Solamente En San Miguel

I loved this book. I'm a long time / part time resident of San Miguel and found the short stories to be delightful and, for the most part, right on point. Although I appreciated that a few stories were presented in Spanish vs English, some non Spanish readers may miss out on these true gems. I can only hope there will be future editions. As the title suggest and the short stories present...Only in San Miguel!

Many readers, both in San Miguel and elsewhere, want to know about living as an expatriate in "our" city--I've lived in San Miguel for two years. There are those, obviously, who have moved to San Miguel recently or are contemplating such a move. There are also those in other parts of the world who read about our city in travel magazines and in books about living abroad, and would like some insight about why San Miguel is so often mentioned and so highly praised. Solamente en San Miguel is unique in at least three regards. First, it illustrates life here from many perspectives rather than a single view. There are pieces by twenty-six transplanted Norteamericanos, and seven pieces by Mexican authors, printed in both Spanish and English. All but one of these Mexican authors has also come to San Miguel from elsewhere. The second characteristic which makes reading this book about the experience of San Miguel unique is the variety of forms. We are told of life here in fiction and poetry as well as in essays describing the authors' personal experiences here. My biggest reason for recommending the book is that most of the pieces show what living in Mexico feels like on a daily basis. It is a book filled with love: love of a people and love of a place perhaps unique in all the world, a place a foreigner can come to and immediately know that he or she has come home. It is a book anyone contemplating a move to Mexico, San Miguel or elsewhere, owes it to him/herself to read.

Somehow, the city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico has inspired writers for decades. Despite the recent rash of popularity, the city has not been spoiled, at least according to the writers of this anthology, all inspired by San Miguel. There is something for everyone in this anthology, including essays, short stories, poetry, and even a few stories in Spanish.

Reading this book is akin to spending a morning sitting in the Jardin people-watching and soaking in the spirit of Mexico. In this collection of stories and poems the reader gets a true sense of all the varied characters and surroundings that can be found in San Miguel de Allende. In "Virginia" we find a fascinating picture of a small Indian girl who populates the jardin(the town's central plaza). And in "Remembering Parque Benito Juarez" we learn about the rich romance, music, and color of another park. San Miguel is home to Mexicans, ex-patriates, artists, writers and tourists who never want to leave. Better than any travel book, this is a great effort by the San Miguel Writer's Sala and should result in another edition in years to come.