Product Description: This volume compiled by Ilan Stavans examines the importance of ritual and celebration and the quinceañera celebration's growing social importance to in the Latino community, particularly in the United States. The essays explore the quinceañera and the coming-of-age ritual from various angles...read more

The quinceaänera, the fifteenth birthday celebration for a Latina girl, is quickly becoming an American event. This legendary party is a sight to behold: lavish ball gowns, extravagant catered meals, DJs, limousines, and multi-tiered cakes. The must-haves for a 'quince' are becoming as numerous and costly as a prom or wedding. And yet, this elaborate ritual also hearkens back to traditions from native countries and communities, offering young Latinas a chance to connect with their heritage. Writer Alvarez explores this celebration that brings a Latina girl into womanhood, attending the quince of a young woman in Queens, and weaving in interviews with other quince girls, her own memories of coming of age as an immigrant, and the history of the custom itself. The result is an enlightening, accessible, and entertaining portrait of contemporary Latino culture.--From publisher description.A cultural exploration of the Latina fifteenth birthday celebration traces the experiences of a Queens teen preparing for her quinceaänera, in an account that documents the history of the celebration's traditions as well as its growing popularity.

A comprehensive guide to the quinceanera, an all-day fifteenth birthday party that signifies a Latina's passage into womanhood, offers advice on such topics as choosing the 'court of honor' and selecting invitations, dresses, and caterers. 25,000 first printing.