Thanks Alicia!
I actually have read that book as well, also, Victor Villasenor wrote another novel after that one called "Thirteen Senses" which is a continuation of Rain of Gold.  I've read that one a number of times, too.  
Thanks for the advice....I will buy my books in spanish and get to it.  I am, though, a little afraid that I won't pick it up.  When I've ordered microfilm from LDS, I was able to stumble through the translations.'

I'll be positive, though and say that, YES, I'LL LEARN!

Peggy
> 
> From: Alicia Carrillo <alliecar@...>
> Date: 2005/07/12 Tue PM 01:30:57 EDT
> To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: Re: [ranchos] Juan v. Juan Jose v. Jose Francisco
> 
> Peggy,
>  
> Another great book I had mentioned a few weeks ago is Rain of Gold in English or Lluvia de Oro in Spanish by Victor Villaseñor, I read both the Spanish and English versions and I have to say that they were both great. Not only will you learn the language but you will get a lot of history and cultural information which is essential to get a feel for what our ancestors lived and experienced.
>  
> If you just want to get comfortable with the Spanish language and don't necessarily want to delve into the Mexican culture and history you can go to either Barnes & Noble.com or Amazon.com and look for books written by most English language authors that have been translated into Spanish. See the reviews below of Rain of Gold, written not by professional book critics but by two passionate readers.
>  
> One family' s history, September 7, 2004
> Reviewer:Rogina Ruiz "Gina Ruiz" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
>    The first time I read Rain of Gold, I thought to myself, "My God this is my family!" Victor Villasenor has the ability to draw in the reader and make he or she feel that they are living the story. This is particularly true in Rain of Gold. 
> 
> The book follows two people and their families very different journeys through the hard times of the Mexican Revolution and into the U.S. and the very different life waiting for them there. They meet new challenges in and find each other as they adjust and learn to make a life in this new country. 
> 
> The book abounds with the mystical love of spirits, nature and God that is so commonplace for us Mexicanos. I believe it is hard for people not of our culture to understand just how real the spirits are to us. This is not magical realism, but daily life to us. Mr. Villasenor shows that aspect of our culture, that old wisdom of our grandmothers so well that it brought tears to my eyes as I remembered my own mystical, wise and wonderful grandmother. 
> 
> 
> The fact that Victor Villasenor is extremely dyslexic and encountered myriad problems in school at a very young age makes this book all the more astounding. He writes with pathos, humor and his love for his beautiful family shines through it all. His simple style of storytelling makes you feel you're sitting on the floor listening to an uncle or other family member and you are completely enraptured and caught up in his spell.
>  
> Humbeling , May 23, 2005
> Reviewer:M. L. Rojas (Southern California) - See all my reviews
>    I bought "Rain of Gold" in hopes of learning more about Mexican history. I will admit that I had to make an effort to open the book, but once I started reading, I found it difficult to put it down. My family would watch me while I read "Rain of Gold" and ask me if everything was OK because my face would get so twisted up in disgust at some of the events. Throughout the book, I felt like I was living through the families hardships and I did not realize how caught up in the story I was until I was done reading it. I plan to read "Thirteen Senses" so I can follow up on Lupe and Salvador. I recommend "Rain of Gold" to anyone who is curious about Mexican heritage, but not sure where to start. This book will get your wheels turning and motivate you to continue learning. Enjoy!
> 
> Was this review helpful to you? ');showYesButton(vUrl,uId);showNoButton(vUrl,uId);document.write('');showYesNoDefaultMessage(uId);//-->  Report this)" );//-->(Report this)
>  
> Buena suerte/Good luck..............Alicia Avelar de Carrillo
>                                                  De, San Jose' Calif
> 
> peggydee@... wrote:
> Emilie,
> Thanks so much for you message.  I think I will try your suggestion about reading books in Spanish. I've read, "Like Water for Chocolate" already, the english version and I have it.  So I'll be it in Spanish, as well as my other favorite, "Caramelo" which is also sold in Spanish.  
> 
> My mother told me that she learned by watching the novelas with her mother-in-law and that helped a lot.
> 
> I also do belong to a group where I get articles and posting from Zacatecas, but you're right.  Youngsters just post their pictures looking to "hook up" with one another *laugh*.
> Thanks for your help....and your advice. 
> 
> 
> 

Emilie,
Thanks so much for you message.  I think I will try your suggestion about reading books in Spanish. I've read, "Like Water for Chocolate" already, the english version and I have it.  So I'll be it in Spanish, as well as my other favorite, "Caramelo" which is also sold in Spanish.  

My mother told me that she learned by watching the novelas with her mother-in-law and that helped a lot.

I also do belong to a group where I get articles and posting from Zacatecas, but you're right.  Youngsters just post their pictures looking to "hook up" with one another *laugh*.
Thanks for your help....and your advice. 

Peggy
> From: "Emilie Garcia" <auntyemfaustus@...>
> Date: 2005/07/12 Tue AM 11:52:55 EDT
> To: <ranchos@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: Re: Re: [ranchos] Juan v. Juan Jose v. Jose Francisco
> 
> Peggy,
> 
> I too was lucky enough (along with my husband) to have worked in civil service (in Silicon Valley) and retire with good defined benefits.  As for the Spanish, my experience is very much like yours, but I did improve my reading and understanding of Spanish by joining a Mexican Jerezano group on the internet where I was forced to read Spanish, and with the help of a Spanish dictionary I learned a lot by printing out what I wanted to read and then slowly, tediously translating it to English.  I still do that in order to thoroughly understand books and articles in Spanish.   
> 
> There are many groups like that on the internet for just about every region in Mexico and you might find one for the specific area of Mexico your ancestors were from.   I enjoyed the group I belonged to because I learned a lot from the people from there who traveled there (Jerez) at least once a year and kept us up on the goings on. I felt like I was beginning to know my father's people.  I don't follow that group too much now because its focus was not genealogy or history, and when many of the younger members filled the message board there with their provincial rivalry and discussions about fashion and music I lost interest and was glad to discover these groups of Joseph's that are more oriented towards genealogical research and history.  You might also check into the MexicoConnect group and find articles there in English about Tlaltenango.  It is a group for expatriate Americans living there or those who travel there frequently.
> 
> There is a book called "Como Agua Para Chocolate" that has an English translation "Like Water for Chocolate".  When you have the two books together you can learn a lot about the language and culture.  I do that with other languages, and I enjoy reading Italian and French and even a little German, even though I cannot think quickly enough, or know enough of those languages to speak them, or hold a conversation in them except to ask for directions, order a meal, check into a hotel.  But I enjoy reading biographies and historical novels in the language they were written in. You might join a club or group of some kind or get to know some immigrants so you can immerse yourself in the language.   
> 
> If you do get to travel into Mexico (a dangerous proposition now in many parts there and in other parts of the world, unfortunately) go with someone who is from there and understands the customs and language.  If you do take lessons, be sure to take them from a native-born speaker of the language.  It is much more interesting to be taught by someone who can be informative about the life-styles, etc of the country they were raised in.  I always looked for native-born teachers of languages, and I learned more than I did taking classes in high school where teachers had only learned the language from books and did not pronounce the words correctly, etc.
> 
> Emilie Garcia
> Port Orchard, WA
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: peggydee@...
> Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 7:52 AM
> To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: Re: [ranchos] Juan v. Juan Jose v. Jose Francisco
> 
> Thanks for the info.  I guess I'm one of the babies of the group at 36??  I've also been lucky enough to have a civil service job with a great union who has cemented great benefits for the next five years.  I feel spoiled when I hear the stories about people's health care issues.  It's a total shame that all people don't have good insurance and benefits!!
> 
> I did want to say, though, that for the record I always enjoy reading everyone's post.  I've been so educated by each and everyone of your messages.  I feel like I lack the family experiences, though, since myself as well as my parents were born here.  I envy the members who have gotten to travel to their ancestral homelands.  I want to do the same but I don't have a lot of free time.  And I was never taught spanish and would like to take a class.  Is there any online programs, software (I feel like such a dork!) that teach spanish?  I understand the basics from high school spanish classes, but I want to learn more.  How does one go about doing that!!?
> 
> I do have one question for the gentlemen who made his trip to Tlaltenango  If you can, email me and let me know how found it...was it your first trip there?  What's the city like?  Was it hard to get there?  What are the people like?
> 
> Thanks again,
> Peggy Delgado
> 
> >  
> > From: Yolanda Bobby Perez <windrocklili@...>
> > Date: 2005/07/11 Mon PM 11:24:53 EDT
> > To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: Re: [ranchos] Juan v. Juan Jose v. Jose Francisco
> >  
> > Alberto, Mil Gracias! You hit the nail on the head, sooner or  
> > Alberto, thanks for sharing with the group.  You hit the nail right on the head, sooner or later we will need meds that are over priced and out of our price range.  I for one will share this info with my friends and family. I hope that your wife feels better very soon and remember prayer helps.  
> > Again,  Gracias
> > Yolanda Medina Perez
> > El Paso, Tx  
> >  
> > Alberto Duarte <albertodua@...> wrote:
> > Dear Members:
> > I would like to share the following with our members
> > since I believe most of us are about the same age
> > range, like me, a youthful med 60s, and are probably
> > purchasing expensive prescription drugs.   
> >  
> > My wife just got back from the doctor and was given a
> > free prescription pill for her illness that would
> > normally cost me $50.00 each.  She will eventually
> > need to take the same pill, once a month, that will
> > cost me $200.00 for 4 pills.  Yes, $200.00 for 4
> > pills.
> >  
> > Anyway, this morning I found a number of pharmacies in
> > Canada that sell the same pills, same weight, and I
> > believe from the same company that makes the pills.  
> > The same pill in Canada will now cost me $9.58 each,
> > or a total cost for 4 pills at $53.31, and that
> > includes shipping cost.   
> >  
> > You can log on www.pharmacychecker.com to see
> > comparative costs of drugs from the various pharmacies
> > throughout Canada.
> >  
> > Good luck.
> >  
> > Alberto Duarte
> > Santa Maria, Caifornia
> >  
> > --- Margarita Vallazza <TeaCozyGran@...> wrote:
> >  
> > > She's probably related to my great-grandfather's
> > > first wife, Eleuteria  
> > > Tovar.:)  Marge:)
> > > On Jul 9, 2005, at 12:17 AM, Alberto Duarte wrote:
> > >  
> > > > You think that is confusing? My great grandmother
> > > >  Maria Dolores Vasquez Tovar from Jerez had her
> > > name
> > > >  written sometimes as: Maria Dolores Tobar, Maria
> > > >  Dolores Tovar, or Maria Vasquez Tovar, or Maria
> > > >  Vasquez Tobar.
> > > >
> > > >  Alberto.
> > > >  Santa Maria, California
> > > >
> > >  
> >  
> >  
> >  
> >              
> > ____________________________________________________
> > Sell on Yahoo! Auctions ? no fees. Bid on great items.   
> > http://auctions.yahoo.com/
> >  
> >  
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