Conversations with Rudolfo Anaya (Literary Conversations Series) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1617037001 ISBN 13: 9781617037009

Publisher: University Press of Mississippi, 2013

Synopsis

In 1972 Rudolfo Anaya (1937–2020) made a quiet entry into American literature with the publication of Bless Me, Ultima. Over the span of twenty-two years, by word of mouth alone, this first novel sold more than 300,000 copies. It was the first Chicano novel to enter the American literary canon, and it helped identify Abaya as one of the founders of Chicano literature.

In this collection of interviews Anaya talked about his life and about how New Mexico, his home state, influenced his work. The interviews also explore the importance that myths and spiritual matters played in his writings. He shared his intimate knowledge of the long struggle of ethnic writers to gain acceptance by mainstream publishers. Anaya also spoke eloquently and passionately of his faith in Chicano literature and of the politics of “hate, prejudice, and bigotry” that minorities face throughout the United States. Yet he remained consistent in his call for all Americans to understand one another. For many decades he was a tireless agent in the push for multiculturalism and pluralism in America.

Anaya was professor emeritus of English and creative writing at the University of New Mexico. Besides his critically acclaimed novels (Bless Me, Ultima; Heart of Aztlan; Tortuge; Albuquerque; Zia Summer; Rio Grande Fall; and Jalamanata), he wrote plays, poems, essays, short stories, and books for children.

About this title

About the Authors

Bruce Dick is associate professor of English at Appalachian State University and coeditor of Conversations with Ishmael Reed and Conversations with Rudolfo Anaya, both published by University Press of Mississippi.

Silvio Sirias is assistant professor of Spanish and Chicano/Latino literature at Appalachian State University.

From the Back Cover

Interviews with the author of Bless Me, Ultima, and Heart of Aztlan

From the Inside Flap

In 1972 Rudolfo Anaya made a quiet entry into American literature with the publication of Bless Me, Ultima. It was the first Chicano novel to enter the American literary canon, and it helped identify Anaya as one of the founders of Chicano literature. In this collection of interviews Anaya talks about his life and how New Mexico, his home state, influences his work. The interviews explore the importance that myths and spiritual matters play in his writings. Anaya shares his intimate knowledge of the long struggle of ethnic writers to gain acceptance by mainstream publishers. He also discusses his faith in Chicano literature and the politics of "hate, prejudice, and bigotry" that minorities face throughout the United States. Yet Anaya remains consistent in his call for all Americans to understand one another. For three decades he has been a tireless agent in the push for multiculturalism in his native land.

Edition details

• Publisher: University Press of Mississippi
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1617037001
• ISBN 13: 9781617037009
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256
• Editor: Dick Bruce, Sirias Silvio