Born in McAllen, Texas, Genaro González is the son of migrant farmworkers of Texas Mexican descent. His father discovered he had been living as an undocumented alien only upon enlisting for World War II, while all of his mother's family were originally from Texas. From his childhood, González remembers the difficult relationship with his maternal grandfather with whom he and his mother lived after his parents divorced. When González was nine years old his mother remarried and the family moved again. Many problems arose in the new family and both young González and his mother were forced to work in packing sheds because of financial hardships. When she was diagnosed as tubercular and sent to a state hospital, González refused to move in with his father.

After a difficult beginning due to the serious family problems, Gonzá...