The Importance of a Piece of Paper: Stories

by Jimmy Santiago Baca

In his first foray into short fiction, award-winning poet and memoirist Jimmy Santiago Baca explores the territory where old-world traditions meet new-world ambitions, and characters try to make something of themselves, while keeping their souls intact.

In "Matilda's Garden," an old farmer pines for his wife of fifty years who died in her sleep one night months before. He is lured to the garden in the middle of the night by what he thinks is her presence, only to meet a gruesome fate. In "The Importance of a Piece of Paper," two siblings must face the brother who has betrayed them by selling his share of the family land, leaving an entire community vulnerable. In "The Three Sons of Julia," a long-suffering mother whose one request is that all her sons come home for the fourth of July, watches her dream burst as two of her sons--one a successful businessman and the other a hard-drinking ex-con--nearly destroy her house, and each other.

Merging a refreshing innocence with a profound understanding of the world's brutality, The Importance of a Piece of Paper is a daring and arresting work that is at once fearless, tender, and inspiring.

Matilda's garden --
The three sons of Julia --
The importance of a piece of paper --
The Valentine's Day card --
Enemies --
Mother's ashes --
Bull's blood --
Runaway

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Poetry

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Jimmy Santiago Baca of Apache and Chicano descent is an American poet and writer.

Reviews

[Kathrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was in a somewhat awkward position of greeting Jimmy at the airport on a recent visit to our campus, but he endured a series of flight cancellations and redirections, and I never had the honor to meet him. However, we phoned and texted so much that I feel like he's my favorite uncle. Someday we'll have a reunion, and toast to that crazy day in May when Mother Nature seemed so against us.
His memoir, A Place to Stand, will knock your socks off. His teaching strategies, Stories from the Edge, may inspire you. This, his first collection of short stories, well...The raw material is there, but the writing sometimes misses its mark. I'm looking forward to more recent work, especially since he told me about his second memoir due out soon, his experience in returning to free society.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written prose. These are not easy to read, so much sadness permeates the page, but the stories resonate regardless of whether they reflect the reader's life experiences or not.

[Alisia Muir · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short stories made me smile.

[Molly Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nuggets of New Mexico. Overwrought at times but delivers compelling imagery from the Southwest.

[Darren Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid writing. Feels for the most part like people he may have known, going through their own lived circumstances. Even his worst stuff beats many of his contemporaries.

[Andres Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book really like the stoires.

[Kah Peh · Rating 1 out of 5]

As you can see with my Baca adds, I am a huge fan. I was really disappointed in this book, I think the stories were a little forced and formulaic, not the feeling you get at all from his poetry. Sorry Jimmy.

[Tuck]

i've tried and tried and have never been able to finish a baca book. i think i just ordered his new one too. what the fuck is wrong with me. its like i'm hypnotized or something to buy his crap. "he followed her eyes like a crow staring intently at oval cherries on an uppermost branch" etc...

[Gina Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://ginasblogging.blogspot.com/200...

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

He's an unconventional poet, but lines of pure truth lie everywhere on his pages like gold nuggets.

[LG · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a uneven collection. I enjoyed it more than most books - but some of the plots left something to be desired.

[Brenda Srof · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in a book club of cross cultural readings. I loved everything I read during this book club experience. This was one of my favorites.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

With one exception, I found the stories in this collection to be deeply, deeply human. The exception, "Bull's Blood", leans more in the direction of myth. I very much enjoyed this book.

[Staci Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

already cried by page 10

[Adriana Diaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jimmy Santiago Baca is a unique writer. I would suggest that anyone wanting to acquaint him/herself of his work should begin A Place to Stand. Knowing the initial fierce survival accomplished by this author in the earlier years of his life, adds weight to the depth and texture of his characters. His first book, A Place to Stand was so immediately gritty and painful that, in my opinion, it overshadows The Importance of a Piece of Paper. But in this volume, we can take our time to think about identity and culture, commitment and action. I recommend both, but in the order already suggested.