Yo (Spanish Edition)

Martin, the face of the Latin Boom, was introduced to U.S. audiences in 1999 with his sensational hit, "Livin' La Vida Loca," which he performed at the Grammy Award ceremonies. When he crossed over to the U.S. pop scene, he already was an international star with a 15-year career behind him that started when he was 12 years old as a member of the teen pop sensation Menudo. Martin grew up in front of millions of people and kept up a relentless performance schedule for many years. Several times he drove himself close to the point of physical and mental collapse while also dealing with the strain of his conflicted sexual life. In this memoir, he traces his internal conflicts, his spiritual path, the evolution of his philanthropic endeavors, and his dedication to human rights and the protection of children. In the final chapters he lovingly tells the story of how his children were born and how his desire to be an honest and caring father finally drove him to come out and deal with his sexuality. (Rumors that he is gay have dogged his appearances and interviews for several years, and writing this book precipitated his coming out in March 2010.) This is not a "tell-all" memoir-Martin does not reveal the names of secret lovers or scandalous escapades. Instead, it is an honestly and humbly written life. Highly recommended for all public libraries and all general bookstores.—Yolanda J. Cuesta, Cuesta MultiCultural Consulting, Sacramento, CA