Written by literary experts who currently teach the subject, MAXnotes will enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the work. MAXnotes are designed to stimulate independent thought about the literary work by raising various issues and thought-provoking ideas and questions. MAXnotes cover the essentials of what one should know about each work, including an overall summary, character lists, an explanation and discussion of the plot, the work's historical context, illustrations to convey the mood of the work, and a biography of the author. Each chapter is individually summarized and analyzed, and has study questions and answers.

    It's 1973, the comet Kahoutek is coming, and the world may be about to end. It doesn't quite end for Louie, but the morning hours find him at San Francisco General Hospital, telling his tale to a stranger while he waits to hear the fate of his lover, La Mollie. As Louie recounts his journey from her apartment to his gig in the Mission District, a shooting, a broken leg and his frustrated efforts to find his way home, he lets us in on what's brought him to this place, this moment, and his love for this woman.His characters, funny and serious, switch from the desert to the city, from rock to mambo, from tears to laughter. He captures the expansive spirit and capacity de su gente.--Jos� Antonio BurciagaReveals new dimensions of Islas's talent: his ear for the street and his gift for comedy. Delightful.--Diane Middlebrook