The Prince of los Cocuyos, Richard Blanco
The Prince of los Cocuyos, Richard Blanco
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The Prince of los Cocuyos
A Miami Childhood

Author: Richard Blanco

Narrator: Adi Cabral

Unabridged: 7 hr 47 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 02/28/2023

Synopsis

A poignant, hilarious, and inspiring memoir from the first Latino and gay Presidential Inaugural Poet, which explores his coming-of-age as the child of Cuban immigrants and his attempts to understand his place in America while grappling with his burgeoning artistic and sexual identities.

Richard Blanco's childhood and adolescence were experienced between two imaginary worlds: his parents' nostalgic world of 1950s Cuba and his imagined America, the country he saw on reruns of The Brady Bunch and Leave it to Beaver—an "exotic" life he yearned for as much as he yearned to see "la patria."

A prismatic and lyrical narrative rich with the colors, sounds, smells, and textures of Miami, Richard Blanco's personal narrative is a resonant account of how he discovered his authentic self and ultimately, a deeper understanding of what it means to be American. His is a singular yet universal story that beautifully illuminates the experience of "becoming"; how we are shaped by experiences, memories, and our complex stories: the humor, love, yearning, and tenderness that define a life.

About Richard Blanco

An accomplished author, playwright, and educator, Richard Blanco has published several volumes of acclaimed poetry. He is a Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow, a recipient of several honorary doctorates, and a dynamic speaker supporting diversity, the LGBTQ+ community, immigration, cultural exchange, and poetry education.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Alejandro on October 18, 2014

It still baffles me that someone with nearly the same exact cultural references as I have wrote and read a poem for the president. I used to feel my family was so weird and not like the ones I saw on TV (and there was no room for someone like me). I feel a little less weird and a little less ashamed......more

Goodreads review by Christine on September 15, 2020

I've been so disappointed in the memoirs I've read for about the last 10 years. This little gem may be the best memoir ever! I'm so glad my sister sent this to me - as I'd never even heard of the book or Blanco before. Part of the appeal is that the author is my age and we both grew up in south Flor......more

Goodreads review by Renata on June 07, 2021

I'd heard of Richard Blanco but wasn't super familiar with his work, but I got this as a gift and I'm glad I did because I otherwise don't know that I would have picked this up, but I loved it! It reminded me a bit of David Sedaris, which I guess is an obvious comparison for tragi-funny stories from......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on June 28, 2018

I'm not much of a memoir reader, but my son has to read this for school in the fall and I thought I'd read it as well. Very enjoyable--found the writing warm and Blanco's early life and struggles in Miami as a family of immigrants interesting. I then watched his reading of the poem "One Today" at Ob......more

Goodreads review by Elisa on December 02, 2018

This book offered both beautiful insight into someone’s own life and a deep connection to my own family.......more

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