Raised by a lively family of Spanish Jews in tropical and Catholic Panama of the 1950s and 1960s, Marlena depends on her many tíos and tías for refuge from the difficulties of life, including the frequent absences of her troubled mother. As a teenager, she pulls away from this centered world—crossing borders—and begins a life in the United States very different from the one she has known. This …
This lyrical coming-of-age memoir explores the intense and profound relationship between mothers and daughters and highlights the importance of community and the beauty of a large Latin American family. It also explores the vital issues of mental illness and healing, forgiveness and acceptance. At the Narrow Waist of the World examines the author’s gradual integration into a new culture, even as she understands that her home is still—and always will be—rooted in another place.
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This is a beautiful memoir about a young Spanish Jewish girl living in a majority Catholic Panama in the 1950’s as she comes-of-age navigating herself, her relationship with her troubled mother, and her life in the United States.
The book was written as if a friend is telling me short bursts of her memories of her past while having some Sancocho de gallina Panameño and some Ron Poche an amazing Panamanaian cocktail.
It is poignant, heartfelt, sometimes heart breaking but always genuine and full of spirit. The prose is rich and vivid, lyrical and poetic, that is both exquisite and courageous.
The sprinkling of the Spanish phrases throughout, added to the authenticity as Baraf tells her story of herself and her amazing family and her many tíos and tías.
I enjoyed this emotional memoir that explores the vital issues of mental illness and healing, forgiveness and acceptance. What an amazing read I thoroughly enjoyed!
Marlena Maduro Baraf shares her story of family, love and life. She introduces the reader to the culture, and family that nurtures her. She shares the difficulty of a loving a mother that feeds an emotional struggle she must handle as a child and into her adulthood. Baraf eloquently shares both the good and the difficult times in a poetic way that draws the reader into her world. Her descriptions in English and accents in Spanish evoke a desire for the reader to see her beloved Panama.
Baraf’s memoir is written with a poetic flair that evokes the disruption of the life she describes. Short vignettes are strung together like pearls, each existing independently of one another and yet somehow comprising a lovely strand. Her descriptions of life within a large extended family are evocative and her descriptions of mid-20th century Panama are captivating. What draws the reader in most, though, is the constant tension surrounding the central figure of Julita, Baraf’s mother, a narcissistic and childlike woman incapable of truly parenting. Anyone who has felt abandoned by a parent, yet loved them all the same, will find something to hold on to in this book.
Enchanting. A heartfelt saga that pulses with life and holds a culture that needs to be known up the light. A rare, must-read story.
Beautiful. Bright. Insightful. Heartbreaking. Real.
Writer Marlena Maduro Baraf provides a beautiful insight as to what it is like living on the edge of two cultures.
(from book cover) Raised by a lively family of Spanish Jews in tropical, Catholic Panama of the 1950s and 1960s, Marlena depends on her many tios and tias for refuge from the difficulties of life, including the frequent absences of her troubled mother. As a teenager, Marlena pulls away from this centered world, leaving for the United States and a life very different from the one she knows. At the Narrow Waist of the World explores the intense bond between mothers and daughters. It highlights the beauty of the large Latin American family, as well as the tension and riches of living life between cultures.
A few things drew me to this book: the unique and exquisite title, the description of exploring the mother/daughter bond, and the Panama setting. I have had the privilege of visiting Central/South America and loved the culture and wanted more insight into the family dynamics. There seemed to be so many things I would enjoy from just looking at the front cover. But then I turned the pages. And I found so much more. This story follows a young girl with vibrant and distinct characterizations of her family, which jumped off the page in an enticing way. This is a rare finding in memoirs, to me, and it captivated me from the first chapter. The story is lined up in small sections and vignettes of memories that allows the reader to embrace the setting and stories while reading a more fast-paced book. I enjoyed the deeply personal look into Baraf’s life and the wide range of experiences she included in this memoir. It was both meaty and light at the same time. The crisp descriptions of her surroundings and people were well-done. I also loved how she included Spanish phrases and focused the story around language, which can be universal, if only we try to understand one another better. This memoir explores that idea and so much more.
Thank you, Marlena and Suzy Approved Book Tours for providing a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
At the Narrow Waist of the World is available now!
“Mental illness is a chameleon. Sometimes you see it, sometimes you don’t.”
I loved this story of family and culture. I loved the short, vivid photographs of Marlena’s life. I loved the beautiful writing and descriptions, but most of all I loved the mental health discussions, as the whole family was affected by her mother’s struggles with mental illness.
I loved this unique quick read and recommend it to all as insight to other cultures, another generation and what it’s like to live with someone living with mental illness.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
“At the Narrow Waist of the World” is a Memoir written by Marlene Maduro Baraf that explains her growing up in Panama in the 1950s and 1960s. The author is part of a large family of Spanish Jews that are in the Catholic part of Panama. The author does come to the United States as a teenager and feels the cultural differences.
Marlene Maduro Baraf uses many Spanish expressions in her memoir, which I found distracting and annoying. I do speak a little Spanish, and I understand that she feels that the word in Spanish describes her feelings better, but it takes away from the continuity of her story.
The author discusses the importance of family and friends. The author also mentions her relationship with her Mother and Grandmother. I appreciate that the author mentioned her mother’s problems with mental illness and how it affected their relationship.
The author vividly describes the landscape and large family gatherings. There is one scene where the author mentions preferring to swim in the Atlantic Ocean side of Panama since it is calmer than the Pacific ocean. I would recommend that you read this memoir if you are interested in this genre.
At the Narrow Waist of the World evokes Marlena Maduro Baraf’s childhood world in Panama and her later life in the U.S. from the inside out and the outside in with an artistry that is truly compelling. Captured at the beginning by the interplay of Spanish and English, this reader was fascinated by Baraf’s further interworking of the tight family culture and the intrusive outside world, mental instability and “normality”, loving relationships and duty-bound connections. The writing is both lyrical and precise, and the book’s structure keeps the reader fascinated throughout. A memoir not to miss!