"She asked me if I liked them. And what could I say? They were wonderful." From the very beginning of Sergio Troncoso's celebrated story "Angie Luna," we know we are in the hands of a gifted storyteller. Born of Mexican immigrants, raised in El Paso, and now living in New York City, Troncoso has a rare knack for celebrating life. Writing in a straightforward, light-handed style reminiscent of Grace Paley and Raymond Carver, he spins charming tales that reflect his experiences in two worlds. Troncoso's El Paso is a normal town where common people who happen to be Mexican eat, sleep, fall in love, and undergo epiphanies just like everyone else. His tales are coming-of-age stories from the Mexican-American border, stories of the working class, stories of those coping with the trials of growing old in a rapidly changing society. He also explores New York with vignettes of life in the big city, capturing its loneliness and danger. Beginning with Troncoso's widely acclaimed story "Angie Luna," the tale of a feverish love affair in which a young man rediscovers his Mexican heritage and learns how much love can hurt, these stories delve into the many dimensions of the human condition. We watch boys playing a game that begins innocently but takes a dangerous turn. We see an old Anglo woman befriending her Mexican gardener because both are lonely. We witness a man terrorized in his New York apartment, taking solace in memories of lost love. Two new stories will be welcomed by Troncoso's readers. "My Life in the City" relates a transplanted Texan's yearning for companionship in New York, while "The Last Tortilla" returns to the Southwest to explore family strains after a mother's death--and the secret behind that death. Each reflects an insight about the human heart that has already established the author's work in literary circles. Troncoso sets aside the polemics about social discomfort sometimes found in contemporary Chicano writing and focuses instead on the moral and intellectual lives of his characters. The twelve stories gathered here form a richly textured tapestry that adds to our understanding of what it is to be human.
Sergio Troncoso, the son of Mexican immigrants, grew up in El Paso, Texas and now lives in New York City. He graduated from Harvard College and studied international relations and philosophy at Yale University.
Troncoso is the author of four books. FROM THIS WICKED PATCH OF DUST is a novel about the Martinez family, who begins life in a shantytown on the U.S.-Mexico border, and struggles to stay together despite cultural clashes, different religions, and contemporary politics. CROSSING BORDERS: PERSONAL ESSAYS is a collection that bridges the chasm between the poverty of the border and the highest echelons of success in America, with sacrifice, commitment, and honesty.
THE LAST TORTILLA AND OTHER STORIES won the Premio Aztlan and the Southwest Book Award. Troncoso's novel THE NATURE OF TRUTH is a story about a Yale research student who discovers that his boss, a renowned professor, hides a Nazi past.
Please visit his website at www.SergioTroncoso.com.
Sergio Troncoso: "I love to read and encourage my two young sons to read too. It takes time and effort as a parent, even when you are bone-tired. I believe reading will make them more open-minded, focused, and self-determined individuals. Introducing them to and keeping them fascinated by the world of books are two of the most important things I can do for them."
Read Troncoso's blog about writing, politics, and finance at www.ChicoLingo.com.
