Give the Pig a Chance & Other Stories

by David Rice

These stories set in the Rio Grande Valley display Rice's knack for combining the ridiculous with pathos. In the title story, two estranged cousins are reunited after the accidental death of a beloved... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0927534541
• ISBN13: 9780927534543
• Release Date: February 1996
• Publisher: Bilingual Review Press (AZ)
• Length: 180 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

At Last, a Chicano Writer of the Next Generation

The older generation of Chicano writers have mostly written about California, Arizona, New Mexico, and west Texas. However, a little-known area of Texas, the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, has been virtually ignored. David Rice helps to fill this void. In his collection of short stories, Give the Pig a Chance & Other Stories, Rice breaks "el Valle" wide open. Like the Valley he writes about, these stories have such a wonderful variety. In "Lucía's Last Curse," my favorite of them all, the reformed bruja, witch-woman, Lucía tries to atone for her past of curses and evil by healing a young man from some mysterious ailment. The outcome is a complete surprise. While the magical realism in this story is reminiscent of the fiction of Gabriel García Márquez or Kathleen Alcalá, the setting of the Valley makes it wholly unique. Another story, "In the Canal," reads like Rodriguez's independent film, El Mariachi, not to be confused with Desperado, the outrageous follow-up starring Antonio Banderas. Both Rodriguez's film and Rice's story capture the border violence and senseless death that Mexican-Americans living along the border are so familiar with. However, Rice improves upon the theme by making his "drogistas," drug-dealers very human, and uncomfortably familiar. Like Raymond Carver or Dagoberto Gilb, this author's greatest strength is his ability to capture the profound in the mundane. In the ambiguously titled "Give the Pig a Chance," a character named Carlos accidentally runs over his cousin's pet pot-bellied pig. Carlos's effort to win his cousin's forgiveness takes on a deeper meaning as he pleads, "Just give me a chance." Thankfully, Bilingual Press gave this young Tejano writer a chance. This is the first book in what will be a long and brilliant literary career. I am glad I saw it happen, and eagerly await his next book.

On the money!

If you want to get a real taste of the Rio Grande Valley, you must read this book. It would fit just as well in the cultural anthropology section of a bookstore. I, too, lived in the Valley (La Blanca, Texas to be exact - just 2 miles from Edcouch.) and I can relate to everything Mr. Rice writes. He captures the culturally laden thinking processes that we all learned so well early in our lives. He effectively exposes the innocent, yet seemingly bizarre world that many of us felt shame over or simply chose to push out of our identity. Rice courageously relives these experiences. Quite an achievement. His work will undoubtedly inspire more writings from the imaginative minds coming out of "el valle" and begin to uncover the untapped treasure that is the Rio Grande Valley. Much credit goes to the author for giving the reader a unique and rare glimpse into a place and culture that is much written about by non-Valleyites and often misrepresented or misunderstood. I could not help but think of Steinbeck's work as I read through this book. Rice has an exceptional ability to draw the reader into his world.

Valley Life

I read some of his work for my English 4 CP class, I enjoyed it. It depicted Valley life - its beauty and innocence. I liked this book alot because it described the home I have lived in for about 6 years. I also met this author after reading this book, he showed an eccentric side to him. a very open and intelligence person. I give this book 5 stars mainly because it is the only book that I've read that truly shows the Valley and all its splendors. From Sapos to Tortillas.