Victor Martinez (author)
Victor L. Martinez (February 21, 1954 – February 18, 2011) was an American poet and author. He won the 1996 U.S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature for his first novel, Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida.[1]
Victor Martinez | |
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| Born | February 21, 1954 Fresno, California, U.S. |
| Died | February 18, 2011 (aged 56) San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Education | California State University, Fresno (BA) Stanford University (MFA) |
| Occupation(s) | Author, poet |
| Notable work | Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida |
| Movement | Chicano Movement |
| Awards | National Book Award for Young People's Literature |
Life
Martinez was the born in Fresno, California to Mexican migrant agricultural field workers of the Central Valley. He was one of twelve children.[2] Victor attended California State University at Fresno and later obtained a graduate degree from Stanford University on a Wallace Stegner Creative Writing Fellowship. He began writing as a poet and published a book of poetry, "Caring for a House," in 1992. He was a member of Humanizarte, a collective of Chicano poets, and later of the Chicano/Latino Writers' Center of San Francisco.[3] He supported himself with jobs as a welder, truck driver, firefighter, teacher, and office clerk.[4] In February 2011, he died of lung cancer at age 56 in San Francisco.[5][6]
Parrot in the Oven
Martinez and his first novel Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida won a National Book Award in 1996.[1][7][8][9][10]
Parrot was a semi-autobiographical account of a 14-year-old Mexican American boy growing up "in a world of gangs, violence and poverty" in the projects of Central Valley (California).[3][6] Martinez wrote the novel for adults but an editor suggested promoting it in the young adult fiction market.[6] It has been translated into languages including Spanish, Italian, Japanese, and German, and widely acclaimed by young people around the world.
Works
Poetry
- Caring for a House, Chusma House Publications, 1992, ISBN 978-0-9624536-4-9
Novels
- El loro en el horno: mi vida, Noguer y Caralt, 2003, ISBN 978-84-279-3238-8
- Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida. HarperCollins. 1998. ISBN 978-0-06-447186-2.
Anthologies
- Roger Weingarten; Richard Higgerson, eds. (2003). "I'm Still Alive; Failed Teachers; Sisters; A Tiny Man of Print". Poets of the new century. David R. Godine Publisher. ISBN 978-1-56792-178-6.
- Gerald W. Haslam, ed. (1999). "Don't Forget". Many Californias: literature from the Golden State. University of Nevada Press. ISBN 978-0-87417-325-3.
References
-
"National Book Awards – 1996". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
(With acceptance speech by Martinez.) - Heather Smith (February 22, 2011). "Local Author Victor Martinez Dies". Mission Local.
- Francisco X. Alarcon (February 21, 2011). "Victor Martinez, Chicano Poet/Author Passed Way Feb. 18, 2011". The Rumpus.
- "Victor Martinez". Harper Collins.
- Valerie J. Nelson (March 3, 2011). "Victor Martinez dies at 56; novel won National Book Award". Los Angeles Times.
- Rick Bentley (February 25, 2011). "Author Victor Martinez dies at 56". Kansas city Star (McClatchy Newspapers).
- "FRESNO NATIVE WINS LITERARY PRIZE: VICTOR MARTINEZ JOINS OTHER AWARD-WINNING AUTHORS INSPIRED BY THE VALLEY". The Fresno Bee. November 8, 1996.
- "VICTOR MARTINEZ'S TRIUMPH: THE WRITER'S DEEP VALLEY ROOTS PRODUCE A WELL-DESERVED NATIONAL BOOK AWARD". The Fresno Bee. November 9, 1996.
- Elizabeth Farnsworth (November 7, 1996). "Elizabeth Farnsworth converses with first time novelist and National Book Award winner Victor Martinez". NPR.
- Kevin Davis (October 9, 2002). "Mission District Scribe to Speak". Guardsman: City College of San Francisco.