Jalamanta: A Message from the Desert - Softcover

Anaya, Rudolfo

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0446672734 ISBN 13: 9780446672733

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, 1997

Synopsis

Rudolfo Anaya returns to the deeply spiritual themes of his hugely popular "Bless Me, Ultima" with this insightful tale of a prophet and his message to save humankind from itself.

About this title

About the Author

Rudolfo Anaya is professor emeritus of English at the University of New Mexico. He was one of the first winners of the Premio Quinto Sol National Chicano literary award. Winner of the PEN Center USA West Award for Fiction for his novel Alburquerque , he is best-loved for his classic bestseller Bless Me, Ultima . His other works include Zia Summer, Rio Grande Fall, Jalamanta, Tortuga, Heart of Aztlan , and The Anaya Reader . He has also written numerous short stories, essays, and children's books, including The Farolitos of Christmas and Maya's Children .

From Publishers Weekly

Anaya's preachy New Age parable is a sharp departure from the yeasty realism that won him a large readership for novels like Bless Me, Ultima and Alburquerque. Wise, gray-haired, cotton-robed heretic Jalamanta, returning from 30 years of politically enforced exile in the desert, rejoins his faithful wife, Fatimah, and attracts new followers with his teachings. He urges listeners to pursue the "Path of the Sun"?to meditate, love one another, revere the Earth and find a path of their own choosing. According to Jalamanta, we can fill our souls with the light of the "First Creation" and evolve toward a higher consciousness. Inevitably, he clashes with the "central authorities"?who promote militaristic dogma, established religion and cynical manipulation of the masses?and brings down the wrath of Benago, their chief inquisitor. Jalamanta's pronouncements freely synthesize Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist, Native American, gnostic and shamanic traditions to present a universal message of fellowship. Like all lofty sentiments, these become somewhat platitudinous with repetition. Author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0446672734
• ISBN 13: 9780446672733
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208