Without doubt, the novels of my late husband, Oscar Hijuelos, especially the Pulitzer-Prize winning The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love , are admired around the world even though his writing is quintessentially American in tone and subject matter. Oscar was born in New York City in 1950s West Harlem. It was during his childhood, in the immigrant neighborhood of Morningside Heights, that Oscar developed the passions that would define his persona as an adult: playing the guitar and piano; collecting comic books; reading voraciously about world history; being a devoted friend; and engaging with his Catholic faith at Corpus Christi Elementary School.…