Book description
Chronicles the story of an alienated New Mexico boy who seeks an answer to his questions about life in his relationship with Ultima, a magical healer.
Why read it?
2 authors picked Bless Me, Ultima as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Generations of students like me learned of this classic from a classic in her own right, English teacher Betsy Tapia of St. Michael’s High School in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The book is set in eastern New Mexico, outside the more studied Santa Fe and Taos, in a fictionalized version of Pastura, Anaya’s hometown. The story resonated with those of us who knew atole as a favorite dish when ill or who had seen our grandmothers or neighbors’ grandmothers sprinkle dust devils with holy water on dry, windy, spring days.
Written with insight from those like Tapia, the novel captures…
From Flannery's list on The best creative writing to understand the complexities of New Mexico culture.
I think I found out about Rudolfo Anaya on Facebook. Someone praised him, that he was the best writer to have lived in New Mexico and one of the first true voices to rise out of the bourgeoning Latino writers of the seventies. I immediately bought Bless Me, Ultima and entered a world so familiar, so American, yet so alien, where magic is not just expected, but necessary to live a full life. As I wrote book three of my own series, Anaya’s writing offered a profound influence in opening a world of dreams, a reality only a few can…
From Mark's list on The best influential western literature (to my writing).
If you love Bless Me, Ultima...
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On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…
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