The critically acclaimed and bestselling writer and theatre artist Carmen Aguirre discusses her second memoir, Mexican Hooker #1: And My Other Roles Since the Revolution (Random House, 2016), with Joseph Planta.

Mexican Hooker #1: And My Other Roles Since the Revolution by Carmen Aguirre (Random House, 2016). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Mexican Hooker #1

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, at TheCommentary.ca.

Carmen Aguirre joins me again. She was last on five years ago when her bestselling and critically acclaimed book, Something Fierce: Memoirs of a Revolutionary Daughter was released. She’s just published a follow-up, Mexican Hooker #1: And My Other Roles Since the Revolution. It’s such a compelling read. I’ll get Ms. Aguirre to tell us about this book, about what’s happened in her life from where Something Fierce ended and where this book picks up from. At the age of six, Carmen was a Chilean refugee arriving in North America. At eighteen, she was a revolutionary dissident married to a man she couldn’t really love. We see Carmen as she goes to theatre school here at Studio 58 in Vancouver, where she’s forced to confront the assault she suffered at thirteen years old at the hands of the so-called Paper Bag Rapist. And years later, we see Carmen face the man who raped her. This book has a lot of unforgettable moments. It’s often funny as well. We’ll explore a few of the themes in the book. Carmen Aguirre lives here in Vancouver, where she’s had a noted career as a theatre artist and playwright. Her plays include The Trigger, The Refugee Hotel, and Blue Box. This new book is published by Random House. It will be launched here in Vancouver on 02 May 2016 at Cottage Bistro, 4470 Main Street. There’s also an appearance with the Writers Fest’s Incite series at the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library on 04 May 2016. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Carmen Aguirre; Ms. Aguirre, good morning.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (11.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS