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An engaging collection of texts offers students of Spanish the opportunity to read works by thirteen contemporary Hispanic writers and then view those authors on DVD as they talk about their life and work. The authors come from different regions in Latin America and Spain, and one is a Latino from the United States. A variety of genres are represented in the book (narrative texts, plays, poems, and a chapter on oral narration), as well as a range of styles and themes. In addition to information on each author, the book includes useful activities, questions, and ideas for discussion or writing assignments. The innovative multimedia approach of Caleidoscopio enables students to hear the actual voices--and accents--of the authors and to gain an awareness of the cultural milieu in which the texts were created. Features of the book and DVD include: Contemporary reading selections from well and less well known writers in the Hispanic world; A unit dedicated to oral story telling by a charismatic Colombian storyteller; Interviews with the authors filmed in digital format and available on DVD; Two sets of questions, one for comprehension and vocabulary development and the other to aid critical thinking about thematic, stylistic, and contextual issues; Web site addresses for further cultural and literary research.