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How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water

By Angie Cruz
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3.88 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 30,468 ratings, 4,499 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz offers a captivating narrative centred on Cara Romero, a seasoned Dominican woman living in New York. Faced with unemployment after the Great Recession, she navigates a job retraining programme. The story unfolds through her candid sessions with a career counsellor, revealing her life's challenges, joys, and the tenacity she possesses to stay afloat in difficult times.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're drawn to character-driven narratives that delve into themes of resilience, family, and cultural identity. The story is woven with humour and emotional depth, exploring the complexities of life through a vibrant protagonist who navigates the challenges of starting anew.

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From the author of the Women's Prize-shortlisted Dominicana comes an inventive, funny and deeply moving new novel about a Dominican-American woman who has lost her job, her son, and her sense of purpose but is fighting to get it all back.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
'Cruz once again offers a fresh glimpse of immigration, womanhood, aspiration and gentrification . . . told in Cara's unfailingly frank, sometimes hilarious, voice' Washington Post

Write this down: Cara Romero wants to work.

When Cara left the Dominican Republic for America, she thought she would work at the factory of little lamps for the rest of her life. But when the Great Recession hits, she is left unemployed and struggling with the rising rent. To survive, Cara must start again.

Set up with a job counsellor, Cara's future is to be determined through forms and questionnaires. But answer boxes can't contain her indomitable personality and tempestuous past, and over the course of twelve sessions we learn of her scandals and struggles, hopes and heartbreaks, why she came to America and what really happened to her son.

When everything is lost, sometimes the only way forward is to go back to the start.

How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz is a poignant exploration of resilience and the journey towards self-discovery amidst life's uncertainties.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz is highly praised for its beautifully written and engaging portrayal of a 56-year-old Dominican woman navigating motherhood and loss during the Great Recession. Reviewers commend Cruz's exploration of immigration, womanhood, and gentrification, delivered through the humorous and candid voice of the protagonist, Cara. The novel is acknowledged for blending a personal, believable narrative with broader societal themes, creating a character who is both endearing and unforgettable.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781399806893

Publisher: John Murray Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 16 February 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: John Murray Publishers Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 26.0mm

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 218.0mm

Weight: 320g

Pages: 208

Collections

Angie Cruz Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction

About the Author

Angie Cruz is the author of the novels Soledad, Let It Rain Coffee, a finalist in 2007 for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award., and Dominicana, which was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2020. She has published work in the New York Times, VQR, Gulf Coast Literary Journal, and other publications, and has received fellowships from the New York Foundation of the Arts, Yaddo, and the MacDowell Colony. She is founder and editor in chief of Aster(ix), a literary and arts journal, and is an associate professor of English at the University of Pittsburgh.

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  • How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water
    A NEW YORK TIMES EDITOR'S CHOICE - A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW NOTABLE BOOK - REVIEWED ON THE FRONT COVER From GMA BOOK CLUB PICK and WOMEN'S PRIZE FINALIST Angie Cruz, author of Dominicana, an electrifying new novel about a woman who has lost everything but the chance to finally tell her story. "Will have you LAUGHING line after...
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    SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2020 'A story for now, an important story . . . told with incredible freshness' — Martha Lane Fox, Chair of Judges, Women's Prize 2020 'The harsh reality of immigration is balanced with a refreshing dose of humour' — The Times 'This compassionate and ingenious novel has an endearing vibrancy in the storytelling...
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  • How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water
    'Cruz once again offers a fresh glimpse of immigration, womanhood, aspiration and gentrification . . . told in Cara's unfailingly frank, sometimes hilarious, voice' Washington Post Write this down: Cara Romero wants to work. When Cara left the Dominican Republic for America, she thought she would work at the factory of little lamps for the rest of her life. But...
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