In the tradition of Latin American literature, Saenz believes that poetry should be part of the public discourse and not shunted aside as irrelevant to our country's larger issues. Here he maps out personal, political and spiritual histories. He speaks about political and literary heroes, anti-heroes and everyday people, and he remembers his growing up Chicano in the Catholic world of the U.S./Mexico Border. From these elements, he creates a philosophy of speaking publicly as poet. Marketing Plans:
<bu> Author tour: El Paso, San Francisco, Southwest.
<bu> Galleys available in May.
Novelist, children's writer and poet, Benjamin Alire Saenz is at the forefront of the emerging Latino literatures. He is a Lannan Fellow and a recipient of the American Book Award. A frequent speaker throughout the country, he teaches at the University of Texas at El Paso.
]]>