Major Issues
Author Links
Essay Questions

Major Issues

The original rejection of Dagoberto Gilb’s fiction by publishers on the grounds that it was too "depressing" suggests the unsentimental, grim tone of much of his work. Reviewers and critics point out, however, that Gilb’s dark realism is leavened by his ironic humor, sympathetic characters, and eclectic style. The latter includes mixing gritty realism with surreal impressionism. Gilb’s Hispanic working-poor, and unemployed, characters must struggle against economic and personal exploitation and degradation. His larger themes also include familial and sexual relationships, and the interplay between reality and illusion. Gilb’s work has been compared to that of other late 20th century Chicano writers.

Author Links

Dagoberto Gilb
Short biography of Gilb.

Collection Review
Review of 1993 collection in which "Look on The Bright Side" first appeared.

A Lust for Life: Down & Dirty
A 2001 interview in which Gilb talks about his working class subjects, school, and his love of women.

Northeast Direct
An amusing essay in which Gilb recounts the bizarre experience of watching a stranger on a train read his book.