Treasures in Heaven

By Kathleen Alcalá

Book Overview

Kathleen Alcal "This is a story about women organizing across class lines to benefit one another-a story that is more relevant than ever right now. These Mexican women braved a lot of scorn, prison, and physical danger to live out their ideals."Treasures in Heaven is a turbulent tale of love and political awakening set in Mexico a century ago. The protagonist, Estela, finds herself swept into a world of politics and entangled in secret relationships. What starts as lessons to educate poor children grows into a school for prostitutes. The school leads to a radical underground newspaper and a dangerous movement for social change that foreshadows the Mexican Revolution.Treasures in Heaven is one of three stand-alone books set in nineteenth-century Mexico and based on Kathleen Alcal 's family's stories-stories both historical and universal. The first two books, Spirits of the Ordinary and The Flower in the Skull, stick pretty closely to the author's family lore, while Treasures in Heaven explores the feminist movement that arose in Mexico.

We hope that this new edition brings some well-deserved recognition to an important Chicana author. Originally published in 2000 by Chronicle Books, Treasures in Heaven is a story, inspired by true events, that is especially relevant today. The new foreword is written by M. Miriam Herrera, Senior Lecturer, Department of Writing and Language Studies, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1735478067
• ISBN13: 9781735478067
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Raven Chronicles
• Length: 202 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

This novel will transport you to another time and place.

Ms. Alcala has created a compelling and informative novel. I was sucked in from page one. It will transport you straight into the tumultuous political climate of late 19th century Mexico under the oppressive rule of Dictator Porfirio Diaz. I think you will appreciate this book for its harsh beauty, its rich characters and its multi -layered story of loss and survival. A book that is this entertaining and at the same time educational is a rare find. I only hope that Ms. Alcala will write another book so that I can learn more about Beto and Estela and all of her other memorable characters. I recommend this book without reservation.

Fascinating Insight Into an Explosive Time in Mexico

You can't get any better than this: a great story about a woman asserting her independence during the early 1900s in Mexico City--a time of social and political revolutions. To those of you who have read Alcala's earlier works, this is truly a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. To those who have not read the earlier works, you will only have your interest piqued. Alcala writes with authority about pre-revolutionary Mexico and the tales she spins are unforgettable accounts of strong women who persevere against personal and social challenges. This author's best achievement is the way she dispels the myth of the passive Mexican woman repeatedly in her compelling body of work.