Drink Cultura, by Jose Antonio Burciaga

Burciago, Jose Antonio (1993). Drink Cultura. Santa Barbara: Joshua Odell Editions.
ISBN 1877741078

Summary:  Burciago writes, “I’m Mexican by nature and American by nurture.” (p. 63). A Chicano cultural activist, Burciago presents a series of essays in Drink Cultura that explore elements of American and Mexican cultures and Mexican-American culture. By discussing language, food, and holidays, Burciago explores his identity as a Chicano Texan—neither Mexicano nor gringo, but caught between cultures —with wit and insightful commentary informed by personal experience and history. 

Additional Comments:  Despite his levity, Burciago also addresses serious social injustices against Latinos, such as the past prohibition of Spanish language and Mexican culture in schools, the struggles of the campesino farmworkers and the labor movement, and the evolution of the Chicano Movement. Students of Latin American studies will especially benefit from Burciago’s critique of American culture and history.