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By Michael Lopez

In the Latino civil rights world, the late Cesar Chavez is regarded as a saint. A co-founder of the United Farm Workers, he made incredible strides in the labor and immigration movements with his activism. But, according to a new book, he was not without his flaws.

Trampling Out The Vintage is creating quite a bit of waves among the Chavez fan base for its critical look at the legendary Latino leader. According to author Frank Bardacke (who was a member of the UFW), Cesar made big blunders within the union.

"Cesar Chavez was no saint," Bardacke said in a recent interview. "I knew him and he made mistakes within the union that wound up weakening that great movement of the 1970's."

Frank went on to say that Chavez put incompetent people in UFW leadership roles and caused friction between members who were from Mexico and those who were born in the U.S. But Bardacke made sure to emphasize that the book isn't just full of Cesar-flavored haterade.

"My book is not a biography to discredit Cesar Chavez," he went on to say. "My work tells a lot about Cesar Chavez, but it's more a history of the UFW."

You can judge for yourself by picking up a copy of Trampling Out The Vintage, which is in bookstores now.

Do you think Cesar Chavez is glorified too much? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, Cesar Chavez, Cultura, Frank Bardacke, Immigration, Trampling Out The Vintage, UFW, United Farm Workers

By Michael Lopez

Sure we spend a lot of time talking about the iPad, but let's not forget that there are tons of other cool gizmos out there too. One that's making the most noise is the Kindle, an e-reader that lets you directly access Amazon.com's thousands of books. And now, the company is hoping to expand its reach even further with a deluxe Spanish edition.

The Spanish Kindle hopes to tap into the needs of the world's millions of Latino readers. Featuring a selection of over 22,000 libros, it will offer exclusive works from the likes of Mario Vargas Llosa, Julia Navarro, and Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

There will also be classic Español literature incorporated. But the big selling point of the Spanish Kindle is its affordability. The devices are priced way below the $500 iPads and even incorporate anti-glare technology to reduce eye-strain (something Apple hasn't quite perfected yet).

Not coincidentally, the Spanish Kindle is arriving just in time for the holiday shopping season. But if its price tag is still a little too hefty, you can always invest in some good old fashioned paperbacks instead.

Do you like to read books electronically? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Amazon, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, Hot Stuff, iPad, Kindle, Spanish Kindle, Technology

By Michael Lopez

Who knew Shakira was so steeped in the literary world? Not only is her boyfriend's dad is a celebrated author, so is her own father, William Mebarak. And this week, Shaki's papi released his fifth book, which happens to be edited by the She Wolf.

Al Viento y al Azar is a collection of essays and short stories about love, politics, and the enjoyment of life. Though William wrote the works himself, it was Shakira who compiled the writings and helped get them published.

It's also interesting to note that Shaki wrote the foreword to the book, which includes plenty of loving words to her dear papa.

"In Al Viento y al Azar, I was captivated by everything: the rebellious attitude of some of its texts, the anarchy in its structure, the brutal honesty in his words," she wrote in the libro's introduction.

Al Viento makes its big debut in Colombia this week and you can bet Shaki will be on hand to promote it. And while we're sure it will sell respectable numbers, something tells us Mebarak's next book will be the real bestseller. William's upcoming work is supposedly a biography of his famous daughter.

Will you be picking up Shakira's dad’s book? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Al Viento y al Azar, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, Shakira, William Mebarak

By Michael Lopez

It looks like Shakira has "officially" been embraced by her boyfriend's padres. Gerard Piqué's mom and dad happily posed with Shaki during a recent a press event and seemed more than eager to accept her as part of their family.

"We love you as much as we love Gerard," Piqué's dad Joan told her in front of the paparazzi cameras.

In case you're wondering why the Piqué family made such a public appearance, it's because Joan is actually a celebrated author. His new book, Two Lives, was just released in Spain and the entire family (including Shaki) stood beside him on the first stop of his promotional tour.

Two Lives is actually a stirring fiction novel, which Joan hopes to publish internationally. The proud dad made a point to thank his soccer-playing son for inspiration during the writing process. And perhaps if Lives ever makes it to the big screen, he can thank Gerard's galpal for a soundtrack contribution.

Do you think Shakira would make a good daughter-in-law? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, Celebrities, Celebrity Couples, Gerard Piqué, Joan Piqué, Shakira, Two Lives

By Michael Lopez

Long before there were iPads and Kindles, readers used to shove their faces into bound stacks of paper called books. And as much as we love touch screen technology, there's something about a good old fashioned libro that still lightens the inner soul. Apparently thousands of South Floridians seem to agree, as the 28th annual Miami Book Fair International kicks off for another glorious year.

Designed as a massive street fair in the heart of Miami, the event will span from November 13th through the 20th and feature over 350 well-known authors. It will also be a great opportunity to buy your favorite books at dirt cheap prices.

Founded in 1984, MBFI initially began as a small two-day affair. As each year passed, buzz about the event grew and now it holds the record as the largest literary festival in the country. And obviously being centered in Miami, the Fair puts an extra special emphasis on writers from the Latin community.

One of MBFI’s biggest attractions is its Ibero-American Authors Program, which features lectures and readings that are entirely in Spanish. This year, top Latin writers like Pablo Medina, Gioconda Belli, and Javier Sierra will participate in the Ibero event.

And that's not all. Another huge MBFI draw is "Children’s Alley," which is a special section of street dedicated solely to games and kids' books. There is also the newly launched "Comix Galaxy," which celebrates the artwork and stories behind the industry's hottest graphic novels.

Plus, for all of you star watchers, there will be plenty of celebs on hand too. Legendary musician Harry Belafonte has been confirmed to make an appearance, as has Jenna Elfman and Michael Moore.

And the Book Fair is embracing the digital age too. Outside of welcoming everyone with an eReader, MBFI has its own Twitter and Facebook pages. You can find out all of the details on how to book a trip (and which authors to look out for) by visiting the event's official site.

What all your all-time favorite books? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, Cultura, Giocondo Belli, Javier Sierra, MBFI, Miami, Miami Book Fair International, Pablo Medina

By Michael Lopez

There is no denying that Oscar de la Hoya has led an incredible life. From his humble beginnings in East L.A., to his stellar boxing career, to his recent stint in rehab, we're sure the "Golden Boy" has many stories to tell. And now he's planning to do just that, with a self-penned tell-all book.

Oscar recently told El Gordo y La Flaca that he was in the midst of writing his memoirs. And according to the former Welterweight champ, he's planning to hold nothing back.

Yup, that means even the notorious fishnet photos could get a chapter or two. But we imagine that won't be the central focus. De la Hoya has also built up an incredible career as a businessman, with holdings that are said to be worth hundreds of millions.

We, for one, are quite curious to read Oscar's recollections. But it's interesting to note that the tell-all won't be his first foray into writing. Back in 2006, De la Hoya published the children's book Super Oscar, which proved to be very popular with Jr. boxing fans.

Would you be curious to read Oscar's tell-all book? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, boxing, El Gordo y La Flaca, Oscar de la Hoya, Sports, Super Oscar

By Michael Lopez

Thalía has had an incredibly full life in her 40 years. From her career as a child singer, to her novela superstardom, to her life as a music mogul wife, we can only imagine the amazing stories she has to tell. And in her new book, Growing Stronger, she's opening up about everything.

One of the chapters getting the most attention concerns the 2002 kidnapping of her sisters Laura and Ernestina. Thalía spoke very candidly about the incident and hoped her recollections could help inspire others.

"That experience was very tough for my family," she told the Huffington Post. "That's why I include this story [in Growing Stronger] because I want readers to be inspired. Everybody has their own story, everybody has their own journey. In this book, I'm portraying a journey of perseverance and empowerment and everybody can grow stronger from a bad moment in their life."

Thalía also happily opens up about "the love of her life" Tommy Mottola. She even recounts their first date, which was set up by Gloria Estefan's husband Emilio. Other revelations include her battle with Lyme disease and the fertility issues she dealt with before getting pregnant.

It all makes for a very interesting read and a great holiday gift for the die-hard Thalía fan in the family.

Are you planning on picking up Thalía's book? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, Celebrities, Growing Stronger, Hot Stuff, popnews, Thalía, tommy Mottola

By Michael Lopez

Is it possible that Diddy can't get the image of his ex Jennifer Lopez out of his head? The hip-hop icon is now capitalizing on the "art of the backside" by releasing a 248-page coffee table book entitled Culo.

Just as the name suggests, Culo will feature high end photography of women and their derrieres. Famed photographer Raphael Mazzucco snapped every picture in the book and music honcho Jimmy Iovine will be distributing it through his Interscope line.

The Culo web site even has an R-Rated video to go along with it, which features music from Timbaland and Pitbull. In it, you'll see plenty of stylish imagery and yes, plenty of naked Latinas.

The book will be available by late November and, judging by what we've seen so far, it could be a worthy addition to our Fall reading list! Plus, it may just turn Diddy into a best-selling author!

Would you pick up Diddy's new Culo book? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, Chisme, Culo, Diddy, Jimmy Iovine, popnews, Raphael Mazzucco

By Michael Lopez

Believe it or not, Marco Rubio has packed quite a lot of activity into his 40 years. The Cuban-American Florida Senator is a former football star, a seasoned attorney, and the newest BFF of Nancy Reagan. So now he's decided to write it all down with a new memoir, which should be released within the next year.

Interestingly, Rubio isn't the first young Senator to crank out a book about his background. President Barack Obama first gained national attention for his memoir, Dreams of My Father. Obviously writing a book worked out very well for the Prez, so could Marco be purposely trying to follow the same path?

Rubio is still staying very quiet on his political ambitions. Many in the Republican party have hinted that he may be a VP contender on the 2012 ticket, a notion which he has continually denied. As far as the book goes, Marco claims its main purpose is to get a message out to the people.

"[The book] isn't about creating a profile," he said. "It's more about communicating.”

And when asked about Obama's memoir, Rubio responded,

"I don't agree with him on a lot of public policy, but I thought [Obama's books] were very well written and interesting."

Would you be interested in reading Marco Rubio's memoirs? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Barack Obama, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, Dreams of my Father, Marco Rubio, Marco Rubio Memoirs, Politics, President Obama

By Michael Lopez

Sure Borders may be gone, but that doesn't mean that America isn't still picking up plenty of libros. The country's biggest online book distributor, Amazon.com, is hyping a slew of hot page-turners for fall, including several by prominent Latino authors.

By far, one of the biggest books of the season will be Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs. The first "authorized" biography of the now-former Apple CEO, Jobs promises plenty of juicy details on the world-renowned computer giant.

In the younger fiction department, Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever will be hard to beat. The seventh installment of a series that may give Harry Potter a run for his money, Wimpy Kid is expected to ship six million units when it arrives in November.

But enough with the power players. Let's focus on some Latino up-and-comers, shall we? Justin Torres has had his work published in magazines like Vanity Fair and Esquire, but now he's hitting the big time with his first fiction novel, We The Animals. Focused on three brothers being raised by a Puerto Rican father and a white mother, it's already been heavily praised by the literature community.

Amazon’s also giving quite a bit of love to Hector Tobar's mystery novel, The Barbarian Nurses. Tobar, a respected writer for the L.A. Times, has been known to weave a good tale and this one about a Mexican housekeeper's journey to find a missing family sounds fascinating.

In the classics department, you won't want to miss Roberto Bolaño: The Last Interview & Other Conversations. Sadly this legendary Chilean author passed away in 2003, but these never-published essays will give readers the chance to learn more about a writer who many described as "Latin America's T.S. Eliot."

And just in time for Halloween, Amazon’s releasing Guillermo del Toro's novel, The Night Eternal. A truly epic vampire saga (that would make a great movie, by the way) reaches its final conclusion with this creepy libro. Expect winged monsters, fangs in the neck, and plenty more of Guillermo's trademark horror elements when this book hits shelves on October 25.

What’s the last great book that you read? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Amazon, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Guillermo del Toro, Hector Tobar, Hot Stuff, Justin Torres, Roberto Bolaño, Steve Jobs