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 Novels
by Our Editor / Breaking Even
In this coming-of-age novel set in the
50s, 18 year- old Val leaves a tiny West Texas town to search
for the father he thought had died a hero's death years many
earlier. This quest gives Val a convenient excuse for getting
out, as he is being forced into a loveless marriage and meaningless
existence in a town where his life has been made more difficult
because his mother is Mexican. The young man's search draws
him into a mysterious world: violent and unpredictable, yet
also glamorous and seductive. It is his Angle father's world
of high- stakes professional gambling. With their confrontation
taking place in Reno, Nevada, Val finally realizes that all
that glitters in his father's lifestyle is more grit than
gold, and that true style comes only with the acceptance of
personal responsibility. Yet Val's father leaves him with
a new-found pride in his Mexican heritage, as well as the
courage to follow his dream.
"The novel evokes the spirit of the Southwest and the tension
of its mixed cultures in a lighthearted way." -BOOKLIST
"Particularly impressive is Grattan's ability to evoke worlds...If
there is a Proust of the Texas-Mexico border, it is Alejandro
Grattan." -THE GUADALAJARA REPORTER
"...The author has raised his novel from mere story telling
to genuine literary achievement...A coming-of-age novel which
by its universality of theme and clarity of vision brings
the book into the ranks of the best of this genre." -TRAVELMEX
"...Filled with colorful characters, richly flavored dialogue
and a great deal of off-beat humor...Action is so graphically
written that though this is a fine novel, one can easily imagine
an even better movie." -UNIVERSAL NEWS SERVICE
(Quality Softback, $11.95) (Both novels may be obtained through
most bookstores in the U.S., or by calling the publisher direct
at Toll Free 1-800-633-ARTE.)
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