A Writer
Protests
December
17, 1991
Ms. Elsa Dixler
Literary Editor
"The Nation"
72 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10011
Dear Ms. Dixler:
During the
1960's and into the 70's I wrote many articles and book
reviews for The Nation, for Mr. Carey McWilliams, editor
at the time. Several of those articles were about a subject
that greatly interested him, Mexican-American culture.
I'm proud to have written extensively for such a fine
man and journal.
My new novel,
The Miraculous Day of Amalia Gómez, issued in late
September by Arcade/Little, Brown, describes a day in
the life of a Mexican-American woman living with her family
in Los Angeles today, amid the bigotry, poverty, gang
wars, police raids. Since my book also explores Amalia's
early years in El Paso, Texas, my own hometown, some chapters
employ material, now fictionalized, that was included
in my Nation articles.
Wherever it's
been reviewed, my book has received high praise and its
timeliness has been commented on. Two notable exceptions--where
my novel has not been reviewed--are The Nation and The
New York Times Book Review.
About the
latter: Several prominent literary persons have written
to the editor calling attention to my book. These persons
include Carolyn See and Earl Shorris, both of whom write
frequently for the NYTBR. (Indeed, last year Mr. Shorris
wrote an essay front-paged there and titled "In Search
of the Latino Writer," in which he mentioned me prominently.)
Despite this support, no review has appeared in the NYTBR.
Or in The
Nation. And so just in case the advance galleys and the
review copy previously sent to you did not manage to reach
you, I'm enclosing another copy of my The Miraculous Day
of Amalia Gómez in the hope that you'll consider
it a book worth bringing to the attention of your readers.
I've long
lamented that my once-prominent association with
The Nation
halted with new editors, for reasons unknown to me.
I do look
forward to your response.
Yours truly,
John Rechy
P.S. I'm sending a copy of the novel, too--with a letter--to
Mr. Art Winslow, since I'm not sure who assigns reviews
now.
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