Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Author of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
About the Author
Benjamin Alire Saenz was born in 1954 in his grandmother's house in Old Picacho, a small farming village in the outskirts of Las Cruces, New Mexico. He was the fourth of seven children and was raised on a small farm near Mesilla Park. Later, when the family lost the farm, his father went back to show more his former occupation -- being a cement finisher. His mother worked as a cleaning woman and a factory worker. During his youth, he worked at various jobs -- painting apartments, roofing houses, picking onions, and cleaning for a janitorial service. He graduated from high school in 1972 and went on to college. He studied philosophy and theology in Europe for four years and spent a summer in Tanzania. He eventually became a writer and professor and moved back to the border -- the only place where he feels he truly belongs. show less
Image credit: Larry D. Moore
Series
Works by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
The Dog Who Loved Tortillas (A Little Diego Book) (English and Spanish Edition) (2009) 60 copies, 1 review
Grandma Fina and Her Wonderful Umbrellas / La Abuelita Fina y Sus Sombrillas Maravillosas (1999) 38 copies
The Aristotle and Dante Collection (Boxed Set): Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe; Aristotle and… (2021) 21 copies, 1 review
Ari und Dante 1: Aristoteles und Dante entdecken die Geheimnisse des Universums: Coming-of-Age-Roman (1) (2023) 3 copies
The Aristotle and Dante Collection (Boxed Set): Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe; Aristotle and… (2023) 2 copies
In Perfect Light: A Novel 1 copy
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, The Inexplicable Logic of My Life, Aristotle and Dante Dive… (2021) 1 copy
He forgot to say good-bye 1 copy
Associated Works
Currents from the Dancing River: Contemporary Latino Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry (1994) — Contributor — 51 copies
Hecho en Tejas: An Anthology of Texas-Mexican Literature (Southwestern Writers Collection) (2006) — Contributor — 29 copies
Without Discovery: A Native Response to Columbus (Turning Point Series) (1992) — Contributor — 16 copies
Latino Poetry: The Library of America Anthology (LOA #382) (Library of America, 382) (2024) — Contributor — 14 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Sáenz, Benjamin Alire
- Birthdate
- 1954-08-16
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Old Picacho, New Mexico, USA
- Places of residence
- El Paso, Texas, USA
- Education
- Las Cruces High School, Las Cruces, New Mexico
St. Thomas Seminary (BA | 1977 | Humanities and Philosophy)
University of Texas, El Paso (MA | Creative writing)
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Stanford University (Stegner Fellow)
University of Iowa - Occupations
- poet
novelist
writer
professor
parish priest - Organizations
- University of Texas at El Paso
Roman Catholic Church (ordained 1981) - Awards and honors
- Wallace E. Stegner Fellowship, poetry
Lannan Poetry Fellowship (1993)
PEN/Faulkner Book Award for Fiction (2013)
Pura Belpré Award (2013)
Hummingbird Award in Literary Arts (2022)
American Book Award (1992) (show all 10)
Southwest Book Award (1996)
Michael L. Printz Award (2013)
Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award
Lambda Literary Award
Members
Discussions
Girl kidnapped from Mexico and taken to the U.S. in Name that Book (December 2012)
Reviews
Having lived several years in Mexico (and many years in Texas) and also growing up in the Vietnam era, this should have been a wonderful book for me. And I did love the family, the characters, etc. But the big deal about to happen was Gustavo leaving for Mexico, and that event took so long that I began to lose interest. I was hoping to travel with Gustavo into Mexico and see him absorbed in the culture and language, so familiar to him, yet so foreign. Alas, now I can only imagine. Because the book ended. Dang.… (more)
After reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, any book by Benjamin Saenz was a must-read for me. I grew up in El Paso, the setting of both books, and love that I recognize street (Alameda), restaurant (Ardivino's Pizza and Chico's Tacos) and school (El Paso High School & UTEP) names that are mentioned. The book is extremely well-written, and I fell in love with all of the characters. I felt as if I was watching through a window the entire time, experiencing what Salvador, Samantha and Fito endured. This title just arrived for our teen library collection, and I'm happy to have it on the new arrivals shelf!… (more)
Lists
Five star books (1)
BookTok Teen (1)
Comfort Reads (1)
Best Beach Reads (1)
FAB 2021 (1)
READ IN 2021 (1)
Carole's List (1)
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 35
- Also by
- 7
- Members
- 10,466
- Popularity
- #2,274
- Rating
- 4.2
- Reviews
- 489
- ISBNs
- 180
- Languages
- 16
- Favorited
- 4
I enjoyed this book a lot. Saenz writes with sentimentality without becoming sentimental and captures a lot of the angst of mid-teenage boys trying to figure how and when they become men. The reader becomes invested in the characters and hopes for the best.
My biggest complaint is with the last twenty pages. It's a perfectly fitting and fine ending, but feels too neatly wrapped up, almost like he hit his word count and said, "okay, here's the big finish." Still, I'd recommend it for anyone looking for a book about finding yourself.… (more)