Luis J. Rodriguez

From Illinois Authors

Contents 1 General Information 2 Illinois Connection 3 Biographical and Professional Information 4 Published Works 5 Titles for Purchase and at Your Library 6 Literary Awards 7 Speaking Engagements and Upcoming Appearances 8 External Links 9 Editing

[edit] General Information

Name: Luis J. Rodriguez

Pen Name: None

Born: July 9, 1954 in El Paso, Texas

Website: www.luisjrodriguez.com

Email: luis@luisjrodriguez.com

[edit] Illinois Connection

Luis moved to Chicago in 1985 and lived there until 2000.

[edit] Biographical and Professional Information

Rodriguez is a poet, lecturer, and journalist. He has published articles, reviews and poetry in numerous journals and newspapers. His work has won several awards, and he is recognized as a major figure of contemporary Chicano literature. His best-known work, Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A., is the recipient of the Carl Sandburg Literary Award, among others, and has been the subject of controversy when included on reading lists in California, Illinois, Michigan, and Texas schools due to its frank depictions of gang life. Rodriguez has also founded or co-founded numerous organizations, including the Tía Chucha Press, which publishes the work of unknown writers, Tía Chucha's Centro Cultural, a San Fernando Valley cultural center, and the Chicago-based Youth Struggling for Survival, an organization for at-risk youth.

[edit] Published Works

• Poems Across the Pavement, Tia Chucha Press, 1989

• The Concrete River, Curbstone Press, 1991

• Always Running, La Vida Loca--Gang Days in L.A., Curbstone Press, 1998

• America Is Her Name (for Children), Curbstone Press, 1998

• Trochemoche, New Poems, Curbstone Press, 1998

• It Doesn`t Have to Be This Way, A Barrio Story (for Children), Children`s Press, 1999

• The Republic of East L.A., Stories, Rayo/Harper Collins, 2002

• Hearts and Hands: Creating Community in Violent Times, Seven Stories Press, 2003

• Music of the Mill: A Novel, Rayo/Harper Collins, 2004

• My Nature is Hunger: New & Selected Poems, Curbstone Press/ Rattle Edition, 2005

[edit] Titles for Purchase and at Your Library

Poems across the Pavement ISBN: 0962428701 Release Date: 1989-01-01 Buy on Amazon | Find on World Cat

The Concrete River ISBN: 0915306425 Release Date: 1995-07-01 Buy on Amazon | Find on World Cat

Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. ISBN: 0743276914 Release Date: 2005-09-06 Buy on Amazon | Find on World Cat

América Is Her Name ISBN: 1880684403 Release Date: 1998-04-01 Buy on Amazon | Find on World Cat

Trochemoche: Poems by Luis Rodriguez ISBN: 1439502366 Release Date: 2008-06-26 Buy on Amazon | Find on World Cat

It Doesn't Have to Be This Way/No tiene que ser asi: A Barrio Story/Una historia del barrio ISBN: 0892392037 Release Date: 2004-06-25 Buy on Amazon | Find on World Cat

The Republic of East L.a.: Stories ISBN: 1435297881 Release Date: 2008-06-05 Buy on Amazon | Find on World Cat

Hearts and Hands: Making Peace in a Violent Time ISBN: 1583222634 Release Date: 2001-09-09 Buy on Amazon | Find on World Cat

Music of the Mill: A Novel ISBN: 0060560770 Release Date: 2006-03-01 Buy on Amazon | Find on World Cat

My Nature is Hunger: New and Selected Poems, 1989 – 2004 ISBN: 1931896240 Release Date: 2005-09-01 Buy on Amazon | Find on World Cat

[edit] Literary Awards

• Poetry Center Book Award, San Francisco State University in 1989

• PEN Josephine Miles Award for Literary Excellence in 1991 & 2003

• Carl Sandburg Literary Award for Always Running, La Vida Loca, The Gang Days in L.A. and Chicago Sun Times Book Award in 1993

• National Association for Poetry Therapy Public Service Award in 1997

• Hispanic Heritage Award for Literature in 1998

• Patterson Prize for Books for Young Adults, Foreward magazine's Silver Book Award and Parents' Choice Books for Children Award in 1999

• Illinois Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English and Americas Award for Children and Young Adult Literature Commended Title in 2000

• Unsung Heros of Compassion Award presented by His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Wisdom in Action in 2001

[edit] Speaking Engagements and Upcoming Appearances

Speaking Engagement Availability: Yes, contact:

Susan Bergholz Literary Services

17 West 10th Street #5

New York, New York 10011

[edit] External Links

Luis J. Rodriguez on WorldCat

Luis J. Rodriguez on Amazon

Luis J. Rodriguez on Wikipedia

[edit] Editing

This page can only be edited by Illinois Center for the Book staff, this author or this author's representatives. Please contact us for access. Readers are welcome to add their input regarding this entry to the Luis J. Rodriguez discussion page.