“If you’re Mejicana or Mejicano and don’t know who Pedro Infante is, you should be tied to a hot stove with yucca rope and beaten with sharp dry corn husks as you stand in a vat of soggy fideos”
- Denise Chavez (Loving Pedro Infante)
Okay, I just had to start my review off with that passage because when I read it, I laughed aloud. It is just such a typical Xicano, Mejicano curse that I’m sure we’ve all heard something like it from our abuelitos or our parents.
Loving Pedro Infante is the story of Teresina Avila and her friend Irma “La Wirms” Granados, who live in Cabritoville and belong to the Pedro Infante Club #256 along with other women in the small town. These women are Pedro crazy and I can understand that, being a big Pedro Infante fan myself.
The story is also about love and obsession. Tere is in love with an hijo de la… named Lucio who is of course, married and a slimy worm. That doesn’t stop Tere from loving him though and from being obsessed. She sneaks off to meet him in a motel, battles with her best friend over him, hides and sneaks. She is ashamed of the relationship but that doesn’t stop her from seeking him out. Why do some guys do this to us? I think all of us women have had our Lucio. Handsome devils, good at making us feel that we are unworthy when all the time, the problem is our own insecurities, bullshit and emotional issues.
The book is great. I loved the characters, was at times frustrated with Tere, liked her, thought she was an idiot, wanted her to kick Lucio’s tight Mexican butt all the way out of Cabritoville and cheered her on. The fan club were so much like all my abuela’s old friends that swooned over Pedro Infante and loved their daughters and families fiercely. Denise Chavez tells a hell of a story.
Article comments
1 - Katie McNeill
I want to read the book based solely on your review. It’s a fantastic review!
2 - taniatanfa
I agree with that passage especially now that we are close to the 50th aniversary of (Mi novio) my boyfriend's death. I would add to that how can one live being Mexican or not without knowing who the heck my Pedro was. Ay tan divino!!!!!!!!!!!!
3 - Pepe Crow
I had the pleasure of knowing Pedro Infante in person and I worked in two of his last films.
After gathering more than 20.000 signatures to get the Star of Pedro Infante at the "Hollywood Walk of Fame", in 1994 it was awarded. This next Sunday April 15 we will commemorate the 50th anniversary of his tragic death gathering around the Star in Hollywood, located at 7038 Hollywood Blvd. at 12 p.m. Thanks to Gina Ruiz and Denise Chavez for bringing me back very sweet memories.
Pepe Crow