Rudolfo A. Anaya: A Critical Companion

Rudolfo A. Anaya's seven novels can all be viewed in terms of the Chicano literary tradition though their rich texts have earned Anaya a place of respect in mainstream modern American literature. Fernandez Olmos guides the reader through Anaya's literary world with clear signposts, illuminating the mythical, cultural, and linguistic complexities of his astounding stories. From his coming of age masterpiece Bless Me, Ultima (1972) to his most recent work Shaman Winter (1999) Anaya's writing with its rich spiritual symbolism is brought down to earth and made accessible to the student reader by Fernandez Olmos insightful analyses. This work devotes a chapter to each novel, enabling Fernandez Olmos to guide the reader through each, showing both the patterns and variations of literary devices in Anaya's works, while offering interesting alternative interpretations of Anaya's writing. Fernandez Olmos presents a well-researched chapter on the life of Rudolfo Anaya, familiarizing readers with his Hispanic cultural background which figures so prominently in his writing. A chapter on Anaya and the Chicano literary tradition deepens the reader's understanding and appreciation of the writer's tremendous contributions. Fernandez Olmos then devotes a full chapter to each of the novels, Bless Me, Ultima, Heart of Aztlan, Tortuga, and Alberqueque; his detective novels, Zia Summer and Rio Grande Fall; and his modern-day parable Jalamanta: A Message from the Desert. Student readers and researchers will find the bibliography which includes reviews, criticisms, and other secondary sources to be very helpful.