Happy Birthday Jesus

by Ronald L. Ruiz

A gripping novel of madness and despair now available in paperback for the first time Happy Birthday Jesús chronicles the creation of a Jesús Olivas, a Mexican American boy raised by his grandmother in northern California. In a society where survival of the fittest is the key, young Jesús Olivas’ shyness and sensitivity become a malleable and vulnerable disadvantage. Transformed into the perfect victim by his grandmother, a religious fanatic, and the teachings of his parish priest, Jesús is progessively abused and brutalized. At eighteen, he marks his coming of age with the savage rape of a prostitute, the only person who loved him, and an attack that maims the parish priest he both hated and feared. Jesús is sentenced to thirty years behind prison walls in what becomes a labyrinth of unending horrors.

Genres: Fiction

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Ronald L. Ruiz is the author of a memoir, A Lawyer (2012), and seven novels— Happy Birthday Jesús (1994), Giuseppe Rocco (1998), The Big Bear (2003), Jesusita (2015), Life Long (2017), 120 Days (2019) and Lost and Found (2021). Born and raised in Fresno, California, Ron was educated at St. Mary's College, California, University of California, Berkeley, and University of San Francisco. He practiced law from 1966 to 2003 as a Deputy District Attorney, a criminal defense attorney, and a Deputy Public Defender. He was appointed to the California Agriculture Labor Relations Board by Governor Jerry Brown in 1974 and later served as the District Attorney of Santa Cruz County, California.

Reviews

[Martin Saucedo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro cruel, un personaje que puede ser todos los personajes subalternos del mundo. El lector seguirá a Jesús por la vía dolorosa.... un personaje bueno que termina convirtiéndose en un monstruo de la sociedad.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

NSFW, NC-17, lots and lots of rape and bloody buttholes and a castration scene and abuse.

It's like Push (made into a major motion picture!) for the Latino male.

(Still reeling a little.)

[Daria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grim, grim, grim.

[Humphrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok but rather predictable. At times it was brutal to the extent that I had to take a break and return to it later.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strange. Wicked.

[carol · Rating 1 out of 5]

a very disturbing read... approach with caution