10 Interesting Gary Soto Facts

Those who want to know about one of the best American poets and authors can read Gary Soto facts.  I know that you are very familiar with Gary Soto’s name. This man has a lot of art works that you can read and enjoy. Find out more about him by reading the following facts below:

Gary Soto Facts 1: family life

Gary Soto was the son of Mauel and Angie Soto.  His parents were Mexican American. In 1957, his father passed away when he was only five years old at that time.

Gary Soto Facts 2: life at youth

Gary Soto did not have a good youth. He had to live in sorrow because of the financial issue. He has to work in the field of San Joaquin Valley. He said that he was not a good student.

Gary Soto Facts

Gary Soto Facts 3: interest

Even though Soto is not a good student with good academic record, he finally realized his interest to study more about the work of wonderful writers such as Jules Verne, Ernest Hemingway, Thornton Wilder, and Robert Frost.

Gary Soto Facts 4: academic degree

Since he knew what he liked or not, he decided to be enrolled in Fresno City College and California State University, Fresno. He graduated from the college and university. He could attain the BA degree with the major of English in 1974.

Gary Soto Pic

Gary Soto Facts 5: M.F.A.

The first Mexican American who could earn M.F.A. degree was Gary Soto. He was enrolled at the University of California in Irvine. He got it in 1976.

Gary Soto Facts 6: a writer

After he read the work of Charles Simic, Edward Field, Gabriel García Márquez, James Wright, W. S. Merwin and Pablo Neruda, he wanted to become a writer.

Gary Soto Style

Gary Soto Facts 7: a Distinguished Professor

He became the Distinguished Professor when he taught at the University of California, Riverside and at the University of California, Berkeley.

Gary Soto Facts 8: residents

Since now Soto is no longer teaching, he lives in northern California. He always divides his time between Fresno and Berkeley.

Gary Soto Writer

Gary Soto Facts 9: theme of Soto’s poetry

Let’s talk about the theme of Soto’s poetry. He likes to have the poetry which talks about the daily life of the Chicano people.

Gary Soto Facts 10: poetry collection

There are various poetry collections that Gary Soto has created.  You can read The Elements of San Joaquin (1977), Home Course in Religion (1991), A Simple Plan (Chronicle Books, 2007), Neighborhood Odes (1992), and many more.

Gary Soto

Gary Soto also writes some children and young adult books. Those are Baseball in April (1990), The Skirt (1992), 7th grade (1994), Crazy Weekend (1994) and many more. How do you like the facts about Gary Soto?