America Is Not the Heart

A Novel

De: Elaine Castillo

Narrado por: Donnabella Mortel

Named one of the best books of 2018 by NPR, Real Simple, Lit Hub, The Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Post, Kirkus Reviews, and The New York Public Library

"A saga rich with origin myths, national and personal.... Castillo is part of a younger generation of American writers instilling literature with a layered sense of identity." (Vogue)

How many lives fit in a lifetime?

When Hero De Vera arrives in America - haunted by the political upheaval in the Philippines and disowned by her parents - she's already on her third. Her uncle gives her a fresh start in the Bay Area, and he doesn't ask about her past. His younger wife knows enough about the might and secrecy of the De Vera family to keep her head down. But their daughter - the first American-born daughter in the family - can't resist asking Hero about her damaged hands.

An increasingly relevant story told with startling lucidity, humor, and an uncanny ear for the intimacies and shorthand of family ritual, America Is Not the Heart is a sprawling, soulful debut about three generations of women in one family struggling to balance the promise of the American dream and the unshakable grip of history.

With exuberance, grit, and sly tenderness, here is a family saga; an origin story; a romance; a narrative of two nations and the people who leave one home to grasp at another.

©2018 Elaine Castillo (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Hungrily ambitious in sweep and documentary in detail, and reads like a seismograph of the aftershocks from trading one life for another.... Like Bulosan, [Castillo] channels a righteous anger, revisiting America’s historical crimes.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“An impossible-to-put-down, multi-generational family epic.” (Southern Living)

“Castillo’s debut, a contemporary saga of an extended Filipino family, is a wonderful, nonpareil novel... a remarkable feat... a brilliant and intensely moving immigrant tale.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“Castillo is a vivid writer, and she has a real voice: vernacular and fluid, with a take-no-prisoners edge. At the same time, she complicates her narrative by breaking out of it in a variety of places - both by deftly incorporating languages such as Tagalog and Ilocano and through the use of flashback or backstory... Beautifully written, emotionally complex, and deeply moving, Castillo's novel reminds us both that stories may be all we have to save us and also that this may never be enough.” (Kirkus, starred review)

Stories of Me

To read your culture in a novel is precious. As a first-gen American born Filipino-American, visibility is something I crave for daily. I appreciate the beautiful layers of Elaine Castillo’s novel more than words can say. Maraming salamat, Elaine.

An instant favorite

Amazing story, fantastic voice acting. Made me feel so much closer to my roots and my family, as well as grateful for everything I have and lost. 11/10 will pick up a physical copy and read/listen again.

Good story and well read by the performer.

I love listening to these stories by someone has a good accent, so the context is understood. However, there is a typo in the book or the reader misspoke. In the 2nd story, the reader says “Toyota Corona”. Instead of “Toyota Corolla”. Is that a “Pilipino thing” or a Audible mistake? Lol!

Bay Area Fil-Ams Represent

Donabella’s narration does a great job of bringing every character in this book to life. Author Elaine Castillo also writes the experiences of Filipinos in America and Filipino-Americans in the Bay Area beautifully. Loved how grounded the stories of each character were in the history and circumstance of the Philippines after Marcos and the Bay during the mobile DJ scene.

amazingly accurate

I grew up in Fremont driving through Milpitas every day to go to school in Palo Alto during the same period of time in the book. the accounts of locations, streets, buildings are all so accurate. the reader was on point with all the accents. wonderful story that hit the heart of this filipino mastisa born in the east/south bay.

Not just a story, but gave Filipino history too!

It was very descriptive, reminded me of Filipino life! Surprising, sensual and well written. Mabuhay

Lovely story, lovingly told

A beautiful tale of a population often overlooked. This immigrant tale evolves to evoke greater empathy from the reader, and is beautifully narrated. I cried twice at the end.

New Perspectives

To me, this is a new perspective of the "American Dream". Uncensored and real. It had enough detail where you felt as if you were one of the characters, while withholding information until the right moments. I felt more drawn to this story because my father is an immigrant from the Philippines and enjoy multiple perspectives.

Powerful story of the Filipino-American experience

As a second generation Filipina-American this book sung to me. It’s not necessarily a feel good story but it’s real and gives whole lives to the characters in the book rather than making caricatures of them.

Made my heart ache with familiarity

As a Filipino immigrant child whose family arrived to San Jose in 1985, this story was incredibly familiar. Never have I ever seen my father (who is Ilocano) and my mother (who is Tagalog) as characters in a novel. It was beautiful to see the complexity in the dynamics between the generations - between those who are first and second generation immigrants. AND it was so enjoyable to listen to a story that takes place in all the familiar places in the South Bay - particularly in Milpitas and North San Jose.