Alburquerque [Paperback]

Rudolfo Anaya (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1994

A deathbed revelation by the biological mother he has never known sends young boxer, Abran Gonzalez, on a quest for his real father into the business, political, and bigoted circles of Albuquerque. Reprint. PW.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"Alburquerque is a rich and tempestuous book, full of love and compassion, the complex and exciting skullduggery of politics, and the age-old quest for roots, identity, family."--John Nichols, author of The Milagro Beanfield War --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 293 pages
• Publisher: Warner Books; 1st edition (September 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446365440
• ISBN-13: 978-0446365444
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,703,400 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Rudolfo Anaya is professor emeritus of English at the University of New Mexico. He was one of the first winners of the Premio Quinto Sol National Chicano literary award. Winner of the PEN Center USA West Award for Fiction for his novel Alburquerque, he is best-loved for his classic bestseller Bless Me, Ultima. His other works include Zia Summer, Rio Grande Fall, Jalamanta, Tortuga, Heart of Aztlan , and The Anaya Reader. He has also written numerous short stories, essays, and children's books, including The Farolitos of Christmas and Maya's Children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Boxing versus Maturation, October 20, 2002

By 

Neil Scott Mcnutt (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Alburquerque (Paperback)

This book,copyrighted in 1992,precedes the trilogy about detective Sonny Baca beginning with Zia Summer (1995), and then Rio Grande Fall (1996), and the latest Shaman Winter (1999). I read Alburquerque after these three novels and enjoyed them all very much, but I feel that it would have been better to read Alburquerque first before the Sonny Baca novels. This is because some of the characters are presented in full detail in Alburquerque and play a major part in the later novels. It did feel strange to read Alburquerque in which Sonny Baca plays a very minor role. Here the center of attention is Abrán González who undergoes rapid growth of character in relationship to his search for his biological mother and biological father, his relationship to his adoptive parents, and his discovery of his true love Lucinda. Those who find boxing disgusting should still read this, in which the boxing is handled with grace and drama. The story is written in a direct style with great warmth. You find yourself really caring about the characters. The 293 pages fly by as the book plunges into its whirlwind ending.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Could not put it down..., January 1, 2004

By 

Kate (Sea Ranch, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alburquerque (Paperback)

I first read "Bless Me, Ultima" for school and I loved it so I then read "Alburquerque." I enjoyed both books very much. The dreams and healing magic tied into the Catholic religion was very interesting. The characters were unforgetable and the settings in the books I could see in my mind. I could not put it down and I read both in one day.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 'r' is for 'real', July 19, 2000

By 

Melissa Hardie "mjh1963" (Potts Point, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alburquerque (Paperback)

According to Rudolph Anaya, Albuquerque lost its first `r' back in 1880, when the railroad reached Alburquerque and a stationmaster, unable to pronounce the Spanish word, dropped the letter. The title of this novel restores the `r' and by implication the "real" Albuquerque, seen through the eyes of the main character, Abran Gonzalez. The novel's plot is convoluted, involving an Oliver Twist-like tale of familial loss and restoration, a web of intrigue that stretches from City Hall to the barrio, and scenic tours of the city. It's highly sentimental, and at times rather overwhelmingly "poetic." I did find it very readable, though, and an interesting if overwrought introduction to the city. Anaya's eye on the city is, it seems to me, at least partly guided by the desire to "advertize" New Mexico, particularly in his evocation of its artist colonies, its wide open landscapes, and its self-conscious blend of mythologies and cultural identities. It's an interesting mix.