For Patricia Preciado Martin, the past is every bit as real as the present. In Days of Plenty, Days of Want, past and present meet in a collection of strikingly crafted short stories that show us a heritage being irreverently pushed aside by "progress" yet passed along from person to person, century to century.
In the pages of this book are people so real you'll swear you've met them, situations so familiar you'll nod in recognition. Two of these stories have won prizes in Chicano literary contests; all will win the hearts of readers. Through them, Patricia Preciado Martin reminds us that freedom and self-expression are important in fulfilling our potential—and, more important, that a large part of this process requires acknowledging our heritage as a priceless gift whose relevance in our lives cannot be ignored.
In the pages of this book are people so real you'll swear you've met them, situations so familiar you'll nod in recognition. Two of these stories have won prizes in Chicano literary contests; all will win the hearts of readers. Through them, Patricia Preciado Martin reminds us that freedom and self-expression are important in fulfilling our potential—and, more important, that a large part of this process requires acknowledging our heritage as a priceless gift whose relevance in our lives cannot be ignored.
Stories that function like windows on the world near the border. These are tales of Mexican American families, many from the original pioneers who ventured north only to later find themselves through historical circumstance part of the United States. . . . Martin is a fine writer who has crafted stories with meaning, and yes, with heart.'—New Mexico Magazine
Stories that function like windows on the world near the border. These are tales of Mexican American families, many from the original pioneers who ventured north only to later find themselves through historical circumstance part of the United States. . . . Martin is a fine writer who has crafted stories with meaning, and yes, with heart.'—New Mexico Magazine
Patricia Preciado Martin is a native Arizonan and a lifelong Tucsonense. She is a honors graduate of the University of Arizona and has been active in the Chicano community of Tucson for many years. Her books include two collections of oral history, Songs My Mother Sang to Me: An Oral History of Mexican American Women and Images and Conversations: Mexican Amercans Recall a Southwestern Past, and her work has been included in numerous anthologies. Martin lives in Tucson with her husband, Jim, and counts the hours until her children visit.