Poetry. Latino/Latina Studies. Poet, novelist, and popular YA writer Benjamin Alire Saenz 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 his numbered series "Meditation on Living in the Desert," Saenz turns to memory, heritage, and a host of literary progenitors as he directly confronts matters of faith, civil rights, and contemporary politics--always with the unrelenting moral urge to speak truth and do something.

Author Hometown: EL PASO, TX USA



About the author: Benjamin Alire Sáenz—novelist, poet, and writer of children's books—was named one of the "Fifty Most Inspiring Authors in the World" by Poets & Writers magazine. He was also a finalist for PEN/USA's literary award for children's and young adult literature. Sáenz received the American Book Award and teaches in the bilingual MFA program at University of Texas, El Paso.

Reviews:
author site
Dana Jennings in the New York Times