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In the barrio of Fresno, California, the Molina family is living
out the Chicano version of the American Dream. Father William works
on an assembly line while his wife, the well-bred beauty Rachel,
stays at home to care for their three children--and to keep them
off the streets. But when William is offered an opportunity to
enter the ranks of the middle class, he quits his job, packs up the
Ford Maverick, and transports the Molinas to a brand-new world: the
small town of Medford, Oregon. So begins the dramatic
transformation of youngest son and aspiring actor Joey, who assumes
the role of a vato loco gang member in order to win the respect and
fear of his gringo classmates. While Joey tries to make himself
popular with tall tales of guns and glory, his father embarks on a
bitter struggle to develop his career and combat age-old cultural
stereotypes. How William's extraordinary efforts and deepening
despair affect the lives of his loved ones is at the heart of this
haunting and incandescent novel--one destined to become a classic
in Chicano-American literature.
Widely considered one of the most important voices in the Chicano
literary canon, Jose Antonio Burciaga was a pioneer who exposed
inequities and cultural difficulties through humor, art, and
deceptively simple prose. In this anthology and tribute, Mimi
Gladstein and Daniel Chacon bring together dozens of remarkable
examples of Burciaga's work. His work never demonstrates machismo
or sexism, as he believed strongly that all Chicano voices are
equally valuable. Best known for his books Weedee Peepo, Drink
Cultura, and Undocumented Love, Burciaga was also a poet,
cartoonist, founding member of the comedy troupe Cultura Clash, and
a talented muralist whose well-known work The Last Supper of
Chicano Heroes? became almost more famous than the man. This first
and only collection of Burciaga's work features thirty-eight
illustrations and incorporates previously unpublished essays and
drawings, including selections from his manuscript The Temple Gang,
a memoir he was writing at the time of his death. In addition,
Gladstein and Chacon address Burciaga's importance to Chicano
letters. A joy to read, this rich compendium is an important
contribution not only to Chicano literature but also to the
preservation of the creative, spiritual, and political voice of a
talented and passionate man.
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