Selena: Como LA Flor

Selena: Como LA Flor by Patoski, Joe Nick. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780316693783.

Selena: Como la Flor tells the story of this vital, outgoing, wildly popular performer in greater detail - and with greater accuracy - than it has ever been told before. She was the most talented daughter in a music-loving family and the lead singer - starting at age eight - of her familys band. Under the determined guidance of her father, Selena exploded into the growing field of Tejano music and became its leading star. The book traces Selenas spectacular rise and reveals the rich Mexican-American culture that nurtured and supported her every step of the way. Author Joe Nick Patoski, a senior editor for Texas Monthly who has written extensively about Selena and Texas music, lovingly documents Selenas determined work, from her first performance in a corner of the familys Tex-Mex restaurant in Lake Jackson, Texas, to the growing fame that took young Selena out of school and put her in front of even-larger adoring audiences across the nation. He tells the story of how her beloved songs like "Como la Flor" and "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" came into being and became instant Tejano classics. We see the stunning run of hits, performances and awards that made Selena a superstar and the extraordinary rapport between Selena and her audience that made her not just a music star but a cultural icon for millions. At the same time, the book explores the strains that came with success - tension within the family over Selenas marriage to her guitarist, Chris Perez; tension over the relentless grind of touring, recording, and creating new material; tension about musical direction and Selenas drive to record songs in English and for a broader pop market; and tension over control of Selenas own fashion business and the who managed it, Yolanda Saldivar. The book traces the complex and troubled relationship between Selena and her killer and details the events leading to the murder with the most extensive and authoritative coverage anywhere. The capture of Saldivar and her trial and conviction are also meticulously re-created.