Customer Reviews

Working in the Dark: Reflections of a Poet of the Barrio

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Jimmy Santiago Baca's "Working in the Dark" is a novel of extreme importance. Baca gives life and voice to imprisoned people who because of their ethicity, language, culture, and imprisonment have ben reducaed to cultural and social marginality by the dominant white culture and by those foriegn to Southwestern culture. "Voices From the Dark" is a must read for students of Chicano culture and the Southwest. It is a modern classic which may not be realized as such for decades to come!

" Working In The Dark " by Jimmy Santiago is a full- blown self portrait of survival. It's as much a trip through the mind- jail of Baca's disadvantages and a tossed past as the tale of an autodidact who longs to save himself- through words. Jimmy is a young man working in a hospital on the night shift. Most of the time he is working all by himself, and he always hears weird sounds coming from all over the hospital. Jimmy consider himself to be in a gang in his younger days and as he grows older, he becomes a man and does not want anything to do with a gang.

This book will have a great influence on Mexican American men and women because alot of them in this world are gang members and do not realize how much trouble they are getting themselves into. For instance Jimmy knew he would get in trouble with the law if he kept hanging out with gang members all of his life. All gang members should read " Working In The Dark". "Working In The Dark" is the best book I ever read written by an Mexican American author.

Jimmy Santiago Baca talks about his film Blood in Blood Out Bound By Honor. I consider him on the best Chicano Authors of our Time!

Jimmy Baca attempts to talk about his life and his poetry! If you own this book, get the movie, Blood in Blood Out Bound By Honor!