Benjamin Alire Saenz
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Alire Sáenz is an award-winning American
poet, novelist and writer of children's books.
.
He graduated from Las Cruces
High School in 1972. That fall, he entered St. Thomas Seminary in Denver, Colorado
where he received a B.A. degree in Humanities and Philosophy in 1977. He studied Theology at the University of Louvain in Leuven, Belgium from 1977 to 1981. He was a priest for a few years in El Paso, Texas
before leaving the order.
In 1985, he returned to school, and studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Texas at El Paso
where he earned an M.A. degree in Creative Writing. He then spent a year at the University of Iowa
as a PhD student in American Literature. A year later, he was awarded a Wallace E. Stegner fellowship. While at Stanford University
under the guidance of Denise Levertov
, he completed his first book of poems, Calendar of Dust, which won an American Book Award
in 1992. He entered the Ph.D. program at Stanford and continued his studies for two more years. Before completing his Ph.D., he moved back to the border and began teaching at the University of Texas at El Paso
in the bilingual MFA program.
His first novel, Carry Me Like Water was a saga that brought together the Victorian novel and the Latin American tradition of magic realism and received much critical attention.
In The Book of What Remains (Copper Canyon Press
, 2010), his fifth book of poems, he writes to the core truth of life's ever-shifting memories. Set along the Mexican border, the contrast between the desert's austere beauty and the brutality of border politics mirrors humanity's capacity for both generosity and cruelty.
In 2005, he curated a show of photographs by Julian Cardona
.
He continues to teach in the Creative Writing Department at the University of Texas at El Paso
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poet, novelist and writer of children's books.
Life
He was born at Old Picacho, New Mexico, the fourth of seven children, and was raised on a small farm near Mesilla, New MexicoMesilla, New Mexico
Mesilla is a town in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,180 at the 2000 census...
.
He graduated from Las Cruces
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
High School in 1972. That fall, he entered St. Thomas Seminary in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
where he received a B.A. degree in Humanities and Philosophy in 1977. He studied Theology at the University of Louvain in Leuven, Belgium from 1977 to 1981. He was a priest for a few years in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
before leaving the order.
In 1985, he returned to school, and studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
where he earned an M.A. degree in Creative Writing. He then spent a year at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
as a PhD student in American Literature. A year later, he was awarded a Wallace E. Stegner fellowship. While at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
under the guidance of Denise Levertov
Denise Levertov
-Early life and influences:Levertov was born and grew up in Ilford, Essex.Couzyn, Jeni Contemporary Women Poets. Bloodaxe, p74 Her mother, Beatrice Spooner-Jones Levertoff, came from a small mining village in North Wales...
, he completed his first book of poems, Calendar of Dust, which won an American Book Award
American Book Award
The American Book Award was established in 1978 by the Before Columbus Foundation. It seeks to recognize outstanding literary achievement by contemporary American authors, without restriction to race, sex, ethnic background, or genre...
in 1992. He entered the Ph.D. program at Stanford and continued his studies for two more years. Before completing his Ph.D., he moved back to the border and began teaching at the University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
in the bilingual MFA program.
His first novel, Carry Me Like Water was a saga that brought together the Victorian novel and the Latin American tradition of magic realism and received much critical attention.
In The Book of What Remains (Copper Canyon Press
Copper Canyon Press
Copper Canyon Press is an independent, non-profit small press, specializing in the publication of poetry and located in the picturesque town of Port Townsend, Washington. Since 1972, the Press has published poetry exclusively and has established an international reputation for its commitment to...
, 2010), his fifth book of poems, he writes to the core truth of life's ever-shifting memories. Set along the Mexican border, the contrast between the desert's austere beauty and the brutality of border politics mirrors humanity's capacity for both generosity and cruelty.
In 2005, he curated a show of photographs by Julian Cardona
Julian Cardona
Julian Joseph Cardona is an American-born Puerto Rican international footballer who currently plays for the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Puerto Rican national team....
.
He continues to teach in the Creative Writing Department at the University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
.
Awards
- Wallace E. Stegner Fellowship, poetry
- 1992 American Book AwardAmerican Book AwardThe American Book Award was established in 1978 by the Before Columbus Foundation. It seeks to recognize outstanding literary achievement by contemporary American authors, without restriction to race, sex, ethnic background, or genre...
, for Calendar of Dust - Lannan Poetry Fellowship 1993
- Carry Me Like Water, Southwest Book Award 1996 (Border Regional Library AssociationBorder Regional Library AssociationThe Border Regional Library Association promotes libraries and librarianship in the tri-border region of West Texas, Southern New Mexico and Northern Chihuahua, Mexico. The non-profit organization was founded in 1966 and, as of 2009, has over 100 members including libraries, librarians, trustees,...
) - Dark and Perfect Angels, Southwest Book Award 1996 (Border Regional Library AssociationBorder Regional Library AssociationThe Border Regional Library Association promotes libraries and librarianship in the tri-border region of West Texas, Southern New Mexico and Northern Chihuahua, Mexico. The non-profit organization was founded in 1966 and, as of 2009, has over 100 members including libraries, librarians, trustees,...
) - Grandma Fina and Her Wonderful Umbrellas, Best Children's Book 2000, Texas Institute of Letters
- Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood, Americas Book Award, the Paterson Book Prize, the J Hunt Award, Finalist Los Angeles Book Prize, BBYA Top Ten Books for Young Adults Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, Southwest Book Award (Border Regional Library AssociationBorder Regional Library AssociationThe Border Regional Library Association promotes libraries and librarianship in the tri-border region of West Texas, Southern New Mexico and Northern Chihuahua, Mexico. The non-profit organization was founded in 1966 and, as of 2009, has over 100 members including libraries, librarians, trustees,...
), Chicago Public Library, Best of the Best Books for Teens, New York Public Library Stuff for the Teen 2009, Commended Title, Americas Book Award 2009 - A Perfect Season for Dreaming, Best Children's Book, Friends of the Austin Public Library 2008 (Texas Institute of Letters), Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year 2008, Kirkus Review 2008 Notable Books for Children, Paterson Book Prize
Works
- Benjamin Alire Sáenz: War (in the City in Which I Live), April 23, 2009
- Benjamin Alire Sáenz: “To the Desert”, 04.19.09
- "Students I See Every Day", Santa Fe Poetry Broadside, Issue #31, February, 2003
- Do Not Mind the Bombs, Narrative Magazine
Novels
- Carry Me Like Water, Hyperion, 1995
- En el tiempo de la Luz, Rayo/HarperCollins 2006
Children's books
- A Perfect Season for Dreaming, Cinco Puntos Press 2008.
- The Dog Who Loved Tortillas, Cinco Puntos Press 2009
Anthologies
- "To the Desert," "Resurrections," Twentieth Century American Poetry (2004), edited by Dana Gioia, McGraw Hill ISBN 0-07-240019-6
Reviews
This lush and touching novel by Benjamin Alire Saenz, a series of interconnected stories of a most amazing cast of characters, is simply astounding....All in all, it is an amazing story, a commentary on life, on the issues that plague us today like border crossings, prejudice, AIDS, being Chicano, being gay, love, death and fear. The dialogue is crisp and interesting, each chapter seamlessly flows like the river into the next. It is poetic, which is not surprising considering Saenz is an eloquent Chicano poet. As in his other book, In Perfect Light, he has created a masterpiece of imagery, color and a unique and beautiful story.