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Victor Martinez (author)

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Victor Martinez
Born(1954-02-21)February 21, 1954
DiedFebruary 18, 2011(2011-02-18) (aged 56)
EducationCalifornia State University, Fresno (BA)
Stanford University (MFA)
Occupation(s)Author, poet
Notable workParrot in the Oven: Mi Vida
MovementChicano Movement
AwardsNational Book Award for Young People's Literature

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]

Life

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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

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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

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Poetry

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  • Caring for a House, Chusma House Publications, 1992, ISBN 978-0-9624536-4-9

Novels

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Anthologies

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References

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  1. ^ a b "National Book Awards – 1996". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
    (With acceptance speech by Martinez.)
  2. ^ Heather Smith (February 22, 2011). "Local Author Victor Martinez Dies". Mission Local.
  3. ^ a b Francisco X. Alarcon (February 21, 2011). "Victor Martinez, Chicano Poet/Author Passed Way Feb. 18, 2011". The Rumpus.
  4. ^ "Victor Martinez". Harper Collins.
  5. ^ Valerie J. Nelson (March 3, 2011). "Victor Martinez dies at 56; novel won National Book Award". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ a b c Rick Bentley (February 25, 2011). "Author Victor Martinez dies at 56". Kansas city Star (McClatchy Newspapers).
  7. ^ "FRESNO NATIVE WINS LITERARY PRIZE: VICTOR MARTINEZ JOINS OTHER AWARD-WINNING AUTHORS INSPIRED BY THE VALLEY". The Fresno Bee. November 8, 1996.
  8. ^ "VICTOR MARTINEZ'S TRIUMPH: THE WRITER'S DEEP VALLEY ROOTS PRODUCE A WELL-DESERVED NATIONAL BOOK AWARD". The Fresno Bee. November 9, 1996.
  9. ^ Elizabeth Farnsworth (November 7, 1996). "Elizabeth Farnsworth converses with first time novelist and National Book Award winner Victor Martinez". NPR.
  10. ^ Kevin Davis (October 9, 2002). "Mission District Scribe to Speak". Guardsman: City College of San Francisco.
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