Daniel Chacón (writer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniel Chacón
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Chacón at AWP 2017
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| Born | 1962 (age 62–63) Fresno, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer, educator |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | California State University, Fresno (BA) University of Oregon (MFA) |
| Genres | Fiction, Chicano literature |
| Notable awards | American Book Awards Hudson Prize PEN Oakland Award |
Daniel Chacón (born in 1962) is a talented writer, teacher, and radio host. He writes short stories, novels, and essays. He is known for his work in Chicano literature, which explores the experiences of Mexican Americans. Mr. Chacón lives in El Paso, Texas.
He leads the creative writing program at the University of Texas at El Paso. This program is special because it is the only one in the United States that teaches writing in two languages. In 1985, he helped start the Chicano Writers and Artists Association. He created this group with his friend Andrés Montoya when they were in college.
Contents
Where Did Daniel Chacón Grow Up?
Daniel Chacón was born and grew up in Fresno, California. His father was from El Paso, Texas. He earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science from California State University, Fresno. Later, he received a master's degree in Fiction Writing from the University of Oregon. While he was at California State University, he wrote for the school newspaper, La Voz de Aztlan.
What Does Daniel Chacón Do?
Mr. Chacón became a professor at the University of Texas at El Paso in 2000. He has been the head of the creative writing department since 2017.
Radio Host and Editor
Since 2011, he has co-hosted a radio show called Words on a Wire on KTEP. He first hosted the show with Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Now, he hosts it with Tim Z. Hernandez. They have interviewed many famous writers on the show.
Daniel Chacón has also edited several books. These include a collection of poems by Andrés Montoya called A Jury of Trees (2017). He also edited The Last Supper of Chicano Heroes: The Selected Work of José Antonio Burciaga (2008). His own writing has appeared in many collections of stories and essays. His work has also been published in well-known literary magazines. Besides writing, he also enjoys writing plays, doing stand-up comedy, and writing poetry.
Daniel Chacón's Family Life
Daniel Chacón is married. He has a step-daughter and his first child was born in 2020. He started learning and speaking Spanish in 1996.
What Awards Has Daniel Chacón Won?
Mr. Chacón has received a grant from the Christopher Isherwood Foundation. In 2019, he became a member of the Texas Institute of Letters. He has also won several awards for his books.
| Year | Book | Award Name | Award Body |
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| 2000 | Godoy Lives | Peter and Jean de Maine Award for an Emerging Writer in Fiction | Clackamas Literary Review |
| 2007 | Unending Rooms | Hudson Prize | Black Lawrence Press |
| 2009 | The Last Supper of Chicano Heroes: Selected Works of José Antonio Burciaga | American Book Awards | Before Columbus Foundation |
| 2014 | Hotel Juárez | PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award | PEN Oakland |
| Tejas Award for Best Book of Fiction | National Association of Chicana and Chicano Studies |
Books by Daniel Chacón
| Title | Publisher | Date | Length | ISBN |
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| Chicano Chicanery | Arte Público Press | 1996 | 144 pp (paperback) | |
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This book tells funny and sometimes serious stories. They are about how Mexican-Americans live and find their way in different places.
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| and the shadows took him | Washington Square Press | 2005 | 352 pp (paperback) | |
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This novel is about Joey Molina, a boy who loves acting. He wants to be an actor and avoids trouble. But his life changes when his parents have an important announcement.
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| Unending Rooms | Black Lawrence Press | 2008 | 235 pp (paperback) | |
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This collection of stories won the Hudson Prize. The stories are mostly set in the Southwest. They explore the deep feelings and lives of the characters.
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| Hotel Juárez | Arte Público Press | 2012 | 197 pp (paperback) | |
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In this book of short stories, Daniel Chacón looks at how people interact. He also explores how identity, literature, art, and music are important in their lives.
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| The Cholo Tree | Piñata Books | 2017 | 248 pp (paperback) | |
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This novel is about Victor, a 14-year-old boy. People think he is in a gang, but he loves reading, drawing, and death metal music. He struggles with what society expects him to be.
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| Kafka in a Skirt: Stories from the Wall | University of Arizona Press | 2019 | 168 pp (paperback) | |
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These stories explore the idea of "walls." This includes the physical wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. But it also means the invisible walls that divide people and communities.
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