For Patricia Preciado Martin, the past is every bit as real as the present. In Days of Plenty, Days of Want, past and present meet in a collection of strikingly crafted short stories that show us a heritage being irreverently pushed aside by "progress" yet passed along from person to person, century to century.

In the pages of this book are people so real you'll swear you've met them, situations so familiar you'll nod in recognition. Two of these stories have won prizes in Chicano literary contests; all will win the hearts of readers. Through them, Patricia Preciado Martin reminds us that freedom and self-expression are important in fulfilling our potential—and, more important, that a large part of this process requires acknowledging our heritage as a priceless gift whose relevance in our lives cannot be ignored.