10/31/3035

Bless Me, Ultima, takes place on the llano (plains) of New Mexico after the end of World War II, and is a coming-of-age story. The story of Antonio (Tony) develops through the perspective of the adult Tony, who reflects on his childhood beginning when he is seven and his family welcomes an elderly curandera (healer), Ultima, to live in their home. Tony’s struggles with the opposing hopes different family members have for his future are mitigated through his close bond with Ultima who opens his eyes to the spiritual roots of his culture and shows him how to embrace all components of his identity to create something new. Through Ultima, he probes his family ties, his Catholic faith, and the Spanish, Mexican, and Native American influences that informed his sense of self.

Bless Me, Ultima is a magical story that celebrates the rich beauty of Chicano culture and divulges universal truths about the human condition. I read it with my upper-level Spanish students and my Head Start “book club”, and I still recommend it to people interested in the American Southwest for its powerful depiction of the “cultura”. It lifts my spirits and makes me feel right with the world.