Review: Nickel and Dime

Nickel and Dime by Gary Soto
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This somewhat short book contains three related stories. They take place in Oakland, California in the 1990s.

The first story: We Ain't Asking Much the main character is Roberto Silva, happy to have been let go at Walnut Bank as a security guard. His job was replaced by a security camera. Soon enough though, Roberto finds himself out of money and homeless, trying to sell something in order to eat.

The second story called Literary Life has Silver Mendez as the main character. A poet past his prime and happy to have this reading a small college in central California. Once home he finds his stuff on the lawn and kicked out of his apartment. Mendez at least has a car for shelter and ends up befriending Roberto who’s been homeless for two years now.

In the last story called The Untimely Passing of the Clock Radio we return to Walnut Bank as the other security guard, Gustavo Hernandez, is about to retire. Despite working for the bank for years he doesn’t have much savings. Roberto appears in this story as well, five years after his parting with the bank, and now asking Gus for help.

These are not joyful stories, looking at Hispanic men as they become homeless, or very poor despite loyally working for a company for years. What I didn’t like his how the three men are portrayed as simple, not very intelligent. And yet, there is a wee bit of humor laced into these stories as well.

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Review: Nickel and Dime

Nickel and Dime by Gary Soto
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This somewhat short book contains three related stories. They take place in Oakland, California in the 1990s.

The first story: We Ain't Asking Much the main character is Roberto Silva, happy to have been let go at Walnut Bank as a security guard. His job was replaced by a security camera. Soon enough though, Roberto finds himself out of money and homeless, trying to sell something in order to eat.

The second story called Literary Life has Silver Mendez as the main character. A poet past his prime and happy to have this reading a small college in central California. Once home he finds his stuff on the lawn and kicked out of his apartment. Mendez at least has a car for shelter and ends up befriending Roberto who’s been homeless for two years now.

In the last story called The Untimely Passing of the Clock Radio we return to Walnut Bank as the other security guard Gustavo Hernandez is about to retire. Despite working for the bank for years he doesn’t have much savings. Roberto appears in this story as well, five years after his parting with the bank, and now asking Gus for help.

These are not joyful stories, looking at Hispanic men as they become homeless, or very poor despite loyally working for a company for years. What I didn’t like his how the three men are portrayed as simple, not very intelligent. And yet, there is a wee bit of humor laced into these stories as well.

View all my reviews

Review: Nickel and Dime

Nickel and Dime by Gary Soto
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This somewhat short book contains three related stories. They take place in Oakland, California in the 1990s.

The first story: We Ain't Asking Much the main character is Roberto Silva, happy to have been let go at Walnut Bank as a security guard. His job was replaced by a security camera. Soon enough though, Roberto finds himself out of money and homeless, trying to sell something in order to eat.

The second story called Literary Life has Silver Mendez as the main character. A poet past his prime and happy to have this reading a small college in central California. Once home he finds his stuff on the lawn and kicked out of his apartment. Mendez at least has a car for shelter and ends up befriending Roberto who’s been homeless for two years now.

In the last story called The Untimely Passing of the Clock Radio we return to Walnut Bank as the other security guard Gustavo Hernandez is about to retire. Despite working for the bank for years he doesn’t have much savings. Roberto appears in this story as well, five years after his parting with the bank, and now asking Gus for help.

These are not joyful stories, looking at Hispanic men as they become homeless, or very poor despite loyally working for a company for years. What I didn’t like his how the three men are portrayed as simple, not very intelligent. And yet, there is a wee bit of humor laced into these stories as well.


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Review: Nickel and Dime

Nickel and Dime by Gary Soto
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review: The Last Season

The Last Season by Eric Blehm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book details the account of what happened when an experienced backcountry ranger went missing in July 1996. Randy Morgenson was a seasonal ranger for the Sequioa and Kings National Park in the Sierra Nevada mountains for 28 years. He grew up in Yosemite Valley and was one of the most capable people in wilderness. Yet he went missing on a routine patrol of his assigned around from the Bench Lake Ranger Station.

The book chapters alternate between the biography of Randy with the detail and action of the search and rescue effort for him.

A search and rescue operation started several days after later and they searched for two weeks and did not find one trace of Randy. There were several theories of what may have happened. Was it an accident, did he get attacked, or did he commit suicide? There was even the theory that Randy left the mountains entirely and disappeared. Those who were very close to Randy discounted this was a possibility, but all scenarios were considered.

Randy was in turmoil that season. He brought had divorce papers with him to his ranger station. In recent years had had an affair with another backcountry ranger. Randy and Gail had been married for over twenty years. But the months long absence had put a definite strain on their relationship. Randy was someone who could not live without the mountains and wilderness. Yet he started to question if his season employment was something that he should continue.

The detail in the book is extensive, his biography, the search and rescue, and the terrain of the mountains. It is clear in the beginning that Randy does not survive, so the main question remained if he committed suicide or had an accident of some sort. While I enjoyed the book, the one caveat is how the author put in this mysticism of the mountains, which was a bit heavy handed in the final portion of the book.

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