Reviews
“At the Narrow Waist of the World is a compelling account of what it is like to live through turbulence and come out on the other side.
Marlena Maduro Baraf’s memoir At the Narrow Waist of the World is a deep exploration of her conflicting identities between worlds, growing up with instability, and how family shaped her life….”
“Author Widens Lens to Capture ‘Narrow Waist.’
By the end of “At the Narrow Waist of the World,” we have come to know, admire and even cherish its author in a way few memoirists manage to achieve…”
“Deftly written, impressively candid, insightfully presented, "At the Narrow Waist of the World: A Memoir” is an extraordinary and memorable read—and one that will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community and academic library Contemporary Hispanic & Latino Biography collections.”
— Midwest Book Review
“At The Narrow Waist Of The World reads just like memories work: small chapters are vignettes of images and thoughts conjuring up a moment in time and a place, people, linked to all of the other vignettes surrounding it. I love that Marlena Maduro Baraf keeps some phrases and words in Spanish as it helps develop an overall view of her life in Panama, …. a memoir of discovery and self-discovery, and it is also a poignant way of laying the past to rest.”