Rudolfo A(lfonso) Anaya 1937–

Chicano novelist, short story writer, playwright, and scriptwriter.

Anaya entered the literary scene in 1972 with his first novel, Bless Me, Ultima, and critics acclaimed his skillful use of metaphor and narrative technique. Ultima and his succeeding novels, Heart of Aztlán and Tortuga, comprise a trilogy about growing up in New Mexico.

Anaya finds a fantastic, rich storehouse in the cuentos (stories) of the Mexican-Indian people of the Southwest. He enriches his work with religion (specifically the conflict between modern European-Catholic culture and ancient paganism), dreams, and Spanish-American legends and folklore. However, critics praise Anaya for transcending the limited attitudes and scope of some ethnic art. They have recognized him as an author with wide appeal to American readers.

(See also Contemporary Authors, Vols. 45-48 and Contemporary Authors New Revision Series, Vol. 1.)