him see the world and his place in it in a whole new way. This experience allows him to appreciate his own potential and realize his dreams of making a difference in the world through writing. 
A powerful portrait of a young boy on the path to manhood in the shadow of his influential father, Crazy Loco Love adds a new chapter to the grand tradition of coming-of-age books. Destined to become a classic, this new installment in Villaseñor's body of work confirms his place as a leading American writer. Crazy Loco Love will enthrall his many fans and surely win him new ones. 
The book starts out with several quotes. I'll give you one since they were all saying the same thing in a different way:
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." — Marianne Williamson (A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles) 
 This is a coming of age book. It showcases how Victor Villaseñor discovered his philosophy for life. For living. It starts with a child emerging from a black and white world in terms of sexuality into the confusing pallet of an adolescent. It is very straightforward and honest in this respect and I imagine some people having a hard time with it. However, if you see it as a rite of passage and a beginning into thinking for himself, you understand why he was so honest. It is one way we are wakened up to the world and he is very honest about it's confusion.

As the book goes on we also see how prejudice can influence your self-image. Words have power only when you let them, but how can you recognize that power when people keep telling you the same thing before you are able to grasp that you can think for yourself? He shows what impact racism had on his life. This is as poignant today as it was in the late 50s early 60s when this book was set.

He also shows how he came to his view on religion, male/female, love, labels, in fact all major aspects of life have been influenced by fear. Fear that was institutionalized by others and especially by ourselves. Basically, to me this is a book that philosophizes how we can free ourselves by freeing ourselves of the fear that holds us back. In fact, I would have loved to see a conversation between him and one of my favorites, Joseph Campbell. I believe that would have been a interesting discussion indeed. :)

How do I rate this book? That is a hard question. I enjoyed the philosophy but the writing was a bit erratic. That could have been purposeful as adolescence does seem very erratic at times. The message still comes through and so because of that I will give it 3 1/2 stars. This is not a book for everyone. Not everyone wants their world questioned. So, bear that in mind.

Below is a short speech by Victor Villaseñor:


I was given this book by the publisher and no compensations was given for my review.

17 comments:

  1. Really nice review Melissa, I love how you stated this one won't be for everyone because not everyone likes their world questioned. That's so very true! This is the type of book I normally read, but the philosophical aspect sounds really interesting:)

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  2. Great review, Melissa! I love the honesty of your views on it. I have a thing for memoirs, so I'll pick this up, but it definitely sounds like one I'll need to be in the right mood to read :)

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  3. He does have other memoirs, but I don't know if the writing is the same. I haven't read those. However, if you like the philosophy he provides then the writing isn't as important. :) Hope you enjoy it Melissa. And thx, Jenny!

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  4. This is why I love following your reviews, you read everything and anything.

    I haven't been able to get into memoirs. Though I know what you mean about fear hold you back, I think the message would have been lost on me with this book because I need some steadiness. Erratic can be fun for a while, but after a while I give up. LOL

    Thanks for the review, Melissa.

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  5. Nice review. I think this is a book that I would either really like, or not at all. Hard to say really

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  6. Not sure about this one but sounds like it could be good creating questions and discussions. Thanks for the review!

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  7. @Missie... I hope reading everything is a good thing. :D You should have seen me when I'd hit the library. I'll save that for another story, tho. ;D

    @Blodeuedd and Alyssa, I think if you love the philosophy on life or just enjoy exploring that aspect then you will like the book. It's really more about that and his epiphanies.

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  8. I might have to give this one a shot. It sounds like a very philosophical/existential-ish book,and I tend to find those interesting, whether or not I like them. Like you said, not everyone wants their world questioned. But I find it refreshes me and keeps me on track as to the most important things in life!

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  9. "Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." I have to chew on this one. On the one hand, I do have a lot of fear of inadequacy that seems to run coutner to this. But I can see where this fear of too much inner power might be true. Sometimes I think many of us purposely hold back from embracing our full potential as human beings.

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  10. Hmm, not too sure about this one - I loved the quotes, so moving and yet the thought of the writing being a bit erratic kind of puts me off. Perhaps a book to keep in mind for another time when I may feel more inclined to question life and the universe as from your review I can imagine this provoking a lot of soul searching.

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  11. Thanks for being honest. I've been meaning to expand my reading and read more memoirs. Not sure if I'll pick this one up, though I think I would enjoy the philosophy part of it, too. Hmm... we'll see. :)

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  12. I'm actually from Mexico, only came to the US for uni. I'm always curious to read these types of books I'll add it to my tbr :)

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  13. Hey girl! Just wanted to let you know that you are the winner of the Steve Martin's An Object of Beauty contest!!

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  14. I really enjoyed this review, I can see how it could see how it would be hard to rate it.

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  15. @Stephanie... I totally agree.

    For everyone not quite sure b/c of the writing, it appears that his other books don't have the same problem. I'm curious about his book, 13 senses. Might look at his other books. :)

    @Kel... got it! Thanks!

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  16. I agree with this: Not everyone wants their world questioned! :) I don't think this book is for me, but I'm glad you enjoyed it.

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  17. Great review. :) Sounds like one to think on. :) THanks!

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