Helena María Viramontes is an American writer of Mexican descent whose short stories and novels are celebrated for their powerful depiction of realistic Latino characters who, as an ethnic, economic, and racialized underclass, disproportionately find themselves relegated to the margins of American society. Her short stories are often anthologized, including in such widely-read anthologies as
Latino Boom,
The Norton Anthology of Latino Literature,
The Heath Anthology of American Literature, and the
Oxford Book of Women’s Writing in the United States. Frequently anthologized stories include “The Cariboo Cafe”, which is told from multiple points of view to render divergent cultural and experiential perspectives, and “The Moths”, which features a touch of magical realism and a…
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Citation: Garcia, Michael Nieto. "Helena Maria Viramontes". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 January 2012 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12983, accessed 19 April 2024.]
