"Daniel Olivas has been steadily developing into one of the primary voices of Latino literature's new wave. The Book of Want is a major step forward in his art; a moving, vital narrative from a major American talent."
—Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The Hummingbird's Daughter
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"These haunting, lyrical tales, woven into a seamless novel by Daniel A. Olivas, rise from the heart of his beloved Los Angeles, in that mythical place called the Borderlands, and lead the way in a new genre of superb American literature."
—Himilce Novas, author of Mangos, Bananas and Coconuts:
A Cuban Love Story
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"Daniel Olivas's The Book of Want gently skirts the edges of magical realism without (menos mal) succumbing fully to its retro tidal lure. Olivas is vitally engaged with the multiple voices and lives that make up a distinctively L.A.-centric Latinidad. A warm, funny, sensuous tale. ¡Muy readable!"
—Suzanne G. Chávez-Silverman, author of Scenes from la Cuenca
de Los Angeles y otros Natural Disasters
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"To read this sensuous and open-hearted novel is to enter a kind of heaven."
—Michael Nava, author of The Little Death
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"The lives of a Mexican-American family living in Los Angeles unfold in
surprising, sometimes delightful ways in Olivas's debut novel (after story
collection Anywhere But L.A.). Olivas's approach to the novel resembles his
approach to the collection; he resists following characters with regularity
or predictability....Olivas's strands work their discreet charm...."
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“...a fantastic short novel chronicling the lives of a family just like any other gabacho clan—except it's Mexican and its matriarch visits from the other side.”
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“The first novel from L.A. writer (and California deputy attorney general) Daniel A. Olivas focuses on Belén, the deceased, cigarette-puffing matriarch of a Latino family who continues to meddle in her daughters’ affairs through their dreams. Olivas, who also edited the anthology Latinos in Lotusland, grew up in Koreatown and Pico-Union, and sets much of the fanciful story near his old haunts. His brand of magical realism has a sense of humor about itself, and he succeeds in harnessing the genre’s unique ability to expose what’s beneath the surface.”
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“Olivas achieves liftoff … I want more Want.”
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"Carefully crafted and provocative, The Book of Want is nothing less than a celebration of human desire in all its forms."
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“One thing is for sure, The Book of Want leaves you wanting more novels from this Chicano author.”
—Richard Yañez, author of Cross Over Water
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“I was enchanted by this novel-in-stories, which displays such tenderness, playfulness, sensitivity, and yearning....Hilarious and magical, it's a touching and refreshingly creative love story."
—Gayle Wattawa, editor of Inlandia: A Literary Journey through California's Inland Empire
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“Discover this book’s stark power for yourself.”
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"It’s a work of realism...but not without a dose of the magic—linking it with
important works of Latino literature. The Book of Want is one such important work."
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“...a book unlike anything else you’ll read this summer, and, perhaps, many summers to come.”
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“Olivas' prose is rich but simple, colorful and sometimes irreverent—as whimsical and likeable as his characters. You will find yourself rooting for these people; you will even find yourself wanting for them.”
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“El nuevo libro de Daniel Olivas, The Book of Want, es una encantadora colección de historias entrelazadas que revelan los anhelos de una familia mexicoamericana en la diversa metrópolis de Los Angeles.”
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“...Olivas' readers will not be disappointed by his effort. The structure of the novel is unique. Each chapter takes its inspiration from one of the Ten Commandments. The result is a story that spans a wide spectrum of characters and settings from the young and elderly to straight and gay. Ethnic and economic barriers are crossed. Rich and poor, Mexican and Jewish themes are also addressed.”
