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Acknowledgments This book represents the culmination of a great deal of effort, and like everything else in my life it isn’t something that I accomplished alone. A lot of people supported me along the way: family, friends, colleagues, and mentors put their trust in me and in this project. I can hardly imagine having succeeded in this endeavor without the crucial support of the American Association of University Women, which awarded me an American Fellowship for the year 2009–10 that allowed me to dedicate all my energy to the completion of the manuscript. It is difficult to overstate the role that this organization has had in my career as a scholar, and I hope that it can continue its mission of “breaking through barriers so that all women have a fair chance.” I also need to thank my home institution, the University of Notre Dame, for all the support it has provided me during the preparation of this book. Although many years have passed since I began to work on the foundation of this book, I am indebted to all those who provided me with their comments during those early, yet critical stages. I want to thank Verónica Salles-Reese, Ricardo Ortíz, and Ivette Hernández-Torres for their comments and suggestions but especially for believing from the beginning that this was a worthwhile project. Other friends and colleagues also provided me with their priceless support as my book project moved forward. My deepest gratitude goes to Rubén Ríos Ávila, Yolanda Martínez-San Miguel, Colleen Ryan, and Julia Douthwaite, and to my two anonymous readers from the University of Virginia Press, your insightful comments and suggestions have been invaluable. I am also grateful to Cathie Brettschneider, humanities editor at the University of Virginia Press, for her assistance throughout this process and for having been one of my greatest supporters all along. xii Acknowledgments Thanks also to my mother, Lourdes Lugo, and my siblings, Luli, Cristina , and Bilso, for their emotional support during these years; to my father, William Moreno, and my grandfather Papa. To all those friends who are practically like family, thanks for being there when I most needed you. And finally, the publication of my book could not have been possible without the unwavering support of my dear husband, colleague, and friend, Tom Anderson. I thank him for giving me the strength to continue and for reminding me not to take life too seriously. Even though writing this book has been an emotional del tingo al tango, his humor has always been uplifting. I cannot end without expressing my deepest gratitude to our two children, Gabriel and Mariana, who have been amazing little companions during my academic journey. They helped me keep life in perspective and provided me with healthy doses of sanity when I most needed it. I know that we all had to make sacrifices to see my book published, but I trust that someday they will grow to appreciate its message and that it will help bring them closer to their Puerto Rican roots. Sections of chapters 1 and 2 were originally published in CENTRO: Journal of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies under the title “Family Matters: Revisiting la gran familia puertorriqueña in the Works of Rosario Ferré and Judith Ortíz Cofer,” vol. 22, no. 2 (Fall 2010). Reprinted by permission. A section of chapter 4 was originally published in Latino(a) Research Review under the title “The Tyranny of Silence: Marianismo as Violence in the Works of Alba Ambert and Annécy Báez,” vol. 7, no. 3 (2009–10). Reprinted by permission. ...

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