Buried Onions [Hardcover]

Gary Soto (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1997

For Eddie there isn’t much to do in his rundown neighborhood but eat, sleep, watch out for drive-bys, and just try to get through each day. His father, two uncles, and his best friend are all dead, and it’s a struggle not to end up the same way. The violence makes Fresno wallow in tears, as if a huge onion with its ubiquitous vapors were buried beneath the city. Making an effort to walk a straight line despite constant temptations and frustrations, Eddie searches for answers after the death of his cousin and discovers that his closest friends may be his worst enemies.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Eddie can always smell onions in the air--the sharp bitter odor of hopelessness and anger that haunts the poor side of Fresno. "I had a theory about those vapors, which were not released by the sun's heat but by a huge onion buried under the city. This onion made us cry. Tears leapt from our eyelashes and stained our faces." Eddie tries to escape from the poverty and gang society that surrounds him by taking vocational classes and staying away from his old "cholos," (gang friends). But when his cousin is killed, his aunt urges him to seek out and punish the murderer. To avoid the pressure building in his neighborhood, Eddie takes a landscaping job in an affluent suburb. But this too goes awry when his boss's truck is stolen while in his care. In the end, with his money gone and a dangerous gang member stalking him, Eddie's only choice is to join the military and hope that they can give him a better future than the one Fresno seems to offer.

There is no tidy closure--certainly no happy ending--to this bleak novel. But that is exactly what gives Buried Onions its strong, acidic flavor. Teens with a low tolerance for any type of pretense will appreciate Gary Soto's honesty in not trying to force a fairy-tale ending. In spare but always striking prose, Soto has written an unrelentingly grim story that teens will savor because it rings true. (Ages 13 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

From Publishers Weekly

This bleak, claustrophobic novel perfectly captures the cyclical despair of its [19-year-old, Hispanic protagonist], said PW; Soto leaves this bitter street tale unsweetened to the end. Ages 12-up.
-, said PW; Soto leaves this bitter street tale unsweetened to the end. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (September 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152013334
• ISBN-13: 978-0152013332
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #240,764 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in Fresno, California to Mexican American parents, Gary Soto learned the hard work ethic through his share of chores, including mowing lawns, picking grapes, painting house numbers on street curbs, and washing cars. His hard work paid off at California State University at Fresno, from which he graduated with an English degree, and later at the University of California at Irvine, where he earned a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.Gary Soto is an acclaimed poet, essayist, and fiction writer. The awards for this multi-talented author are many, ranging from the U.S. Award for International Poetry Forum in 1977 for his first published book of poetry, The Elements of San Joaquin, to a Before Columbus Foundation American Book Award in 1985 for Living Up the Street, his first published work of prose recollections. His short story collection Baseball in April, was named an American Library Association's Best Book for Young Adults. In 1993 Gary Soto received the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video for Pool Party, and in 1995 he was nominated for a National Book Award.His other credits include fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the California Arts Council. Gary Soto is also one of the youngest poets to appear in the Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry. Several of his books have been translated into French, Spanish and Italian.Too Many Tamales was named a Booklist Books for Youth Editors' Choices of 1993. Hazel Rochman of Booklist said, "Gary Soto is an accomplished poet and adult writer, and his children's stories are widely popular. His first entry into the picture book genre is a joyful success."When he is not writing, Mr. Soto serves as a volunteer English teacher at his church. He also enjoys eating at new restaurants, which he does often with his wife, Carolyn, and their daughter Mariko. Other members of the Soto household include their two cats, Corky and Sharkie. The Soto family resides in Berkeley, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE TEENAGE TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGING, August 22, 2001

By 

Gypsychick "gypsychick" (miami, fl USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Buried Onions (Paperback)

The times have changed from when those of us went to elementary and middle school (junior high) back in the sixties and seventies and were assigned certain books for reading and discussing. Although there are many "classics" assigned for literature readers of the same age in this new era, the world of teenage books truly screams out for stories that are more timely. I believe it is through literature teenagers can come to see other cultures, other lives, and other situations more than if we keep waving newspapers in front of their faces. Literature sings a new song, and if the song is well written, the mind can dance to it. Buried Onions is such a novel. My son was assigned it as summer reading and he was so absorbed in it, I decided to read it myself. It is timely. Soto brings the character of Eddie to life by revealing both his small rays of hope and his overpowering sense of hopelessness to the reader. The struggle he faces to remove himself from the violent gang environment and into vocational school and eventually a job. His best efforts fail due to outside influences and he must make a decision which will chart the course for the rest of his life. The ending of the book, revealed above in the canned review, I feel is deliberate, much like the ending of "The Giver." The reader was pointedly forced into wondering what really happened after the book was closed. What a great hook to make someone think. Even more than Eddie's story, the ending opens up wonderful opportunities to discuss the story and the different avenues Eddie's life may have taken AFTER the conclusion in the book. It's a different age, a different time in history and while it's wonderful to revisit the classics, it is vital young people have the opportunity to delve into some of the very real issues all kids are facing. If your kid has this as an option on a reading list, encourage them to choose it. They (and you) will be engrossed and it's an excellent jumping off point to discuss life choices.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brown is a favorite target, November 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Buried Onions (Paperback)

I think the book Buried Onions is a good one. I recommend this book to all teeagers. Gary Soto tells you what a Mexicano or Chicano have to live just because our skin is brown. I was raised in the town of Cicero and I know how living in the street is, I know that any day my life could be taken away. But, that is the risk I have to take when I am out there with my home boys. I also have to look out for the police because brown is one of their favorite targets to arrest or beat up. Life in my town is like Fresno. Some of the gangs are small, but there are some crazy home boys that just don't care if they take a life or two. Life is nothing easy, but you have to learn how to live it. Some times you have to throw down to get your respect, and sometimes you have to steal to survive, but that is life. Most of my home boys are drop outs and some didn't even start high school, but everybody chooses their own way of living. Some have jobs, but not careers. Some are professional thieves. I liked the way this book mixed Spanish and English together, that is the way I was raised and my homeboys, too. I liked that the book is written in realistic language. I liked the way the book ended. Sometimes that is the best thing to do, fly away with the wind.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Struggle for Survival, September 4, 2002

By 

JC (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Buried Onions (Paperback)

Gary Soto's Buried Onions tells the story of Eddie, a young man who is struggling to survive in the neighborhood he lives in. In his neighborhood "Once a dude pointed you out in a 7-Eleven parking lot or some filthy gas station, there was no mercy, no time to explain that you were a father or a good son or an altar boy with combed hair." That is exactly what Eddie wants to escape. His goal to work and stay out of trouble although simple is many times challenged by the relationships that time has established in his neighborhood, his aunts pressure to have him avenge his cousins death and his bad luck. Although he is constantly seeking out employment opportunities he has a hard time finding a job and when he does luck is not on his side. Events that are out of his control occur and the opportunities that he so desperately seeks and need are taken away. He is then left to try again to fulfill his goal and not take the easy way out like it is expected. Eddie's struggle is one that many young adults can relate to. Buried Onions is a different story that addresses the concern for survival in a world in which you are expected to fail. I would definitely recommend this book to young adults of all genders and race. The struggle for survial is one that they all can relate to. They will enjoy reading this fiction story that is filled with realistic events that many of them face today. It is an easy and enjoyable book to read. The Spanish language used in this story gives life to the characters and is non-confusing since there is a glossary in the book. Some foul language is used in the story but it is non-offensive. It is used at a minimum. This is a great story that can be discussed in class or with friends.