Rudolfo Anaya - Biography
Rudolfo Anaya was born on October 30th, 1937 to Rafaelita and Martin Anaya in a small village called Pastura, in New Mexico. Early in his life, his family moved to Santa Rosa, where he spent his childhood. Around 1952, his family moved again to Albuquerque, and, as a teenager, found the city thrilling. The Barelas section of the city drew him into urban Chicano life. In 1954, he suffered a swimming injury, leaving him paralyzed, causing him to contemplate philosophical questions concerning life and human existence. He graduated high school in 1956, later enrolling in business school. Unsatisfied, he decided to study English at the University of New Mexico, where he discovered the importance of literature and how ideas are eloquently expressed through writing. He received his Master's Degree of Arts in literature in 1968, and later earned another in guidance and counseling. During the 1960's, he began writing extensively, expressing his ideas through poetry, short stories, and novels, including Bless Me, Ultima. Bless Me, Ultima was published in 1972, reflecting Anaya's childhood life, and captivating a world of ideas and activity. Essentially, it is a work that examines the various forces shaping the life of Antonio Márez, a Mexican-American boy who is the protagonist of this novel. In 1974, two years after the publication of Bless Me, Ultima, he received an invitation to teach creative writing at his alma mater, the University of New Mexico.