Gordo: Stories

"Jaime Cortez’s debut short story collection is an unforgettable portrait of the working-class Mexican Americans who lived in 1970s central California – including the charming misfit title character, who narrates most of the stories. Young Gordo isn’t popular – his peers make fun of his lack of hypermasculinity, his ineptitude at sports and, as the nickname would suggest, his weight. But in Cortez’s capable hands, he’s a charmer, and these stories, full of resilience and hope, feel truly universal."