Jorge J. E. Gracia 
With a Diamond in My Shoe [EPUB ebook] 
A Philosopher’s Search for Identity in America

In 1961, at the age of nineteen, Jorge J. E. Gracia escaped from the island of Cuba by passing himself off as a Catholic seminarian. He arrived in the United States with just a few spare belongings and his mother’s diamond ring secured in a hole in one of his shoes.
With a Diamond in My Shoe tells the story of Gracia’s quest for identity—from his early years in Cuba and as a refugee in Miami to his formative role in institutionalizing the field of Latin American philosophy in the US academy. Committed to integrating into Anglo America without forgetting his roots, Gracia reflects on his struggles and successes as an immigrant and academic, bringing a philosopher’s eye to bear on his personal and professional development as a leading Latinx scholar.

Tabella dei contenuti

List of Illustrations

Prologue (2018)



1. Farewell to Cuba (1961)



2. Good Morning, America (1961–1962)



3. Hungry in Miami (1961)



4. A Gate to the Real America (1962)



5. Foreigner in a Foreign Land (1962–1965)



6. Surviving Evangelical Fundamentalism (1962–1965)



7. Knowing Myself (1962–1965)



8. Make Love, Not War (1965–1966)



9. Becoming a Medievalist (1966–1969)



10. Pilgrimage to Europe (1969–1971)



11. Landing a Job, with Verve (1971)



12. Buffalo Department of Philosophy (1971–1973)



13. The Vocation and Profession of Philosophy (1975)



14. Two Alternative Research Programs (1971–1974)



15. Medieval Philosophy (1975–1985)



16. Latin American Philosophy in the United States (1939–1985)



17. From Rookie to Chair (1980–1986)



18. Beyond Medieval and Latin American Philosophy (1990–2000)



19. The Call of Ethnic, Racial, and National Identities (2000–present)



20. A Place for Literature and the Arts (2005–present)



21. From Hispanic to Latino and Latinx Philosophy (2000–present)



22. Return to Philosophy through Its History (1990–2000)



23. A Paradigm of Courage (1971–1976)



Epilogue: With a Diamond in My Mind



Acknowledgments

Circa l’autore

Jorge J. E. Gracia is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Literature at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York. His many books include
Painting Borges: Philosophy Interpreting Art Interpreting Literature;
Images of Thought: Philosophical Interpretations of Carlos Estévez’s Art; and
Identity, Memory, and Diaspora: Voices of Cuban-American Artists, Writers, and Philosophers, all published by SUNY Press.