Born in NYC, then raised in the Dominican Republic, she and her family returned to NYC after the dictator Rafael Trujillo continued his search for total power over the country. One of his targets was Julia's father who was a physician. Ms. Alvarez then lived with her parents and three sisters in a small apartment which contrasted with the large compound they had enjoyed in the Dominican Republic.
She remarked how a sixth-grade English teacher changed her life by encouraging her to read books and even challenged her to begin writing. She also points out how she had come from an oral tradition in the DR to a very literate culture in America and how her mixing those two traditions or cultures has affected her writing.
One of her books "How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accent" had been selected for the "Big Read" here where many people in the Hickory community and various schools here have provided the book for people to read and discuss in literary groups. Now this year's "Big Read" ends with Julia Alvarez here to cap the discussion with the community at P. E. Monroe auditorium on the LRU campus. The auditorium appeared to be largely filled. A question-and-answer session followed her presentation.
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