In Sandra Cisneros’ new book, an overdue letter to a friend

By SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Sandra Cisneros feels like she’s finally replied to a long overdue letter with her new book, “Martita, I Remember You.” The acclaimed author of “The House on Mango Street” is back with her first work of fiction in almost a decade. It’s a story of memory and friendship, but also about the experiences many young women endure as immigrants everywhere. “Martita, I Remember You” was inspired by Cisneros’ own time in Paris as a young, aspiring writer. It follows Corina, a woman in her 20s who has left her Mexican family in Chicago to pursue her literary dreams in France. She finds herself struggling with money, befriending panhandling artists and sleeping on crowded floors during her brief time in the City of Lights.