Rain of Gold

Rain of Gold recounts author Victor Villaseñor’s family history through the early 20th century, when his parents immigrated to America to escape the violence of the Mexican Revolution. The book was inspired by stories from his grandmother and father, which Villaseñor came to view with skepticism as an adult. He devoted 12 years to researching his family’s history, which included conducting hundreds of hours of interviews with his parents, Lupe and Juan Salvador, and embarking on a personal journey to Mexico. The biographical memoir was published in 1991, after which it became a best-seller translated into several languages.

Though Villaseñor has repeatedly asserted the book’s biographical nature, it nevertheless shares similarities with works of historical fiction, most notably in the style of narration and rich description. The text unflinchingly explores difficult themes like war, immigration, sexism, and racism, particularly internalized racism, but love and family form its foundation. Villaseñor’s core argument is that individuals can survive unspeakable violence and suffering when bolstered by a family’s love, loyalty, and support.

The text is divided into five books. Books 1 and 3 focus on Lupe, Villaseñor’s mother, while Book 2 focuses on his father, Juan.