The Language of Sparrows and other stories

The Language of Sparrows and Other Stories captures the rough texture and, at times, the raw reality of ordinary people living in the often-neglected and overlooked barrios of America. In the inaugural story, the author delves deep into the myth of Natuatl culture and language juxtaposed with current Mexican American norms and traditions. Numerology, symbology, and mythology all play a role as the main character, Hernan, dreams of flying with sparrows. These thirteen stories of ordinary people: frustrated husbands, disenchanted wives, sons estranged from their fathers, and unrequited love, all are captured with compassion and detail. Witty, philosophical, and crisp, Castillo gives readers the nuance that no one is going to make it out alive. Surprisingly, the fates resolve each conflict.