A transplant from Puerto Rico and a Navy man, José Mercado rejected his early artistic impulses in order to enlist in the military. He is still a lover of poetry and art, and though his eyes are failing him and he requires the help of a walker to get around, he is a staple of Redwood Apartments and a regular fixture at community gatherings.
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José Mercado Character Timeline in The Book of Unknown Americans
The timeline below shows where the character José Mercado appears in The Book of Unknown Americans. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 21: José Mercado
José and his wife Ynez were both born in Puerto Rico in the 1950s. He joined...
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Chapter 26: Mayor
Quisqueya and Nelia drop by, as do Micho, José, and Benny. Everyone pieces together what they have heard and eventually the story comes out....
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Chapter 27: Alma
...impromptu Christmas party at the Toros’. Even those who don’t bring anything tangible, like the Mercados, offer heartfelt remembrances of Arturo.
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