American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 38 (2017) Winner
Alfredo Véa Jr.
アルフレド・ヴェア・ジュニア
Arufuredo Vea Jr.
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1950-06-28 （near Phoenix, Arizona）
- Nationality
- United States, Mexican descent, Filipino descent
- Languages
- English, Spanish
- Residence History
- Arizona (birth and upbringing) → California (moved and lived) → San Francisco (professional activity)
Career
- Occupations
- Lawyer, Novelist
- Active Years
- 1975-2025
- Affiliations
- Centro Legal de la Raza, San Francisco Public Defender's Office
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, Berkeley | — | English and Physics | B.A. | 1971-1975 | United States |
| University of California, Berkeley (Law) | — | Law | J.D. | 1975-1978 | United States |
University of California, Berkeley
English and Physics
Degree:
B.A.
Period:
1971-1975
Year of Graduation:
1975
Country:
United States
Reported to have completed undergraduate studies in English and Physics
University of California, Berkeley (Law)
Law
Degree:
J.D.
Period:
1975-1978
Year of Graduation:
1978
Country:
United States
Earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | American Book Award | The Mexican Flyboy | — | Before Columbus Foundation | 受賞 |
American Book Award
2017
Work:
The Mexican Flyboy
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
La Maravilla
1993 NovelCenters on a young boy living with his grandparents in a barrio near Phoenix; explores multicultural identity, mestizo heritage, and family.
IdentityImmigrationFamilyMulticulturalism
The Silver Cloud Café
1996 NovelA story interweaving urban life, immigrant communities, and personal pasts; incorporates legal insights and social themes.
Urban lifeImmigrationLaw and justice
Gods Go Begging
1999 NovelA meditative work touching on the Vietnam War, time in France, race, desire, and urban gang conflicts; named one of the Los Angeles Times' best books of 1999.
Legacy of warRaceDesireUrban violence
The Mexican Flyboy
2016 NovelA novel reflecting the author's multicultural roots and historical awareness; intertwines history and personal narrative. Won the American Book Award in 2017.
HistoryIdentityMulticulturalism
Bibliography
- La Maravilla
- The Silver Cloud Café
- Gods Go Begging
- The Mexican Flyboy
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Multicultural and wide-ranging narrative styleOral/epic storytelling elementsCourtroom-like persuasive narration
- Recurring Motifs
- Immigrant experienceMestizo identityLaw and justiceImpact of war
Legacy
Alfredo Véa Jr. is recognized as a Mexican-, Yaqui-, and Filipino-American writer who brings his legal practice into his fiction. He is an important voice in Chicano and multicultural American literature, occupying a unique position that connects courtroom experience with storytelling.
Academic Societies
- Chicano studies organizations
Quotes
-
"Mexicans don't go to psychiatrists. We don't get massages."
Source: Interview / Law.com (reported remark) (2010)
Trivia
- His mother is reported to have been thirteen when she gave birth to him.
- He was drafted into the Vietnam War and held various jobs after returning before entering the legal profession.
- Worked as a janitor at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris for a time.
- Mentored by a high school teacher named Jack Beery, to whom he dedicated La Maravilla.