Here’s the first published literary effort from El Paso videographer Valentin Sandoval, and it’s pretty special. I’m no expert, but I’d call it a prose poem. The subtitle is A Bilingual Poetic Narrative of the Borderland. It’s English on one page and Spanish on the facing page, so it’s not only a good read, but it’s also a language lesson.
It’s destined to be required reading in Chicano Studies courses all over America, but it’s not burdened with radical chest-thumping political activism. If you’re ever lived in El Paso, you are sure to nod your head in silent understanding of some of its depictions.
You can order it here on Amazon, where it’s received three five star reviews.