October Events: for a full schedule, and more information visit www.aroundthebloc.com


Growing up in a half-white, half-brown town and family in South Texas, Stephanie Elizondo Griest struggled with her cultural identity. Upon turning thirty, she ventured to her mother's native Mexico to do a little root-searching and improve her "Tarzan Lite" Spanish. She stumbled upon a burgeoning social movement that shook parts of the nation to its core. Mexican Enough chronicles her journey, from the narco-infested border town of Nuevo Laredo to the highlands of Chiapas. She investigates the murder of a prominent gay activist, sneaks into prison to meet with resistance fighters, rallies with rebels in Oaxaca, and interviews scores of migrant workers and the families they were forced to leave behind. Travel companions include a Polish thief, a Border Patrol agent and a Dominatrix.
 
Part memoir, part journalistic reportage, Mexican Enough illuminates how we cast off our identity in our youth, only to strive to find it again as adults -- and the lessons to be learned along the way.

When: Tuesday October 7
Where: Alumnae House of Vassar; Poughkeepsie, NY
What Time: TBA
Event Info: Stephanie will perform at a fundraiser for New York Latinos for Obama

When: Wednesday October 8
Where: Book Culture at 536 W. 112th Street, NYC
What Time: 7 p.m.
Event Info:  Please visit www.bookculture.com

When: Wednesday October 15
Where: Reeve Memorial Union; University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh; Oshkosh, WI
What Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Event Info:  Please visit www.bookculture.com

When: Thursday October 16
Where: Wisconsin Studio/Overture Center for the Arts; 201 State Street; Madison, WI
What Time: 7 p.m.
Event Info:  Stephanie will perform from "Mexican Enough" For more info, please visit www.wisconsinbookfestival.com

When: Saturday October 18
Where: Instituto de Cultura Hispanica; St. Pius Church Parish Hall, 737 St. Pius Drive (& 5620 Gollihar).Corpus Christi, TX
What Time: 10 a.m.
Event Info:  RESCHEDULED FROM HURRICANE: Stephanie will be the featured guest at a "Brunch with the Author" event.  Walden Books will host a book signing afterward.

When: Monday October 20
Where: Conference Center, rooms 152/15; Lone Star College; Houston, TX
What Time: 1:30 p.m.
Event Info: RESCHEDULED FROM HURRICANE: Stephanie will perform a keynote. A reception and book signing will follow.

When: Wednesday October 22
Where: CSIL classroom of the University of Arizona; Tucson, AZ
What Time: 7 p.m.
Event Info: Stephanie will present a "Traveling Sola: Tips for Wandering Women" workshop.

When: Thursday October 23
Where: Gallagher Theaterof the University of Arizona; Tucson, AZ
What Time: 5 p.m.
Event Info: Stephanie will perform from "Mexican Enough".  A book signing will follow.

When: Friday October 24
Where: Dallas Book Festival; Dallas, TX
What Time: TBA
Event Info: Stephanie will hold a variety of events at the Dallas Book Festival. Details TBA.

When: Tuesday October 28
Where: San Jose, CA
What Time: 1 p.m.
Event Info: Stephanie will perform from "Mexican Enough" as part of the Authors@Google program at Google. It will be posted on YouTube shortly afterward.

When: Tuesday October 28
Where: San Francisco, CA
Event Info: Stephanie will be the featured speaker in the "Evening in Conversation with" series at SF Travel Book Club and Lecture Series at Books, Inc. located at 2251 Chestnut St. in the Marina. For more details, visit http://travel.meetup.com/1027