National Latino/Asian Heritage Month - Giveaways

Apprentice Writer is curious about the system of determination for National Months. Following the month to ponder humor in April, it now is reportedly the month to ponder Asian as well as Latino heritage. Excellent subjects, to be sure. AW would just like to know who gets to choose and what the thinking behind it is. She's funny that way.

Whatever the mechanism - heritage of any sort is something to be celebrated and explored. Literary Escapsim is doing so by holding giveaways for five sets of five books for each National Month (plus, another for Mother's Day, which is heritage of a whole different sort).

For those who are interested, perusal of the books involved points to the term 'Asian' being used in a loosely, given that all the titles have East Asian protagonists and/or subject matter. Varied and fertile geographical space for great stories, without question. But as a reader with West- and South Asia in the genetic/marital family tree, this was the latest of many occasions to sigh about vague description of Earth's largest continent.

Geopolitical distinctions aside: the stories sound wonderful. If you are like AW and delight in armchair travel and insight, head on over to

http://www.literaryescapism.com/2009/05/01/2812/

and

http://www.literaryescapism.com/2009/05/01/2807/

to get some great new TBR ideas - and maybe even win.

ETA: National Latino Month is also being celebrated at Luxury Reading:

http://www.luxuryreading.com/2009/04/latino-book-month-giveaway.html

and All About N:

http://bookwormygirl.blogspot.com/2009/05/latino-book-month-giveaway.html