Gary Soto Essay

Have you ever read Baseball in April and Other Stories, but have no idea who the author is? Baseball in April and Other Stories is by Gary Soto and is one of his best-selling and most famous works. Who is Gary Soto? Gary Soto is a Mexican American author who writes his work mainly from the many experiences he has had in his life. Gary has become one of the most important contemporary authors throughout his life. Gary Anthony Soto was born on April 12, 1952 to Manuel and Angie Soto. His family is of Mexican descent, which means one of his ancestors down the line left Mexico and came to the United States. He was the second child, coming after his older brother Rick and before his younger sister Debra. Gary was raised in Fresno, California where both his parents and grandparents worked as laborers in the

Busy working and chasing after girls left little time for school for Gary. He also was never pushed to excel in school at home. When he attended Roosevelt High School he somehow maintained a D average. He said that school wasn’t a part of the poverty culture. "Our shelves were not lined with books they were lined with menudo." Gary told an interviewer once. Menudo is a spicy Mexican soup. Gary wasn’t pushed to read at home, but despite that he found the world of books on his own at school. His favorite books were written by American authors, including Hemmingway, Steinbeck, and Vernes. Gary Soto went on to attend California State University, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Master’s in creative writing in 1976. During that time he met and married his wife, Carolyn Oda, in 1975. Gary was only twenty-three years old at the time. Then in 1977, Gary published his first set of poems called The Elements of San Joaquin. Gary Soto got his start as a professional writer from the book. He had a job as a professor before his writing career actually took