This is book 2 in the series of memoirs written by the Puerto Rican author Esmeralda Santiago. In this memoir Santiago continues to describe her life as an immigrant to the U. S. She despairs of her family life and desperately desires what she sees as the typical middle class American life style. Her envy of people who have this life style is patently on display. Part of that is due to her age in this memoir. She is a high school student, then a young woman with a job and a part time college career. The education that she has received enables her to life the typical 1960's life of a young New York working girl/secretary. It is not a perfect life, but it is no different than that of millions of other young women of the day. What does make her different is her socioeconomic status and her heritage.
For both of these she faces constant discrimination. Santiago does not stint in describing some of the blatant racism and dislike of recent immigrants that she experiences. I can sympathize with her aspirations, but her unwillingness to look at some of the opportunities she was given in a more positive light became a bit wearying. Never-the-less, this book is uplifting in many ways, typical in others, and provides a more complete picture of the young woman she has become after her years of education. Since it is a memoir it is unfair of me to say that it is not a good memoir because it is her life. What a life she has had and the fact that she has had the courage to write about it in all of its good and bad aspects is remarkable. If you like memoirs and have read the first book, I recommend this second book as well. ( )

Casi una mujer (Almost a woman, 1999), una evocación de su adolescencia en Brooklyn con la que obtuvo el Premio George Foster Peabody. Secuela de "Cuando era puertorriqueña", este volumen continúa la historia de Esmeralda Santiago creciendo entre sus raíces y su nueva vida en Nueva York . ( )

PART TWO OF ESMERALDA'S BIOGRAPHY! THE BEST ONE YET! THIS ONE DETAILS HER ARRIVAL TO NEW YORK CITY AS A YOUNG GIRL AND THE CLASH OF CULTURES SHE EXPERIENCED ONCE THERE. THE LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND THE STRUGGLES SHE FACED AS A "FOREIGNER" IN THE BIG APPLE. ALTHOUGH, PUERTO RICANS ARE BY BIRTHRIGHT AMERICAN CITIZENS SINCE PUERTO RICO IS A US TERRITORY WITH US CITIZENRY. IT BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF MY OWN TIME GROWING UP IN BROOKLYN! LOVE IT! HAVE READ IT THREE TIMES ALREADY.

The book Almost a Woman by Esmeralda Santiago, takes place in New York as the main character, Negi, grows up. The character is very believable and reading from her point of view lets the reader in all her thoughts and into the story. You feel as if you are growing up along with her.
Negi moves to New York from Puerto Rico and deals with poverty, lack of privacy, racism, and feeling homesick.
She lives with seven younger siblings and a strict mother in a 3 room apartent. As she gets older she becomes an aspiring actor, a dancer, and dates many guys. She becomes independant after being in the shadow of her mother all her life and gets involved in American ways. The ending of the story leaves you hanging, by never telling the decision Negi makes, but its an intersting book. The thing I liked about this book was the topic. However I disliked that it had some Parental Advisory scenes. It was a great book but, I wish it hadnt ended so soon. ( )