A writer powerfully attuned to the land and history of his native New Mexico, Rudolfo Anaya (1937–2020) is one of the giants of Latino literature. Over the course of a remarkable and acclaimed literary career, Anaya redefined the American experience for generations of readers.

Anaya broke new ground with his 1972 novel Bless Me, Ultima, a mythic work that captures the richness and complexity of history, community, and place in the American Southwest. Set just after World War II, Bless Me, Ultima revolves around the young boy Antonio and his quest to understand his identity and the demands of his future. Although his mother’s heart is set on his entering the priesthood, Antonio is drawn to the charismatic Ultima, an elderly curandera who embodies the ancient wisdom of the pre-Columbian past.