Notes and Links to Ursula Villarreal-Moura’s Work

  A native of San Antonio, Texas, Ursula Villarreal-Moura is the author of two works of fiction. Her debut novel Like Happiness is a finalist for The Rudolfo Anaya Fiction Award, longlisted for The Crook’s Corner Book Prize, selected as an Indie Next Pick, and was named a Best Book of 2024 by NPR, San Francisco Chronicle, ELLE, and Them. Math for the Self-Crippling, her flash fiction story collection, was a small press bestseller and has been taught at numerous universities. Her stories, essays, and interviews can be found in Lit Hub, Electric Literature, Story, Alta Journal, and The Rumpus, among others. She is a longtime advocate of reading diversely and of Land Back. 

Buy Like Happiness

Ursula's Website

Book Review for Like Happiness from NPR

At about 30:50 , Ursula expands on “subverting” ideas of teenage rebelliousness and daughter/parent relationships

At about 34:40 , Pete talks about Happiness, M. Dominguez’s book, as an “oasis” 

At about 35:15 , Ursula responds to Pete’s questions about Tatum “using her voice” and revisiting past events with Mateo

At about 36:20 , The two discuss the initial email correspondence between Tatum and Mateo

At about 37:40 , Ursula responds to Pete’s question about

At about 39:40 , Pete remarks on the literary world’s idiosyncrasies, and Ursula shares an amazing story about the National Book Awards and some writing industry “slipper[iness]”

At about 42:05 , Pete and Ursula reflect on book readings and their myriad crowds; Ursula shares a cool summary of seeing Sigrid Nuñez speak  

At about 44:00 , Ursula expands on Pete’s wondering and asking about Mateo and Tatum’s early relationship and ideas of a platonic and perhaps unequal relationship

At about 47:35 , Ursula gives background on real-life parallels to the nunnery portrayed in the novel 

At about 49:00 , Ursula talks about the juxtaposition of Mayumi and Valeria as reflections of Tatum’s naivete and growth

At about 51:10 , Ursula talks about the “limbo” that governs Tatum’s reaction to early indications of Mateo’s possible womanizing

At about 54:05 , Pete wonders about Tatum being in denial and also aware that Mateo may be guilty of charges, and Ursula talks about the Kitty Genovese story and it “always staying with [her]”

At about 55:15 , Ursula expands on her interest in the “bystander effect” and how this phenomenon has played out with outreach for Gaza

At about 56:50 , Pete asks Ursula about the importance of Tatum staying in New York

At about 59:00 , Ursula responds to Pete’s question about the pull of teachers and teaching in Tatum’s life

At about 1:01:30 , the two discuss the phases of life and subtleties of the Mateo and Tatum relationship

At about 1:02:10 , Pete talks about Tatum reading Maria Luz’s account of the abuse inflicted by Mateo

At about 1:3:00 , Pete asks Ursula about writing the phases of the relationship 

At about 1:06:00 , Pete and Ursula talk about Tatum’s writing her own account of his time with Mateo and if her “ ‘complicated feelings’ ” are helping to “sanitize” Mateo’s behaviors

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