Five random things to know about Luis Alberto Urrea

From staff reports

1. Urrea has published about 20 books and writes in many forms, including essays, short stories, poetry, fiction and nonfiction. He’s even narrated a ballet, according to DailyGood.

2. Urrea isn’t a journalist, but he deals in truth, he said in an interview with PEN America in 2018.

“I am always telling true stories – even in my fiction. Especially in my fiction. I carry with me a profound awareness of my community, my ancestors, and the people I write about. Although I am not a journalist, I do a lot of work in the nonfiction realm. And when I am not writing fiction or nonfiction, I retreat into poetry. To me, these are all avenues feeding into that bright, shining path of truth. Truth as best as I can tell it. I am imperfect and I miss or misinterpret things, but I don’t lie. This is perhaps the most important thing if one is driven to witness: Find the verity of a story, even if it is something you do not like.”

3. While Urrea’s known for the written word, everyone has a secret dream career. When asked by West Suburban Living what he would be if he were not a writer, Urrea said he’d be a “bass player in a suburban dad bar band (I do not know how to play bass, but I would have learned!).”

4. Urrea’s book “Good Night, Irene” has generated many positive reviews.

“This material is personal for Urrea, whose mother served in the Clubmobile Corps, and a few sentimental notes slip into the story. But there’s plenty of grit, detail and twists that make for both a fine page-turner and an evocation of war’s often cruel randomness,” a review from Kirkus said. “Top-shelf historical fiction delivered with wit and compassion.”

5. Urrea has been on the road since May for his book tour, which spans nearly 30 cities from Vermont to California. Favorite road tunes? It varies, but Led Zeppelin is definitely a contender, according to his PEN America interview.