Set in modern day Los Angeles, The Last Califórnio is the second book by artist and former U.S. Army Officer Robert Sanábria. The story centers on a Mexican journalist Gar Montalvo, who seeks to avenge the murder of his family by a corrupt government official. Thwarted in trying to expose the official in the press, Gar finds himself a target of his family’s murderer. Fearing for his life, he illegally crosses the Rio Grande and makes his way to Los Angeles. There, he discovers love and a family legacy of land lost in the aftermath of the 1846 - 1848 U.S. - Mexico War. Gar's quest plays out against an emotional backdrop of Anglo fears about immigration.
Sanábria’s heritage and past give him a unique perspective and deep understanding of the problems and issues facing Latinos and other minorities in the United States. Born in El Paso, Texas, he moved at age four with his mother and three siblings to Southern California. There, he spent the next ten years growing up in a Methodist Church-sponsored orphanage for Latino children.
As an adult, Sanábria became a Lieutenant Colonel in the U. S. Army and a decorated veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars. The idea for The Last Califórnio emerged from the author’s research for his 2001 memoir, Stewing in the Melting Pot: the Memoir of a Real American, in which he wrote about living within two cultures and never feeling completely accepted by the mainstream American society.
Sanábria holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Maryland. During the past 35 years, he has built a successful career as a sculptor with more than 25 major commissions to his credit. His works are included in the permanent collections of 12 museums, synagogues, universities or other public spaces, as well as in numerous corporate and private collections.
To schedule an interview with the author, request a review copy or schedule a talk/book signing, contact publicist Jennifer Hughes at jhughes@scoutliterarymedia.com or 540-454-7491. Visit http://www.scoutliterarymedia.com for more information.
# # #
Scout Literary Media is a book publicity firm located in Virginia, near Washington, D.C. We specialize in non-fiction books. Social media is our forte.
