LATINA HEALERS: LIVES OF POWER AND TRADITION

Oliva Espín. 1997 173 pgs. (pbk) Ser.: La Mujer Latina. 1996 ISBN: 0-915745-49-6 Includes biblio and table. $35.00 Price for class use $19.95

"Latina Healers casts new light on the centrality of gender and migration status on the lives of Latina women. Encompassing the idiosyncrasies of individual decisions and the social context of the healers' lives, this book presents an original analysis of the relationship between gender, power, religious beliefs and social status. It brings the scholarship on life narratives together with understandings of the impact of migration and traditional beliefs on the lives of these women. Heralding women not as passive victims of social forces, but as active and creative agents of their lives, the book's findings are valuable for mental health practitioners, feminist scholars, and all interested in the lives of Latinas."

Lillian Comas-Díaz, Ph.D.

Editor-in-Chief

Cultural Diversity and Mental Health

"Dr. Oliva Espín social research and most inquisitive biographical narrative provide a solid new interpretation of the roles of healers in the Latino community. Drawn from historical and traditional beliefs, a new understanding of power between genders is herein clearly documented. Highly recommended. LA RED