Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Length: 45:18
I listened to this short story, Mrs. Perez, by Oscar Casares and read by none other than Reading Rainbow's Levar Burton. Mr. Burton, who has been a proponent of reading all his life has a delightful podcast titled, Levar Burton Reads. And it's just what it sounds like. He's reading some of his favorite books via podcast that can be consumed anywhere podcasts are housed. My medium of choice is Spotify. Burton's lovely voice and passion for reading come through loud and clear.
This story (episode 16) is set in Brownsville, Texas. Having family from Kingsville, which is just north of Brownsville, made this story relatable to me. Having a sassy grandmother made it even more so relatable.
The titular character, Lola Perez, is a 68-year old woman who set aside her education and career pursuits to take care of her (now deceased) husband, Augustine as well as her children. Now, in her third act of life, she's taken up bowling and is quite good at it, winning a couple dozen trophies. When her bowling bag with her prized bowling ball is stolen, she decides that enough is enough. In her attempt to reclaim her property, I think Mrs. Perez reclaims her dignity.
The story is short, but it does not lack in depth. The prose is beautiful, and in listening to it, the reader is immediately transported to Mrs. Perez's world.
Recommendation: This story is about a woman finding her voice and standing up in what she believes. No matter what the age, I think girls and women alike can be inspired by Mrs. Perez. I'm thankful to have a real-life Mrs. Edna (Hi Grandma!) in my life.
Until next time ... Read on!
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