American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 1 (1980) Winner
Rudolfo Anaya
ルドルフォ・アナヤ
Rudorufu Anaya
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1937-10-30 （Pastura, New Mexico, U.S.）
- Died
- 2020-06-28 （Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.） age 82
- Nationality
- American
- Languages
- English, Spanish
- Religion
- Roman Catholic (probable)
- Residence History
- Pastura (birthplace) → Santa Rosa (childhood) → Albuquerque (longtime residence)
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, poet, playwright, educator
- Active Years
- 1963-2020
- Affiliations
- University of New Mexico (English faculty, 1975–1993)
- Influenced By
- New Mexican oral traditions and folklore, Chicano literary movement
- Influenced
- Contemporary Latino writers (e.g., Denise Chávez), Subsequent generations of Chicano authors
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of New Mexico | College of Arts & Sciences | English and American Literature | B.A. | 1959–1963 | United States |
| University of New Mexico | Graduate School | English | M.A. | 1966–1968 | United States |
| University of New Mexico | Graduate School | Guidance and Counseling | M.A. | 1970–1972 | United States |
University of New Mexico
College of Arts & Sciences
/ English and American Literature
Degree:
B.A.
Period:
1959–1963
Year of Graduation:
1963
Country:
United States
B.A. in English and American Literature
University of New Mexico
Graduate School
/ English
Degree:
M.A.
Period:
1966–1968
Year of Graduation:
1968
Country:
United States
M.A. in English
University of New Mexico
Graduate School
/ Guidance and Counseling
Degree:
M.A.
Period:
1970–1972
Year of Graduation:
1972
Country:
United States
M.A. in Guidance and Counseling
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Premio Quinto Sol | Bless Me, Ultima | — | Quinto Sol | 受賞 |
| 1980 | American Book Award | Tortuga | — | Before Columbus Foundation | 受賞 |
| 1992 | PEN-West Fiction Award | Alburquerque | — | PEN-West | 受賞 |
| 2001 | National Medal of Arts (Lifetime Honor) | — | — | National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) | 受賞（終身栄誉） |
| 2015 | National Humanities Medal | — | — | National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) | 受賞 |
| 2011 | Robert Kirsch Award | — | — | Los Angeles Times | 受賞 |
Premio Quinto Sol
1970
Work:
Bless Me, Ultima
Organization:
Quinto Sol
Result:
受賞
American Book Award
1980
Work:
Tortuga
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
受賞
PEN-West Fiction Award
1992
Work:
Alburquerque
Organization:
PEN-West
Result:
受賞
National Medal of Arts (Lifetime Honor)
2001
Organization:
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
Result:
受賞（終身栄誉）
National Humanities Medal
2015
Organization:
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
Result:
受賞
Robert Kirsch Award
2011
Organization:
Los Angeles Times
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award
2 appearances
-
Edition 1 (1996) Winner
-
Edition 6 (2000) Winner
-
Edition 0 (2003) Winner
Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 32 (2011) Winner
Works
Major Works
Bless Me, Ultima
1972 NovelSet in rural New Mexico, the coming-of-age story follows young Antonio and his relationship with the curandera Ultima, exploring Chicano identity, spiritual belief, and moral conflict.
Chicano identityfaith and spiritualitycultural hybridity
Adaptations
- [Film] Bless Me, Ultima (film) (2013)
- [Opera] Bless Me, Ultima (opera) (2016)
Alburquerque
1992 NovelA novel set in Albuquerque weaving crime, culture, and personal history.
urban and suburban culturetradition vs. modernity
Tortuga
1979 NovelContains autobiographical elements reflecting Anaya's high school experiences.
coming of ageself-discovery
Bibliography
- Bless Me, Ultima (1972)
- Heart of Aztlan (1976)
- Tortuga (1979)
- Silence of the Llano: Short Stories (1982)
- The Legend of La Llorona: A Short Novel (1984)
- Lord of the Dawn: the Legend of Quetzalcóatl (1987)
- Alburquerque (1992)
- Jalamanta: A Message from the Desert (1996)
- Zia Summer (1995)
- Rio Grande Fall (1996)
- Shaman Winter (1999)
- The Farolitos of Christmas (1987)
- The Essays (2015)
Adaptations
- Bless Me, Ultima film (2013)
- Bless Me, Ultima opera (2016)
- La Llorona opera (2008, libretto by Rudolfo Anaya)
Translations of Works
- Spanish: Bendíceme, Última
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- colloquial narrationelements of magical realismvivid depiction rooted in regional culture
- Recurring Motifs
- the llano (New Mexican plains)folk belief and the curandera/healerfamily and oral tradition
Health
-
Spinal cord injury (temporary paralysis)16歳時（約1953年）Sustained a spinal cord injury as a teenager that caused temporary paralysis; later recovered. This experience likely affected his life and work.
-
Long illness (unspecified)晩年Suffered a long illness in later years and died at home in 2020.
Legacy
Rudolfo Anaya is regarded as one of the founders of contemporary Chicano literature; Bless Me, Ultima had a major influence on Latino American literature. He received many honors and became a cultural icon in New Mexico.
Museums
- Rudolfo Anaya Library (renamed) Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. Opened in 2018
Academic Societies
- organizations related to Chicano literary studies
Archives
- Rudolfo A. Anaya Papers (MSS 321), Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, University of New Mexico Libraries
In Popular Culture
- Film adaptation of Bless Me, Ultima (2013) and opera adaptation (2016)
Quotes
-
What I’ve wanted to do is compose the Chicano worldview—the synthesis that shows our true mestizo identity—and clarify it for my community and for myself.
Source: Interview and The Essays (2015)
Trivia
- Bless Me, Ultima reportedly sold over 300,000 copies in multiple printings.
- Recognized as a cultural icon in New Mexico; has had a library renamed in his honor and was inducted into Albuquerque's Wall of Fame.
- Sustained a spinal cord injury at 16 that caused temporary paralysis.