Gary Soto Birthday Highlights

Birth Name Gary Anthony Soto

Place Of Birth Fresno, USA Age 71 years old

Birth Date April 11 1952

Gary Soto Facts

Child Star? no Occupation Poet, Novelist, Memoirist Education & Qualifications University of California, Irvine Net Worth $1,500,000

Current Partner Carolyn Oda Children Mariko Heidi Soto Parents Angie Soto, Manuel Soto Siblings Rick Soto, Debra Soto

About Gary Soto Gary Soto was born Gary Anthony Soto on April 12, 1952 in Fresno, California.Gary grew up in the San Joaquin Valley and spent much of his childhood helping around the house and working odd jobs. He studied at Fresno City College before transferring to California State University, Fresno.Gary Soto is recognized as one of the best authors of his generation. His first poetry collection, ‘The Elements Of San Joaquin’, helped him gain fame with his writing featuring the grim reality of the life of a Mexican-American in the central valley of California.Soto became a part of the faculty at the University of California and taught as a distinguished professor. He retired from teaching in 1993 and focused on becoming a full-time writer.Soto’s prolific poetry, essays, and memoirs added to his already growing reputation and earned him several awards, including a Pulitzer Prize nomination for his work, ‘The Tale Of Sunlight’, in 1978.Gary Soto Net Worth, Earnings, & Spending HabitsWhat is Gary Soto’s net worth?The American poet, Gary Soto, has an estimated net worth of around $1.5 millionHow much does Gary Soto earn per year?Gary Soto has not made his annual earnings public, therefore, his earnings cannot be determined.Height, Age, & Physical AttributesHow tall is Gary Soto?Gary Soto’s height is unknown.How old is Gary Soto?The birth date of Gary Soto is April 12, 1952. As of 2022, he is 70 years old.Childhood And EducationGary Soto was born to Manuel Soto and Angie Soto on April 12, 1952. The family was settled in Fresno, California. Soto’s grandparents and parents were laborers in the San Joaquin Valley.Soto’s father passed away when he was five years old in 1957. The death took the family aback both economically and emotionally, and it hurt Gary, who spent his time brooding. Gary was raised by his mother alongside his two siblings. He has an older brother named Rick Soto and a younger sister named Debra Soto.Gary attended Roosevelt High School but had little time for it because of the family’s poor condition. He later joined Fresno City College to further his studies. Soto started becoming attracted to poetry while he was in high school. He attended California State University, Fresno, and attained his Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1974. He then joined the University of California, Irvine, and earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in 1976. He was the first Mexican-American to receive this degree.Family, Romance, And RelationshipsWho is Gary Soto’s partner?Gary Soto has been married to Carolyn Oda since 1975. The couple has a daughter named Mariko Heidi Soto.Career And Professional HighlightsBest Known For…The American poet is best known for his series of poems and children’s storybooks. He has often been deemed the most beloved writer for children as well as young adults. Soto is hailed as one of the best Mexican-American writers in the U.S. and is known for his versatility.Gary started his career in poetry in 1995 by releasing ‘Chato’s Kitchen’, and then he released a series of children’s picture books in English and Spanish. Gary Soto’s interest in poetry was piqued in high school after which he began reading authors such as Jules Verne and Robert Frost. Soto graduated with a B.A. degree in English. Soto became a distinguished professor at the University of California, Riverside and the University of California, Berkeley.Over the years, Soto has published 15 collections of poems. His works such as ‘Who Will Know Us’, ‘Neighborhood Odes’, ‘Junior College’, and ‘A Simple Plan’ are particularly famous. His poem ‘Oranges’ is recognized as one of the best-anthologized pieces of poetry in contemporary literature. In 1995, the ‘New And Selected Poems’ was a National Book Award finalist.In 1976, Soto’s first poetry collection, ‘The Elements Of San Joaquin’, was critically acclaimed and was published by the University of Pittsburgh Press the next year. His following two poetry works were equally impressive, with ‘The Tale Of Sunlight’ even being nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1978.By 1985, Soto had published numerous poems published in poetry magazines and four poetry collections. He released three poetry collections in the form of ‘Small Faces’ in 1986, ‘Lesser Evils: Ten Quarters’ in 1988, and ‘A Summer Life’ in 1990. ‘The Effects Of Knut Hamsun On A Fresno Boy’ was published in 2001, a compilation of several of the old essays alongside some new material.Soto earned his reputation as a prolific writer after retiring from teaching in 1993. He produced around three children’s books a year by the mid-’90s. Some of the most famous works from the mid-’90s are ‘Canto Familiar’, ‘Too Many Tamales’, ‘Boys At Work’, and ‘The Pool Party’.Soto’s first foray into writing children’s books came in the form of ‘Baseball In April And Other Stories’. He wrote the book and had it published in 1990, with all 11 of the short stories from the book taking place in California, mainly Fresno, California, where Soto grew up.Gary has also worked as a film producer, editor, professor, and playwright.Gary Soto has stated that his desire to become a writer in college was influenced by authors and poets such as Pablo Neruda, Charles Simic, Edward Field, James Wright, and W.S. Merwin. He calls them ’the master of them all’.Soto’s writings are inspired by his recollections of growing up in a poor family in the central valley of California. His work often leaves readers claiming Soto has a photographic memory of his childhood.What awards has Gary Soto won?Soto’s first poetry compilation, ‘The Elements Of San Joaquin’, was awarded the United States Award of the International Poetry Forum in 1976. The series was later published in 1977 in the Pitt Poetry Series. The book was further honored by the New York Times Book Review with six reprints of the poem.Soto’s memoir ‘Living Up the Street’ won the Before Columbus Foundation’s American Book award. Soto was awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Film Excellence from the Association for Library Service to Children in 1993, he later earned the Hispanic Heritage Award for Literature in 1999. In 2014, Soto’s 1994 book ‘Jesse’ was awarded the Phoenix award.Gary Soto’s Hobbies And InterestsGary Soto’s hobbies and interests include reading biographies and reading Spanish novels. He also likes playing tennis and basketball. He also has a huge interest in theater. Gary also loves traveling and gardening.Other Interesting Gary Soto Facts And TriviaIn 1976, he received the United States Award of the International Poetry Forum for his book of poetry ‘The Elements Of San Joaquin’; he received the Before Columbus Foundation’s American Book award in 1985 for his memoir ‘Living Up The Street’’ he received the Hispanic Heritage Award for Literature in 1999 and the Andrew Carnegie Medal in 1993. He currently lives in Northern California.The movie ‘No-Guitar Blues’ is based on Gary Soto’s short stories book ‘Baseball In April And Other Stories’.The Winchell Elementary School library was named after Gary Soto.In 2011, the Gary Soto Literary Museum was established in the Old Administration Building at Fresno City College.We would love your help! If you have a photo of Gary Soto, either of them alone or a selfie that you would be happy to share, please send it to [email protected].If you have knowledge or information that you think would help us improve this article, please contact us.

Gary Soto Birthday Highlights

Birth Name Gary Anthony Soto

Place Of Birth Fresno, USA Age 71 years old

Birth Date April 11 1952

Gary Soto Facts

Child Star? no Occupation Poet, Novelist, Memoirist Education & Qualifications University of California, Irvine Net Worth $1,500,000

Current Partner Carolyn Oda Children Mariko Heidi Soto Parents Angie Soto, Manuel Soto Siblings Rick Soto, Debra Soto

Gary Soto was born Gary Anthony Soto on April 12, 1952 in Fresno, California.Gary grew up in the San Joaquin Valley and spent much of his childhood helping around the house and working odd jobs. He studied at Fresno City College before transferring to California State University, Fresno.Gary Soto is recognized as one of the best authors of his generation. His first poetry collection, ‘The Elements Of San Joaquin’, helped him gain fame with his writing featuring the grim reality of the life of a Mexican-American in the central valley of California.Soto became a part of the faculty at the University of California and taught as a distinguished professor. He retired from teaching in 1993 and focused on becoming a full-time writer.Soto’s prolific poetry, essays, and memoirs added to his already growing reputation and earned him several awards, including a Pulitzer Prize nomination for his work, ‘The Tale Of Sunlight’, in 1978.

Gary Soto Birthday Highlights

Birth Name Gary Anthony Soto

Place Of Birth Fresno, USA Age 71 years old

Birth Date April 11 1952

Gary Soto Birthday Highlights

Birth Name Gary Anthony Soto

Place Of Birth Fresno, USA Age 71 years old

Birth Date April 11 1952

Birth Name Gary Anthony Soto

Place Of Birth Fresno, USA Age 71 years old

Birth Date April 11 1952

Birth Name Gary Anthony Soto

Place Of Birth Fresno, USA Age 71 years old

Birth Date April 11 1952

Gary Soto Facts

Child Star? no Occupation Poet, Novelist, Memoirist Education & Qualifications University of California, Irvine Net Worth $1,500,000

Current Partner Carolyn Oda Children Mariko Heidi Soto Parents Angie Soto, Manuel Soto Siblings Rick Soto, Debra Soto

Gary Soto Facts

Child Star? no Occupation Poet, Novelist, Memoirist Education & Qualifications University of California, Irvine Net Worth $1,500,000

Current Partner Carolyn Oda Children Mariko Heidi Soto Parents Angie Soto, Manuel Soto Siblings Rick Soto, Debra Soto

Child Star? no Occupation Poet, Novelist, Memoirist Education & Qualifications University of California, Irvine Net Worth $1,500,000

Current Partner Carolyn Oda Children Mariko Heidi Soto Parents Angie Soto, Manuel Soto Siblings Rick Soto, Debra Soto

Child Star? no Occupation Poet, Novelist, Memoirist Education & Qualifications University of California, Irvine Net Worth $1,500,000

Current Partner Carolyn Oda Children Mariko Heidi Soto Parents Angie Soto, Manuel Soto Siblings Rick Soto, Debra Soto