Synopses & Reviews
In this irrepressible, can't-put-it-down novel of six friends-each one an unforgettable woman in her late twenties-you'll meet:
--Lauren, the "caliente" columnist for the local Boston paper whose love live has recently led her to her boyfriend's closet...to catch him in the act with someone else
--Sara, the perfect wife and mother who's got it all but who is paying a high price
--Amber, raised a Valley girl without a word of Spanish but who is becoming a huge rock en espanol star
--Elizabeth, the stunning black Latina whose TV anchor job conflicts with her intensely private personal life
--Rebecca, hyper-in-command in the world of her glossy magazine, Ella, but totally at sea when it comes to men
--Usnavys, fabulous and larger than life, whose agenda to land the kind of man who can keep her in Manolos almost prevents her finding true love
Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is an award-winning print and broadcast journalist and a former staff writer for both the Los Angeles Times and The Boston Globe. She is one of Latina magazine's women of the year for 2003. She lives with her husband and son in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is her first novel. Inseparable since their days at Boston University almost ten years ago, six friends form the Dirty Girls Social Club, a mutual support and (mostly) admiration society that, no matter what happens to each of them (and a lot does), meets regularly to dish, dine, and compare notes on the bumpy course of life and love.
Las sucias are:
Lauren, the resident "caliente" columnist for the local paper, which advertises her work with the line "Her casa is su casa, Boston," but whose own home life has recently involved hiding in her boyfriend's closet to catch him in the act
Sara, the perfect wife and mother who always knew exactly the life she wanted and got it, right down to the McMansion in the suburbs and two boisterous boys, but who is paying a hefty price
Amber, the most idealistic and artistic member of the club, who was raised a Valley girl without a word of Spanish and whose increasing attachment to her Mexica roots coincides with a major record label's interest in her music
Elizabeth, the stunning black Latina whose high-profile job as a morning television anchor conflicts with her intensely private personal life, which would explain why the dates the other dirty girls set her up on never work out
Rebecca, intense and highly controlled, who flawlessly runs Ella, the magazine she created, but who can't explain why she didn't understand the man she married and now doesn't even share a room with
Usnavys, irrepressible and larger than life, whose agenda to land the kind of man who can keep her in Manolo Blahniks and platanos almost prevents her from seeing true love when it lands in her lap
There's a lot of catching up to do.
"Although its characters are proudly Latina, the story is more than a primer on Hispanic culture. It's also about friendship, growing up, and negotiating the bumps and jolts of everyday life . . . Valdes-Rodriguez's writing style is raunchy yet refined, with a variable cadence that echoes six different voices. But in the end, it's the complex, finely drawn characters who make the book work."Rocky Mountain News
"As a guilty pleasure I would say The Dirty Girls Social Club ranks somewhere between Valrhona chocolate and Jimmy Choo shoesI simply could not put it down."Whitney Otto, author of How to Make An American Quilt
"With this novel, Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez has created a starburst story filled with starburst characters. The world of the sucias is a world of sizzling romance and troubled loves, of great wit and great sorrow, of fast friendships andmost importantferocious loyalties. The Latina community has a rich new voice and Valdés-Rodríguez is it."Jeffrey Kluger, coauthor of Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo
"Although its characters are proudly Latina, the story is more than a primer on Hispanic culture. It's also about friendship, growing up, and negotiating the bumps and jolts of everyday life . . . Valdes-Rodriguez's writing style is raunchy yet refined, with a variable cadence that echoes six different voices. But in the end, it's the complex, finely drawn characters who make the book work."Rocky Mountain News
"Dirty Girls sets out to prove Latina can mean anythingblack, white, rich, poor, Spanish-speaking, [or] not Spanish-speaking."The Miami Herald
"[Valdes-Rodriguez's] compelling characters are enhanced by their racial identities but not at all inaccessible to the non-Hispanic . . . an enjoyable read."San Antonio Express-News
"Those who liked The Joy Luck Club or The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood will enjoy The Dirty Girls Social Club . . . It is heartfelt, fast-moving, and often funny."Oklahoman
"Her affectionate treatment of these all-too-human sucias suggests that Valdes-Rodriguez just might be a card-carrying member of a real-life Dirty Girls Social Club. To which we can only say: lucky her."Bookpage
"Marked by fast-paced dialogue and a pop-culture sensibility, this engaging novel, each section of which is written from a different woman's perspective, carries an unmistakable message."Book
"[An] affecting debut that takes a long, hard, and funny look at life in the U.S. for Latina women . . . an upscale telenovela with well-drawn, charmingly flawed characters from an author who explodes some myths."Kirkus Reviews
"Valdes-Rodriguez's novel delivers on the promise of its title [with a] diverse group of women that defies stereotypes. The book addresses serious questionsprejudice, the difficulty of winning respect from Latino menbut balances them with enough romances . . . to satisfy any chick lit fan. This is a fun, irresistible debut."Publishers Weekly
Review
"The feel of a night out with the girls...charming...undeniably fun."
Review
"...a heartfelt, fast-moving, and often funny page-turner." Booklist
Review
"...the summer's must-have beach book." Latina magazine
Review
"The writing is strong, fluid, and sometimes laugh-out loud funny." Pioneer Press
Review
"...in the end, it's the complex, finely drawn characters who make the book work." Rocky Mountain News
Review
"The Latina community has a rich new voice and Valdez-Rodriguez is it."
Review
"...a heartfelt, fast-moving, and often funny page-turner."
Review
"The writing is strong, fluid, and sometimes laugh-out loud funny."
Review
"Valdes-Rodriguez' novel delivers on the promise of its sexy title (with a) diverse group of women that defies stereotypes. The book addresses serious questions-prejudice, the difficulty of winning respect from Latino men-but balances them with enough romances...to satisfy any chick lit fan. This is a fun, irresistible debut." Publishers Weekly
Review
"(an) affecting debut that takes a long, hard, and funny look at life in the U.S. for Latina women...an upscale telenovela with well-drawn, charmingly flawed characters from an author who explodes some myths." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Dirty Girls sets out to prove Latina can mean anything-black, white, rich, poor, Spanish-speaking, not Spanish-speaking." The Miami Herald
Review
"Dirty Girls sets out to prove Latina can mean anything-black, white, rich, poor, Spanish-speaking, not Spanish-speaking."
Review
"This lively debut novel...reads like the Hispanic version of Waiting to Exhale." New York
Review
"...Valdes-Rodriguez has written an incredible first novel, told in six distinct voices and points of view." Library Journal
Review
"...a fresh spin on the best-of-friends novel that's funny, touching, and exhilarating. A winner!" Jennifer Crusie
Review
"The feel of a night out with the girls...charming...undeniably fun."
- Miami Herald
"This lively debut novel...reads like the Hispanic version of Waiting to Exhale."
- New York
"As a guilty pleasure it ranks somewhere between Valrhona chocolate and Jimmy Choo shoes-I simply could not put it down."
- Whitney Otto, author of How to Make an American Quilt
"...the summer's must-have beach book."
- Latina magazine
"...a fresh spin on the best-of-friends novel that's funny, touching, and exhilarating. A winner!"
- Jennifer Crusie
"The Latina community has a rich new voice and Valdez-Rodriguez is it."
- Jeffrey Kluger, coauthor of Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13
"Dirty Girls sets out to prove Latina can mean anything-black, white, rich, poor, Spanish-speaking, not Spanish-speaking."
- The Miami Herald
"...Valdes-Rodriguez has written an incredible first novel, told in six distinct voices and points of view."
- Library Journal
"...in the end, it's the complex, finely drawn characters who make the book work."
- Rocky Mountain News
"...a heartfelt, fast-moving, and often funny page-turner."
- Booklist
"This season's most scrumptious book...a summer must."
- Advocate
"Those who liked The Joy Luck Club or
iThe Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood will enjoy The Dirty Girls Social Club...It is heartfelt, fast-moving, and often funny."
- Oklahoman
"(an) affecting debut that takes a long, hard, and funny look at life in the U.S. for Latina women...an upscale telenovela with well-drawn, charmingly flawed characters from an author who explodes some myths."
- Kirkus Reviews
"Marked by fast-paced dialogue and a pop-culture sensibility, this engaging novel, each section of which is written from a different woman's perspective, carries an unmistakable message."
- Book
"The writing is strong, fluid, and sometimes laugh-out loud funny."
- Pioneer Press
"Valdes-Rodriguez' compelling characters are enhanced by their racial identities but not at all inaccesible to the non-Hispanic...an enjoyable read."
- San Antonio Express-News
"Valdes-Rodriguez' novel delivers on the promise of its sexy title (with a) diverse group of women that defies stereotypes. The book addresses serious questions-prejudice, the difficulty of winning respect from Latino men-but balances them with enough romances...to satisfy any chick lit fan. This is a fun, irresistible debut."
- Publishers Weekly
Review
“The novelist's first memoir, about her love affair with her own cowboy on a cattle ranch, is touching, gritty, real, and often laugh-out-loud funny. Highly recommended. A real-life romance, with every kind of beef.”
—Ree Drummond, author of The Pioneer Woman; Black Heels to Tracker Wheels, A Love Story
“An irresistible, post-feminist Taming of the Shrew. Dont be scared by the premise. This is not a story about a woman relinquishing her identity. Quite the opposite. It is a riveting tale about how a brilliant, strong-minded woman liberated herself from a dreary, male-bashing, reality-denying feminism.”
—Christina Hoff Sommers, author of The War Against Boys; How Misguided Feminism is Harming Our Young Men
“This is a real-life romance novel, as they are truly written, where a handsome, but flawed hero enhances the life of a woman battling her own demons. He doesn't save her. She doesn't change him… The book is insightful, sassy, sarcastic, intelligent, emotional and will challenge the preconceived concepts about conservatives and liberals and everyone in between.”
-Julie Leto, New York Times bestselling author
“Valdes has written a thought-provoking exploration of her own missteps and the tremendous obstacles she has overcome to achieve happiness in the second half of her life.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A big-city girl finds love where she least expects it and re-examines her life in the process… A memoir for chick-lit fans who can stomach a bit of politics along with their romance.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Review
“The novelist's first memoir, about her love affair with her own cowboy on a cattle ranch, is touching, gritty, real, and often laugh-out-loud funny. Highly recommended. A real-life romance, with every kind of beef.”
—Ree Drummond, author of The Pioneer Woman; Black Heels to Tracker Wheels, A Love Story
“An irresistible, post-feminist Taming of the Shrew. Dont be scared by the premise. This is not a story about a woman relinquishing her identity. Quite the opposite. It is a riveting tale about how a brilliant, strong-minded woman liberated herself from a dreary, male-bashing, reality-denying feminism.”
—Christina Hoff Sommers, author of The War Against Boys; How Misguided Feminism is Harming Our Young Men
“This is a real-life romance novel, as they are truly written, where a handsome, but flawed hero enhances the life of a woman battling her own demons. He doesn't save her. She doesn't change him… The book is insightful, sassy, sarcastic, intelligent, emotional and will challenge the preconceived concepts about conservatives and liberals and everyone in between.”
-Julie Leto, New York Times bestselling author
“Valdes has written a thought-provoking exploration of her own missteps and the tremendous obstacles she has overcome to achieve happiness in the second half of her life.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A big-city girl finds love where she least expects it and re-examines her life in the process… A memoir for chick-lit fans who can stomach a bit of politics along with their romance.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Review
1. Lauren spends much of her time feeling inadequate and like an imposter. What do you think these feelings are rooted in?
2. How do you think Rebeccas husband was raised to view Latinos? How does this impact their marriage? Is his disappointment in her fair, in your opinion?
3. Elizabeth is the only foreign-born of the sucias and yet she spends the least amount of time thinking about her Latin identity. There are two big reasons for this. What do you think they are?
4. Elizabeth does not seem to think her secret and her religion are at odds with one another? Why not? Do you agree?
5. Sara seems to feel some responsibility for what is happening in her home life. Do you agree that she is partly to blame? Why, or why not?
6. How could it be that Saras home life and the image her friends have of her could be so different? Why do you think she hid the truth for so long?
7. Why does Gato finally stray in his relationship with Amber? How does Amber react? By contrast, how do you think Lauren might have reacted in the same situation?
8. Why does Usnavys think she needs to find a rich man? What in her past makes her believe this? How does this belief impact her happiness?
9. The sucias, like many groups of friends, seem to end up in sets of two. Who do you think these pairs are, and why do you think they are drawn more to each other than to any of the other friends?
10. The sucias are all Latinas, but they are also of different races, religions and backgrounds. How does this compare to images of Latinas you see in the U.S. media? "The feel of a night out with the girls...charming...undeniably fun." Miami Herald
Review
"As a guilty pleasure it ranks somewhere between Valrhona chocolate and Jimmy Choo shoes-I simply could not put it down." Whitney Otto, author of How to Make an American Quilt
Review
"The Latina community has a rich new voice and Valdez-Rodriguez is it." Jeffrey Kluger, coauthor of Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13
Review
"This season's most scrumptious book...a summer must." Advocate
Review
"Those who liked The Joy Luck Club or The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood will enjoy The Dirty Girls Social Club...It is heartfelt, fast-moving, and often funny." Oklahoman
Review
"Marked by fast-paced dialogue and a pop-culture sensibility, this engaging novel, each section of which is written from a different woman's perspective, carries an unmistakable message." Book
Review
"Valdes-Rodriguez' compelling characters are enhanced by their racial identities but not at all inaccesible to the non-Hispanic...an enjoyable read." San Antonio Express-News
Synopsis
Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez's vibrant, can't-put-it-down novel of six friends--each one an unforgettable Latina woman in her late '20s--and the complications and triumphs in their lives
Inseparable since their days at Boston University almost ten years before, six friends form the Dirty Girls Social Club, a mutual support and (mostly) admiration society that no matter what happens to each of them (and a lot does), meets regularly to dish, dine and compare notes on the bumpy course of life and love.
Las sucias are:
--Lauren, the resident "caliente" columnist for the local paper, which advertises her work with the line "her casa is su casa, Boston," but whose own home life has recently involved hiding in her boyfriend's closet to catch him in the act
--Sara, the perfect wife and mother who always knew exactly the life she wanted and got it, right down to the McMansion in the suburbs and two boisterious boys, but who is paying a hefty price
--Amber, the most idealistic and artistic member of the club, who was raised a valley girl without a word of Spanish and whose increasing attachment to her Mexica roots coincides with a major record label's interest in her rock 'n' roll
--Elizabeth, the stunning black Latina whose high profile job as a morning television anchor conflicts with her intensely private personal life, which would explain why the dates the other dirty girls set her up on never work out
--Rebecca, intense and highly controlled, who flawlessly runs Ella, the magazine she created for Latinas, but who can't explain why she didn't understand the man she married and now doesn't even share a room with; and
--Usnavys, irrepressible and larger than life, whose agenda to land the kind of man who can keep her in Manolo Blahniks and platanos almost prevents her seeing true love when it lands in her lap.
There's a lot of catching up to do.
Synopsis
Alisa Vald s-Rodr guez's vibrant, can't-put-it-down, New York Times-bestselling novel of six friends--each one an unforgettable Latina woman in her late '20s--and the complications and triumphs in their lives
Inseparable since their days at Boston University almost ten years before, six friends form the Dirty Girls Social Club, a mutual support and (mostly) admiration society that no matter what happens to each of them (and a lot does), meets regularly to dish, dine and compare notes on the bumpy course of life and love.
Las sucias are:
--Lauren, the resident "caliente" columnist for the local paper, which advertises her work with the line "her casa is su casa, Boston," but whose own home life has recently involved hiding in her boyfriend's closet to catch him in the act
--Sara, the perfect wife and mother who always knew exactly the life she wanted and got it, right down to the McMansion in the suburbs and two boisterious boys, but who is paying a hefty price
--Amber, the most idealistic and artistic member of the club, who was raised a valley girl without a word of Spanish and whose increasing attachment to her Mexica roots coincides with a major record label's interest in her rock 'n' roll
--Elizabeth, the stunning black Latina whose high profile job as a morning television anchor conflicts with her intensely private personal life, which would explain why the dates the other dirty girls set her up on never work out
--Rebecca, intense and highly controlled, who flawlessly runs Ella, the magazine she created for Latinas, but who can't explain why she didn't understand the man she married and now doesn't even share a room with; and
--Usnavys, irrepressible and larger than life, whose agenda to land the kind of man who can keep her in Manolo Blahniks and platanos almost prevents her seeing true love when it lands in her lap.
There's a lot of catching up to do.
Synopsis
The
New York Times bestselling novel that is a sensational debut about six friends--each one an unforgettable Latina woman in her late '20s--and the complications and triumphs in their lives.
Synopsis
This heartfelt and absorbing novel portrays the lives of six upwardly mobile Latina women in their late 20s. Friends since their days at Boston University, they form the Dirty Girls Social Club and meet to dish, dine, and help each other over the bumpy course of life and love.
In this irrepressible, can't-put-it-down novel of six friends each one an unforgettable woman in her late twenties-you'll meet:
- Lauren, the "caliente" columnist for the local Boston paper whose love life has recently led her to her boyfriend's closet...to catch him in the act with someone else
- Sara, the perfect wife and mother who's got it all but who is paying a high price
- Amber, raised a Valley girl without a word of Spanish but who is becoming a huge rock en espanol star
- Elizabeth, the stunning black Latina whose TV anchor job conflicts with her intensely private personal life
- Rebecca, hyper-in-command in the world of her glossy magazine, Ella, but totally at sea when it comes to men
- Usnavys, fabulous and larger than life, whose agenda to land the kind of man who can keep her in Manolos almost prevents her finding true love
Synopsis
In this irrepressible, can't-put-it-down novel of six friends-each one an unforgettable woman in her late twenties-you'll meet:
--Lauren, the "caliente" columnist for the local Boston paper whose love live has recently led her to her boyfriend's closet...to catch him in the act with someone else
--Sara, the perfect wife and mother who's got it all but who is paying a high price
--Amber, raised a Valley girl without a word of Spanish but who is becoming a huge rock en espanol star
--Elizabeth, the stunning black Latina whose TV anchor job conflicts with her intensely private personal life
--Rebecca, hyper-in-command in the world of her glossy magazine, Ella, but totally at sea when it comes to men
--Usnavys, fabulous and larger than life, whose agenda to land the kind of man who can keep her in Manolos almost prevents her finding true love
Synopsis
The bestselling author of The Dirty Girls Social Club returns with an engrossing memoir about how falling in love with a sexy cowboy turned her feminist beliefs upside down.
Feminism was a religion in Alisa Valdes’s childhood home. Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem took the place of Barbies and left Valdes impressed with a feminist ideology that guided a prolific writing career—at twenty-two Valdes was named one of the top feminist writers under thirty by the editor of Ms Magazine.
Yet despite her professional success, Valdes hit forty-two a single mom and a serial dater of inadequate men in tweed jackets—until she met the Cowboy. A conservative rancher, the Cowboy held the traditional views on gender roles that Valdes was raised to reject. Yet as she falls head-over-spurs for him and their relationship finds harmony, she finds the strength, peace, and happiness that comes from embracing her femininity.
From their first date the Cowboy makes her pulse race, and she discovers that “when men… act like men rather than like emasculated boys, you as a woman will find not only great pleasure in submitting to them but also great growth as a person.” Told with plenty of humor and candor, The Feminist and the Cowboy will delight the many readers who made The Pioneer Woman a bestseller—not to mention every woman who dreams of being swept away by a rugged cowboy.
About the Author
Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is an award-winning print and broadcast journalist and a former staff writer for both the
Los Angeles Times and the
Boston Globe. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Reading Group Guide
As soon as it was written,
The Dirty Girls Social Club began turning heads.
The Chicago Tribune reported that the book "set off a bidding frenzy" among publishers.
The Associated Press reported that "even people running the copy machines at the major publishing houses just had to read
The Dirty Girls Social Club."
Its no wonder the media is all in a whirl. In this heartfelt and absorbing novel, Valdes-Rodriguez opens up the lives of six upwardly mobile Latina friends in their late 20s. These women, who come from widely varied backgrounds, meet at Boston University and, after graduating, meet every six months to share their stories. Facing the complications and pressures of everyday lives, the Social Club offers a chance to meet regularly, dish, dine, and help each other over the bumpy course of life and love.
Filled with humor, drama, and the redemptive power of friendship, The Dirty Girls Social Club promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.