Fort Collins Reads 2009: The Tortilla Curtain
The Tortilla Curtain (1995) by T.C. Boyle was chosen as the book that Fort Collins will read in 2009. There will be a variety of community events in the city which will include a visit by T.C. Boyle on November 7 and 8. See additional information on the Fort Collins Reads Web site. Do join us!
The main talk by T.C. Boyle will be 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8 at the Lincoln Center. Tickets are $5 and on sale at the Lincoln Center, Old Firehouse Bookstore and Reader's Cove.
Overview
"This novel is a biting social commentary that juxtaposes the world of well-off Americans with the world of immigrants so impoverished that they are homeless. The lives of two couples unexpectedly intersect. Delaney Mossbacher, a progressive and an environmentalist, works at home as a nature writer. He lives comfortably with his wife Kyra, a high-powered realtor, in a newly-gated community near Los Angeles."--Sharon Green. Niagara University. Monthly Book Spotlight.
Fort Collins Reads has also chosen “Red Glass” by Laura Resau as a companion book. It also discusses topics to do with immigration.
Locate Citations and Full Text Articles on The Tortilla Curtain via the Research Databases Page (CSU affiliates)
As of early March 2009:
- Contemporary
Authors (CSU affiliates only
or through Poudre River Public Library District (PRPLD) with public district library card).
- Book Review Index Plus has 29 articles/book reviews for the book, 5 for the audio book.
- Academic Search Premier has 17 articles that examine or mention the book as a subject.
- Ethnic News Watch has 1 article about the book (in Spanish); there is also a passing reference to the book in another article.
- LexisNexis Academic has under Book, movie, music & play reviews, (etc.); search tortilla flats and Boyle, all available dates, 32 items (some about upcoming movie projects based on the book, most mentioning the book only in passing)
- ArticleFirst has 5 or 6 articles about the book
- Humanities International Index has 6 articles with the book as a subject
- Book Review Digest has 10 entries. [There are at least two similar titles.]
Identify Books in SAGE (CSU) or OWL (Poudre River Public Library District) online Library Catalogs
- Do an AUTHOR search in SAGE for Boyle T Coraghessan to find books by him. (19 entries at CSU, 26 at PRPLD.)
Web--Biography, Bibliographies, Notes, Lesson Plans, Critical Essays, and Awards
T. C. Boyle (own Web site) Extensive.
The Web links on this page are but a selection of the resources available. Emphasis is on the book version. Read biographical information about T.C. Boyle in Contemporary Authors.
- The Face on The Tortilla Curtain: Novelist T.C. Boyle Raises a Ruckus. Chryss Yost. First published in the Santa Barbara Independent, August 3-15, 2002, Vol. 16, No. 820
- Tortilla Curtain and The Ecology of Fear. Gregory Meyerson. North Carolina A & T State University. PDF.
- Symbolism, Themes and Motifs. Arne Becker. The Tortilla Curtain Project. (Site in Germany.)
- Boyle Discusses Writing, Novel. Anthony Jones. Galveston County The Daily News. February 4, 2004.
- TC Boyle: Author of Drop City talks with Robert Birnbaum. Interview. Passing references to The Tortilla Curtain.
- Interview with a Master: TC Boyle. Kendra Tuthill. Our Stories Literary Journal Inc
- The Tortilla Curtain: Silicon Valley Reads 2007: A Conversation with T.C. Boyle. Santa Clara County Office of Education. Sal Pizarro, San Jose Mercury News; introduced by Colleen B. Wilcox. AOL Video. (Approximately 21 minutes).
- Interview with T.C. Boyle. Patricia Lamberti. Other Voices #33.
- Interview with T.C. Boyle. Nathan Leslie. The Pedestal Magazine. 28 June-August 2005.
Book Reviews (see also above) - T. Coraghessan Boyle: "The Tortilla Curtain": Reviews.
- The Tortilla Curtain by T. Coraghessan Boyle. Bloomsbury Paperbacks, London. Molly O'Duffy.
- A Contemporary Fable About Immigration Boyle abandons his antic style in novel of rich and poor in Los Angeles. David Eggers. September 10, 1995. SFGate.com
Discussion Topics/Questions/Guides - Discussion questions and suggestions for using Tortilla Curtain in class. Central Washington University.
- Study Questions for The Tortilla Curtain. One Book. Foothill College.
- Discussion Questions for “The Tortilla Curtain.” California State University Channel Island.
- The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle. Griffiths Leadership Society. Book Club Discussion. PDF
- One Community, One Book: The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle. Suggested Discussion Questions. The University of Iowa. PDF (13 pages)
- Tortilla Curtain By T C Boyle Study Guide. Manchester College. Word Document.
- The Tortilla Curtain. ReadingGroupGuide.com
- Penguin Reading Guide for The Tortilla Curtain. Interview and discussion questions.
- Good Books Lately. Read Smart Guides.
- Readers Guide/Discussion Questions. LitLovers.
- BKMT Reading Guide.
Note: there are a number of sleazy outfits that will sell papers on Boyle's books to students (who are thereby cheaters), so teachers beware. Any student who buys a paper should not pass any course.
See also One State (Colorado), One Book & Read On! for 2002 & Read On! for 2003-4 & Read On! for 2005 & Read On! for 2006 & Read On! for 2007.
Note: As with ALL research, be sure to carefully evaluate what you find and use: books, articles, and Web pages!