`Mambo Kings' author plans companion novel
NEW YORK (AP) -January 29, 2008 The two books were announced jointly Tuesday by Hyperion Books,
which will publish the novel ("Beautiful Maria of My Soul"), and
Gotham Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) that will release
his memoir, "Thoughts Without Cigarettes."
The son of Cuban immigrants, the 56-year-old Hijuelos became the
first Hispanic to win the fiction Pulitzer when he was cited for
"Mambo Kings," which came out in 1990 and tells the story of
musicians-brothers Nestor and Cesar Castillo. The novel, which
imagines the Castillos making a guest appearance on "I Love
Lucy," has sold more than 300,000 copies and was made into a
feature film and a musical.
"Beautiful Maria," scheduled to come out in 2009, will focus
on Nestor's great love and inspiration of the Castillo's most
famous song, "Beautiful Maria of My Soul.
Hijuelos' memoir is expected in 2010. His previous books include
the novels "Our House in the Last World" and "Mr. Ives'
Christmas."
