They That Laugh Win: To Dr. Ruben Cobos with Love

Rubén Cobos is the embodiment of Southwest folklore and linguistics. A well-respected professor at Stanford University, as well as at universities in Nevada and New Mexico, he collected the stories and folklore of New Mexico and Southern Colorado. His research spans seventy-five years of direct contact with the Spanish spoken in the towns and villages of the Southwest. Dr. Cobos is an award-winning author and is primarily known for his "A Dictionary of Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado Spanish" and "Refranes: Southwestern Spanish Proverbs." Rubén’s legacy “is the inspiration of Hispanic-Americans—even to all Americans—that one can conquer the limitations of poverty and rise to incredible heights.”This is the personal story of Rubén Cobos and his family between 1946 and 1953. These are the stories, anecdotes, comedies, and tragedies that were told to his children: Evelia, Irving, and Héléne. These events helped shape Rubén in his exploration of the folklore and linguistics of the Upper Rio Grande. They also shaped the lives of his children.