Vatos

by Luis Alberto Urrea

One evening, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Jose Galvez heard Luis Alberto Urrea read Hymn to Vatos Who Will Never Be in a Poem with its chant like repetitions and its evocation of Chicano manhood. As Luis read each line, an image clicked in Jose's memory, and he knew that he had already taken that photograph. The result of that experience is this remarkable book.A unique collaboration of two acclaimed artists, Vatos is a tribute to Latino men who are too often forgotten, ignored, and misrepresented by the larger culture -- children playing in the streets, migrant workers toiling for a better life, homeboys in the barrio, young men with their girlfriends and their mothers, blue collar workers, activists on the streets, sons, uncles, fathers, and grandfathers. Vatos recognizes their joys, their sorrows, their tenderness and their strength. Through Galvez's photographs and Urrea's words, they will not be forgotten.The word vato, by the way, is Mexican-American slang, a word that means dude or guy, but here it carries more soul than either of these.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Latino

96 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Luis Alberto Urrea is the award-winning author of 13 books, including The Hummingbird's Daughter, The Devil's Highway and Into the Beautiful North (May 2009). Born in Tijuana to a Mexican father and American mother, Luis has used the theme of borders, immigration and search for love and belonging throughout his work. A Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2005 (nonfiction), he's won the Kiriyama Prize (2006), the Lannan Award (2002), an American Book Award (1999) and was named to the Latino Literary Hall of Fame. He is a creative writing professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago and lives with his family in the 'burbs (dreaming of returning West soon!).

Reviews

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spare and beautiful.

[Peter Tavolacci · Rating 5 out of 5]

This poem is absolutely stunning. As Edward Olmos said, this is, "a tribute to Chicano men, to latino men, to all men everywhere."
This is a tribute to Manuel Carrillo, a man I have known as friend and chef for six years. A tribute to his brothers, Jesse and Camillo, to their father Camillo, a todos los hombres de Durango y Puebla. In the same way that most of the literature I love gives voice to the lost ones, "Vato" reminds its readers that every person has a story worth telling. Maybe this story is embedded under finger nails with lingering farm dirt, or in tattoo ink–Guadalupe looking beautiful–, or in the eyes of a father during his daughter's wedding. Great read, great book, beautiful photographs. I will be sure to use and appreciate this as often as possible.

[Jonathan Castro · Rating 5 out of 5]

1.Is there only one viewpoint character in each scene ?

Yes, there is only one characters view point. the author is the only one talking. Its more like just letting us know what "Vatos" do in life. Work, Get in trouble, how they spend there free time, family time, etc.

2.Do we understand why they are doing certain things ?

Yes, we understand why they do the things that they do. Not every Vato grows up to be the same. Not every Vato is taught the same things as others. Some choose to work in churches. Some choose to have a family and take care of there families. Others choose to be in the streets and do bad things

[Kyle Hernandez]

1)Does each character sound different?
Yes, every page is a picture of a different "vato", and they are all doing something different.
They are all "vatos" but have different voices because no one is alike. For example, page 52 and 53: 52 has a group of youngsters hanging out at the park. Page 53 has two young men drinking beers.

2)Is she showing rather then telling?
Yes because its a picture book. It has little quotes next to each picture, but they are just guesses of the author. For example, page 63: "all vatos sure that no one loves them". You can not tell that by looking at the picture, but you can guess it.

[Danny Diego]

Do they have a voice of their own?
No, the people of the book Vatos don't have a voice because this is in the point of view of the photographer. For example, page 69 "Hole in the fence mid-80's" it says,
"All the Vatos told that they don't belong here." With no chance to say that we do belong here the dead corpses of our ancestors are on the grounds of the U.S who were killed in an ambush, who were lied to by the U.S government and who were lied to by home land security and stole our land and called their own.

[Amber]

Is this showing rather than telling?
Yes, because its saying's of what they would say back then in those times and how they talked. And what they had the most respect for and what they cherished the most which it there family. It also shows when they are at there lowest places and also highest.
Foe example: In this book all it shows is pictures of these people back in the day and saying's under it of what they believed in and other things. showed there Family food and there love life's. And what they believed in and went by.

[Emanuel Vazquez]

Do they have a voice of their own?

Yes ,they do have their own voice. Some characters say more bad things then the other ones do. All of them have a Vatos voice. For example "one guy say "all the vatos bad as la chingada"

Could this information or emotion be expressed in dialogue or action?

Yes ,this information can be expressed in dialogue and action. They have to do many things just to come to the USA. Sometimes they don't make it like in the book when its say that "Vatos don't belong here".

[Fatima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great poem, great pictures!

[Xenya Zepeda · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Vatos' is a collection of stunning photographs taken by Jose Galvez accompanied by the beautifully painful poetry of Luis Alberto Urrea. Beautifully presented in its minimalist style, this book represents the misrepresented and widely-ignored Chicano man--the trials and tribulations of life as a Chicano in America.
This is a book that serves as a glimpse into the Chicano lifestyle and I recommend it for all to read.

[Leslie Santos]

Does it make sense? I believe it does. Its pretty much just talking about how all the vatos live and what they grow up to be. This poem talks about how the barrios they live in gave them life. The pictures in the book show us the type of environment that they live in. The pictures also show us how they dress differently from us. This poem is meant to show us how vatos were raised to live.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The strength of this book is that it says a lot about the Latin culture and how we sometimes see life. I think it has originality because i hadn't read a poem that many people in the Latino culture can relate to and i also like the small details it has. It says a lot about our Latin culture and how we sometimes see life.

[Joshua Elias]

this book is about how Hispanics heritage became how it develop and how the people are,the jobs they done,and there traditions like to read this book because it like brings me to there time period and makes relates to me.

[Michelle Lemaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. Both the poetry and the accompanying photographs. An ode to the forgotten sons.

[Rosa Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific collaboration of prose and photos.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stunning photographs that beautifully illustrate each line in Urrea's poem "Hymn to Vatos Who Will Never Be in a Poem."

In the words of my favorite Xicano, "Simon. Those vatos get down!"