The guns in the closet

the long version

There is no better metaphor for the threat posed by Hispanics and other minorities in the United States than "guns in the closet." While there is potency in this image in the lead story of Jose Yglesias's first and only collection of stories, there is no threat intended to readers, other than to remind us that the gap between works and deeds mirrors the relationship of literature of life. Forever entertaining and inviting, Jose Yglesias is as humane and humorous as ever in these narratives that were published in The New Yorker and other leading magazines over the course of the last twenty years. Ever the observant journalist and effortless storyteller, Yglesias takes us from the political event to the very heartbeat of the people creating news and culture. Before us unfolds the human comedy, in all of its splendor, pitfalls and contradictions. Urbane, ironic, witty and extremely original, these stories are classic Jose Yglesias.