Last night after grading and preparing for classroom workshops I had time to finish Luis Alberto Urrea’s short story collection Six Kinds of Sky. I was unfamiliar with Urrea’s work but I’ve been reading through my list of Latino authors and I have to say there was much to admire. I enjoyed “Mr Mendoza’s Paint Brush” perhaps most out of the collection. Urrea gives a mix of straight story telling and farce and perhaps a bit of the surreal mixing in the story. This seemed to be a constant throughout the stories. I also enjoyed “Bid Farewell to Her Many Horses”–a story about a white guy mourning the loss of his wife. A nice mix of the tragic and the beautiful. I was also intrigued by the final non-fiction essay of the book “Amazing Grace: Story and Writer.” I liked the insight into Urrea’s craft and thought process.
quick note on luis alberto urrea’s six kinds of sky
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This collection sounds good. Do you have recommended reading list anywhere online, outside of your syllabi? I am interested in seeing your recommendations. I like syllabi as well. I am impressed with House of Order and admire the style, voice, diction, and symbolism so far. Other projects have pulled me away, but I hope to return to it soon. It’s captivating. It’s tight and evocative. The cover, which I realize is most times out of the author’s control, reminds me of Frida Kahlo, whom I love. That’s interesting in the context of being a Latino work, though I haven’t unpacked that image yet in relation to the world and movement of the tales; indeed, there might not be an intended relationship. The cover is typically secondary to the work anyway. I look forward to finishing it soon.
Yeah, it was good. I’m working my way through Sergio Troncoso’s list of suggested reading given on his site: http://sergiotroncoso.com/literature/index.htm. He’s another Latino author I admire. And thank you for the kind words on my book.
Thank you for the link. I must read One Hundred Years of Solitude. How I have never read it escapes me. It’s one of those I have always wanted to read, but haven’t. Same with Paul Bowles The Sheltering Sky. One Hundred Years shows up on so many all time best lists and is often described as a masterpiece, if not a “perfect” novel. I will definitely use this list to update my wish list. Thanks again.