Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales's most important contribution has been as a major leader of the Chicano movement. Critics, by and large, continue to regard his only published book, the epic poem I Am Joaquín / Yo Soy Joaquín (1967), more as a social statement than a literary work of art. To be sure, Gonzales sees his task as promoting Chicano nationalism and self-determination in everything he does. There is little doubt that I Am Joaquín was written as a social document that sought to instill Chicano pride and identity as well as encourage community activism in support of self-determination. The literary merit of the work comes from the manner in which the poem is constructed and how theme and structure come together to produce a superior artistic experience. Its epic quality comes from the depiction of a dual journey into the postclassic world of pre-Mexican...