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Chicana & Chicano Visions of the Américas
The Old Man's Love Story (Volume 12)
“There was an old man who dwelt in the land of New Mexico, and he lost his wife.” From that opening line, this tender novella is at once universal and deeply personal. The nameless narrator, a writer, shares his most intimate thoughts about his wife, their life together, and her death. But just as death is inseparable from life, his wife seems still to be with him. Her memory and words permeate his days. In The Old Man’s Love Story , master storyteller Rudolfo Anaya crafts the tale of a lifelong love that ultimately transcends death. An elegy not just for the dead but for the vitality of youth, the old man’s story captures both the heartaches and ironies of old age. We follow him as he proceeds through days of grief and memory, buying his few groceries, driving slower than the other travelers on the road. He talks with his wife along the way. “Go slow,” he hears her admonish. As he sits in the garden with their dogs, he senses her worry over his loneliness. A year passes. He longs to care for someone, but—to love again? Like characters in Anaya’s previous fiction, the old man lives in a real New Mexico, but one inhabited by spirits. Death provides a gateway to other worlds, just as memories connect him to other times and places. When he eventually begins a new friendship with a woman, a widow, they share a bittersweet understanding of joy mixed with sorrow, promise mixed with loss. Anaya’s reflections, as shared through the experiences of this old man, point to the power and importance of love at every stage of life. Lyrical and earthy, sad yet suffused with humor, The Old Man’s Love Story will speak to all readers, perhaps especially to those who have suffered a recent loss.
- GenresFictionLiterature
184 pages, Hardcover
First published April 19, 2013
4 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
Rudolfo Anaya
88 books476 followersRudolfo Anaya lives and breathes the landscape of the Southwest. It is a powerful force, full of magic and myth, integral to his writings. Anaya, however, is a native Hispanic fascinated by cultural crossings unique to the Southwest, a combination of oldSpain and New Spain, of Mexico with Mesoamerica and the anglicizing forces of the twentieth century. Rudolfo Anaya is widely acclaimed as the founder of modern Chicano literature. According to the New York Times, he is the most widely read author in Hispanic communities, and sales of his classic Bless Me, Ultima (1972) have surpassed 360,000, despite the fact that none of his books have been published originally by New York publishing houses. His works are standard texts in Chicano studies and literature courses around the world, and he has done more than perhaps any other single person to promote publication of books by Hispanic authors in this country. With the publication of his novel, Albuquerque (1992),Newsweek has proclaimed him a front-runner in "what is better called not the new multicultural writing, but the new American writing." His most recent volume, published in 1995, is Zia Summer.
"I've always used the technique of the cuento. I am an oral storyteller, but now I do it on the printed page. I think if we were very wise we would use that same tradition in video cassettes, in movies, and on radio."
from
http://www.unm.edu/~wrtgsw/anaya.html
and
http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_reso...
"I've always used the technique of the cuento. I am an oral storyteller, but now I do it on the printed page. I think if we were very wise we would use that same tradition in video cassettes, in movies, and on radio."
from
http://www.unm.edu/~wrtgsw/anaya.html
and
http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_reso...
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 17, 2013
This review first appeared on La Bloga.
Patricia Anaya died in 2010. She and Rudolfo Anaya had been married for forty-four years. Each excelled individually as teachers and writers, and together they created a strong team devoted to one another and committed to making the world a better place. They established scholarships, literary awards, and other charitable projects as they worked with various organizations such as the Rio Grande Writers Association. They were a force to be reckoned with, major players on the cultural and educational stages, not only of the U.S. Southwest but worldwide.
Patricia encouraged and nurtured Rudolfo's writing. He has often acknowledged the important roles she played in his writing: muse, editor, reader, critic, fan. His latest book, The Old Man's Love Story, is a deeply personal account of life without his beloved wife.
The narrator is an "old man," never named but Anaya does not hide that he is writing about himself. Several references in the book refer directly to Anaya's previous literary works. For example, the old man speaks about one of the characters in a work in progress, Randy Lopez (Randy Lopez Goes Home, 2011). Other comments in the book reference early works such as the pivotal childhood accident from Tortuga (1979), and youthful adventures on the streets of Albuquerque that frame Heart of Aztlan (1976.) Of course, the back story from his first novel, Bless Me, Ultima (1972), also makes an appearance.
The old man's emotions are raw and brittle. At times, his story drifts into a dreamland of memory and yearning, and we can only guess whether the old man is living what he talks about or simply thinking about it, fantasizing. One passage retells how the old man thought he saw his wife in a downtown mall. He had driven, slowly, of course, to the mall and immediately regretted his decision. The place was too loud, too busy, with too many rude young people. But out of nowhere he recognized a bright-patterned blouse and colorful Mexican skirt. The clothes had been worn by his wife, of that he was sure. He became tremendously excited and anxious. He called after the woman wearing the clothes. "Amor! Amor!" She ignored him. She obviously was a homeless person of the streets. It made no sense to the old man, who was almost traumatized by the incident. Only after his shock subsided did he remember that he had given his wife's clothes to a shelter.
Anaya's writing is infused with his uniquely religious understanding of the natural world and of the spiritual nature of existence. The Old Man's Love Story exists in the spirit world, but it is a very real world to the old man. Spirits and living memories exist along the banalities of life for a seventy-five year-old man. The spirit of his departed wife eventually visits him and guides him through the stages of grief. She encourages him to move on, to preserve her memory by making new memories, and to escape his sadness by living life with the same exuberance and hope they once shared. She talks with him, comforts him, listens to his prayers. His pain is deep and Anaya does not shy away from opening his wounds for readers.
It is a difficult time, exacerbated by the old man's aging process. He complains about his aching body, his dwindling memory, his lack of appetite. The personal gives way to the universal. Some of his comments are litanies of problems that all of us over fifty recognize. The simple activities of daily life torment him. Here's his take on showering:
"Everything took time, especially reaching down and scrubbing his feet. His back hurt. Need a stool in here, he thought. Hard to bend down. Even taking a shower had become a chore. Took forever. When he was done he sat on the toilet seat and towel-dried himself. He wouldn't shave. What for?"
The old man is haunted by the spirits of his past life with his wife. He imagines and re-imagines their numerous trips to other countries, especially Mexico. He submerges himself in remembering the most minute detail of their life together, including sensual and erotic lovemaking. Some of the passages were difficult to read because it seemed as though I was prying into very private territory, into Anaya's heart and soul. I can only imagine how difficult it was for him to write the words. And yet, it is obvious that Anaya wanted this story told and preserved.
Eventually the old man begins a new relationship. The spirit of the deceased wife tells him that it is time for a "new phase." A transition. A time to learn to love again. Establishing the new relationship is not a simple matter, and guilt and self-pity play their part in the evolution of the story, as well as a few humorous observations about love and sex among the elderly.
The story is not quite done when the book ends. In fact, the journey of the old man and his wife continues on various levels. But the old man accepts that love can conquer grief. "He knew the only way out of an existential crisis was to get going. That meant caring for family, community, and the poor of the world. Care for the earth, mother of all. Not to receive, but to give, as long as he could."
The Old Man's Love Story doesn't solve the Great Mystery, as the old man refers to the puzzle of the interaction of life/death, but it does give us essential tools for dealing with that mystery: hope, humor, a bit of sadness, and, most important, love.
Patricia Anaya died in 2010. She and Rudolfo Anaya had been married for forty-four years. Each excelled individually as teachers and writers, and together they created a strong team devoted to one another and committed to making the world a better place. They established scholarships, literary awards, and other charitable projects as they worked with various organizations such as the Rio Grande Writers Association. They were a force to be reckoned with, major players on the cultural and educational stages, not only of the U.S. Southwest but worldwide.
Patricia encouraged and nurtured Rudolfo's writing. He has often acknowledged the important roles she played in his writing: muse, editor, reader, critic, fan. His latest book, The Old Man's Love Story, is a deeply personal account of life without his beloved wife.
The narrator is an "old man," never named but Anaya does not hide that he is writing about himself. Several references in the book refer directly to Anaya's previous literary works. For example, the old man speaks about one of the characters in a work in progress, Randy Lopez (Randy Lopez Goes Home, 2011). Other comments in the book reference early works such as the pivotal childhood accident from Tortuga (1979), and youthful adventures on the streets of Albuquerque that frame Heart of Aztlan (1976.) Of course, the back story from his first novel, Bless Me, Ultima (1972), also makes an appearance.
The old man's emotions are raw and brittle. At times, his story drifts into a dreamland of memory and yearning, and we can only guess whether the old man is living what he talks about or simply thinking about it, fantasizing. One passage retells how the old man thought he saw his wife in a downtown mall. He had driven, slowly, of course, to the mall and immediately regretted his decision. The place was too loud, too busy, with too many rude young people. But out of nowhere he recognized a bright-patterned blouse and colorful Mexican skirt. The clothes had been worn by his wife, of that he was sure. He became tremendously excited and anxious. He called after the woman wearing the clothes. "Amor! Amor!" She ignored him. She obviously was a homeless person of the streets. It made no sense to the old man, who was almost traumatized by the incident. Only after his shock subsided did he remember that he had given his wife's clothes to a shelter.
Anaya's writing is infused with his uniquely religious understanding of the natural world and of the spiritual nature of existence. The Old Man's Love Story exists in the spirit world, but it is a very real world to the old man. Spirits and living memories exist along the banalities of life for a seventy-five year-old man. The spirit of his departed wife eventually visits him and guides him through the stages of grief. She encourages him to move on, to preserve her memory by making new memories, and to escape his sadness by living life with the same exuberance and hope they once shared. She talks with him, comforts him, listens to his prayers. His pain is deep and Anaya does not shy away from opening his wounds for readers.
It is a difficult time, exacerbated by the old man's aging process. He complains about his aching body, his dwindling memory, his lack of appetite. The personal gives way to the universal. Some of his comments are litanies of problems that all of us over fifty recognize. The simple activities of daily life torment him. Here's his take on showering:
"Everything took time, especially reaching down and scrubbing his feet. His back hurt. Need a stool in here, he thought. Hard to bend down. Even taking a shower had become a chore. Took forever. When he was done he sat on the toilet seat and towel-dried himself. He wouldn't shave. What for?"
The old man is haunted by the spirits of his past life with his wife. He imagines and re-imagines their numerous trips to other countries, especially Mexico. He submerges himself in remembering the most minute detail of their life together, including sensual and erotic lovemaking. Some of the passages were difficult to read because it seemed as though I was prying into very private territory, into Anaya's heart and soul. I can only imagine how difficult it was for him to write the words. And yet, it is obvious that Anaya wanted this story told and preserved.
Eventually the old man begins a new relationship. The spirit of the deceased wife tells him that it is time for a "new phase." A transition. A time to learn to love again. Establishing the new relationship is not a simple matter, and guilt and self-pity play their part in the evolution of the story, as well as a few humorous observations about love and sex among the elderly.
The story is not quite done when the book ends. In fact, the journey of the old man and his wife continues on various levels. But the old man accepts that love can conquer grief. "He knew the only way out of an existential crisis was to get going. That meant caring for family, community, and the poor of the world. Care for the earth, mother of all. Not to receive, but to give, as long as he could."
The Old Man's Love Story doesn't solve the Great Mystery, as the old man refers to the puzzle of the interaction of life/death, but it does give us essential tools for dealing with that mystery: hope, humor, a bit of sadness, and, most important, love.
April 25, 2019
Rudolfo Anaya who had been married to his wife, Patricia, for many years wrote this novel two years after her death. While it is said to be a novel, the narrator and the wife he refers to share much in common with the real life people. The short chapters explore what an older man who has lost his wife after many years feels as he grieves her loss and tries to bring his life back on track. It might help to have a book like this be sequential, but it isn't. Instead, he explores all the mixed emotions of an older man as he tries to make sense of this empty time in his life now.
November 24, 2017
I chose this book because he discussed how the people in the spirit world come to him with stories to tell. However, it also was about his wife's death and his grief. I have been trying not to read about death these days so that slowed me down reading it. I felt connected to the stories he told about the spirit world and to Albuquerque where he also lives.
November 13, 2018
I love Rudolfo Anaya. His writing so often reads like a prose poem or a modern fable. This book, however, was not my favorite. It had some lovely moments, and the concept was fascinating. But it would’ve done better as a shorter piece without so much (often redundant) internal philosophy. The beautiful moments that Anaya does well kept me reading, but mostly it was a slog.
February 3, 2026
Beautiful. So many relatable quotes to anyone whom has known grief. The book is basically a brain dump from a talented and creative writer while navigating grief. He has alternative and somewhat metaphysical beliefs...while questioning everything.
Pg.14
"Love was a luxury. Free. God gave the gift to all who lived in the natural world."
Pg. 39
"Destiny. That explains everything, or nothing. I don't know anymore."
Pg.40
"As powerful as sunlight is, it does not reveal the essence. It creates colors, and we call those colors reality. Take away light and it all disappears."
"The brain is an ancient organ."
Pg.156
"His muse Memoria. She could be a goddess or a bitch, depending on the memories she dredged up....she is a trickster and she loves to take the forlorn on roller coaster rides....she lives in the heart, not in the brain. Emotion is her sister."
Pg.14
"Love was a luxury. Free. God gave the gift to all who lived in the natural world."
Pg. 39
"Destiny. That explains everything, or nothing. I don't know anymore."
Pg.40
"As powerful as sunlight is, it does not reveal the essence. It creates colors, and we call those colors reality. Take away light and it all disappears."
"The brain is an ancient organ."
Pg.156
"His muse Memoria. She could be a goddess or a bitch, depending on the memories she dredged up....she is a trickster and she loves to take the forlorn on roller coaster rides....she lives in the heart, not in the brain. Emotion is her sister."
February 21, 2020
Romance for the old remembering.
February 3, 2015
In The Old Man's Love Story, Rudolfo Anaya invites you into the rooms of his heart. He shares with you his existential crisis and his musings about eternal love, loss, grief, mourning, the spirit world, and the mysteries of death. This is a book to read. Anaya's writing is deeply introspective, heart-felt, and evocative. He also succeeds in revealing the New Mexico sky, clouds, llanos, mountains, birds, and flowers, not just as a backdrop to his story, but as an intricate aspect of his revelations. You can check-out this book from the Mancos Public Library, AspenCat Union Catalog at http://mancoslibrary.org/online-catal...
May 10, 2013
Read my full review in the Local iQ, Albuquerque's intelligent alternative:
http://www.local-iq.com/index.php?opt...
When a madly popular author writes a heartbreakingly personal account, his fans simply love him more. Rudolfo Anaya is Albuquerque’s chosen son, despite growing up in Santa Rosa until he was 14. He lives in the Valley and walks the Bosque paths still today. He put us on the map with his writing from decades past and keeps us alive with The Old Man’s Love Story.
http://www.local-iq.com/index.php?opt...
When a madly popular author writes a heartbreakingly personal account, his fans simply love him more. Rudolfo Anaya is Albuquerque’s chosen son, despite growing up in Santa Rosa until he was 14. He lives in the Valley and walks the Bosque paths still today. He put us on the map with his writing from decades past and keeps us alive with The Old Man’s Love Story.
Read
November 5, 2013"Beyond the story of love, mourning, and dreams, the novel ignites the reader’s imagination through the symbolism of numbers and the alchemy of apparent opposites who become the eternal couple through death and transfiguration. In The Old Man’s Love Story, Anaya brings the power of magic and memory to a world of ashes and dust." - Roberto Cantú,, California State University, Los Angeles
This book was reviewed in the November 2013 issue of World Literature Today. Read the full review by visiting our website: http://bit.ly/1dJ94Qb
This book was reviewed in the November 2013 issue of World Literature Today. Read the full review by visiting our website: http://bit.ly/1dJ94Qb
July 27, 2014
Anaya is one of my favorite authors. I wanted to read this book because it tells the story of soul mates and how a person feels and deals with losing someone so close. This book didn't disappoint me, and I was glad that although the old man did find a "lady friend," he stayed in love with and dedicated to his wife and joins her in the end in death. guess I am a hopeless romantic. I cannot believe that the book reviewer for WLA thought that the old man shouldn't have been so old. The story would not have made sense otherwise.
December 22, 2014
A very thoughtful and meditative book on loss and love, living and dying. It's a paean to memory too. One of those books you will want to read again and again. Anaya fuses science, spirits, and the beauty of place, principally New Mexico, into a rambling stream of consciousness. It's a beautiful work and it's a pity more don't know of it. It's Volume 12 in the Chicana and Chicano Visions of the Americas series but it's a book for all.
October 3, 2015
This is an autobiographical novel based on the grief process of Anaya after his wife passed. I will recommend it to my grief groups. He delves into many spiritual questions as well as the nature of his enduring connection to his wife. Toward the end he begins to date again. His confused, conflicted feelings about this and other topics makes him a sympathetic character. His magical writing transports one to a poignant place.
January 16, 2017
This is a beautiful book, emotionally dense - so much so that I had to put it down for a couple of weeks. It reminded me strongly of my father in the first few years after my mother's death.
As a Southern friend of mine would say, this book hurt my heart. It was a Christmas gift or I might never have come across it. Now I have to re-read "Bless Me, Ultima," and whatever else of Anaya's I can get my hands on this far from New Mexico.
As a Southern friend of mine would say, this book hurt my heart. It was a Christmas gift or I might never have come across it. Now I have to re-read "Bless Me, Ultima," and whatever else of Anaya's I can get my hands on this far from New Mexico.
September 21, 2013
A stream of consciousness from an old man whose wife has just died - the love of his life. I like his broad awareness of our culture, its problems, but also his great joy in living life, especially with his wife, but learning how to after her death. Love the mental pictures of New Mexico, and the blended cultures and natural beauty. A pleasure to read.
July 9, 2013
This incredibly personal account of a man surviving the death of his wife after a life of love and companionship. The small chapters are glimpses of the toll of grief and love when the one you love is no longer there. A beautiful and heart wrenching novella.
September 1, 2013
I found the Chicano elements to this book interesting. While the prose was generally lovely, but at times meandering, I felt the story was somewhat formulaic. I would, however, read something else by this author in the future.
November 19, 2013
This was an excellent and beautiful book. One that sends the spirit of the story right through the pages to you. Beautifully done in the simplest way, with the greatest depth of emotion.
September 26, 2017
I still have not finished. The book is so sad. I have to read it a bit at a time.
August 29, 2014
What a poetic beautiful love story
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews