books by mexican authors

11 Of The Best Mexican Authors To Read Right Now

' src=

Molly Wetta

Molly Wetta is a feminist Gemini vegetarian librarian. She is employed by a public library in a liberal Midwestern college town selecting young adult literature, media, and graphic novels while also managing the library's Twitter and Tumblr, which is fortunate, as her aspirations of being a professor of Buffy Studies didn't pan out. When not working, she is most likely reading existential Russian novels, regency romances, comics, queer YA, or cereal boxes. Sometimes she finds time to volunteer at her local domestic violence shelter or watch CW shows on Netflix with her cats: Spike, Angel, and Furiosa. Challenge her to a game of Candyland or Risk at your own peril, as she is a very competitive player of board games. Blog:  wrappedupinbooks.org Twitter: @molly_wetta

View All posts by Molly Wetta

Literature breaks down walls. And that’s why reading across cultures has been even more important to me lately, and why I’m looking to celebrate the best Mexican authors I’ve enjoyed over the years and seek out new voices in Mexican literature I haven’t yet read.

11 mexican authors to read right now

1. Carmen Boullosa

Fans of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Isabel Allende looking for more coming-of-age stories with hints of magic should try Leaving Tabasco   and the buildingsroman-slash-ghost story  Before .

2. Ana Castillo

Though I read a lot of Chicana feminist writers in college, which is why I’m interested in reading the recent memoir of radical feminist Latina activist Ana Castillo. In  Black Dove :  Mamá, Mi’jo, and Me   she explores her family history, rape, her son’s incarceration, and her experiences as an activist.

3. Rosario Castellanos

A member of post-war literary movement in Mexico City, Castellanos was an influential women in Mexican literature in the 20th century. Check out her novel The Book of Lamentations , but it’s also worth tracking down her poetry, especially if you’re a fan of Sylvia Plath.

Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. By signing up you agree to our terms of use

4. Laura Esquivel

While most well known for Like Water for Chocolate , I’d also recommend Esquivel’s novel La Malinche ,  which tells the story of the Nahua woman who was played an important role in Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs, or her most recent novel, Pierced by the Sun , a novel of modern Mexican politics.

5. Guadalupe Nettel

Don’t miss the short story collection Natural Histories , which explores human nature by looking at our relationship with pest or pets, or her novel The Body Where I Was Born , an exploration of the memories of a girl who grows up with an eye abnormality.

6. Mario Bellatin

If you’re into experimental fiction, read Jacob the Mutant by Mario Bellatin. It’s a novella in fragments that is written as if in a constant state of transformation that doesn’t create a new fixed reality, but stitches together pieces of many.

7. Cristina Rivera Garza

An award-winning author of novels, short stories, nonfiction and poetry, Rivera-Garza’s most well known work is No One Will See Me Cry ,  a historical novel set in 1920s Mexico.

8. Yuri Herrera

Many consider Herrera to be Mexico’s greatest contemporary novelist, so don’t miss these novels. Kingdom Con is out this summer, and is part surreal fable and part narco-lit romance. The Transmigration of Bodies is a noir-esque look at two feuding families set against the backdrop of violence in modern Mexico. His debut, Signs Preceding the End of the World , is a haunting quest novel about a Mexican girl who crosses the border to deliver a letter to her brother.

9. Daniel Saldaña París

Among Strange Victims   is the existential novel of Mexico City—a sort of modern Notes from the Underground   that explores the tedium of life, yet somehow manages to still be charming.

10. Juan Pablo Villalobos

Satirist and surrealist, Villalobos is one of the most prominent Mexican authors who creates oddball characters you can’t help but cheer for despite their absurdity.   Down the Rabbit Hole is a short novel told from the perspective of a drug lord’s mischievous son. I’ll Sell You a Dog is the story of an aspiring artist turned taco seller who now struggles to stave off boredom in a retirement home. Quesadillas  tells the story of a family trying to survive the bizarre reality of political upheaval in a small Mexican village.

11. Valeria Luiselli

The Story of My Teeth  is a comic memoir of an auctioneer steeped in philosophy and absurdity. Faces in the Crowd is a story told in flashbacks and fragments, both strange and elegant. Tell Me How it Ends : An Essay in 40 Questions , which comes out in March, is at the top of my to-read list. It’s a collection of conversations with Latin American children facing deportation.

Do you have more Mexican authors to recommend? I’m on a real kick here, so I’d love any other suggestions. 

books by mexican authors

You Might Also Like

10 of the Best Historical Fiction Books About Books

25 Best Books by Latinx Authors to Read Beyond Hispanic Heritage Month

We've got fiction, romance, YA novels and more.

books by latinx authors

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

It can be harder to find books with diverse characters written by marginalized authors, and that has a lot to do with the composition of publishing as a whole. According to the latest diversity survey from Lee & Low Books, almost 80% of publishers, agents, marketing representatives and even book reviewers are white. Latinx and Hispanic people are drastically underrepresented, making up just 6% of the industry. And it's important to remember the Latinx and Hispanic community isn't a monolith. The 60 million people in the United States who identify as Latinx or Hispanic (that's 18% of the population) is very diverse, and so is this list of books by authors who proudly claim that identity.

Start by reading these top books from all genres, for a range of ages and interests. And for more inspiration, don't forget to check out our feel-good book club for even more great reads.

What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jiménez

What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jiménez

In this hilarious and heartwarming novel, the Ramirez family is still grieving after 13-year-old Ruthy disappeared 12 years ago. So when her oldest sister Jessica spots a woman on a lowbrow reality TV show that she swears is Ruthy, she just has to track her down. Jessica, her mother Dolores and youngest sister Nina road trip from Staten Island to find the woman they think is Ruthy, and learn a lot about each other and the meaning of family along the way.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez

Julia isn't the ideal daughter – that's her sister Olga's job. But when Olga dies in a tragic bus accident, Julia has to bear the brunt of her mother's grief. But was Olga really as perfect as her mom always thought? This coming-of-age story delves into what it's like growing up in a Mexican household in a way that will have you both laughing and wiping away tears.

My Broken Language by Quiara Alegria Hudes

My Broken Language by Quiara Alegria Hudes

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of In the Heights comes a memoir about growing up in a Philadelphia barrio, her Puerto Rican identity and trying to find the language that fits her voice.

Everyone Knows You Go Home by Natalia Sylvester

Everyone Knows You Go Home by Natalia Sylvester

After Isabel and Martin get married on Dia de los Muertos , the unwelcome spirit of Martin's long-lost father Omar reveals himself to the couple. But he begins to appear only to Isabel, asking her to help him redeem himself, especially to his late wife Elda. This story about grief, forgiveness and love will worm its way into your heart.

Afterlife by Julia Alvarez

Afterlife by Julia Alvarez

Antonia Vega is having a hard time: Just after she retires from her teaching job, her husband dies unexpectedly, her sister mysteriously disappears, and an undocumented, pregnant teen shows up on her doorstep. This is a moving tale of a woman who's always sought solace in stories who has to contend with very real-world problems without any of her usual support.

Woman of Light: A Novel by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

Woman of Light: A Novel by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

After Luz's brother is run out of town by a violent white mob, she's left to navigate 1930s Denver by herself. But soon, she begins to have visions of her ancestors and their lives in the nearby Lost Territory, bearing witness to their struggle, perseverance and how important it is to ensure those stories don't die with her. It's a transporting story of the importance of family history told in a luminescent style.

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

Olga, a successful wedding planner, and her brother Pietro, a popular Congressman representing their Bronx neighborhood, have it all going on. In public, that is. In private, they're both harboring deep secrets that could unravel their carefully curated lives. Especially once their radical mother blows back into their lives on the winds of a hurricane threatening Puerto Rico. Block out some time: This one's a one-seater.

Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed

Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed

In 15 incisive, original pieces, an array of bestselling, award-winning and up-and-coming Latinx voices interrogate the myths and stereotypes about their communities and cultures. Anthologies are a great way to get to know new-to-you authors and experience a number of exciting voices all in one package, so pick this one up STAT.

Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina García

Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina García

This sumptuous novel follows three generations of Cuban women as they deal with the revolution, in the magical realism style that's so very Cuban in itself. It's bittersweet, beautiful and deeply memorable.

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

Flor can predict the day someone is going to die, so when she plans a living wake for herself, her sisters are suspicious. She won’t tell them what’s up, but Matilde, Pastora and Camila have their secrets too. This novel takes us through the rich history and frenetic present of the Marte family and between Santo Domingo and New York City, culminating in a celebration of community, sisterhood and love that will have you wiping away happy tears.

What Would Frida Do? by Arianna Davis

What Would Frida Do? by Arianna Davis

If all you know about Frida Kahlo is her gorgeous and thought-provoking art, add this book to your list. Kahlo's a feminist icon, an unapologetically independent woman and a powerful inspiration for all of us to persevere no matter what. Through intimate stories from Kahlo's extraordinary life, Davis's book will inspire you to live your truth.

Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia

Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia

This sweeping novel follows one mother's struggle to help her daughter who suffers from drug addiction, who in turn is trying to understand their family's history as immigrants from Cuba. It's a story of migration, love across generations and the way we carry our legacies in our bones.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

A glamorous debutante-turned amateur sleuth, a once-grand home in the Mexican countryside, and a terrified letter from a newlywed looking for escape from a mysterious doom: This gorgeous novel has all of the markers of your new favorite tale of suspense. It will haunt your dreams long after the last page.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

No reading list is complete without this classic coming-of-age story about Esperanza Cordero, a young girl growing up in Chicago. Anyone who's ever been a child, regardless of their background, will recognize some of themself in this beautiful, sometimes heart-wrenching book.

One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

Two sisters tackle the question of who's deemed "worthy" of being missed in this incisive take on police brutality and how we frame victims in its aftermath. It's not a light read, but a necessary one.

RELATED: 50 Best Books for Teens

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado

Charlotte "Charlie" Vega struggles with her weight and body image, not least because of her mom's pressure to lose weight. But in this lovely and empowering young adult novel, she learns to embrace her body and who she is, just the way she is.

...y no se lo trago la tierra by Tomas Rivera

...y no se lo trago la tierra by Tomas Rivera

In a series of short, semi-autobiographical chapters, this bilingual novel tells the story of a young migrant worker in the '40s who never loses his drive, even through many hardships. Despite having come out in 1971, it still resonates deeply today.

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

Chronicling a volatile relationship with her violent partner, this innovative memoir examines that time through motifs like a home, Disney villains, Star Trek , the history of abuse in queer relationships and her religious childhood. It makes the reader feel the disorientation that can come with being abused by a loved one, while remaining firmly grounded.

A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

A refugee bands together with the brother of her lost love and they set sail for Chile on a boat chartered by Pablo Neruda to escape the roiling Spanish Civil War. In exile, they face trial after trial, but also discover strength in one another. Grab the tissues; you're gonna need 'em.

Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Diaz

Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Diaz

Take a painful, illuminating journey through a girlhood marked by sexual violence, substance abuse, and mental illness, to a womanhood that claws its way out of despair and into hope. Diaz's story is raw, honest, and paints a beautiful picture not only of her own life but of Puerto Rico and Miami Beach themselves.

preview for Good Housekeeping US Section: Life

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} All the Best Books to Read Next

female young behind book with face covered for a red book while smiling

6 Best Taylor Swift Books for Kids of All Ages

the view whoopi goldberg book memoir news instagram

Whoopi Goldberg Shares Personal Book Announcement

today show savannah guthrie book jenna bush hager instagram

Savannah Guthrie Shares Career News with JBH

the first five percy jackson books in a row

How to Read the 'Percy Jackson' Books in Order

today show savannah guthrie book mostly what god does instagram

'Today' Star Savannah Guthrie Reveals New Project

best books of 2023

Must-Read Books Before the End of 2023

best romance books

Turn Up the Heat With These Steamy Romance Books

closeup on happy housewife preparing christmas dinner in kitchen

The Best New Cookbooks That Make Great Gifts

five books in a row on an orange background

The Most-Anticipated Books of 2024 (So Far!)

midnight is the darkest hour book cover

GH+ Reads Review: 'Midnight Is the Darkest Hour'

seafaring sexism

How Women Deal With Sexism on the Open Seas

25 Best Books By Hispanic And Latinx Authors To Read Right Now

Celebrate Latinx heritage every day.

preview for The History Behind Hispanic Heritage Month

That’s not to say the publishing problem has been solved—only six percent of editors identify as Latinx/Latino/Mexican, according to the 2019 Diversity in Publishing Survey conducted by Lee & Low Books. So, yeah, it’s very much a work in progress. But in 2020 alone, Hispanic and Latinx authors have released some of the most talked about (not to mention award-winning) books, including Once I Was You by Maria Hinojosa, Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, and Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo. Latinx readers have made it even easier to find these authors through their dedicated Instagrams and YouTube channels of recommendations.

These are the kinds of books you’ll find on the list below. Trailblazing authors such as Sandra Cisneros, Paulo Coelho, and Gabriel García Márquez may not be here, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't read their work—you absolutely should. But there are so many emerging Hispanic authors and newly-released Latinx books that are lesser known and should be on your radar, too.

From contemporary YA and romance, to magical fantasies, gripping memoirs, and vibrant poetry, these are 25 of the best books by Hispanic and Latinx authors to add to your reading list:

Atria Books Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America

Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America

Award-winning journalist and host of NPR's Latino USA Maria Hinojosa has long championed the Hispanic and Latinx stories that go overlooked in mainstream media. Her heartrending memoir touches on her own personal experience and our current state of affairs. The book is also available in Spanish .

Bloomsbury YA Never Look Back

Never Look Back

In one of the most anticipated books of 2020, author Lilliam Rivera retells the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice (also the subject of the Tony-winning musical "Hadestown") from the perspective of two Afro-Latinx characters as they fight for each other and their lives.

Sabrina & Corina: Stories

Sabrina & Corina: Stories

A 2020 American Book Award winner and 2019 National Book Award finalist for Fiction , Kali Fajardo-Anstine masterfully explores the lives of Indigenous Latina women and the connections they have to their heritage and homeland.

Tor Teen Each of Us a Desert

Each of Us a Desert

YA author Mark Oshiro dips into fantasy in their new book, where protagonist Xochitl is on a fantastical (and fraught) journey through the desert as she searches for her truth and someone to share her heart with.

One World The Undocumented Americans

The Undocumented Americans

Karla Cornejo Villavicencio's highly-personal and deeply moving memoir (just nominated for a  2020 National Book Award for Nonfiction ) weaves the stories from her own life with those of the undocumented people she's met along the way.

Del Rey Books Mexican Gothic

Mexican Gothic

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are currently working with Hulu to adapt Silvia Moreno-Garcia's gothic-horror novel about a young socialite named Noemí who discovers the dark, violent secrets of a house that belongs to her family, High Place.

Quill Tree Books Clap When You Land

Clap When You Land

Elizabeth Acevedo, who won the 2018 National Book Award for her lyrical YA debut   Poet X ,  returns to verse in her book about two long-lost sisters, Camino and Yahaira Rios, who find their way together after their father dies in a tragic plane crash.

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Incendiary

Incendiary

Zoraida Córdova, author of the popular  Brooklyn Bruja series, is back with an epic tale of love and revenge in a world that's loosely based on the time of the Spanish Inquisition in the 1500s.

Harper Unforgetting: A Memoir of Family, Migration, Gangs, and Revolution in the Americas

Unforgetting: A Memoir of Family, Migration, Gangs, and Revolution in the Americas

Salvadoran-American journalist Roberto Lovato meditates on his family’s history, gang life, and the immigration crisis in both El Salvador and the United States in his new poetic and gripping memoir.

In the Dream House: A Memoir

In the Dream House: A Memoir

Carmen Maria Machado follows up her genre-bending collection of essays,  Her Body and Other Parties , with an innovative memoir about domestic abuse and queer relationships. Her memoir recently won the  2020 Lambda Literary Award winner for Nonfiction .

Avon Books You Had Me at Hola

You Had Me at Hola

Fans of Jane the Virgin will love Alexis Daria's latest romance novel, a sexy story that follows two telenovela stars who get to know each other off-set of the movie they're working on after their first impression is less than ideal.

Flatiron Books Dominicana

Dominicana

Shortlisted for the 2020 Women's Prize for Fiction and Good Morning America’s first book club pick, Angie Cruz's tender coming-of-age story is based on her own mother's journey from the Dominican Republic’s countryside to Washington Heights, New York in the 1960s.

Swoon Reads Cemetery Boys

Cemetery Boys

A newly-minted New York Times bestseller, Aiden Thomas' debut YA novel  Cemetery Boys follows Yadiel, a trans, Cuban-Mexican who is determined to prove himself a real brujo, or a witch, by summoning a ghost that ultimately proves difficult when Yadiel tries to get rid of him.

Algonquin Books Afterlife

Afterlife

In her first adult novel in nearly 15 years, renowned Dominican-American poet and novelist Julia Alvarez tells the story of Antonia Vega—a writer and retired English professor in the throes of grief after her husband suddenly dies, her sister disappears, and she takes in a pregnant, undocumented teenager. 

The Feminist Press at CUNY Love War Stories

Love War Stories

From Julia de Burgos’ poetry to Victor Manuelle’s romantic salsa songs and good old warnings from our mothers, Ivelisse Rodriguez's stunning short story collection explores the many ways in which Puerto Ricans learn to and practice love.

The Book of Lost Saints

The Book of Lost Saints

The Shadowshaper series author Daniel José Older steps away from fantasy to explore the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s in this epic family story that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Fever Dream

Fever Dream

Argentinian author Samanta Schweblin’s novella (recently translated from Spanish) follows a dying woman named Amanda, and it is both a ghost story and a cautionary tale about love that will leave you feeling deeply unsettled.

Back Bay Books The House of Broken Angels

The House of Broken Angels

Luis Alberto Urrea's latest novel is brimming with gratitude and love for family, as Miguel Angel de La Cruz—also known as Big Angel—gathers his whole clan in the final days of his life for one last epic party.

Peluda

Melissa Lozada-Oliva's intimate book of poetry examines the relationship between femininity and body hair (the title translates to "hairy"), while also exploring identity, feminism, and the immigrant experience. Her poems are also featured in the BreakBeats anthology, LatinNext .  

Vintage Lost Children Archive

Lost Children Archive

Tell Me How It Ends author Valeria Luiselli is back with a book about a family setting out on a road trip from New York to Apacheria in Arizona, a region once inhabited by the Apaches. But the trip takes a turn as they near their destination and get closer to an "immigration crisis" on the border.

Headshot of Stephanie Castillo

Stephanie is an SEO manager for Hearst Magazines, where she works closely with editors to help inform a unique content strategy for search. Previously, she was an editor for Time Inc’s news group, including Time, Fortune, and Money Magazine.

This is an image

We May Have Botched Our Global Warming Timeline

inside the gut, airways, or blood vessels, possibly infected with disease and viruses abstract fractal art background

A New Obelisk ‘Lifeform’ Is Hiding Inside Humans

london celebrity sightings february 10, 2019

Why Swifties Think "The Bolter" Is About Joe Alwyn

london, england march 13 oprah winfrey attends the european premiere of a wrinkle in time at bfi imax on march 13, 2018 in london, england photo by john phillipsjohn phillipsgetty images

16 Of Oprah’s Favorite Things on Sale Right Now

3d wavy background with ripple effect vector illustration with particle 3d grid surface

Scientists Confirm the Existence of ’Second Sound’

a collage of a man and a woman

Benny Blanco Made Selena Gomez Fried Pickles

shape

The Best Presidents' Day Mattress Sales Of 2024

endeavor lounge

Meet Sabrina Ionescu’s Fiancé Hroniss Grasu

a person's body with a white circle around it

12 Best Travel Pants For Women In 2024, Tested

taylor swift and travis kelce

Taylor Swift Went TikTok Official With Travis

saatva mattress sale

Don't Miss Out On Saatva's Presidents' Day Sale

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With These Books by Latinx Authors

Dive into a novel about witches, a book of poetry featuring Selena, a memoir about Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and more.

t

Our editors handpick the products that we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.

This Hispanic Heritage Month —which spans from September 15 to October 15—is an opportunity to discover new voices, in addition to classics by well-known names like Isabel Allende . Whether it's the lyrical fiction of Carolina de Robertis, the fantastical stories of Zoraida Córdova, or the laugh-out-loud tales of John Paul Brammer, these Latinx authors are telling stories that will transport you while also making you feel at home. On this list, we've included an array of selections, ranging from a delightful 2021 romantic comedy to a poetic memoir, an entrancing retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, and even picks for young adult readers . But while Hispanic Heritage Month is a great time to check out these books, we invite you to celebrate the work of Latinx storytellers all year long. And now, without further ado: It's time to get reading!

Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silvia Moreno-Garcia's  Mexican Gothic  re-imagined the Gothic tradition by setting a haunted house tale in mid-century Mexico.  Velvet  Was the Night  does the same in the genre of noir.  Maite, a secretary, would rather read romance novels than get involved with the turmoil of 1970s Mexico City outside her door. But when her next door neighbor disappears, she gets involved in the search, and finds herself pulled into the world of student protests and radicalism. For a sample of Moreno-Garcia's writing, check out her  original short story on Oprah Daily.

Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

Think of each of the stories in  Sabrina & Corina  as a door allowing you to walk in to the life of a different indigenous Latina living in Colorado. Sparkling with specificity and moments of melancholy and strength, these stories (and their characters) are unforgettable. Fajardo-Anstine's debut collection won the American Book Award and was a finalist for the National Book Award.

Infinite Country by Patricia Engel

Can a family stay a family when its members are torn apart by time, distance, and immigration laws? Colombian-American author Patricia Engel's slim yet sweeping saga asks that question by following one family. Talia, for instance, is left behind in Colombia when her parents move to the United States, and has never met her siblings, but  Infinite Country  doesn't stop at her perspective. We also see the lives of Talia's brother and sister in the U.S.; flashbacks to her parents as teenagers falling in love and daring to leave Colombia; and her grandmother in Bogotá, growing lonelier.

Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons by John Paul Brammer

John Paul Brammer is the author of a compassionate, funny advice column (now a newsletter on Substack ), in which he often weaves personal experiences into his long answers.  His memoir,  Hola Papi,  traces his coming-of-age in rural Oklahoma as a queer, biracial man, and shows how Brammer acquired the wisdom he so generously doles out as advice.  For a preview, check out Brammer's essay about coming out and discovering his sexuality on Oprah Daily.  

Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis

When Uruguay is taken over by a military dictatorship in the 1970s, the five women of  Cantoras —all of whom are queer—know they're in danger. It seems there's no place left where they can safely be themselves .  That is, until they find an isolated cape called Cabo Polonio, where they can retreat when needed and nourish their bodies and souls. Carolina de Robertis's vivid, transportive work of historical fiction shows the need for connection in even the darkest hours.

Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed: 15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora

If you're looking for your new favorite Latinx author, this anthology, edited by The Bronx Is Reading book festival founder Saraciea J. Fennell, brings together some of today's most prominent voices. Read short fiction from Elizabeth Acevedo, Naima Coster, Natasha Diaz, Meg Medina, and more—then consider picking up one of their books after.

A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria

A Lot Like Adiós   is an electric romance set in the same universe as Alexis Daria's charming novela -inspired  debut,  You Had Me at Hola . Gabe and Michelle had chemistry as teenagers, but their relationship ended because of pressure from their families. Flash forward to adulthood, when Gabe returns to New York to open another branch of his successful gym, the two try attempt to muster up the bravery to rewrite the past—and get it right this time.

What's Mine and Yours by Naima Coster

Naima Coster's debut,  Halsey Street , was an intimate look at gentrification through the eyes of a longtime Brooklyn resident. What's Mine and Yours  is another perspective on the idea of "changing neighborhoods"—and what happens when populations converge. The novel takes place at a school in North Carolina that begins accepting students from the predominantly Black side of town. Through multiple perspectives, at the heart of this story are two mothers who clash while advocating for their children...but just might be more alike than they think. 

Finding Latinx: In Search of the Voices Redefining Latino Identity by Paola Ramos

"Latinx" is a relatively new term, but the 60 million people who are considered to fall under that umbrella are hardly uniform. Vice News correspondent Paola Ramos traveled around the United States to research this book, structured as a series of vignettes featuring members of the Latinx community. For a preview , read an excerpt of  Finding Latinx   on Oprah Daily.

Everyone Knows You Go Home by Natalia Sylvester

Each  Dia de Los Muertos , Isabel gets a visit from her dead father-in-law. Omar disappeared when her husband, Martin, was a boy, and the rupture between father-and-son never healed. Now, Isabel has a chance to mend their relationship. Sylvester writes of the novel's overarching themes—love, memory, and separation—with moving, underline-able prose. The novel effectively explores divisions between family members and between countries as her characters make the perilous cross between Mexico and the U.S.

Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli

In 2015, Mexican author Valeria Luiselli began volunteering with undocumented refugee children in New York City. She shaped this experimental, moving novel— one of Oprah Daily's favorite books of 2019 –around the issues she encountered during that life-changing opportunity. In  Lost Children Archive , a married pair of documentarians, who remain nameless, take a road trip to the U.S.-Mexico border with their children. With intellect and empathy, the novel places the current immigration system in conversation with the historic displacement of Indigenous Americans. 

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova

We all inherit things from our families—but imagine if what you inherited was magic. Known for her  Brooklyn Brujas   YA series,  Zoraida Córdova's adult debut is an equally magical look at a matriarch's life and legacy as it lives out through her four descendants, all of whom carry a piece of her power with them. Follow up this enchanting, epic read with a few of our other favorite books about witches . 

I Am Diosa: A Journey to Healing Deep, Loving Yourself, and Coming Back Home to Soul by Christine Gutiérrez

The title of this empowering book is, in itself, a positive affirmation:  I am diosa; I am a goddess. In this honest yet comforting book, Christine Gutiérrez combines her experience as a psychotherapist with spiritual verve. The effect is an interactive, guided path toward self-care, self-acceptance, and more than a few affirmations to remind yourself of your worth, should you lose your way. Prepare to awaken your inner diosa. 

Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America by Maria Hinojosa

"I was the first Latina in every newsroom I ever worked in,"  Maria Hinojosa told Oprah Daily while speaking about her 2021 memoir , Once I Was You . Now, she's determined to make newsrooms more diverse and polyphonic as the trailblazing founder of  Futuro Media . In this moving—and at times, heartbreaking—memoir, she details her journey as a child from Mexico to one of media's most vocal advocates for Latinx storytelling.

One World My Broken Language by Quiara Alegría Hudes

The musical  In the Heights  pays tribute to Washington Heights, a neighborhood in upper Manhattan, and its residents, predominantly people of color. Lin Manuel Miranda began writing the hit while in college, and teamed up with Puerto Rican playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes to give its characters depth. While Hudes has spoken about the musical extensively ( including to Oprah ), her memoir focuses more on her coming-of-age in Philadelphia, born to a Puerto Rican mother and a Jewish father, and how that upbringing led to her career as a prolific wordsmith.  

Dreaming of You: A Novel in Verse by Melissa Lozada-Oliva

Melissa Lozada-Oliva's surreal novel-in-verse is sure to delight and surprise readers— especially  those who are mega-fans of Selena Quintanilla. The novel, named after one of the Queen of Tejano music's biggest hits , is about a millennial Latinx poet mired down by the stuff of life (see: loneliness, heartache, regret). When she resurrects Selena during a séance, our poet gets an unlikely companion through her past and the spirit realm. You may know and love Selena's voice, but Lozada-Oliva's is utterly new, original, and worth hearing, too.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Elizabeth Acevedo is known for her riveting YA novels , often written in verse so lyrical, you feel like you're in the characters' heads. Her latest,  C lap When You Land,  is a story of two sisters— C amino, who lives in the Dominican Republic, and Yahaira, who lives in New York—who discover each others' existence when their father dies in the real-life plane crash of Flight 587 in 2001, just two months before September 11. 

A Farewell to Gabo and Mercedes by Rodrigo Garcia

Rordrigo Garcia had a legend for a father: Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the Colombian writer known for his epic tales of magical realism.  A Farewell to Gabo and Mercedes  is a son's love letter to his departed father as well as his mother, Mercedes Barcha—and a dedication to not only what they meant to the world, but what they meant to him . Our review called the book "intimate, confidential, and tender." 

What Would Frida Do?: A Guide to Living Boldly by Arianna Davis

Oprah Daily's own Arianna Davis wrote a warm, humorous, and inspiring book that is part homage to Frida Kahlo, part guide to living your  own  best life—with Kahlo as your guide. The artist known for her unflinching and daring self-portraits lived an extraordinary life, to the point where her very likeness is now a symbol for authenticity and bravery. The author hopes that after reading this book, when you need a little boost to live life more boldly, you'll ask yourself the title's question.

Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera

The story of  Never Look Back  might seem familiar–and that's because this YA novel is modeled off the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Lilliam Rivera infuses this age-old tale with discussions of identity, generational and personal trauma, and what young love today looks like. Eury moves to the Bronx after Hurricane Maria uprooted her life in Puerto Rico, and believes her family is doomed to experience another tragedy. In Pheus, a young singer, she finds some relief—but they're torn apart, too, and must fight to be together.

Headshot of Elena Nicolaou

Elena Nicolaou is the former culture editor at Oprah Daily. 

Hispanic Heritage Month 2024

Lip, Beauty, Skin, Yellow, Fun, Event, Uniform,

The 28 Best Latino and Spanish-Language Podcasts

People, Social group, Friendship, Smile, Black-and-white, Team, Photography, Fun, Event, Family,

Everything to Know About Hispanic Heritage Month

hispanic day parade

Hispanic Heritage Month Is Just Around the Corner

This is an image

Netflix's Most Binge-Worthy Spanish-Language Shows

t

How this Writer Untangled Her Roots and Heritage

day of the dead celebrations in oaxaca

The Vibrant History of Día de los Muertos

hair, eyewear, cool, hairstyle, afro, yellow, sunglasses, jheri curl, glasses, t shirt,

27 Latina-Owned Businesses

Yellow, Colorfulness, Aqua, World, Map,

The Meaning of Latinx

movies

20 Spanish Movies to Add to Your Watch List

latin american flags

The Meaning of Hispanic vs. Latino

latinx beauty brands

16 Makeup Brands by Latinx and Hispanic Founders

14 Novels Written by Mexican Authors to Add to Your Must-Read List

Published on 10/7/2021 at 4:12 PM

books by mexican authors

Every year, we make a conscious effort to read at least a few books written by Latinx authors . Sometimes it takes a bit of digging to unearth the gems, since books by Latinx authors aren't often publicized widely. But fortunately, things are starting to change with more well-known and renowned Latinx authors being acknowledged in the literary world. In an effort to highlight and celebrate Latinx authors, we've been rounding up books by some of our favorites. In this particular installment, we've curated a collection of powerful, entertaining, and thought-provoking novels by Mexican authors, specifically. From classics by literary icon Sandra Cisneros to the debut novel of up-and-comer Gabriela Garcia, check them all out here.

Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia

Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia

Of Women and Salt ($27) is the debut novel by Mexican and Cuban writer Gabriela Garcia. Released in 2021, the book explores the intertwined story of a few different women and their journeys to understand their histories, overcome their traumas, and understand their relationships as they face various personal and political stumbling blocks.

Main Image

Thirty Talks Weird Love by Alessandra Narváez Varela

The concept of Thirty Talks Weird Love ($19), a young adult novel in verse by Alessandra Narváez Varela, is utterly intriguing. In this story, a 13-year-old girl growing up in Ciudad Juarez is visited by her future 30-year-old self. But the guarded girl isn't buying it and struggles to believe that the woman is who she says she is and questions why she would want to visit her when she's doing fine all on her own.

Main Image

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez

Released in 2019, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter ($12) by Erika L. Sánchez is a New York Times bestseller and YA novel. It tells the story of a girl whose sister tragically dies, leaving her to fill the void for her traditional Mexican family. Readers follow along in this often hilarious read as she struggles against expectations, stereotypes, and the demands of her family.

Main Image

Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor

Hurricane Season ($17) by Mexican author Fernanda Melchor is the perfect read for horror fans. It's about a village that is thrown into turmoil when it discovers the town witch is dead. Told from different perspectives, each narrator uncovers new and often disturbing details related to the mystery of her death, leaving readers both enlightened and terrified.

Main Image

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Cemetery Boys ($18) is a book that needed to be written, and author Aiden Thomas was just the person to do it. Aiden's debut novel is about a trans, Latinx boy who summons a ghost in an attempt to prove his true gender to his traditional family. The only problem is, the ghost doesn't want to leave!

Main Image

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Another New York Times bestseller, Mexican Gothic ($17) by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a gorgeous mystery novel about a glamorous woman from Mexico who travels to see her cousin after she finds out she's in danger. With a healthy dose of courage and quite a bit of determination, she sets about discovering the secrets that threaten to harm her prima.

Main Image

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

The House on Mango Street ($12) by Sandra Cisneros is practically required reading for Latinx people, so if you haven't read it, there's no better time than now. It's the coming-of-age story of a Latinx girl growing up in Chicago, whom readers follow along as her experiences shape who she will become as she grows into young adulthood.

Main Image

Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros

Caramelo ($24) by Sandra Cisneros is the beautiful story of a multigenerational Mexican American family, and it quite insightfully illustrates the intricate dynamics of many Latinx families living in America. During an annual family road trip to Mexico City, the story's main character gets to experience the vivid history of her family throughout many generations.

Main Image

Faces in the Crowd by Valeria Luiselli

Faces in the Crowd ($17) by Valeria Luiselli is a novel told from the perspectives of three individuals working in the literary world. One is an author who is also a young mom living in Mexico City, another is a translator in Harlem, and the other is a Mexican poet living in Philadelphia. It's a story of disappearance, time and identity, and how they affect the lives and perspectives of the characters.

Main Image

Leaving Tabasco by Carmen Boullosa

Leaving Tabasco ($16) by Carmen Boullosa is the story of a woman who grew up in the Mexican province Tabasco, where superstitions, magic, and miracles are alive and well. Anything can happen and often does. The main character finds herself faced with leaving her hometown and embarking on an adventure when she sets about finding her missing father.

Main Image

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

Known to be one of the bestselling Chicano novels of all time, Bless Me, Ultima ($8) by Rudolfo Anaya is another coming-of-age tale. Published in 1994, it's an exploration of faith from the perspective of a young boy, who comes to discover his family's pagan roots when a curandera (healer) comes to live with them.

Main Image

The Mixquiahuala Letters by Ana Castillo

The Mixquiahuala Letters ($15) by Ana Castillo was published back in 1992, but it's still just as riveting today as it was back then. Written in the form of an exchange of letters between two women, it explores love, gender, relationships, and female friendship specifically from a distinctly Latinx perspective.

Main Image

How to Be a Chicana Role Model by Michelle Serros

The classic novel by author Michelle Serros, How to Be a Chicana Role Model ($21), is the comedic story of a young Chicana writer grappling with her identity as she attempts to meld her two cultures and discover her true self.

Main Image

The Taiga Syndrome by Cristina Rivera Garza

Described as being part fairy tale, part detective novel, The Taiga Syndrome ($16) by Mexican author Cristina Rivera Garza is about a woman ex-detective who is hired to track down a couple who are believed to have fled to some far-off place. Along the way, she encounters frights and disturbances straight out of fairy tales like Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding and ultimately comes to learn more about love than she ever could have anticipated.

Main Image

  • Book Reviews
  • TODAY Plaza
  • Share this —

Health & Wellness

  • Watch Full Episodes
  • Read With Jenna
  • Inspirational
  • Relationships
  • TODAY Table
  • Newsletters
  • Start TODAY
  • Shop TODAY Awards
  • Citi Music Series
  • Listen All Day

Follow today

More Brands

  • On The Show

18 books by Latino authors you'll want to read in 2022

books by mexican authors

January has come and gone , but there are still 11 months ahead of us in 2022. That means there is still plenty of time to tackle your reading list for the year (and to grow it, too).

If your New Year's resolution is to read more, consider now is the time to ask yourself a few questions about your TBR list. Who are the authors behind the books that you read? How diverse are the characters within them?

If you're looking to tap into a new realm of stories and storytelling in 2022, we spoke to a few members of the literary community to highlight their anticipated reads for 2022 by Latino authors. Their picks cover different age groups, identities and genres that are often underrepresented in literature .

From romance reads to books for younger readers, here are the 18 most anticipated Latino books of 2022 (most of which are available for pre-order), according to book lovers and authors.

Most anticipated Latino books for 2022

"high-risk homosexual," by edgar gomez.

"High-Risk Homosexual," by Edgar Gomez

"High-Risk Homosexual"

"I loved this memoir so much. Gomez had me crying and laughing while also taking deep breaths throughout the pages," Lupita Aquino, also known as Lupita Reads on Instagram , told Shop TODAY via email. "This coming-of-age and into-yourself memoir is the queer Latinx/e memoir I’ve always needed. Gomez’s story makes me feel like my own story is worthy of being told."

"Sofia Acosta Makes a Scene," by Emma Otheguy

"Sofia Acosta Makes a Scene," by Emma Otheguy

"Sofia Acosta Makes a Scene"

Meg Medina, author of the forthcoming book, " Merci Suárez Plays It Cool ," told us via email that she just finished reading this "delightful" book by Emma Otheguy. It tells the story of a young Sofía Acosta who is trying to figure out how to fit in. Coming from a family of dancers who immigrated to New York from Cuba, she doesn't quite feel like she fits into her new surroundings. Soon, a dance competition forces her to face even more questions about what it means to really belong.

"In the Shadow of the Mountain," by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado

"In The Shadow of the Mountain," by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado

"In the Shadow of the Mountain"

Once Aquino found out that Selena Gomez will be starring in the biopic of this memoir, she says she knew she needed to read it. It centers around a narrative Aquino says we don't often read about: a gay Latina mountaineer in the heart of Silicon Valley. Although she has spent time hiding her sexuality from her family, experiencing alcoholism and repressing the abuse she experienced as a child, she moves these mountains by climbing — and is encouraged to tackle the biggest one yet: Everest. Her heroic story sheds light on risk-taking, faith and resilience. There is not an expected release date for the biopic yet, according to Variety .

"Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs," by Pam Muñoz Ryan

"Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs," by Pam Mu?oz Ryan

"Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs"

Margarita Engle, author of the forthcoming book " Rima's Rebellion ," told us via email that she's looking forward to seeing "Solimar" hit shelves on Feb. 15, 2022. It tells the story of Solimar, a young girl on the brink of her Quinceañera, who after a magical encounter, has discovered that she can predict the near future. With it, she has also been tasked with protecting young and weak butterflies. In the end, will she be able to save her family, the butterflies and the entire kingdom, thanks to her gifts?

"Falling Short," by Ernesto Cisneros

"Falling Short Hardcover," by Ernesto Cisneros

"Falling Short"

Medina says she is also looking forward to this release, which will hit shelves on March 15, 2022. It centers around sixth graders Isaac and Marco, who already know this academic year is going to be a tough one. How will it change their lives at home, though? They need to team up to find out.

"A Ballad of Love and Glory," by Reyna Grande

"A Ballad of Love and Glory," by Reyna Grande

"A Ballad of Love and Glory"

Aquino says she is a "longtime fan of Grande's work" and is intrigued by this novel that was released on March 15, 2022. It is set in Mexico from 1846-48, during the Mexican-American War when the U.S. invaded Mexico. In it, a Mexican army nurse and an Irish soldier have to fight not only for their lives but also for their love.

"Part of Your World," by Abby Jimenez

"Part of Your World," by Abby Jimenez

"Part of Your World"

Abby Jimenez is the author behind the New York Times bestseller " Life's Too Short ," and her upcoming release is generating just as much buzz. In it, city girl Alexis Montgomery desires to become a doctor and leave her small town, but a relationship with country boy Daniel Grant might just convince her to fall in love with small town life (and all the small things that come along with it). "An age gap, city girl country boy romance with a goat on the cover? Yes please!" Alana Quintana Albertson, author of the forthcoming novel " Ramón and Julieta ," told us via email. "Part of Your World," will be released on April 19, 2022.

"Trust," by Hernán Diaz

"Trust," by Hernan Diaz

"Trust"

Hernán Diaz's debut novel came out in 2017, and Aquino says he has been on her list of authors to read since then. "It was a no brainer for me to add ’Trust’ his upcoming novel that is already gather rave reviews from booksellers and early reviewers," she said.

"Trust" is the story of Benjamin and Helen Rask, two wealthy New Yorkers who have built a fortune during the Roaring '20s — but at a cost. The themes of money, power and perception, among other things, shine as this puzzle of a novel unravels. It is expected to release on May 3, 2022.

"The Hacienda," by Isabel Cañas

"The Hacienda," by Isabel Ca?as

"The Hacienda"

"I can’t wait to read this book featuring a sinfully sexy priest and a haunted hacienda," Albertson said. The novel centers around a desperate Beatriz, who has lost her father and her home during the overthrow of the Mexican government. In an attempt to secure her own home, she enters further into a relationship with Don Rodolfo Solórzano, ignoring the rumors surrounding the death of his first wife. But will the home she desires actually keep her safe? "The Hacienda" is set to release on May 3, 2022.

"Breathe and Count Back from Ten," by Natalia Sylvester

"Breathe and Count Back From Ten," by Natalia Sylvester

"Breathe and Count Back from Ten"

Aquino says she was first introduced to Natalia Sylvester through her release " Running " and was not disappointed. "I am even more excited to read this YA novel that centers a Latinx teen with hip dysplasia," she added. In the story, protagonist Verónica auditions to become a mermaid at a Central Florida theme park (to the dismay of her conservative Peruvian parents) while also juggling her own disability and desire for a real relationship. This pick will be available on May 10, 2022.

"Neruda in the Park," by Cleyvis Natera

"Neruda in the Park," by Cleyvis Natera

"Neruda in the Park"

Aquino says she is looking forward to this novel hitting shelves on May 17, 2022.

"I have a sweet spot for debut authors and every year I keep an extra eye open for their titles," she told us. "So, when Naima Coster shared her excitement for Neruda In the Park, I immediately added it to my TRB." Aquino added that this novel covers the themes of family, friendship and cultura (culture), which are "everything I love in a novel."

"The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School," by Sonora Reyes

"The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School," by Sonora Reyes

"The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School"

Aquino is also excited to read this book by Sonora Reyes. It centers 16-year-old Yamilet Flores, one of the only Mexican kids at her new, mostly white Catholic school. At her new school, her sexuality is a secret, but her crush on the only openly queer girl, Bo, is making it hard to keep under wraps. She'll ultimately have to decide how to move forward without facing something much worse than rejection. This book will be released on May 17, 2022.

"Our Last Days in Barcelona," by Chanel Cleeton

"Our Last Days in Barcelona," by Chanel Cleeton

"Our Last Days in Barcelona"

As the cover might suggest, Albertson says this book is a "perfect" beach read. "I loved Chanel Cleeton’s other books and the way she interweaves historical fiction and a splash of romance," she added. From the author of " Next Year in Havana ," this book centers around Isabel Perez, who has been exiled from Cuba after the revolution. She heads to Barcelona in search of her missing sister — but discovers more about her family life and her sister's dangerous world of espionage, thanks to an unlikely ally.

"Our Last Days in Barcelona" will hit shelves on May 24, 2022.

" Brown Neon: Essays," by Raquel Gutierrez

"Brown Neon: Essays," by Raquel Gutierrez

"Brown Neon: Essays"

"Queer Latinx narratives are hard to track down so I am incredibly grateful I have friends that work in bookish spaces and keep an eye open for me," Aquino told us.

Described by the author as "Part butch memoir, part ekphrastic travel diary and part queer family tree," this collection of essays by Raquel Gutierrez is expected to hit shelves on June 7, 2022.

"Woman of Light," by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

"Woman of Light," by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

"Woman of Light"

This novel won't be released until June 7, 2022, but Aquino couldn't be more excited. "I first read ' Sabrina and Corina ' (a collection of short stories) by this author almost a whole year before it came out because I was so inspired and intrigued by someone writing about Indigenous Chicano families in the American West," she told us of Fajardo-Anstine. "She does it again with this novel delivering us a wealth of characters that stay with us long after the book has finished. Characters that tackle a history of racism and xenophobia we’ve always known existed but up until now reflected so well in the pages of this fictional realm full of life, love and light."

"The Man Who Could Move Clouds," by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

"The Man Who Could Move Clouds," by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

"The Man Who Could Move Clouds"

Magic runs in Ingrid Rojas Contreras's family. So, when a head injury in her 20s leaves her with amnesia and the ability to see ghosts, her family doesn't think much of it. When she embarks on a journey to relearn her family history with her mother as her guide, Contreras has a lot to reckon with, and we are left with a showing in how storytelling is not just an art but also a healing process.

"To say I am excited to read her memoir wouldn't cover it!" Aquino said about "The Man Who Could Move Clouds," which will be released on July 12, 2022.

"The Neapolitan Sisters," by Margo Candela

"The Neapolitan Sisters"

"The Neapolitan Sisters"

"I love immersive reads about families and am super excited about this one about the Suarez sisters who live in East L.A.," Albertson told us. The sisters, Dulcina, Claudia and Maritza, have all had to find their own ways to cope with the consequences of having an alcoholic father and passive aggressive mother. They've all left home at some point, but they find themselves returning, ultimately finding that despite the differences in the lives they've lived, there's still one thing they all share: sisterhood. "The Neapolitan Sisters" will be released on Aug. 9, 2022.

"How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water," by Angie Cruz

"How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water"

"How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water"

Aquino is also a fan of Angie Cruz, author of the award-winning " Dominicana ," and said she "immediately jumped out of my chair and did a dance!" when she found out Cruz was working on a novel. It is expected to be released on Sept. 13, 2022.

For more stories like this, check out:

  • Want to read more in 2022? Here are 4 books to get you started
  • Jenna Bush Hager picks 'captivating' dystopian drama for January 2022
  • These are the 12 most anticipated books of 2022, according to Goodreads members

Subscribe to our Stuff We Love and One Great Find newsletters, and download our TODAY app to discover deals, shopping tips, budget-friendly product recommendations and more!

books by mexican authors

Jillian Ortiz is a Production Associate at Shop TODAY. 

Journey To Mexico

Your Travel Guide To Mexico

16 Best Mexican Authors

Do you want to know who the best authors in Mexico are? We’ve got you covered! Mexico, rich in culture, history, and different landscapes, has produced some of the world’s most gifted and vital writers.

Mexican literature, from magical realism to social criticism, presents a diverse spectrum of viewpoints that attract readers and welcome them into the complexities of Mexican life.

We will look at the finest Mexican authors whose writings have crossed limitations and left an unforgettable effect on the literary world.

Things you'll find in this article

1. Octavio Paz

2. carlos fuentes, 3. guadalupe nettel, 4. juan villoro, 5. yuri herrera, 6. valeria luiselli, 7. laura esquivel, 8. juan rulfo, 9. juana ines de la cruz, 10. martin luis guzman, 11. sandra cisneros, 12. rosario castellanos, 13. don miguel ruiz, 14. jorge ibarguengoitia, 15. fernando del paso, 16. josefina vicens.

16 Best Mexican Authors

Octavio Paz was a Mexican activist, novelist, and journalist who was renowned as a progressive figure. Paz is well-known for his poetry and writings, many of which examine literature and art through a critical lens. The Collected Poems of Octavio Paz, released in 1952, includes a selection of his works.

He was introduced to literature at a young age and frequently read from his grandfather’s library collection. So, in 1931, as a youngster, he wrote his first poem Cabellera.

One of his most renowned works is El laberinto de la Soledad, a collection of essays in which Octavio Paz investigates Mexican history and society.

He also went to the University of California, Berkeley, and then sought a career in diplomacy. Following his time as a diplomat and poet, he died on April 19, 1998.

Notable Awards:

  • Nobel Prize in Literature (1990)
  •  Miguel de Cervantes Prize (1982)
  •  Xavier Villaurrutia Award (1956)
  • Menéndez Pelayo International Prize (1987)

Famous Works:

  • Piedra de sol
  • Ladera este
  • El mono gramático

Carlos Fuentes

Carlos Fuentes, described by The Guardian as “Mexico’s most celebrated novelist,” was a well-known Latino author. Fuentes moved to Mexico as a youngster and studied at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

He published short pieces for the daily newspaper Hoy while studying. While still writing, Carlos lectured at Cambridge, Harvard, and several other colleges. He passed on May 15, 2012, although he is still considered Mexico’s most renowned author.

  •  Freedom of Speech Award (2006)
  •  Xavier Villaurrutia Award (1975)
  •  Belisario Domínguez Medal of Honor (1999)
  • Rómulo Gallegos Prize (1977)
  • The Death of Artemio Cruz
  • Christopher Unborn
  • Terra Nostra

Guadalupe Nettel

Guadalupe Nettel was born with eyesight impairments and was frequently bullied as a kid, prompting her to withdraw into the realm of literature. This Mexican author was born in Mexico City in 1973.

Nettel’s fiction and nonfiction writings have been translated into more than 17 languages. Nettel is the second-ever female administrator of Revista de la Universidad de Mexico and lives in Mexico City.

  • El Grand Balam award (2024-2026)
  • International Booker Prize (2023)
  •  Calamo Prize (2020)
  • Gilberto Owen National Prize of Literature (2008)
  • La Hija Unica
  • The Body Where I Was Born
  • Natural Histories: Stories
  •  After the Winter

Juan Villoro

Juan Villoro is a renowned Mexican novelist and the son of prominent philosopher Luis Villoro. He is a Mexican writer who was born in Mexico on September 24, 1956. He is well-known for his novels, short tales, essays, and picture books for children.

He has published several Mexican publications and has dabbled in theater writing throughout his career.

He holds honorary degrees from both the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo as well as the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana. He has served as an associate of El Colegio Nacional since 2014.

  • Herralde de Novela
  • Premio Xavier Villaurrutia
  • Manuel Rojas Ibero-American Narrative Award
  • Espejo Retrovisor
  •  Los Once de la Tribu
  •  The Wild Book

Yuri Herrera

Yuri Herrera, born in Actopan, Mexico, studied politics in Mexico before moving to El Paso to pursue creative writing.

Signs Preceding the End of the World, which he first translated into English, was met with widespread appreciation. Currently, he is an associate professor at Tulane University.

  • Best Translated Book Award for Signs Preceding the End of the World
  •  Ursula K. Le Guin Prize
  •  Signs Preceding the End of the World
  •  The Transmigration of Bodies
  •  Kingdom Cons

Valeria Luiselli

Valeria Luiselli is a Latina author renowned for her bestselling novel Faces in the Crowd. She was born in Mexico City. Luiselli has five novels to her credit and spends the majority of her time on advocacy.

She along with her niece teaches creative literary arts to imprisoned young people at an upstate New York immigration center. Luiselli received a MacArthur Fellowship this year and is a writer-in-residence at Bard College.

  •  American Book Award (2018)
  • Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts (2020)
  •  Faces in the Crowd
  •  The Story of My Teeth
  •  Lost Children Archive

On September 30, 1950, this Mexican writer and politician was born in Mexico City. Laura Esquivel is famous for her best-selling novel, Like Water for Chocolate, which was subsequently adapted into a successful film.

Esquivel, who was trained as a teacher, formed a children’s theater school and produced and wrote children’s dramas.

She initially married Alfonso Arau, an actor and director with whom she worked on numerous films. Esquivel and her current spouse live in Mexico City.

  • Like Water for Chocolate
  •  Mi negro pasado
  •  Lo que yo vi

Juan Rulfo

Juan Rulfo served as a Mexican writer and photographer most famous for his works El Llano en llamas, a collection of short tales, and Pedro Páramo, a book.

Rulfo had a rough childhood, having lost both of his parents at an early age. Rulfo, who was raised by his grandmother, struggled throughout his childhood while his family’s money slipped into the hands of Roman Catholics.

His first job was as an immigration file clerk, and he eventually joined the military after being persuaded to do so by a cousin.

  • Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts (1968)
  •  Ariel Award for Best Original Story (1987)
  •  Princess of Asturias Award for Literature (1983)
  •  El Llano en llamas
  •  Pedro Páramo

This prominent Mexican author was a philosopher, musician, and poet. She was born in Mexico on November 12, 1648. Juana learned on her own at her grandfather’s library.

She was well-known in Philosophy circles when she was in her teens. She was adaptable and entered a convent in 1667. While there, she changed her nun’s apartments into a salon that attracted New Spain’s intellectual elite at the time.

She died on April 17, 1695, and was ignored for generations until Octavio Paz highlighted her relevance in modern times. She is now respected as a focal point for feminist campaigning on issues like women’s religious authority, educational rights, and others.

  •  To Her Portrait
  •  Suspend, Singer Swan
  •  Love Opened a Mortal Wound
  •  Since I’m Condemned
  •  You Foolish Men

Martin Luis Guzman

On October 6, 1887, the Mexican author and journalist was born. He is regarded as one of the forefathers of the revolutionary novel genre.

Martin Luis Guzmán is largely regarded as one of the Revolution’s most prominent writers, hailed for his brilliance, narrative clarity, and passion in denouncing the ills of authority.

Martin Luis Guzmán is the creator of Tiempo magazine and the first president of the National Commission for Free Textbooks. On December 22, 1976, he died at the age of 89.

  • Mexico’s National Prize in Literature (1958)
  •  La querella de México (1915)
  •  A orillas del Hudson (1920)
  •  La sombra del caudillo (1929)

Sandra Cisneros

Sandra Cisneros is an essayist, novelist, poet, performer, and short story writer of Mexican descent. Cisneros’ writing, most known for her novel The House on Mango Street, addresses the junction of Mexican-American culture and dives into what it takes to be a Chicana woman who lives in the United States.

Her cultural diversity inspired her work, which focused on her time living in Chicago’s Puerto Rican community.

She drew inspiration for her work The House on Mango Street from Mexican as well as Southwestern popular culture. She attempted to show the lives of individuals to whom she could connect.

  •  The PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature (2019)
  •  Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction (1993)
  •  American Book Award (1985)
  •  Lannan Literary Award for Fiction (1991)
  •  The House on Mango Street

Rosario Castellanos

Castellanos was born in Mexico City on May 25, 1925. The poet was dedicated to tackling issues of cultural and gender inequality in her art.

Rosario Castellanos is a prominent poet in twentieth-century literature and one of Latin America’s most influential female writers. She was a prolific writer of poetry, drama, and essays.

Castellanos weaves Catholic elements throughout her writing. After reading the writings of Saint Teresa of Avila along with Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, she became intensely engaged in religion.

  •  Xavier Villaurrutia Award (1960)
  •  Chiapas Award (1958)
  •  Carlos Trouyet Award of Letters (1967)
  •  Elías Sourasky Award of Letters (1972)
  •  Balun-canan
  •  City of Kings
  •  Oficio de tinieblas
  •  Rito de iniciación

On August 27, 1952, this Mexican novelist was born in Mexico. Miguel Ruiz is a supporter of the New Thought movement, which emphasizes old ideas as a means of gaining spiritual insight.

Don Miguel Ruiz is a popular spiritual teacher as well as a best-selling author. He has worked for the last three decades guiding people to personal emancipation via his unique insights into the nature of human existence.

  •  U.S. Air Force ‘challenge coin’
  •  The Four Agreements
  •  The Fifth Agreement
  •  The Mastery of Love
  •  Don Miguel Ruiz’s Little Book of Wisdom

Jorge Ibarguengoitia

Jorge Ibargüengoitia was indeed a Mexican journalist and writer. He is regarded as one of the most sardonic and astute voices in twentieth-century Latin American writing, as well as a mordant critic of his country’s social and political realities.

After creating 17 plays for the stage but being frustrated by his lack of success, he switched to prose writing and became one of the most influential Mexican authors of his period.

His stage works, which are distinguished by sophisticated sarcasm and a highly critical edge, have led to his recognition as one of today’s most valuable and outstanding dramatists. He is well-known for his novels, short tales, and journalism.

  •  Premio de Teatro Ciudad de México (1960)
  •  Premio de Teatro de la Casa de las América (1963)
  •  Premio de Novela de la Casa de las Américas (1964)
  • The Dead Girls

Fernando del Paso

Fernando del Paso is a famed author most known for his long, experimental, and funny novels about Mexican society.

Upon graduating from the National University of Mexico with degrees in biology and economics, he released his first book, Everyday Sonnets, in 1958.

Noticias del Imperio is a significant contribution to the new historical fiction in Latin America. The author describes the work, which is based on the stories of Maximilian and Carlota as well as the French Intervention in Mexico, as a “historiographic” fiction.

Notable Awards :

  •  Xavier Villaurrutia Award (1966)
  •  Romulo Gallegos Prize (1982)
  •  Miguel de Cervantes Prize (2015)
  •  Alfonso Reyes International Prize (2013)
  • Sonetos del amor y de lo diario
  •  Jose Trigo
  •  Palinuro de Mexico
  •  Noticias del Imperio

Josefina Vicens

Josefina Vicens, better known as La Peque, was a Mexican journalist and author. Josephina, who was born in 1988, was one of the country’s most influential female writers.

Even though she only authored two books, she is considered a cornerstone of modern Mexican writing. Josefina Vicens’s The Empty Book is a meta-fiction literary work centered around Jose Garcia, a novelist who struggles to write.

The novel depicts the difficulty of expressing thoughts while living what the protagonist considers to be a substandard existence.

  •  Xavier Bilartia Prize (1958)
  •  Ariel Award for Best Original Screenplay for Los Perros de Dios
  •  El libro vacío (1958)
  •  The false years (1982)

' src=

Hola! Que tal? I'm Christine, a Filipina but in love with Mexico. I used to live in Central America and Mexico is my favorite. Love tacos, tequila, and margarita.

Similar Posts

Popular Mexican Festivals – Monthly Fiesta Calendar In Mexico

Popular Mexican Festivals – Monthly Fiesta Calendar In Mexico

Very few will disagree, if any, that Mexico has the grandest and most vibrant festivals in the world. As the Nobel Prize-winning Mexican poet Octavio Paz put it, “The art of the fiesta has been debased almost everywhere else, but not in Mexico.” Mexicans throw parties like no other. They have festivals all throughout the…

10 Most Popular Mexican Chefs

10 Most Popular Mexican Chefs

Do you want to know who are the most popular Mexican chefs? Originally from the Mesoamerican region, Mexican food has a history dating back more than 2,000 years. The Mayans and the Aztecs each left a significant mark on the cooking techniques, and dishes still used today in Mexico. Today’s Mexican food isn’t the same…

9 Famous Mexican Bands To Listen To

9 Famous Mexican Bands To Listen To

Are you looking for the best Mexican bands to listen to? Mexico’s music scene is brimming with talent, and various bands from the country have shown that exceptional music knows no limits. From the rock pioneers to those pushing the boundaries of new sounds, these bands have enriched Mexican music with their unique contributions. Mexico’s…

Día de los Muertos: The Day of the Dead Festival in Mexico

Día de los Muertos: The Day of the Dead Festival in Mexico

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is an important festival mostly held in Mexico on November 1 and 2. However, depending on the locality, it may also be held on 31 October or 6 November or as early as 28 October. Day of the Dead is largely observed in Mexico, but it is…

Similarities And Differences Between Mayan And Aztec Civilizations

Similarities And Differences Between Mayan And Aztec Civilizations

If you want to know the similarities and difference between Mayan and Aztec civilizations, you are in the right place. When travelers plan a trip to Mexico and Central America, they often include visits to historic ruins as a must-do activity. While the Mayan ruins typically come to mind first, it’s important not to overlook…

8 Most Popular Sports In Mexico

8 Most Popular Sports In Mexico

Are you looking for the most popular sports in Mexico? In Mexico, where the sun shines perpetually and music fills the air every second, sports aren’t just a pastime but a part of life. Mexicans are completely devoted to their favorite sports, creating a spectacle that simply bursts with energy. Mexico has a rich sports…

  • Craft and Criticism
  • Fiction and Poetry
  • News and Culture
  • Lit Hub Radio
  • Reading Lists

books by mexican authors

  • Literary Criticism
  • Craft and Advice
  • In Conversation
  • On Translation
  • Short Story
  • From the Novel
  • Bookstores and Libraries
  • Film and TV
  • Art and Photography
  • Freeman’s
  • The Virtual Book Channel
  • Behind the Mic
  • Beyond the Page
  • The Cosmic Library
  • The Critic and Her Publics
  • Emergence Magazine
  • Fiction/Non/Fiction
  • First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing
  • Future Fables
  • The History of Literature
  • I’m a Writer But
  • Just the Right Book
  • Lit Century
  • The Literary Life with Mitchell Kaplan
  • New Books Network
  • Tor Presents: Voyage Into Genre
  • Windham-Campbell Prizes Podcast
  • Write-minded
  • The Best of the Decade
  • Best Reviewed Books
  • BookMarks Daily Giveaway
  • The Daily Thrill
  • CrimeReads Daily Giveaway

books by mexican authors

15 Books by Contemporary Mexican Writers That Make America Greater

Literature we want and need within our borders.

Now that Donald Trump is president, a lot of horrible things are happening. One of these, of course, is the executive order he signed last week, reinforcing his promise to “build a wall” on the Mexican-American border. Now, let’s set  the (non)practicality of this monstrosity  and the freaking-out about the price of avocados aside for the moment, because above all else, this wall is a symbol. Mexico: out, it says. America: in.

But cultural contact with Mexico—like cultural contact with almost any other country, because we don’t live in a vacuum, so why pretend we do—actually makes America better, not worse. Safer, not more dangerous. Knowledge in general tends to do that. Case in point: some of the marvelous books coming out of Mexico—and from Mexican-American writers—in recent years. Now, of course, a wall won’t exactly keep literature out. After all, there’s that pesky internet to consider. But the psychology of the wall—the message that the people and products coming from Mexico are inherently less-than, that these books are by “bad hombres” from whom we must protect ourselves—actually might. So just as a reminder—and perhaps as a gift guide for any readers you know who might for some reason be supporters of said wall—here is a selection of great works by contemporary Mexican and Mexican-American writers. I, for one, celebrate the freedom to read them.

books by mexican authors

Valeria Luiselli, Faces in the Crowd , trans. Christina MacSweeney

This slim novel is a study in fragmentary feeling, a book of overlapping fictions—the story of a woman telling her own story, and translating newly discovered work by a Mexican poet, except maybe that when she’s doing that she is also telling her own story, or possibly a ghost story. To say what it is “about” is somewhat pointless, because what it is about is the nature of reality, identity, storytelling and time. So, basically everything.

books by mexican authors

Yuri Herrera, Signs Preceding the End of the World , trans. Lisa Dillman

In Signs Preceding the End of the World , Herrera, whom Francisco Goldman has called “Mexico’s greatest novelist” has written a lyric myth of a novel: the story of a young Mexican woman who crosses the US border, hoping to bring her brother back to their mother—and to deliver a package from someone who may not have their family’s best interests at heart.

books by mexican authors

Manuel Gonzales, The Regional Office is Under Attack!

I loved Mexican-American author Manuel Gonzales’s first novel, a weird, witty comic book-infused opera that uses genre like a trampoline, while also digging into questions of loneliness and the essential unknowability of other people. But, you know, on a trampoline, so it’s fun!

books by mexican authors

Álvaro Enrigue, Sudden Death , trans. Natasha Wimmer

For me, this book—by Valeria Luiselli’s husband, FYI—was one of the best books of 2016 , a bizarre and rewarding meta-fictional novel about a 16th-century tennis match between Spanish poet Francisco de Quevedo and Italian painter Caravaggio, playing with a ball stuffed with the hair of Anne Boleyn.

books by mexican authors

Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

In this exceptionally beautiful YA novel, two Mexican-American teenage boys fall in love. Saenz wrote purposefully towards illuminating the idiosyncrasies of his characters’ blooming sexuality but also their Mexican-American identity: “We have a long history in this country, and we’re not all workers with our hands. There are a lot of professional Mexican-Americans, and it’s just not presented in literature,” he told NPR , “and I wanted very much to do that.”

books by mexican authors

Daniel Saldaña París, Among Strange Victims , trans. Christina MacSweeney

París is a Montreal-based writer, but he was born in Mexico City, and his first novel to be translated in the US is the story of an apathetic Mexico City slacker who accidentally marries one of his co-workers and winds up communing with the equally slackerish boyfriend of his mother in the countryside.

books by mexican authors

Laia Jufresa, Umami , trans. Sophie Hughes

A story about grief and loss told in several voices, all of them from the same slice of Mexico City, all swirling around the girl that drowned there years ago—and around her sister, who lives there now, planting seeds in the backyard.

books by mexican authors

Guadalupe Nettel, The Body Where I Was Born , trans. J.T. Lichtenstein

Nettle was once cited as one of the best untranslated authors by Granta , but now she is untranslated no more. This novel is a tense and beautiful story of a girl trying to feel at home in her imperfect, “cockroach”-like body, forever feeling edged out of society by her obscured eyesight, forever finding her way.

books by mexican authors

Isabel Quintero, Gabi, a Girl in Pieces

First-generation Mexican-American Quintero’s first novel was the winner of the 2015 Morris Award—which, in case you don’t know, is the award for debut YA novels. It tackles being a Mexican-American in contemporary California head-on—along with drugs, sex, pregnancy, poetry, being “fat,” being a good daughter, and just about everything else that might come up in a senior year of high school.

books by mexican authors

Carmen Boullosa, Leaving Tabasco , trans. Geoff Hargreaves

Agustini is a town you’d have to see to believe—and once removed from its magic (magic like witches and transfiguration and hails of amphibians), hard to remember exactly. Or such is the experience of Delmira, who tells the story of her childhood in Agustini from her current life in Germany, her journey a sort of reverse trip to Narnia, where the strange world she travels to happens to be the one the rest of us recognize.

books by mexican authors

Sergio Pitol, The Art of Flight , trans. George Hensen

Pitol is another of Granta’ s best untranslated writers , a winner of the prestigious Cervantes Prize in Mexico, and a man whom Daniel Saldaña París described as a “ total writer ” (that is, a complete one). This book is not quite novel, nor memoir, nor essay, but a complex blend of these, and the first in his “Trilogy of Memory,” a Borgesian, Sebaldian masterpiece that I hope comes to America in its entirety very soon.

books by mexican authors

Luís Alberto Urrea, The Water Museum

A music-infused collection from the Tijuana-born bestselling Mexican-American writer that, in thirteen stories, investigates identities from both sides of the border.

books by mexican authors

Sandra Cisneros, Caramelo

I’ll assume you’ve already read The House on Mango Street and instead recommend Cisneros’s 2002 novel Caramelo , the story of a family straddling the border between Chicago and Mexico City—much like Cisneros herself, who is a dual citizen of the US and Mexico.

books by mexican authors

Manuel Muñoz, What You See in the Dark

Muñoz’s first novel (after two short story collections) sets a 1950s small-town love affair (doomed, of course) against the story of the making of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho . But the famous shower scene is the least of the violence that will creep into these lives.

books by mexican authors

Chloe Aridjis, Asunder

The London-based Mexican-American writer’s second novel is a cerebral meditation on the life of a guard in the National Gallery, her days infused with silence, boredom, time. She’s primarily obsessed with the cracks in the paintings: “the allure of the crack, the lure of the crackle, the lair of the kraken. The crack of dawn, the crack of doom…”

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Emily Temple

Emily Temple

Previous article, next article, to the lithub daily, support lit hub..

Support Lit Hub

Join our community of readers.

Popular Posts

books by mexican authors

Follow us on Twitter

books by mexican authors

If You Have to Ask, You Probably Shouldn't Be a Writer

  • RSS - Posts

Literary Hub

Created by Grove Atlantic and Electric Literature

Sign Up For Our Newsletters

How to Pitch Lit Hub

Advertisers: Contact Us

Privacy Policy

Support Lit Hub - Become A Member

Become a Lit Hub Supporting Member : Because Books Matter

For the past decade, Literary Hub has brought you the best of the book world for free—no paywall. But our future relies on you. In return for a donation, you’ll get an ad-free reading experience , exclusive editors’ picks, book giveaways, and our coveted Joan Didion Lit Hub tote bag . Most importantly, you’ll keep independent book coverage alive and thriving on the internet.

books by mexican authors

Become a member for as low as $5/month

Authors & Events

Recommendations

Books Bans Are on the Rise in America

  • New & Noteworthy
  • Bestsellers
  • Popular Series
  • The Must-Read Books of 2023
  • Popular Books in Spanish
  • Coming Soon
  • Literary Fiction
  • Mystery & Thriller
  • Science Fiction
  • Spanish Language Fiction
  • Biographies & Memoirs
  • Spanish Language Nonfiction
  • Dark Star Trilogy
  • Ramses the Damned
  • Penguin Classics
  • Award Winners
  • The Parenting Book Guide
  • Books to Read Before Bed
  • Books for Middle Graders
  • Trending Series
  • Magic Tree House
  • The Last Kids on Earth
  • Planet Omar
  • Beloved Characters
  • The World of Eric Carle
  • Llama Llama
  • Junie B. Jones
  • Peter Rabbit
  • Board Books
  • Picture Books
  • Guided Reading Levels
  • Middle Grade
  • Activity Books
  • Trending This Week
  • Top Must-Read Romances
  • Page-Turning Series To Start Now
  • Books to Cope With Anxiety
  • Short Reads
  • Anti-Racist Resources
  • Staff Picks
  • Memoir & Fiction
  • Features & Interviews
  • Emma Brodie Interview
  • James Ellroy Interview
  • Nicola Yoon Interview
  • Qian Julie Wang Interview
  • Deepak Chopra Essay
  • How Can I Get Published?
  • For Book Clubs
  • Reese's Book Club
  • Oprah’s Book Club
  • happy place " data-category="popular" data-location="header">Guide: Happy Place
  • the last white man " data-category="popular" data-location="header">Guide: The Last White Man
  • Authors & Events >
  • Our Authors
  • Michelle Obama
  • Zadie Smith
  • Emily Henry
  • Amor Towles
  • Colson Whitehead
  • In Their Own Words
  • Qian Julie Wang
  • Patrick Radden Keefe
  • Phoebe Robinson
  • Emma Brodie
  • Ta-Nehisi Coates
  • Laura Hankin
  • Recommendations >
  • 21 Books To Help You Learn Something New
  • The Books That Inspired "Saltburn"
  • Insightful Therapy Books To Read This Year
  • Historical Fiction With Female Protagonists
  • Best Thrillers of All Time
  • Manga and Graphic Novels
  • happy place " data-category="recommendations" data-location="header">Start Reading Happy Place
  • How to Make Reading a Habit with James Clear
  • Why Reading Is Good for Your Health
  • Vallery Lomas’ Blueberry Buckle Recipe
  • New Releases
  • Memoirs Read by the Author
  • Our Most Soothing Narrators
  • Press Play for Inspiration
  • Audiobooks You Just Can't Pause
  • Listen With the Whole Family

Penguin Random House

Must-Read Books by Chicanx, Mexican, and Mexican American Authors

These writers explore a range of storytelling, from gothic horror to personal memoirs. explore a few of our favorite books by authors of mexican descent. share these incredible stories year-round using the hashtag #iamlacultura..

Living Beyond Borders Book Cover Picture

Living Beyond Borders

By margarita longoria, paperback $10.99, buy from other retailers:.

Finding Latinx Book Cover Picture

Finding Latinx

By paola ramos, paperback $19.00.

Latinx Book Cover Picture

Paperback $16.95

Where We Come From Book Cover Picture

Where We Come From

By oscar cásares.

De donde venimos / Where We Come From: A novel Book Cover Picture

De donde venimos / Where We Come From: A novel

Paperback $17.00.

Bless Me, Ultima Book Cover Picture

Bless Me, Ultima

By rudolfo anaya, hardcover $30.00.

Martita, I Remember You/Martita, te recuerdo Book Cover Picture

Martita, I Remember You/Martita, te recuerdo

By sandra cisneros, paperback $12.95.

Mexican Gothic Book Cover Picture

Mexican Gothic

By silvia moreno-garcia, hardcover $28.99.

Under the Feet of Jesus Book Cover Picture

Under the Feet of Jesus

By helena maria viramontes.

Suncatcher Book Cover Picture

by Jose Pimienta

Hardcover $24.99.

Crux Book Cover Picture

by Jean Guerrero

Hardcover $27.00.

The Hacienda Book Cover Picture

The Hacienda

By isabel cañas.

The House on Mango Street Book Cover Picture

The House on Mango Street

Crying in the Bathroom Book Cover Picture

Crying in the Bathroom

By erika l. sánchez, paperback $18.00.

The Black Jersey Book Cover Picture

The Black Jersey

By jorge zepeda patterson.

Like Water for Chocolate Book Cover Picture

Like Water for Chocolate

By laura esquivel.

Como agua para chocolate / Like Water for Chocolate Book Cover Picture

Como agua para chocolate / Like Water for Chocolate

Paperback $17.95.

Horizontal Vertigo Book Cover Picture

Horizontal Vertigo

By juan villoro, hardcover $32.50.

El vértigo horizontal / Horizontal Vertigo Book Cover Picture

El vértigo horizontal / Horizontal Vertigo

Woman of Light Book Cover Picture

Woman of Light

By kali fajardo-anstine.

Sudden Death Book Cover Picture

Sudden Death

By álvaro enrigue.

Mexican WhiteBoy Book Cover Picture

Mexican WhiteBoy

By matt de la peña, paperback $12.99.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau Book Cover Picture

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter Book Cover Picture

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

Yo no soy tu perfecta hija mexicana Book Cover Picture

Yo no soy tu perfecta hija mexicana

Paperback $13.95.

Gonzalez and Daughter Trucking Co. Book Cover Picture

Gonzalez and Daughter Trucking Co.

By maría amparo escandón, paperback $15.00.

Lost Children Archive Book Cover Picture

Lost Children Archive

By valeria luiselli.

Desierto Sonoro / Lost Children Archive: A novel Book Cover Picture

Desierto Sonoro / Lost Children Archive: A novel

Gods of Jade and Shadow Book Cover Picture

Gods of Jade and Shadow

Velvet Was the Night Book Cover Picture

Velvet Was the Night

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Tumblr

More to Explore

Visit other sites in the Penguin Random House Network

Raise kids who love to read

Today's Top Books

Want to know what people are actually reading right now?

An online magazine for today’s home cook

Stay in Touch

By clicking "Sign Up", I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Random House's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and understand that Penguin Random House collects certain categories of personal information for the purposes listed in that policy, discloses, sells, or shares certain personal information and retains personal information in accordance with the policy . You can opt-out of the sale or sharing of personal information anytime.

Just for joining you’ll get personalized recommendations on your dashboard daily and features only for members.

facebook pixel

Top 10 Contemporary Mexican Novels You Must Read

Bookshelf

The Latin American literature world is booming at the moment, as more and more publishing houses are choosing to translate the works published in Spanish into English, bringing their novels to a wider audience. In Mexico, the situation is no different. Known for the famed Mexican writers Carlos Fuentes, Juan Rulfo and Octavio Paz, Mexico has a plethora of contemporary authors that are still battling for the wider recognition of their forefathers. Here are the top ten must-read texts.

The House on Mango Street

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Sandra Cisneros has done a lot for Chicano literature, and her first novel remains one of her best. The House on Mango Street (1984) is a slim, slight text, easily devourable in one sitting, and explores the coming-of-age story of a Latina in Chicago, Esperanza Cordero. Growing up in Chicago, Esperanza’s experiences deftly mirror those of the countless Mexican-Americans growing up in the States, touching vast swathes of readers since its publication, which is obvious from its inclusion in middle-school syllabuses across the country and translation into multiple languages – including Spanish. Often heartbreaking, but often joyous, The House on Mango Street is a classic text in the Chicano literary canon.

books by mexican authors

Multi-talented Chloe Aridjis’ first novel, Book of Clouds/ El libro de las nubes (2009), was released to critical acclaim and went on to win the French Prix du Premier Roman Etranger. In 2012, it would be released as a graphic novel in French. This excitement over her first publication was matched by Asunder (2012), which met with great critical acclaim in the UK. This novel is deft, attention-capturing fiction which surrealistically explores the tension and relationship between art and life in the life of a London museum guard. At turns weird and extravagant, Asunder follows the ponderings of Marie and her obsession with the cracks in the paintwork of the great masterpieces by which she is surrounded.

Valeria Luiselli (centre) with Papeles Falsos

Faces in the Crowd by Valeria Luiselli

Described as one of the brightest literary talents in the entire world right now, and mentored by the fantastic Mario Bellatin, Valeria Luiselli is a Mexico City native and author of three outstanding works. Sidewalks / Papeles f alsos (2013) is a beautifully written, evocative, and at times downright poetic collection of essays. However her first fiction, published prior to this collection, is Faces in the Crowd / Los ingrávidos (2012), an impressive entry into the literary world which sealed her brilliance as an up-and-coming contemporary Mexican author by winning the Los Angeles Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction – an incredible feat for a work in translation. It gracefully sidesteps the rising tide of narcoliterature spilling out from Mexico, instead concerning herself with the transcendentalism of literature. Her latest novel is The Story of my Teeth / La historia de mis dientes (2015).

people cheering on a mountain

Become a Culture Tripper!

Sign up to our newsletter to save up to 500$ on our unique trips..

See privacy policy .

Bookshelf

Signs Preceding The End Of The World by Yuri Herrera

Mythical and rich, borderlands novel Signs Preceding The End Of The World/ Señales que precederan al fin del mundo (2015) is a stunning sophomore novel from the up-and-comer Yuri Herrera. Owing much to Juan Rulfo’s seminal text Pedro Páramo , the narrator Makina is on a journey to bring back her brother from across the US border, and in broaching such a topic evokes the ever crashing wave of migration from Mexico to the US. Scattered throughout are references to mythology, which adds to the wondrous depth of this slim volume. The lyrical translation into English by Lisa Dillman is well worth praising too, as she skilfully yet faithfully provides English language readers with excellent versions of Herrera’s frequent neologisms.

Jorge Volpi

In Search of Klingsor by Jorge Volpi

Perhaps better known for participating in the ‘Crack Manifesto,’ a group of Mexican writers rejecting the Mexican mainstream’s proclivity for lighthearted writing, Jorge Volpi is both novelist and essayist. Understandably, his work tends to lean away from surrealism, instead leaning towards historical and scientific preoccupations, and have been internationally acclaimed and translated. Thriller In Search of Klingsor/ En busca de Klingsor (2003), the first in a trilogy, is the perfect example of these tendencies and is a structurally complex novel. It is also one of his most acclaimed, translated into 19 languages and has even been broadcast on German radio.

The Body Where I Was Born by Guadalupe Nettel

June of 2015 marked the first English translation of one of Guadalupe Nettel’s texts The Body Where I Was Born/ El cuerpo en que nací , and it’s about time. Regularly hailed as one of the best untranslated writers (prior, of course, to this new volume), Nettel was the 2014 winner of the Owen National Literature Prize. The Body Where I Was Born has a rather unusual conceit, one that initially may draw comparisons with Kafka’s Metamorphosis , as her narrator is a cockroach, a character torn between resistance and resignation. Referred to as autobiographical novel, it often feels like a confession, one which explores the often harrowing girlhood of woman.

Xavier Velasco (on the right)

Diablo Guardián by Xavier Velasco

Xavier Velasco is one of the most fascinating Mexican authors of the moment, with his irreverent style well known in the Spanish speaking world and widely regarded for its furthering of the Mexican narrative. His critically acclaimed novel Diablo Guardián (2003) was the recipient of the Premio Alfaguara in the same year. His distinctive style and love of the colloquial seeps through every page, infusing the reader with the fascination and love for Mexico that Velasco himself clearly has. Following rebellious teen Violetta, as she crosses the border to the US with money stolen from her parents, throwing caution to the wind at every stop along the way. It’s only a shame for English speakers that more of his work isn’t easily available in translation.

Down The Rabbit Hole by Juan Pablo Villalobos

Guadalajara native Juan Pablo Villalobos is the author of Down The Rabbit Hole/ Fiesta en la madriguera (2011) and the more recent Quesadillas (2014), both of which are published in translation by And Other Stories, the excellent not-for-profit publishing house which specializes in bringing great literature to an English-speaking audience. Described as a leading representative of so-called narcoliterature, Villalobos in his first novel explores this obscenely luxurious but heavily guarded cartel world as the entirely normal backdrop to the life of the child narrator, Tochtli. The result is intriguing and disturbing all at once, with Villalobos unafraid to question the harsh realities of Mexican corruption. Villalobos’ clever navigation of the reality, and sometimes the underbelly, of Mexico is set off by some excellent characters and dry humor.

Paco Ignacio Taibo II

The Uncomfortable Dead by Paco Ignacio Taibo II & Subcomandante Marcos

The final entry on our list is a rather unusual one as it has not one, but two authors. The result of a collaboration between Paco Ignacio Taibo II, famed for authoring several books which are regularly described as narcoliterature, and Subcomandante Marcos, the Zapatista revolutionary, The Uncomfortable Dead/ Muertos incómodos (2004) is captivating. Taibo authored the even numbered chapters of this loosely plotted but rich in character thriller, whereas the odd numbered passages were provided by the elusive founder of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation – who never appears in public without a ski mask – Subcomandante Marcos. Both prolific and excellent writers in their own right, their intriguing partnership on this book earns them both a spot on our list.

Leaving Tabasco by Carmen Boullosa

Broadly dealing with feminist issues in Latin America in her repertoire of eclectic and genre-spanning writings, Carmen Boullosa is an exceptional novelist, poet, and playwright. This stunning and wide ranging amount of quality writing leaves it difficult to pick just one novel, but Leaving Tabasco (2001) is an excellent place to start. A Mexican woman now living in Germany, Delmira Ulloa richly evokes her life 30 years before in a quirky, tiny town in the state of Tabasco. Magic is the stuff of everyday life in this excellent novel, which of course evokes the magical realism so popular in Latin America, something of which the text is evidently self-aware, as Delmira is at one point handed One Hundred Years of Solitude to read on a plane. A fascinating text, Leaving Tabasco is enthralling, wordy, thought-provoking.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

books by mexican authors

Guides & Tips

Foodie paradise: a culinary expedition around the world in 2024.

books by mexican authors

The Best Trips and Tours in Mexico

books by mexican authors

Food & Drink

The best street food cities in the world.

books by mexican authors

Top Tips for Travelling in Mexico

books by mexican authors

The Best Places to Travel in December

books by mexican authors

March, April and May 2023 Price Drop

books by mexican authors

See & Do

A solo traveler's guide to yucatán, mexico.

books by mexican authors

Places to Stay

The best hotels in puerto escondido.

books by mexican authors

Best Things to Do on Isla Espíritu Santo, Mexico

books by mexican authors

Coastal Vote: A Beach-Lover's Guide to Sayulita, Mexico

books by mexican authors

Coastal Vote: A Beach-Lover's Guide to Bacalar, Mexico

books by mexican authors

The Best Things to Do in Chichen Itza, Mexico

Winter sale offers on our trips, incredible savings.

books by mexican authors

  • Post ID: 470998
  • Sponsored? No
  • View Payload

18 Books by Latinx Authors Coming Out in 2023 You Need to Read

We’ve loved seeing latinx authors making their mark on the publishing industry and thankfully, this year is no different in all genres, there is a need for latinx stories, especially from afro-latinx and indigenous latinx writers, and plenty of authors are filling the gap this year.

Latinx books 2023

Photos: Page Street Kids; Ecco; Levine Querido

Avatar de Sofía Aguilar

By  Sofía Aguilar

We’ve loved seeing Latinx authors making their mark on the publishing industry and thankfully, this year is no different! In all genres, there is a need for Latinx stories , especially from Afro-Latinx and Indigenous Latinx writers, and plenty of authors are filling the gap this year. It continues to be important that Latinx readers of all ages see characters and writers like them, and stories that resonate with their experience on the shelves. Given that the landscape continues to prioritize white voices, it’s our responsibility to support the many diverse voices of our community, especially at indie and locally-owned bookstores.

This is by no means an exhaustive list but is a good starting place as you curate your TBR lists for the year. We’re rounded up  books in a variety of genres including young adult, poetry, memoir, and adult fiction, so there’s a little something for everyone. Read on to learn more about 18 books by Latinx authors that we’re excited to read in 2023.

Sincerely Sicily by Tamika Burgess

Latinx books 2023

Photo: HarperCollins

Release Date: January 3, 2023

Sincerely Sicily  is Tamika Burgess’s debut novel about Sicily Jordan, a young Black Panamanian girl who is forced to face all her worst fears: starting a new school as a sixth grader, leaving behind her friends, and wearing a uniform that goes against every one of her fashion rules. Things only get worse when she does a class presentation and confronts her classmates’ prejudice and ignorance about her Black Panamanian identity, not to mention from her own abuela. Desperate to be seen, she decides to pick up her pen and write in her journal for the first time in years, revealing a world of love, longing, and self-acceptance.

Breakup from Hell by Ann Dávila Cardinal

Latinx books 2023

Photo: HarperTeen

Puerto Rican author Ann Dávila Cardinal just released her latest YA book,  Breakup from Hell,  a rom-com and supernatural story that’s not one to miss. It follows Miguela Angeles, a young teen tired of her family, her friends, and her small town in Vermont, and who takes solace in her beloved horror novels. When she runs into Sam, a tourist in town on vacation, she quicky becomes enamored with him to the point that she gains physical strength, fighting skills, and a habit of lying, not to mention visions of the end of the world. Once she realizes she’s in a literal horror novel and wants to break-up, it may be too late—for herself, her loved ones, and her world.

Promises of Gold / Promesas de Oro by José Olivarez

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Henry Holt and Co.

Release Date: February 14, 2023

Promises of Gold  is José Olivarez’s latest collection of poetry, this centering on different types of love ―self, brotherly, romantic, familial, cultural―and how forces like gender, capitalism, religion, and the American Dream complicate, misrepresent, and limit such expressions. He also touches on ever-relevant topics of migration, colonization, legacy, community, and identity with tenderness and vulnerability. The collection features the original English and the Spanish translation, making it accessible to readers of both languages. 

Lucha of the Night Forest by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Make Me a World

Release Date: March 21, 2023

Lucha of the Night Forest  by Tehlor Kay Mejia is a YA fantasy novel following Lucha, a young girl who is desperate to protect the sister she loves and at the same time, fully embrace her magic powers and attain the freedom she’s always dreamt about—even if means playing with dark, dangerous forces. Mejia, who wrote the fantasy feminist duology We Set the Dark on Fire and We Unleash the Merciless Storm , once again writes a beautiful depiction of sisterhood, empowerment, adventure, coming-of-age, and queer romance, this is not a story to be missed.

Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amparo Ortiz

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Page Street Kids

Release Date: March 28, 2023

Fantasy lovers this one is for you! Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amparo Ortiz is the story of Sevim Burgos, a 17-year-old goth girl who sells elf corpses to a university professor for money to help support her family. During one of her hunts, she captures the elf prince, Aro, at a Burger King, and becomes a revenge target for the elves, quickly discovering that her mother is missing. When Aro escapes, he leaves behind a ring that he promises will save her mother’s life, forcing Sevim to follow, enter the magical elf island, and fulfill her destiny in an unexpected way.

Saints of the Household by Ari Tison

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Saints of the Household  is the debut YA novel of Indigenous Costa Rican-American writer Ari Tison told in multiple points of view through vignettes and poems. It follows Max and Jay, two Bribri American brothers forced to rely on each other for survival and protection from their physically abusive father. When they break up a fight in the woods, even beating up their high school’s most popular student and star soccer player in the process, their entire belief system, dreams for the future, brotherhood, and worlds are shattered. The only thing that will save him and help them move forward? Their Bribri roots.

Into the Light by Mark Oshiro

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Tor Teen

Into the Light by Mark Oshiro is the story of two young men, Manny ―who’s been disowned by his family for over a year and living alone in the wild Southwest― and Eli ―who tries to obey his family’s rules but can’t form memories of his own past. When a dead body is found in the Idyllwild hills with no identifiable features, everything that the boys have built, their certainty of the future, and their hopes of finding themselves are dashed. Featuring high stakes, high emotions, and a startling twist, this thriller is guaranteed to keep you reading until the very end. 

Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Wednesday Books

Release Date: April 4, 2023

Ander and Santi Were Here  is the queer romance we’ve been waiting for! It follows Ander Lopez, a nonbinary Mexican American teen who leaves their family’s taquería as they prepare to trade their home, family, and town for art school to become a muralist. To replace them, the family hires Santiago Garcia, a shy, hot new waiter, and immediately captures Ander’s attention and heart. But when ICE agents come after Santi, their relationship to each other, to home, and to the U.S. becomes that much more complicated, leaving them unsure of where to turn.

Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Berkley

Ana María and the Fox  by Liana de la Rosa is the perfect blend of historical fiction and romance. Ana María Luna Valdés is the beloved heiress of her powerful Mexican family, a high-achiever who only desires their approval. Gideon Fox is a man of the streets turned member of Parliament, who hopes to abolish the Atlantic slave trade, especially as the descendant of former slaves. When Ana María is sent to London to evade French occupation of her home country and meets Fox, their destinies intertwine in the most unexpected of ways, though it may come at the cost of their own lives.

The Making of Yolanda La Bruja by Lorraine Avila

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Levine Querido

Release Date: April 11, 2023

The Making of Yolanda La Bruja  by Lorraine Avila follows Yolanda Alvarez, a high school student in the Bronx whose life finally feels all figured out. With a loyal best friend, a crush on the rise, and her upcoming initiation into her family’s bruja tradition ―t he Brujas Diosas ― she’s having the best year ever. When a new student comes to Julia De Burgos High, a white boy and the son of a politician, she can’t help but feel a sense of unease and fear, not when he’s causing her to see visions of violence and threats. But with no one around her who wants to listen or believe, she turns to her ancestors and guides for help and to ensure the survival of everyone she loves, no matter the cost.

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Del Rey

Release Date: April 18, 2023

The Haunting of Alejandra  by V. Castro is an adult literary horror novel following Alejandra, a woman who is becoming consumed by her own darkness and visions of La Llorona, a crying woman in white, to the point that her identities as a mother and wife feel meaningless. When she starts attending therapy, she seeks to find the truth about her family’s background and generations of trauma and brutality, especially the pain that the women before her have faced. Until she does, she will continue being haunted by La Llorona, forever changing the course of her family’s legacy, name, and story.

Wings in the Wild by Margarita Engle

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Wings in the World  is the latest novel from famed Cuban American author Margarita Engle. Told in verse, the book follows Soleida, a girl living in Cuba with her parents to protest their government’s criminalization of art through sculpture. When the piece is discovered and deemed illegal, her parents are arrested and she seeks refuge in Costa Rica, where thousands are also seeking asylum. There, she also meets Dariel, a Cuban American boy who ignites Soleida’s passion to protect the environment and fight for the human rights of wrongfully imprisoned artists on her island. To do so, they will need each other, perhaps even more than they think.

The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Ballantine Books

Release Date: June 6, 2023

The Wind Knows My Name  is the latest novel from Isabel Allende, the iconic Chilean writer known for her groundbreaking novel, The House of the Spirits .  In this new book, Samuel Adler is a six-year-old boy in 1938 who escapes Nazi-occupied Austria to the United States alone and with nothing but clothes and a violin. In 2019 Arizona, Anita Diaz is a blind seven-year-old girl who, along with her mother, escapes El Salvador to seek refuge in the U.S., only to become separated at a camp in Nogales. Throughout the novel, we see these two lives come together in unexpected ways, exploring themes of war, immigration, time, dreams, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Latinx books 2023

Release Date: July 18, 2023

Silvia Moreno-Garcia , the author of beloved books The Daughter of Doctor Moreau   and  Mexican Gothic, returns with yet another thriller,  Silver Nitrate.  Taking place in the ’90s, the novel follows Montserrat, a sound editor employed by Mexico City’s film industry, who’s overlooked even by her best friend Tristán, a struggling soap opera star she’s been in love with for years. When he finds out film director Abel Urueta is his new neighbor, the pair are drawn into a mysterious world of ghosts, sorcerers, cult horror, Nazi occultism, and a cursed film that may just cost them more than they bargained for. 

The Sun and the Void  by Gabriela Romero Lacruz

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Orbit

Release Date: July 2025, 2023

The Sun and the Void  by Gabriela Romero Lacruz is an epic fantasy novel following Reina and Eva Kesare. Reina is the granddaughter of a dark sorceress who begins to rely on her grandmother’s magic for life and Eva is an illegitimate child of mixed heritage who tries to resist her calls to magic to protect her family’s image. As they both search for belonging, family, and love, the two young women will be drawn into a world they never imagined, one influenced by colonization, ancient magic, and real-life South American lore. 

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Ecco

Release Date: August 1, 2023

Family Lore  is Elizabeth Acevedo ‘s first adult fiction novel, known for her YA books including the novel-in-verse The Poet X  and  Clap When You Land.  In this debut, we follow Flor Marte, the daughter of a Dominican American family who has the gift of predicting the day when someone will die. When she invites the family for a living wake to celebrate her life, no one, not even her sisters, knows what it means. Over the course of the three days before the wake, secrets are revealed, pasts remembered, and histories relived of all the lives of the Marte women spanning decades, generations, cities, and borders. This is a stunning, unforgettable portrait of a family across two countries.

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

Latinx books 2023

Release Date: August 29, 2023

If you liked Isabel Cañas’s The Hacienda,  you’ll love her newest supernatural Western novel, Vampires of El Norte. The story follows Nena, a curandera and the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico whose home becomes a battlefield between vampires and vaqueros. When the U.S. attacks Mexico, the manmade war abruptly brings together Nena and Néstor, her childhood sweetheart that thought died in a vampire attack nine years prior. But they will have to put aside the anger, confusion, and grief stewing between them if they hope to protect their country from two kinds of monsters.

Where There Was Fire by John Manuel Arias

Latinx books 2023

Photo: Flatiron Books

Release Date: September 19, 2023

Where There Was Fire  is John Manuel Arias’s debut novel following a Costa Rican family who, in 1968, are forever changed when a fire destroys one of the American Fruit Company’s banana plantations and the evidence of a company cover-up. Almost three decades later, Teresa and her daughter Lyra are haunted by the events of the night and the family members that died or went missing, unable to forgive each other or understand where everything went wrong. Exploring the power of spirits, omens, ancestors, and nature, this is a moving family story that is not to be missed.

In this Article

Mikeas Sánchez poetry collection

Mikeas Sánchez’s English-Language Debut Poetry Collection Centers Indigenous Resistance

female friendships

A Love Letter to the Power of Amigas

Marianismo Latinas

Marianismo’s Impact on the Mental Health of Latinas

Managing stress first gen

What’s In & Out for 2024 for First Gen Latina Mental Health

Selena Quintanilla

Yolanda Saldívar Finally Confesses Why She Killed Selena Quintanilla 22 Years Ago

This Fool Hulu series

“This Fool” Canceled by Hulu After Two Seasons

Ydelays Rodriguez of Golden Dream Beauty

Golden Dream Beauty Founder Ydelays Rodriguez Talks Latina Representation in Beauty

10 states in the u.s. that were once a part of mexico.

Latino stereotypes HipLatina

15 Latino Stereotypes that Need to Go Away Already!

Land of Women Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria’s ‘Land of Women’ to Premiere this Summer

This Fool Hulu series

Latina DJ & Mother of Two Killed in Kansas City Shooting

Pedro Pascal Fantastic Four

Pedro Pascal to Star in Marvel’s ‘The Fantastic Four’

Mikeas Sánchez poetry collection

L.A. City Council Lifts Ban on Vendors in Tourist Spots

Cecilia Gentili Passing

Argentine Trans Activist Cecilia Gentili Has Died at 52

Five Books

  • NONFICTION BOOKS
  • BEST NONFICTION 2023
  • Architecture
  • Art History
  • Design & Illustration
  • Fashion & Style
  • Modern and Contemporary Art
  • Photography
  • How to Invest
  • Behavioural Economics
  • Development Economics
  • Economic History
  • Financial Crisis
  • Globalization Books
  • World Economies
  • Climate Change Books
  • Environmental Ethics
  • The Best Cookbooks
  • Food & History of Food
  • Wine & Drinks
  • Death & Dying
  • Family & Relationships
  • Sex & Sexuality
  • American History
  • Ancient History (up to 500)
  • Modern History (1800-1945)
  • History of Science
  • Historical Figures
  • Military History
  • English Grammar & Usage
  • Books for Learning Languages
  • Linguistics
  • Best Biographies
  • Artists' Biographies
  • Classical Music & Opera
  • Film & Cinema
  • The Prehistoric World
  • Plants, Trees & Flowers
  • Ancient Philosophy
  • Ethics & Moral Philosophy
  • Great Philosophers
  • Social & Political Philosophy
  • Foreign Policy & International Relations
  • Human Rights
  • Mental Health
  • Neuroscience
  • Psychoanalysis
  • Psychology Research
  • Religious History Books
  • Maths & Statistics
  • Popular Science
  • Physics Books
  • Football (Soccer)
  • Sport & Sporting Culture
  • Artificial Intelligence/AI Books
  • Digital Age
  • History of Technology
  • FICTION BOOKS
  • BEST FICTION 2023
  • NEW Fiction
  • World Literature
  • Literary Criticism
  • Literary Figures
  • Classical Studies
  • Classic English Literature
  • American Literature
  • Comics & Graphic Novels
  • Fairy Tales & Mythology
  • Historical Fiction
  • Crime Novels
  • Science Fiction
  • Short Stories
  • South Africa
  • United States
  • Arctic & Antarctica
  • Afghanistan
  • Myanmar (Formerly Burma)
  • Netherlands
  • Kids Recommend Books for Kids
  • High School Teachers Recommendations
  • Ages Baby-2
  • Books for Teens and Young Adults
  • Best Kids Books of 2023
  • Best Books for Teens of 2023
  • Best Audiobooks for Kids
  • Prizewinning Kids' Books
  • Popular Series Books for Kids
  • Environment
  • Best Kids' Books of 2023
  • Political Novels
  • New Science Books
  • New Climate Books
  • New Psychology Books
  • New Philosophy Books
  • New Math Books
  • New Economics Books
  • New History Books
  • New Physics Books
  • New Memoirs
  • New Biography
  • New Literary Fiction
  • New World Literature
  • New Historical Fiction
  • THE BEST AUDIOBOOKS
  • Actors Read Great Books
  • Books Narrated by Their Authors
  • Best Audiobook Thrillers
  • Best History Audiobooks
  • Nobel Literature Prize
  • Booker Prize (fiction)
  • Baillie Gifford Prize (nonfiction)
  • Financial Times (nonfiction)
  • Wolfson Prize (history)
  • Royal Society (science)
  • Pushkin House Prize (Russia)
  • Walter Scott Prize (historical fiction)
  • Arthur C Clarke Prize (sci fi)
  • The Hugos (sci fi & fantasy)
  • Audie Awards (audiobooks)

Make Your Own List

The Best Fiction Books » World Literature

Five of the best classic mexican novels, recommended by ave barrera.

The Forgery by Ave Barrera, translated by Ellen Jones & Robin Myers

The Forgery by Ave Barrera, translated by Ellen Jones & Robin Myers

We asked the award-winning Mexican novelist Ave Barrera —whose latest book, The Forgery , has recently been translated into English—to recommend five classic Mexican novels. Here she discusses her choices, which include books by Juan Rulfo, Elena Garro and Nellie Campobello.

Interview by Cal Flyn , Deputy Editor

Five of the Best Classic Mexican Novels - Recollections of Things to Come by Elena Garro, translated by Ruth L.C. Simms, illustrated by Alberto Beltrán

Recollections of Things to Come by Elena Garro, translated by Ruth L.C. Simms, illustrated by Alberto Beltrán

Five of the Best Classic Mexican Novels - Cartucho by Nellie Campobello, translated by Doris Meyer

Cartucho by Nellie Campobello, translated by Doris Meyer

Five of the Best Classic Mexican Novels - Balún Canán by Castellanos Rosario

Balún Canán by Castellanos Rosario

Five of the Best Classic Mexican Novels - Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo, translated by Margaret Sayers Peden

Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo, translated by Margaret Sayers Peden

Five of the Best Classic Mexican Novels - Aura by Carlos Fuentes, translated by Lysander Kemp

Aura by Carlos Fuentes, translated by Lysander Kemp

books by mexican authors

1 Recollections of Things to Come by Elena Garro, translated by Ruth L.C. Simms, illustrated by Alberto Beltrán

2 cartucho by nellie campobello, translated by doris meyer, 3 balún canán by castellanos rosario, 4 pedro páramo by juan rulfo, translated by margaret sayers peden, 5 aura by carlos fuentes, translated by lysander kemp.

Thank you for selecting these classic Mexican novels for us. To start us off, perhaps you might talk us through what guided your choices?

I chose the five Mexican novels that were most important to me growing up, that had an impact on my way of understanding literature, and opened up a path for my own writing. They are novels that narrate worlds that are familiar and dear to me, that enabled me to get to know this territory I live in better, to understand a little better my own genealogy, and that gave me a sense of rootedness beyond crude nationalism .

Would you say that there are uniting themes that recur in Mexican literature? Do you return to them in your own work?

In Mexican literature there have always been dominant themes, or each generation has had its own, and in general they have to do with what terrifies us, what gnaws away at us. It is a consolation to know that we have literature as a kind of refuge, as a space for our interrogations. There are novels about the Mexican Revolution, both good and bad, just as there are about organised crime, about gender violence, about femicides. Then there’s the family, the traditional structure as the origin of all that’s good and bad, and there’s our relationship with the land around us. I confess to all these charges, as I feel the need to hide away in this refuge.

Your first book recommendation is Recollections of Things to Come by Elena Garro, translated by Ruth L. C. Simms. It also features work by the illustrator Alberto Beltrán. Why do you recommend this book?

I think it’s one of the most beautiful novels ever written. It’s a love story and also the story of a territory and a very specific moment in the life of the country. It is a metaphor of desolation and despair, where each element is imbued with a very subtle magic, made of voices and memories, above all women’s. In Recollections of Things to Come , the feminine is resistance to a violent, collapsing world.

It’s a work of magical realism, and was published four years ahead of Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude . Could you talk a little about the role of magical realism in Latin American literature?

Sure! I think that for the Latin American novel magic realism operated in that period as an excellent strategy to write fantasy in a particular way, with narrative elements that have prevailed in Latin cultures, such as hyperbole or syncretism between indigenous and Christian religious beliefs. The same thing happens in my head when I imagine Tita’s tears filling a five-kilo sack to be used for cooking in Like Water for Chocolate , as when I read traditional fairy stories about a magic tablecloth that serves food, a flask of oil that never runs out, or boots for walking seven leagues. I believe in both equally and with my whole soul.

The next classic Mexican novel you’ve chosen to recommend is Cartucho by Nellie Campobello, an autobiographical novella first published in 1931. It is published in English together with a second Campobello novella called My Mother’s Hands . Tell us about Cartucho .

There are countless novels about the Mexican Revolution, but what fascinated me about Nellie Campobello’s book is her ability to represent the reality of violent warfare not on from the viewpoint of the conflicting parties, but through the emotions; it is the perspective of a girl that reveals the paradox of violence, both in its significance and its futility. I think Cartucho should be read in schools the world over.

Get the weekly Five Books newsletter

For me, to read Nellie Campobello is to be transported to the adobe kitchen stoves on which my great-grandmother cooked, the Singer sewing machine that all the women in my family learned to use. In the pages of Cartucho I find echoes of my grandmother’s stories about the Chihuahua border, the mythical figure of the revolutionary who gives their life for the right to a decent life, for land, for education, causes that both my grandmothers fought for, one as an agrarian and the other as a rural teacher.

Campobello played a prominent role in a ‘Golden Age’ of Mexican culture during the first half of the 20th century. Would you talk a little about that?

It was a really interesting period. After the Revolution, it was the task of intellectuals and artists to reimagine the country, to create its own narrative with its myths, roots, national values and identity traits, everything we know as folklore. Of course there were nationalist political interests too—the goal of unifying the highly diverse social groups that emerged as a result of colonisation and the subjugation of the indigenous peoples. But beyond that, I think it was very important for the Mexico of that time to acknowledge the marks of identity that enabled them to be defined as part of a human group. In this sense the work of Nellie Campobello as a writer, dancer and intellectual played such an important role in preserving and popularising the dances of the first peoples of Mexico.

Let’s talk about Balún Canán , by Rosario Castellanos, published in 1957. It’s not currently available in English but I think you feel it’s important for us to discuss. Why so?

Rosario Castellanos is much better known as a poet, but my first point of entry into her work was through Balún Canán . I read it when I was 17 years old and it left a deep mark on me. It is also a young girl’s perspective, a sensitive and vulnerable subjectivity that narrates the colonialist violence in the south-east of the country, the subjugation and harassment suffered by the original peoples of the territory that we know today as Chiapas. Thanks to Rosario Castellanos I fell in love with this region; her novel lit a spark of fascination with the indigenous peoples and their languages, which led me to leave home for San Cristóbal de las Casas, trying to get involved with the Zapatistas, though of course I was unsuccessful. In any case something good must have come of it, and I owe that entirely to Balún Canán.

Why do you recommend Pedro Páramo , by Juan Rulfo? I know Borges felt this to be one of the greatest books ever written.

Rulfo’s writing is especially dear to me because we come from the same place, and because reading him was to discover the vast poetic potential of the rural landscape, of forgotten villages, rather than the cosmopolitan world or urban forms of culture. Rulfo does a lot of things in this novel, while endowing a tremendous poetic force both to language and to the events, the characters and the atmospheres he describes; he experiments with a fragmentary structure; breaks down the sense of reality through the idea of the ghost and the popular legends, the people’s sayings. Comala is a powerful mythical universe that represents abandonment and loss from many angles. The characters have an extraordinary strength and reach a very complex degree of conflict, determined above all by the fragility and harm of a very macho way of understanding masculinity. The novel flows between narrative moments, evoking resonances… it’s a dream novel.

One critic suggested that your own book, The Forgery , “pays homage” to Rulfo. Would you agree? Who else do you think of as your literary influences?

Of course, Rulfo inhabits the spaces of The Forgery and the murmurs of his prose echo through the corners of the house. It’s well known that Luis Barragán, who is one of the characters in The Forgery , was inspired by Rulfo’s writings when he built the atmospheric architecture that won him the Pritzker Prize , and there are significant overlaps between the two: they build spaces with the same adobe roofs and walls, they make the same water pitchers resound. I am full of admiration for them both.

Finally, that brings us to your final classic Mexican novel: Aura , by Carlos Fuentes. What do you admire about it?

I read Aura as a teenager and it both terrified and fascinated me, but above all it invited me to join that search among dark corners that is literature. It is a very brief and self-contained novel that maintains the tension in each line. What I most admire about it is its ability to build atmosphere and cause us to feel trapped in this shady house among the smell of moss and decaying plants. Not to mention the character of Aura, who is a horrendous and beautiful witch at the same time; I’m someone who loves stories with witches , that dual aspect that overcomes all boundaries, especially those of good and evil.

August 22, 2022

Five Books aims to keep its book recommendations and interviews up to date. If you are the interviewee and would like to update your choice of books (or even just what you say about them) please email us at [email protected]

Support Five Books

Five Books interviews are expensive to produce. If you've enjoyed this interview, please support us by donating a small amount .

Ave Barrera

Ave Barrera

Ave Barrera, who was born in Guadalajara, México, in 1980, holds a Bachelor in Hispanic Literature at University of Guadalajara and has been awarded fellowships from the Fundación Carolina and the Mexican National Fund for Culture and the Arts. She was recipient of the Sergio Galindo Award from the Veracruz University with her first novel Puertas demasiado pequeñas  ( A Door Too Small ). Her latest novel,  The Forgery, was published in 2019 in Mexico and Spain under the title Restauración . She currently lives in México City.

books by mexican authors

Hugh Thomson on Mexico Books

books by mexican authors

Regina Marchi on The Day of The Dead

We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

This site has an archive of more than one thousand seven hundred interviews, or eight thousand book recommendations. We publish at least two new interviews per week.

Five Books participates in the Amazon Associate program and earns money from qualifying purchases.

© Five Books 2024

Advertisement

Supported by

For National Hispanic Heritage Month, 11 Recent Books on Latino Life

  • Share full article

books by mexican authors

By Miguel Salazar ,  Isabelia Herrera and Gregory Cowles

National Hispanic Heritage Month , a celebration that runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, captures a period covering seven different independence days across Latin America. In recent years, however, the celebration has prompted Latinos in the United States to look inward, grappling with issues of representation, colorism and sexuality. To better understand these perspectives, here are 11 recent books that provide a glimpse into distinct corners of contemporary Latino life in the United States:

‘ Latinx: The New Force in American Politics and Culture ,’ by Ed Morales (Verso, 2019)

The recent debate over the term “ Latinx ,” which has grabbed the attention of countless op-ed pages and Twitter threads, is just the latest iteration of a long reckoning over this single, shared identity. So argues Morales, a lecturer at Columbia and CUNY, whose book of politics and social history explains how our current understanding of the Latino identity is rooted in the Latin American concept of mestizaje , or “hybridity,” and how that troubled history is shaping American politics today.

Read our review

‘ The Undocumented Americans ,’ by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio (One World, 2020)

This collection falls somewhere between reportage, fiction and memoir in its storytelling, rendering an intimate portrait of the undocumented condition in the United States. Villavicencio chronicles the lives of ground zero cleanup workers, a Haitian priestess in Miami and a former housekeeper battling breast cancer in Flint, Mich., richly describing a population that, as Caitlin Dickerson notes in her review, remains “largely absent from modern journalism and literature.”

Read our review | Read our interview with Cornejo Villavicencio

‘ The Poet X ,’ by Elizabeth Acevedo (Quill Tree, 2018)

In this National Book Award-winning verse novel, 15-year-old Xiomara Batista’s life in Harlem has changed seemingly overnight: Her body, now larger and curvier, is newly subject to catcalls and insults; her Dominican mother has become a stern disciplinarian; and her church no longer feels like the haven it once was. As Xiomara contends with these changes, she turns to slam poetry, where she finds freedom and discovers a distinctive voice.

Read our interview with Acevedo

‘ Unforgetting: A Memoir of Family, Migration, Gangs, and Revolution in the Americas ,’ by Roberto Lovato (Harper, 2020)

Lovato unearths the family secrets his father kept guarded to tell a story of trauma and violence from El Salvador to San Francisco’s Mission District. As he reckons with this multigenerational history, Lovato blends this memoir with exhaustive reporting that sheds light on a cycle of bloodshed that spans El Salvador’s civil war, the birth of MS-13 in California and the exportation of gangs to Central America.

‘ Tentacle ,’ by Rita Indiana. Translated by Achy Obejas. (And Other Stories, 2018)

This novel is a linguistic triumph, tackling climate change, queerness, racism and folk spirituality with rich irreverence through the story of a young maid who becomes entangled in a doomsday prophecy. Indiana, a Dominican author, nimbly captures the specificity and interiority of Caribbean life, with all of its sci-fi contours.

‘ The Sense of Brown ,’ by José Esteban Muñoz (Duke University Press, 2020)

In this posthumous collection, Muñoz, a celebrated queer theorist, meditates on “brownness,” a broad feeling of kinship rooted in struggle and community that transcends any single ethnicity. In 13 essays, written between 1998 and his death in 2013, Muñoz writes about Chicano history and draconian immigration laws as well as art and performance to understand how this feeling of brownness can help us make sense of the world.

‘ Ordinary Girls ,’ by Jaquira Díaz (Algonquin, 2019)

In this memoir, Díaz writes devastatingly about surviving sexual abuse and growing up in a broken household plagued by violence and drug addiction in Miami Beach and Puerto Rico. She is slowly able to find herself despite these horrors, learning about her island’s colonial history, discovering her family’s African ancestry and finding love against all odds.

‘ Las Biuty Queens ,’ by Iván Monalisa Ojeda. Translated by Hannah Kauders. (Astra House, 2021)

This book offers an ode to New York City’s queer and trans immigrant community in the form of short stories. Ojeda, a Chilean American writer, brings sincerity and dark humor to tales of drug addiction, prison life at Rikers Island and a five-time beauty pageant winner, drawing from personal experience as a trans performer, sex worker and undocumented immigrant.

‘ Gordo ,’ by Jaime Cortez (Black Cat, 2021)

In Cortez’s California, a young girl delivers the eucharist via doughnut pieces; a Chicano boy fights in a luchador mask to live up to his father’s idea of masculinity; and a hairstylist is asked to work on a wig for his dead middle school bully, who was shot in the head. The hardships and small joys of this migrant worker community are rendered with profound care in this debut collection.

‘ Postcolonial Love Poem ,’ by Natalie Diaz (Graywolf, 2020)

Throughout her second collection, Diaz highlights the ways an occupying power absorbs and erases the cultures it meets — and, in keeping with her efforts to preserve Indigenous languages, she refuses to submit to that process. That’s the “postcolonial” part of the book. The “love poem” part comes in frank celebrations of queer romance and lush carnal pleasure, which suggest physical abandon as one way to resist oppression. The book won this year’s Pulitzer Prize for poetry, making Diaz the first Latina author to earn that honor.

‘ Cruel Fiction ,’ by Wendy Trevino (Commune Editions, 2018)

Trevino’s 2018 debut poetry collection is also a manifesto of sorts, and her thesis is simple: “A border, like race, is a cruel fiction.” In sharp and provocative poems, she critiques capitalism, Chicano identity and Gloria Anzaldúa — the influential Mexican American author — in a voice that is unapologetic and fierce.

Other titles of interest:

“When We Make It,” by Elisabet Velasquez

“ Eat the Mouth That Feeds You ,” by Carribean Fragoza

“ Lost Children Archive ,” by Valeria Luiselli

“ In the Dream House ,” by Carmen Maria Machado

“Undocumented,” by Dan-el Padilla Peralta

“ Hola Papi ,” by JP Brammer

“Citizen Illegal,” by José Olivarez

“Unaccompanied,” by Javier Zamora

“The Crazy Bunch,” by Willie Perdomo

Gregory Cowles is the poetry editor of the Book Review and senior editor of the Books desk. More about Gregory Cowles

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

In Lucy Sante’s new memoir, “I Heard Her Call My Name,” the author reflects on her life and embarking on a gender transition  in her late 60s.

For people of all ages in Pasadena, Calif., Vroman’s Bookstore, founded in 1894, has been a mainstay in a world of rapid change. Now, its longtime owner says he’s ready to turn over the reins .

The graphic novel series “Aya” explores the pains and pleasures of everyday life in a working-class neighborhood  in West Africa with a modern African woman hero.

Like many Nigerians, the novelist Stephen Buoro has been deeply influenced by the exquisite bedlam of Lagos, a megacity of extremes. Here, he defines the books that make sense of the chaos .

Do you want to be a better reader?   Here’s some helpful advice to show you how to get the most out of your literary endeavor .

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

Ten must-read 2022 books by Latino authors

This year brought a fascinating and eclectic number of books by Latino authors to store shelves and online selections, spanning different genres and earning high praise from readers and reviewers alike.

Below is our list of 10 very distinctive works by U.S. Latino authors.

‘Trust’ by Hernan Diaz 

books by mexican authors

The award-winning Peruvian American writer organizes this novel about the life of powerful financier Andrew Bevel and his wife, Mildred, into four sections, each forcing the reader to question what's true and who really holds the power as it examines the ruthless pursuit of wealth. The novel, which is being developed as an HBO limited series, is a fictional dive into the world of finance, the 1920s and the ensuing Great Depression.

The compelling novel has been recognized as one of the top 10 books of 2022 by The New York Times and The Washington Post and as one of the best books of 2022 by Time, NPR, Vogue, Oprah Daily and others.

‘High-Risk Homosexual: A Memoir’ by Edgar Gomez

Labeled as a “high-risk homosexual” after a doctor’s office visit, Edgar Gomez describes his experience growing up as a gay Latinx man and the issues around Latinidad and machismo in this highly praised debut memoir.

Through his humorous and touching storytelling, he invites readers into different aspects of his world — from his uncle’s cockfighting ring in Nicaragua to the queer spaces where he learned to love being a gay Latinx man.

‘Olga Dies Dreaming’ by Xochitl Gonzalez

books by mexican authors

In this novel about an Ivy League-educated high-end wedding planner — whose parents were Puerto Rican activists — the author deftly depicts a woman trying to balance the different worlds within New York, as well as family, work, romance and, more importantly, herself.

"The author paints a vivid and lively story throughout, highlighting various family dynamics, politics, history, queerness, inter-generational trauma, love, and more," said Karen Ugarte, the manager at Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural & Bookstore in Los Angeles. "It has a little bit of everything!”

‘A Ballad of Love and Glory’ by Reyna Grande

books by mexican authors

Inspired by true events and historical figures in the Mexican American War, Grande's novel follows the story of Ximena Salomé, a Mexican healer whose hopes of building a family come crashing down after the Texas Rangers kill her husband. After she joins the Mexican army to honor her late husband's memory, she meets an Irish immigrant who eventually joins the Mexican army — and they fight for a future together.

Grande is the award-winning author of the acclaimed novel “The Distance Between Us,” as well as “Across a Hundred Mountains” and “Dancing with Butterflies.”

‘Racial Innocence: Unmasking Latino Anti-Black Bias and the Struggle for Equality’ by Tanya Katerí Hernández 

books by mexican authors

"Because it’s so entrenched to deny that we have these problems with racism," she said in a recent interview, Afro Latina legal scholar and professor Tanya K. Hernández’s book uses legal cases and accounts to show how Latinos have discriminated against Black Latinos and other people of color in different areas — from housing to employment to education.

Her book emphasizes the importance of recognizing the prevalence of Latino racism and its impact on everyday life as the Hispanic population grows, as well as its corrosive, real-world impact on Black Latinos' and others' livelihoods, economic opportunities and well-being.

‘The Hurting Kind’ by Ada Limón

books by mexican authors

In “ The Hurting Kind ,” Limón, who this year became the first female U.S. poet laureate of Latino and Mexican American heritage , weaves indelible snapshots of experiences and people — both living and dead — with unforgettable images of the flowers, trees and animals around her or lovingly dredged from her memories.

“We’re still in the middle of a pandemic — bouncing from trauma to trauma,” Limón said in an earlier interview. “It’s been such a tormented time.” Poetry, she said, is a way to connect to feelings, emotions and even stillness.

‘The Prophet of the Andes: An Unlikely Journey to the Promised Land’ by Graciela Mochkofsky 

books by mexican authors

Journalist and author Graciela Mochkofsky, the dean of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, spent years researching the incredible story of Segundo Villanueva, a Peruvian self-taught biblical scholar who converted to Judaism and led a group of followers first to the jungle and later to Israel. Although Villanueva's life took a different turn, many of his followers and their children, known as "Inca Jews," are still in Israel.

Mochkofsky, who is from Argentina, said in a discussion of her book that Villanueva was "a pioneer" of a movement that is spreading in Latin America — dozens of communities across several countries that have mainly eschewed Catholicism, turned to evangelicalism and then turned to Judaism.

‘A Kiss across the Ocean: Transatlantic Intimacies of British Post-Punk and US Latinidad’ by Richard T. Rodríguez 

books by mexican authors

Why would Mexican and Chicano youths like British post-punk music? "The answer is 'why not?'" University of California, Riverside, professor Richard T. Rodríguez says about his book .

“'A Kiss across the Ocean' is more than an academic read!" said Sarah Rafael García, an author and the founder of LibroMobile in Santa Ana, California. "It intersects the personal with post-punk music and icons, creating an era for those of us in U.S. Latinx communities who felt left out of mainstream culture and genders in the ’80s, early ’90s and even to this day."

‘Crying in the Bathroom: A Memoir’ by Erika L. Sánchez

books by mexican authors

Published before the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade, New York Times bestseller and National Book Award finalist Erika L. Sánchez’s memoir is an account of her life growing up in a working-class Mexican immigrant household in Chicago, exploring her sexuality, religion and feminism and grappling with racism and colorism. She writes about how an abortion saved her life and candidly details her experiences dealing with suicidal thoughts and depression.

Sánchez, who is also the author of “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter,” a 2017 hit that is being adapted into a Netflix film directed by actor American Ferrera, spotlights the issue of mental illness by describing her experience with electroconvulsive therapy and her time in a psychiatric ward. “It’s an illness that really takes over your entire life, and you need a medical specialist to determine what it is that you are suffering from and to get the right kind of treatment,” Sánchez told MSNBC host Alicia Menendez on her show, “American Voices,” in July.

‘Solito’ by Javier Zamora

books by mexican authors

In his captivating memoir, poet Javier Zamora relates his migration journey from El Salvador to the U.S. as a young boy. Writing from his perspective at 9, he talks about traveling thousands of miles alone to Arizona to reconnect with his parents, who fled El Salvador years before after the country's civil war.

Zamora recalls his experiences with the help of strangers along the way, including learning to raise himself and facing challenges from Border Patrol agents. “Solito” has been recognized as a New York Times Bestseller and as one of the 10 best books of the year by the New York Public Library and as one of the best books of the year by NPR, The Washington Post and Kirkus Reviews, among other publications.

books by mexican authors

Edwin Flores reports and produces for NBC Latino and is based in Anaheim, California. 

books by mexican authors

Sandra Lilley is managing editor of NBC Latino.   

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Download 100 Best Middle Grade Books. Send it!

Join our Patreon Community for EXCLUSIVE content

Reading Middle Grade

Reading Middle Grade

Books for Kids and Grown Ups

go to homepage

YA Books by Latino Authors

books by mexican authors

Recently, there has been an explosion of fantastic YA books by Latino authors and I’ve been loving it. For this list I’ve included young adult books written by authors of Latin-American descent. Many of these are classics while some are new releases. And as with great YA stories, they’re perfect for teen and adult readers alike.

YA Books by Latino Authors

Best YA Books by Latino Authors

Here are 20 of the best YA books by Latino authors:

The New David Espinoza 

The New David Espinoza - YA Books by Latino Authors

Published: February 11, 2020

David Espinoza is tired of being messed with. When a video of him getting knocked down by a bully’s slap goes viral at the end of junior year, David vows to use the summer to bulk up— do what it takes to become a man—and wow everyone when school starts again the fall.

Soon David is spending all his time and money at Iron Life, a nearby gym that’s full of bodybuilders. Frustrated with his slow progress, his life eventually becomes all about his muscle gains. As it says on the Iron Life wall,  What does not kill me makes me stronger.

As David falls into the dark side of the bodybuilding world, pursuing his ideal body at all costs, he’ll have to grapple with the fact that it could actually cost him everything. 

This Train is Being Held 

This Train is Being Held 

Alex is a baseball player. A great one. His papi is pushing him to go pro, but Alex maybe wants to be a poet. Not that Papi would understand or allow that.   Isa is a dancer. She’d love to go pro, if only her Havana-born mom weren’t dead set against it…just like she’s dead set against her daughter falling for a Latino. And Isa’s privileged private-school life—with her dad losing his job and her older brother struggling with mental illness—is falling apart. Not that she’d ever tell that to Alex.   Fate—and the New York City subway—bring Alex and Isa together. Is it enough to keep them together when they need each other most?

Everything Within and In Between

Everything Within and In Between - YA Books by Latino Authors

Published: October 5, 2021

For Ri Fernández’s entire life, she’s been told, “We live in America and we speak English.” Raised by her strict Mexican grandma, Ri has never been allowed to learn Spanish.

What’s more, her grandma has pulled Ri away from the community where they once belonged. In its place, Ri has grown up trying to fit in among her best friend’s world of mansions and country clubs in an attempt try to live out her grandmother’s version of the “American Dream.”

In her heart, Ri has always believed that her mother, who disappeared when Ri was young, would accept her exactly how she is and not try to turn her into someone she’s never wanted to be. So when Ri finds a long-hidden letter from her mom begging for a visit, she decides to reclaim what Grandma kept from her: her heritage and her mom.

But nothing goes as planned. Her mom isn’t who Ri imagined she would be and finding her doesn’t make Ri’s struggle to navigate the interweaving threads of her mixed heritage any less complicated. Nobody has any idea of who Ri really is—not even Ri herself.

Salty, Bitter, Sweet

Salty, Bitter, Sweet

Published: March 3, 2020

Aspiring chef Isa’s family life has fallen apart after the death of her Cuban abuela and the divorce of her parents. And after moving in with her dad and her new stepmom, Margo, in Lyon, France, Isa feels like an outsider in her father’s new life. She balances her time between avoiding the awkward “why-did-you-cheat-on-Mom” conversation with figuring out how a perpetually single woman can at least be a perpetually single chef.

The upside of Isa’s world being turned upside down?

Her father’s house is located only 30 minutes away from the restaurant of world-famous Chef Pascal Grattard, who runs a prestigiously competitive international kitchen apprenticeship. The prize job at Chef Grattard’s renowned restaurant also represents a transformative opportunity for Isa who is desperate to get her life back in order—and desperate to prove she has what it takes to work in an haute kitchen. But Isa’s stress and repressed grief begin to unravel when the attractive, enigmatic Diego shows up unannounced with his albino dog.

How can Isa expect to hold it together when she’s at the bottom of her class at the apprenticeship, her new stepmom is pregnant, she misses her abuela dearly, and things with the mysterious Diego reach a boiling point?

books by mexican authors

Published: July 14, 2020

When fifteen-year-old Cuban American Mariana Ruiz’s father runs for president, Mari starts to see him with new eyes. A novel about waking up and standing up, and what happens when you stop seeing your dad as your hero—while the whole country is watching. In this authentic, humorous, and gorgeously written debut novel about privacy, waking up, and speaking up, Senator Anthony Ruiz is running for president. Throughout his successful political career he has always had his daughter’s vote, but a presidential campaign brings a whole new level of scrutiny to sheltered fifteen-year-old Mariana and the rest of her Cuban American family, from a  60 Minutes –style tour of their house to tabloids doctoring photos and inventing scandals. As tensions rise within the Ruiz family, Mari begins to learn about the details of her father’s political positions, and she realizes that her father is not the man she thought he was. But how do you find your voice when everyone’s watching? When it means disagreeing with your father—publicly? What do you do when your dad stops being your hero? Will Mari get a chance to confront her father? If she does, will she have the courage to seize it? 

Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From

Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From

Published: August 18, 2020

First-generation American LatinX Liliana Cruz does what it takes to fit in at her new nearly all-white school. But when family secrets spill out and racism at school ramps up, she must decide what she believes in and take a stand.

Liliana Cruz is a hitting a wall—or rather, walls.

There’s the wall her mom has put up ever since Liliana’s dad left—again.

There’s the wall that delineates Liliana’s diverse inner-city Boston neighborhood from Westburg, the wealthy—and white—suburban high school she’s just been accepted into.

And there’s the wall Liliana creates within herself, because to survive at Westburg, she can’t just lighten up, she has to  whiten  up.

So what if she changes her name? So what if she changes the way she talks? So what if she’s seeing her neighborhood in a different way? But then light is shed on some hard truths: It isn’t that her father doesn’t want to come home—he can’t…and her whole family is in jeopardy. And when racial tensions at school reach a fever pitch, the walls that divide feel insurmountable.

But a wall isn’t always a barrier. It can be a foundation for something better. And Liliana must choose: Use this foundation as a platform to speak her truth, or risk crumbling under its weight.

Clap When You Land

Clap When You Land - YA Books by Latino Authors

Published: May 5, 2020

Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people…

In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.

Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.

And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other. 

We Are Not From Here

We Are Not From Here

Published: May 19, 2020

Pulga has his dreams. Chico has his grief. Pequeña has her pride.

And these three teens have one another. But none of them have illusions about the town they’ve grown up in and the dangers that surround them. Even with the love of family, threats lurk around every corner. And when those threats become all too real, the trio knows they have no choice but to run: from their country, from their families, from their beloved home.

Crossing from Guatemala through Mexico, they follow the route of La Bestia, the perilous train system that might deliver them to a better life–if they are lucky enough to survive the journey. With nothing but the bags on their backs and desperation drumming through their hearts, Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña know there is no turning back, despite the unknown that awaits them. And the darkness that seems to follow wherever they go.

In this striking portrait of lives torn apart, the plight of migrants at the U.S. southern border is brought to light through poignant, vivid storytelling. An epic journey of danger, resilience, heartache, and hope.

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything 

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything - YA Books by Latino Authors

Published: August 11, 2020

It’s been three years since ICE raids and phone calls from Mexico and an ill-fated walk across the Sonoran. Three years since Sia Martinez’s mom disappeared. Sia wants to move on, but it’s hard in her tiny Arizona town where people refer to her mom’s deportation as “an unfortunate incident.”

Sia knows that her mom must be dead, but every new moon Sia drives into the desert and lights San Anthony and la Guadalupe candles to guide her mom home.

Then one night, under a million stars, Sia’s life and the world as we know it cracks wide open. Because a blue-lit spacecraft crashes in front of Sia’s car…and it’s carrying her mom, who’s very much alive.

As Sia races to save her mom from armed-quite-possibly-alien soldiers, she uncovers secrets as profound as they are dangerous in this stunning and inventive exploration of first love, family, immigration, and our vast, limitless universe.

Never Look Back

Never Look Back

Published: September 15, 2020

Eury comes to the Bronx as a girl haunted. Haunted by losing everything in Hurricane Maria–and by an evil spirit, Ato. She fully expects the tragedy that befell her and her family in Puerto Rico to catch up with her in New York. Yet, for a time, she can almost set this fear aside, because there’s this boy . . .

Pheus is a golden-voiced, bachata-singing charmer, ready to spend the summer on the beach with his friends, serenading his on-again, off-again flame. That changes when he meets Eury. All he wants is to put a smile on her face and fight off her demons. But some dangers are too powerful for even the strongest love, and as the world threatens to tear them apart, Eury and Pheus must fight for each other and their lives.

books by mexican authors

In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life.    At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father.    On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far those talents can take her. In her wildest dreams, she’d get an athletic scholarship to a North American university.   But the path ahead isn’t easy. Her parents don’t know about her passion. They wouldn’t allow a girl to play fútbol—and she needs their permission to go any farther. And the boy she once loved is back in town. Since he left, Diego has become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. Camila doesn’t have time to be distracted by her feelings for him. Things aren’t the same as when he left: she has her own passions and ambitions now, and La Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and ambition of a girl like her.

A Thunderous Whisper

A Thunderous Whisper

Published: October 9, 2012

Ani believes she is just an insignificant whisper of a girl in a loud world. This is what her mother tells her anyway. Her father made her feel important, but he’s been off fighting in Spain’s Civil War, and his voice in her head is fading. Then she meets Mathias. His family has just moved to Guernica and he’s as far from a whisper as a boy can be. Ani thinks Mathias is more like lightning. Mathias’s father is part of a spy network and soon Ani finds herself helping him deliver messages to other members of the underground. For the first time, she’s making a difference in the world. 

And then her world explodes. The sleepy little market town of Guernica is destroyed by Nazi bombers. In one afternoon Ani loses her city, her home, her mother. But in helping the other survivors, Ani gains a sense of her own strength. And she and Mathias make plans to fight back in their own unique way.

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass

books by mexican authors

Published: March 26, 2013

One morning before school, some girl tells Piddy Sanchez that Yaqui Delgado hates her and wants to kick her ass. Piddy doesn’t even know who Yaqui is, never mind what she’s done to piss her off. Word is that Yaqui thinks Piddy is stuck-up, shakes her stuff when she walks, and isn’t Latin enough with her white skin, good grades, and no accent. And Yaqui isn’t kidding around, so Piddy better watch her back. At first Piddy is more concerned with trying to find out more about the father she’s never met and how to balance honors courses with her weekend job at the neighborhood hair salon. But as the harassment escalates, avoiding Yaqui and her gang starts to take over Piddy’s life. Is there any way for Piddy to survive without closing herself off or running away? In an all-too-realistic novel, Meg Medina portrays a sympathetic heroine who is forced to decide who she really is.

Once Upon a Quinceañera

Once Upon a Quinceañera

Published: July 5, 2022

Carmen Aguilar just wants to make her happily ever after come true. Except apparently “happily ever after” for Carmen involves being stuck in an unpaid summer internship. Now she has to perform as a party princess! In a ball gown. During the summer. In Miami.

Fine. Except that’s only the first misfortune in what’s turning out to be a summer of Utter Disaster. 

But if Carmen can manage dancing in the blistering heat, fending off an oh-so-unfortunately attractive ex, and stopping her spoiled cousin from ruining her own quinceañera—Carmen might just get that happily ever after—after all.

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega

books by mexican authors

Published: February 2, 2021

Coming of age as a Fat brown girl in a white Connecticut suburb is hard. Harder when your whole life is on fire, though. Charlie Vega is a lot of things. Smart. Funny. Artistic. Ambitious. Fat. People sometimes have a problem with that last one. Especially her mom. Charlie wants a good relationship with her body, but it’s hard, and her mom leaving a billion weight loss shakes on her dresser doesn’t help. The world and everyone in it have ideas about what she should look like: thinner, lighter, slimmer-faced, straighter-haired.  Be smaller. Be whiter. Be quieter. But there’s one person who’s always in Charlie’s corner: her best friend Amelia. Slim. Popular. Athletic. Totally dope. So when Charlie starts a tentative relationship with cute classmate Brian, the first worthwhile guy to notice her, everything is perfect until she learns one thing–he asked Amelia out first. So is she his second choice or what? Does he even really see her? Because it’s time people did.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

Published: October 17, 2017

Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never  abandon  their family.   But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role.   Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out  every possible way  Julia has failed.   But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal?

Sanctuary - YA Books by Latino Authors

Published: September 1, 2020

It’s 2032, and in this near-future America, all citizens are chipped and everyone is tracked–from buses to grocery stores. It’s almost impossible to survive as an undocumented immigrant, but that’s exactly what sixteen-year-old Vali is doing. She and her family have carved out a stable, happy life in small-town Vermont, but when Vali’s mother’s counterfeit chip starts malfunctioning and the Deportation Forces raid their town, they are forced to flee.

Now on the run, Vali and her family are desperately trying to make it to her tía Luna’s in California, a sanctuary state that is currently being walled off from the rest of the country. But when Vali’s mother is detained before their journey even really begins, Vali must carry on with her younger brother across the country to make it to safety before it’s too late.

Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity

Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity

Published: February 8, 2022

Overachiever Luz “Lulu” Zavala has straight As, perfect attendance, and a solid ten-year plan. First up: nail her interview for a dream internship at Stanford, the last stop on her school’s cross-country college road trip. The only flaw in her plan is Clara, her oldest sister, who went off to college and sparked a massive fight with their overprotective Peruvian mom, who is now convinced that out-of-state-college will destroy their family. If Lulu can’t fix whatever went wrong between them, the whole trip—and her future—will be a waste.

Middle sister Milagro wants nothing to do with college or a nerdy class field trip. Then a spot opens up on the trip just as her own spring break plans (Operation Don’t Die a Virgin) are thwarted, and she hops on the bus with her glittery lipsticks, more concerned about getting back at her ex than she is about schools or any family drama. But the trip opens her eyes about possibilities she’d never imagined for herself. Maybe she is more than the boy-crazy girl everyone seems to think she is.

On a journey from Baltimore all the way to San Francisco, Lulu and Milagro will become begrudging partners as they unpack weighty family expectations, uncover Clara’s secrets, and maybe even discover the true meaning of sisterhood.

When We Make It

When We Make It - YA Books by Latino Authors

Published: September 21, 2021

Sarai is a first-generation Puerto Rican eighth grader who can see with clarity the truth, pain, and beauty of the world both inside and outside her Bushwick apartment. Together with her older sister Estrella, she navigates the strain of family traumas and the systemic pressures of toxic masculinity and housing insecurity in a rapidly gentrifying Brooklyn. Sarai questions the society around her, her Boricua identity, and the life she lives with determination and an open heart, learning to celebrate herself in a way that she has been denied. When We Make It  is a love letter to anyone who was taught to believe that they would not make it. To those who  feel  their emotions before they can name them. To those who still may not have all the language but they have their story. Velasquez’ debut novel is sure to leave an indelible mark on all who read it.

Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet

Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet - YA Books by Latino Authors

Published: April 6, 2021

Penelope Prado  has always dreamed of opening her own pastelería next to her father’s restaurant, Nacho’s Tacos. But her mom and dad have different plans—leaving Pen to choose between not disappointing her traditional Mexican American parents or following her own path. When she confesses a secret she’s been keeping, her world is sent into a tailspin. But then she meets a cute new hire at Nacho’s who sees through her hard exterior and asks the questions she’s been too afraid to ask herself.

Xander Amaro  has been searching for home since he was a little boy. For him, a job at Nacho’s is an opportunity for just that—a chance at a normal life, to settle in at his abuelo’s, and to find the father who left him behind. But when both the restaurant and Xander’s immigrant status are threatened, he will do whatever it takes to protect his newfound family and himself.

Together, Pen and Xander must navigate first love and discovering where they belong in order to save the place they all call home.

There they are: 20 of the best young adult books by Latino authors. Which of these have you read, and which would you recommend?

More YA Book Lists

  • Native American YA

Pin This Post – Best YA Books by Latino Authors

books by mexican authors

Don't Forget to Share!

' src=

  • About Afoma Umesi

Afoma Umesi is the founder and editor of Reading Middle Grade where she curates book lists and writes book reviews for kids of all ages. Her favorite genre to read is contemporary realistic fiction and she'll never say no to a graphic novel.

Related Posts

books by mexican authors

Afoma Umesi

screenshot of 100 best middle grade books printable

FREE DOWNLOAD

Join My Friday Kidlit Newsletter

Sign up to receive weekly roundups, kidlit resources, and more! I'll send you my printable list of 100 best middle grade books to start!

Reader Interactions

What do you think leave a comment cancel reply.

' src=

February 25, 2022 at 1:42 am

Looks like a lot of good books on this list. Thanks for introducing them to me.

' src=

February 25, 2022 at 6:13 am

My pleasure!

Join Reading Middle Grade on Instagram

Sharing the best middle grade (and adult) book recommendations @ whatafomareads

books by mexican authors

MOST SEARCHED

  • Book Reviews
  • Middle Grade Book Reviews
  • Middle Grade Books
  • Picture Books
  • Book Lists By Grade
  • Early Chapter Books
  • Books for Teens

QUICK LINKS

  • Book Lists by Age
  • Books by Theme

LET’S CONNECT

  • KidLit Facebook Group

Discover more from Reading Middle Grade

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Marie Claire US

Marie Claire US

25 Books by Latinx Authors You Should Read Immediately

Posted: May 14, 2023 | Last updated: August 4, 2023

<p>                     Reading takes you places you never thought you could go—it's why most of us fall in love with books. Sometimes books lead us to a small village in Mexico or to New York City in 1965, or, perhaps, to the beaches of Miami. (Who doesn't want a free trip to Miami?) Often, the stories are so enthralling the bookmark that rests on our side table rarely ever gets used. If you're looking for those kinds of books—ones you can't put down—you can find them on this list, courtesy of some seriously talented Latinx authors.                   </p>                                      <p>                     It's no secret the world of publishing can look a certain way, so here at <em>Marie Claire</em>, we want to shine a light on the best books by a multitude of authors from different backgrounds. Sure, we're already doing that through our monthly online book club, #ReadWithMC, but why not go one step further? (Our extensive lists on books by Black and LGBTQ+ authors are also filled with page-turners, which can be found on our website.)                    </p>                                      <p>                     Ahead, dive into some of the best books―both fiction and nonfiction―by Latinx authors. Whether it's a story of first love, a visit to a horror house gone wrong, a gripping history of rebellion and espionage, or a collection of short stories, there's a narrative for everyone on this list. Your reading palette deserves a little change, and there's no better place to start than here.                    </p>                                      <p>                     <em>By Bianca Rodriguez, Gabrielle Ulubay</em>                   </p>

Books by Latinx Authors You Should Read Immediately

Reading takes you places you never thought you could go—it's why most of us fall in love with books. Sometimes books lead us to a small village in Mexico or to New York City in 1965, or, perhaps, to the beaches of Miami. (Who doesn't want a free trip to Miami?) Often, the stories are so enthralling the bookmark that rests on our side table rarely ever gets used. If you're looking for those kinds of books—ones you can't put down—you can find them on this list, courtesy of some seriously talented Latinx authors.

It's no secret the world of publishing can look a certain way, so here at  Marie Claire , we want to shine a light on the best books by a multitude of authors from different backgrounds. Sure, we're already doing that through our monthly online book club, #ReadWithMC, but why not go one step further? (Our extensive lists on books by Black and LGBTQ+ authors are also filled with page-turners, which can be found on our website.) 

Ahead, dive into some of the best books―both fiction and nonfiction―by Latinx authors. Whether it's a story of first love, a visit to a horror house gone wrong, a gripping history of rebellion and espionage, or a collection of short stories, there's a narrative for everyone on this list. Your reading palette deserves a little change, and there's no better place to start than here. 

By Bianca Rodriguez, Gabrielle Ulubay

<p>                     Esmeralda Santiago's <em>When I Was Puerto Rican </em>is a groundbreaking memoir about transitioning from life in rural Puerto Rico to life in New York City. Not only is it an intimate depiction of the immigrant experience, but it's also an honest portrait of daily life and everyday politics during the late twentieth century.                   </p>

'When I Was Puerto Rican' by Esmeralda Santiago

Esmeralda Santiago's When I Was Puerto Rican is a groundbreaking memoir about transitioning from life in rural Puerto Rico to life in New York City. Not only is it an intimate depiction of the immigrant experience, but it's also an honest portrait of daily life and everyday politics during the late twentieth century.

<p>                     Internationally acclaimed author Isabel Allende came out with <em>Violeta</em> in 2022, making it one of the year's most anticipated books. <em>Violeta </em>is a coming-of-age story that takes place in the 1920s, with protagonist Violeta experiencing the full force of the decade's tumult, from the Spanish Flu to the Great Depression.                   </p>

'Violeta' by Isabel Allende

Internationally acclaimed author Isabel Allende came out with Violeta in 2022, making it one of the year's most anticipated books. Violeta is a coming-of-age story that takes place in the 1920s, with protagonist Violeta experiencing the full force of the decade's tumult, from the Spanish Flu to the Great Depression.

<p>                     This interdisciplinary exploration of Puerto Rican literature is perfect for those who adore the Latin American canon and for those in search of what to read next. In this intersectional book, Garcia explores how female Puerto Rican authors use writing to heal their trauma―both personal and collective.                   </p>

'Healing Memories' by Elizabeth Garcia

This interdisciplinary exploration of Puerto Rican literature is perfect for those who adore the Latin American canon and for those in search of what to read next. In this intersectional book, Garcia explores how female Puerto Rican authors use writing to heal their trauma―both personal and collective.

<p>                     While Junot Diaz is controversial at best, his books remain meaningful for their explorations of race, gender, toxic masculinity, and intergenerational trauma and tension. His unique take on the second-generation Dominican experience in <em>The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao </em>is augmented by historically accurate footnotes that contextualize the experiences of his characters, making this a must-read for fiction lovers and history buffs alike.                   </p>

'The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao' by Junot Diaz

While Junot Diaz is controversial at best, his books remain meaningful for their explorations of race, gender, toxic masculinity, and intergenerational trauma and tension. His unique take on the second-generation Dominican experience in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is augmented by historically accurate footnotes that contextualize the experiences of his characters, making this a must-read for fiction lovers and history buffs alike.

<p>                     Julia Alvarez's <em>How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents </em>is an essential modern classic about the Latin American experience in the United States. In this novel, the four Garcia sisters leave their upper-class lives in the Dominican Republic for New York City in 1960, where they come of age and try to navigate the chasm between their old life and their new one.                   </p>

'How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents' by Julia Alvarez

Julia Alvarez's How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents is an essential modern classic about the Latin American experience in the United States. In this novel, the four Garcia sisters leave their upper-class lives in the Dominican Republic for New York City in 1960, where they come of age and try to navigate the chasm between their old life and their new one.

<p>                     This book is essential (and quick) reading for anyone interested in learning more about the refugee crisis at the United States' southern border. Luiselli, who translates for refugees applying for asylum in the U.S., thoroughly explains the crisis in concise language that cuts straight to the heart of the issue with facts, statistics, and first-hand stories.                   </p>

'Tell Me How It Ends' by Valeria Luiselli

This book is essential (and quick) reading for anyone interested in learning more about the refugee crisis at the United States' southern border. Luiselli, who translates for refugees applying for asylum in the U.S., thoroughly explains the crisis in concise language that cuts straight to the heart of the issue with facts, statistics, and first-hand stories.

<p>                     <em>The Book of Unknown Americans </em>is a moving, at-times harrowing exploration of the racism and xenophobia that a family experiences after moving from Mexico to the United States. An eye-opening account of modern-day anti-immigrant sentiment, you'll blow through this accessibly written novel in record time.                   </p>

'The Book of Unknown Americans' by Cristina Henriquez

The Book of Unknown Americans is a moving, at-times harrowing exploration of the racism and xenophobia that a family experiences after moving from Mexico to the United States. An eye-opening account of modern-day anti-immigrant sentiment, you'll blow through this accessibly written novel in record time.

<p>                     This anthology is a treasure for any fan of Caribbean literature. It includes poetry, nonfiction, political essays, memoir excerpts, and short fiction from a myriad of authors past and present. The collection, which spans centuries of Puerto Rican history, explores everything from gender to race to sexuality, and includes authors both in Puerto Rico itself and those writing about their experiences as Puerto Ricans living on the mainland United States.                   </p>

'Boricuas: Influential Puerto Rican Writings - An Anthology' by Roberto Santiago

This anthology is a treasure for any fan of Caribbean literature. It includes poetry, nonfiction, political essays, memoir excerpts, and short fiction from a myriad of authors past and present. The collection, which spans centuries of Puerto Rican history, explores everything from gender to race to sexuality, and includes authors both in Puerto Rico itself and those writing about their experiences as Puerto Ricans living on the mainland United States.

<p>                     Fans of Gabriel García Márquez and the Latin American genre of magical realism will love this novel, which delves into the lived experiences of a family of Cuban women before, during, and after the Cuban Revolution. It's a beautiful, sumptuous novel that speaks to the emotional experience of this country's complex history.                   </p>

'Dreaming in Cuban' by Cristina Garcia

Fans of Gabriel García Márquez and the Latin American genre of magical realism will love this novel, which delves into the lived experiences of a family of Cuban women before, during, and after the Cuban Revolution. It's a beautiful, sumptuous novel that speaks to the emotional experience of this country's complex history.

<p>                     <em>War Against All Puerto Ricans </em>is an honest, often shocking history of how the American government brutally shut down the Puerto Rican independence movement and curbed free speech among the population during the twentieth century. Much like Michelle Alexander's seminal <em>The New Jim Crow, </em>it's a critical look at how the United States has treated its minority populations, and it contextualizes the dire economic and political situation in Puerto Rico today.                   </p>

'War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in America's Colony' by Nelson A. Denis

War Against All Puerto Ricans is an honest, often shocking history of how the American government brutally shut down the Puerto Rican independence movement and curbed free speech among the population during the twentieth century. Much like Michelle Alexander's seminal The New Jim Crow, it's a critical look at how the United States has treated its minority populations, and it contextualizes the dire economic and political situation in Puerto Rico today.

<p>                     Young love is a beautiful thing, and Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza are the epitome of it. All good things must come to an end, though, and when Fermina chooses to marry a wealthy doctor, Florentino is left crushed. Still, his love for her never falters, and when word of her rich husband's passing reaches his ears, he sets off to declare his love for Fermina once and for all.                   </p>

'Love in the Time of Cholera' by Gabriel García Márquez

Young love is a beautiful thing, and Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza are the epitome of it. All good things must come to an end, though, and when Fermina chooses to marry a wealthy doctor, Florentino is left crushed. Still, his love for her never falters, and when word of her rich husband's passing reaches his ears, he sets off to declare his love for Fermina once and for all.

<p>                     In her first adult novel in almost 15 years, Alvarez tells the story of immigration writer Antonia Vega and the series of events that happen after she retires from teaching college-level English. It asks questions concerning family, parenthood, losing love ones, and believing in yourself. It's utterly poetic.                    </p>

'Afterlife' by Julia Alvarez

In her first adult novel in almost 15 years, Alvarez tells the story of immigration writer Antonia Vega and the series of events that happen after she retires from teaching college-level English. It asks questions concerning family, parenthood, losing love ones, and believing in yourself. It's utterly poetic. 

<p>                     Two telenovela stars sign on to be love interests in the newest romantic comedy from one of the world's biggest streaming services. Wanting to make sure the movie's a hit, they agree to rehearse off-set to make sure their on-screen chemistry is steamy. Things get interesting between the two, and quick, if you know what I mean. *wink wink*                   </p>

'You Had Me at Hola' by Alexis Daria

Two telenovela stars sign on to be love interests in the newest romantic comedy from one of the world's biggest streaming services. Wanting to make sure the movie's a hit, they agree to rehearse off-set to make sure their on-screen chemistry is steamy. Things get interesting between the two, and quick, if you know what I mean. *wink wink*

<p>                     This collection of 11 short stories centers on the lives of different Latina women of Indigenous ancestry who live in Denver, Colorado. Each narrative focuses on different issues, from abandonment to death to love, family, and more. One story in, and you'll see why it was nominated for 2019's National Book Award in the fiction category.                   </p>

'Sabrina & Corina: Stories' by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

This collection of 11 short stories centers on the lives of different Latina women of Indigenous ancestry who live in Denver, Colorado. Each narrative focuses on different issues, from abandonment to death to love, family, and more. One story in, and you'll see why it was nominated for 2019's National Book Award in the fiction category.

<p>                     Carolina Santos is a wedding planner who was left at the altar. Ironic, yes, but she quickly puts the past behind her...until she gets the opportunity to expand her business and is forced to face that past again. She's tasked with working with her ex-fiancé's brother, Max. They both strive to have a professional relationship, but as the weeks go on, other feelings start to bubble to the surface.                   </p>

'The Worst Best Man' by Mia Sosa

Carolina Santos is a wedding planner who was left at the altar. Ironic, yes, but she quickly puts the past behind her...until she gets the opportunity to expand her business and is forced to face that past again. She's tasked with working with her ex-fiancé's brother, Max. They both strive to have a professional relationship, but as the weeks go on, other feelings start to bubble to the surface.

<p>                     Two sisters who never knew each other existed discover the truth about each other when their father dies in a plane crash. As they come to terms with their new reality, they establish a bond that will change their lives forever.                   </p>

'Clap When You Land' by Elizabeth Acevedo

Two sisters who never knew each other existed discover the truth about each other when their father dies in a plane crash. As they come to terms with their new reality, they establish a bond that will change their lives forever.

<p>                     Puerto Rican girls are taught to want one thing growing up: true love. In this collection of short fictional stories, Rodriguez illustrates that this kind of love isn't always achieved, especially as these girls are raised by women who have witnessed the betrayal, grief, and violence that can come with relationships.                   </p>

Puerto Rican girls are taught to want one thing growing up: true love. In this collection of short fictional stories, Rodriguez illustrates that this kind of love isn't always achieved, especially as these girls are raised by women who have witnessed the betrayal, grief, and violence that can come with relationships.

<p>                     When Juan Ruiz proposes to 15-year-old Ana Cancion, she says yes. Sure, he's twice her age, but his proposal promises a new life in New York City. On New Year's Day 1965, they set out for their new lives and leave behind an old one. When there, Ana finds herself homesick, she struggles between following her heart or staying true to her family.                   </p>

'Dominicana' by Angie Cruz

When Juan Ruiz proposes to 15-year-old Ana Cancion, she says yes. Sure, he's twice her age, but his proposal promises a new life in New York City. On New Year's Day 1965, they set out for their new lives and leave behind an old one. When there, Ana finds herself homesick, she struggles between following her heart or staying true to her family.

<p>                     A woman known in the Mexican village of La Matosa as "The Witch" is found floating in a body of water. Throughout this book's chapters, eight characters are introduced and tell their stories, filling in the blanks as to why the town's most infamous woman is dead. It's gritty and filled with violence, but the story will stick with you long after its final page.                   </p>

'Hurricane Season' by Fernanda Melchor

A woman known in the Mexican village of La Matosa as "The Witch" is found floating in a body of water. Throughout this book's chapters, eight characters are introduced and tell their stories, filling in the blanks as to why the town's most infamous woman is dead. It's gritty and filled with violence, but the story will stick with you long after its final page.

<p>                     Felipe's looking forward to school break and 15 days of uninterrupted alone time—until his mother informs him that Caio, the kid from apartment 57, will be spending the break with them while his parents are on vacation. The only problem? He has possibly the world's biggest crush on Caio.                   </p>

'Here the Whole Time' by Vitor Martins

Felipe's looking forward to school break and 15 days of uninterrupted alone time—until his mother informs him that Caio, the kid from apartment 57, will be spending the break with them while his parents are on vacation. The only problem? He has possibly the world's biggest crush on Caio.

<p>                     Set in Uruguay in 1977, five women discover an uninhabited cape, Cabo Polonio, and claim it as their secret sanctuary to escape their current world—one where they can be punished for being gay. Over the next 35 years, the women move between their two worlds as they experience all things that make life so great: love, family, community, and more.                   </p>

'Cantoras' by Carolina De Robertis

Set in Uruguay in 1977, five women discover an uninhabited cape, Cabo Polonio, and claim it as their secret sanctuary to escape their current world—one where they can be punished for being gay. Over the next 35 years, the women move between their two worlds as they experience all things that make life so great: love, family, community, and more.

<p>                     Olga was always the perfect daughter, not Julia, but when a tragic accident takes her beloved sister's life, Julia is left to pick up the pieces. As she sorts through her older sister's past and tries to move forward, Julia soon realizes her sister wasn't as perfect as she thought and that there was more to her sister than just the image their mother made for her.                   </p>

'I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter' by Erika L. Sánchez

Olga was always the perfect daughter, not Julia, but when a tragic accident takes her beloved sister's life, Julia is left to pick up the pieces. As she sorts through her older sister's past and tries to move forward, Julia soon realizes her sister wasn't as perfect as she thought and that there was more to her sister than just the image their mother made for her.

<p>                     When Noemí's father receives a suspicious letter from her recently married cousin, Catalina, he sends her out to visit her cousin. When she arrives at the house in the Mexican countryside, something feels off, and it's not just the family that lives there.                   </p>

'Mexican Gothic' by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

When Noemí's father receives a suspicious letter from her recently married cousin, Catalina, he sends her out to visit her cousin. When she arrives at the house in the Mexican countryside, something feels off, and it's not just the family that lives there.

<p>                     Fifteen-year-old Francisca moves from Bogotá, Colombia, with her sister and mother to live with their grandmother in Miami. Her family soon seeks refuge in a Colombian immigrant fundamentalist church, but Francisca finds herself sticking out like a sore thumb. She forms an unlikely friendship with the pastor's daughter, but those friendly feelings quickly turn into something more.                   </p>

'Fiebre Tropical' by Juliana Delgado Lopera

Fifteen-year-old Francisca moves from Bogotá, Colombia, with her sister and mother to live with their grandmother in Miami. Her family soon seeks refuge in a Colombian immigrant fundamentalist church, but Francisca finds herself sticking out like a sore thumb. She forms an unlikely friendship with the pastor's daughter, but those friendly feelings quickly turn into something more.

<p>                     Find yourself falling into an epic tale of three generations of Chilean women: Clara, Blanca, and Alba Del Valle Trueba. One experiences forbidden love, another fights for a revolution, and one faces supernatural wonders. It's the ultimate family saga.                   </p>

'The House of the Spirits' by Isabel Allende

Find yourself falling into an epic tale of three generations of Chilean women: Clara, Blanca, and Alba Del Valle Trueba. One experiences forbidden love, another fights for a revolution, and one faces supernatural wonders. It's the ultimate family saga.

More for You

Andrew Hitt

Wisconsin fake elector on why he signed phony electoral document for Trump

Julian Assange’s moment of truth has arrived – and the stakes are high

Julian Assange’s moment of truth has arrived – and the stakes are high

25 Years Ago, Stephen King Made His Best TV Thriller of the 20th Century

25 Years Ago, Stephen King Made His Best TV Thriller of the 20th Century

Tennessee senators denounce Nazi rally participants who marched through Downtown Nashville

Tennessee senators denounce Nazi rally participants who marched through Downtown Nashville

N.Y. Archdiocese Denounces ‘Scandalous’, ‘Sacrilegious’ Behavior at St. Patrick’s Cathedral during Trans Activist’s Funeral

N.Y. Archdiocese Denounces ‘Scandalous’, ‘Sacrilegious’ Behavior at St. Patrick’s Cathedral during Trans Activist’s Funeral

We May Have Botched Our Global Warming Timeline

Oops, Scientists May Have Miscalculated Our Global Warming Timeline

The audio recording

Analyst Dismantles Trump’s List of Election Fraud Evidence

Mac McClung, G-League star

Mac McClung saves NBA Dunk Contest as bad judges make Joel Embiid call 'next'

21 Random, Not-Famous Movie Quotes That People Quote All The Time Anyway

21 Random, Not-Famous Movie Quotes That People Quote All The Time Anyway

I made over $225,000 in a year as a 27-year-old government contractor overseas — and got paid to travel in my free time

I made over $225,000 in a year as a 27-year-old government contractor overseas — and got paid to travel in my free time

What it's like to be non-binary and have a feminine body

What it's like to be non-binary and have a feminine body

Secret Menu Items From Your Favorite Restaurants

Secret Menu Items From Your Favorite Restaurants

Trump met with boos and chants while selling sneakers in Philadelphia

Trump met with boos and chants while selling sneakers in Philadelphia

Feb 17, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) grabs a basketball during the three-point contest during NBA All Star Saturday Night at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Reggie Miller couldn't believe how clueless Kenny Smith was about Tyrese Haliburton's 3-point shooting

This Social Security Rule Isn't Changing Again in 2024 -- Even Though Retirees Would Be Better Off If It Did

This Social Security Rule Isn't Changing Again in 2024 -- Even Though Retirees Would Be Better Off If It Did

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev arrives to the Russian-Chinese talks at the Grand Kremlin Palace, on March 21, 2023 in Moscow, Russia. (Contributor/Getty Images)

Russia’s Medvedev threatens to nuke US, UK, Germany, Ukraine if Russia loses occupied territories

House Republicans stand by their decision to oust George Santos even as it cost them a GOP seat: 'You have to have standards'

House Republicans stand by their decision to oust George Santos even as it cost them a GOP seat: 'You have to have standards'

How rare are redheads?

The Science Behind Red Hair: 12 Facts About Redheads You Never Knew

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2024/02/02: Governor Kathy Hochul speaks to press after attending the District Attorney Association of NYS winter conference at Intercontinental Barclay. Press briefing was attended by Erie County District Attorney John Flynn, Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz, Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah, Kings County (Brooklyn) District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven G. James.

Hochul apologizes after saying Israel 'has right to defend itself' with 'inappropriate' Canada analogy

7 House Items Buyers Almost Always Regret

7 House Items Buyers Almost Always Regret

Click here to subscribe

The Uncorked Librarian logo 2023 with gray cat, green suitcase, and pile of books with glass on wine on top and tv remote

22 Best Books About Mexico

This post may contain affiliate links that earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

Travel to North America with the best books about Mexico. These Mexican books are sure to teach you more and take you there.

If you are traveling via plane or armchair, which Mexican novels should you read before going?

Below, find translated Mexican literature, short stories, thrillers, and fantasy books about Mexico to transport you there.

Some will teach you about a darker history of unrest, war, and protests. Others will ask you to help solve fictional crimes or inspire your cooking.

Many of these Mexican books will talk about the meaning of home, family, and love. Explore themes of immigration and identity too.

Plus, find books set in Mexico for fantasy, horror, crime, and vampire lovers along with those that showcase beaches, creepy remote locations, and destinations.

So, what are the best books about Mexico to teach you more and enhance your next trip there? Let’s get started.

This reading list is perfect for June 2022’s Uncorked Reading Challenge theme. You may also love these Mexican films .

Best Books About Mexico with orange wall and bougainvillea in Mexico City

Grab your favorite Mexican novels and history books here:

  • Audible Plus : From Amazon, listen to Amazon Originals, podcasts, and audiobooks. They add new titles every week.
  • Book of the Month : Get the month’s hottest new and upcoming titles from Book of the Month. You might snag an early release or debut author. Along with selecting a book a month, find terrific add-ons, both trendy and lesser-known titles.
  • Amazon Prime Video – Stream thousands of ad-free movies and TV series on demand with Prime Video.
  • Express VPN – Using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) allows you to view movies worldwide – and they help keep your information safe. Our writers couldn’t have such diverse film reviews without using a VPN.

Table of Contents

Contemporary Books About Mexico

By Dagney McKinney

I'll Sell You a Dog by Juan Pablo Villalobos book cover with two illustrated dogs around a bottle on  turquoise background

I’ll Sell You a Dog by Juan Pablo Villalobos, translated by Rosalind Harvey

78-year-old Teo used to be a taco salesman. He’ll tell you that his “Gringo Dog” recipe made him famous across all of Mexico City.

He’ll tell you that he used to be an aspiring artist, but that his dream was quashed by his mother. He’ll tell you a lot of things.

The fact that Teo can only tell these things to a group of other elderly people who also live in his rundown building should tell you a lot more about our illustrious “hero.”

But the more he talks, the more you might be convinced that at least some of what he says is based on truth.

Throw in a revolutionary greengrocer, an enthusiastic Mormon determined to spread the word of the Lord, and plenty of dogs, and you’ve got one of the wittiest and whimsical books about Mexico written in recent years.

With plenty of thematic and literary similarities to The Catcher in the Rye , Juan Pablo Villalobos’ account of a retired salesman’s reflections on life in Mexico City will leave you confused, amused, and possibly even enlightened. Read I’ll Sell You A Dog : Amazon | Goodreads

Irma Voth by Miriam Toews book cover with green and orangish background

Irma Voth by Miriam Toews

The titular Irma Voth is a young woman living in a remote Mennonite community in rural Chihuahua, Mexico. When she marries a non-Mennonite Mexican man, her father banishes her to a neighboring farm.

Nineteen and cut off from all but her sister, Irma is further devastated when her husband’s work in the drug trade keeps him away for longer and longer periods.

But just as her isolation is becoming too much to bear, Diego, a popular Mexican filmmaker, arrives to make a movie about her former community.

Thanks to Irma’s insider knowledge and language skills, she is hired as a translator and begins to gain a sense of independence.

Emboldened by them, the strangers’ presence in her life and her community will forever change the lives of Irma and her family.

Irma Voth is partly inspired by Toews’ own experience as a Mennonite on the set of the Mexican film Silent Light .

Toews was invited to audition for the film by director Carlos Reygadas after he read another of her books about a Mennonite community in Canada. Read Irma Voth : Amazon | Goodreads

Sea Monsters by Chloe Aridjis book cover with mollusk shells on blue and turquoise background

Sea Monsters by Chloe Aridjis

Seventeen-year-old Luisa’s life is lacking. Luisa wants adventure and freedom.

She wants to track down a troupe of missing soviet circus dwarfs – but don’t pick this book up for them because they only exist in the background of Luisa’s coming of age story.

So, Luisa takes control of her own life, and one afternoon in 1980s Mexico City, instead of going home after school, she boards a bus with bad-boy Tomás, whom she barely knows.

In her search, Luisa winds up in a beach community in Oaxaca surrounded by hippies, nudists, and other eccentric characters.

If you’re looking for books about Mexico you’re guaranteed to like, Sea of Monsters isn’t it. This seems to be a very marmite book with its slow, slice of life, and meandering plot.

It also falls somewhat in the category of telling not showing, but if, like me, that type of writing sometimes works for you and the premise sounds appealing, Sea Monsters is a truly unique book.

Sea Monsters is the winner of the 2020 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. Read Sea Monsters : Amazon | Goodreads

Crime Fiction Books Set in Mexico

The Transmigration of Bodies by Yuri Herrera book cover with city at night with dark black and purple hues

The Transmigration of Bodies by Yuri Herrera, translated by Lisa Dillman

In a city being ravaged by plague, former essential conveniences such as running water are no longer working. In their desperation, this has led many people to turn to crime in order to stay alive.

The streets are mostly deserted, with those who are alive attempting to isolate themselves in order to avoid becoming ill and dying. As society begins to crumble, organized crime is thriving.

Into this setting steps The Redeemer – a grim-faced, hard-boiled vigilante who lives and works among those who frequent the criminal underworld.

As a fixer, he’ll work for almost anyone. When the need arises for two rival groups of criminals to exchange dead bodies, it is the Redeemer who will oversee the transaction. Assuming all goes to plan, that is.

With influences and similarities to Romeo and Juliet and the works of crime authors such as Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, this post-apocalyptic noir is one of the best books about Mexico to cover contemporary issues in a new literary light.

The Transmigration of Bodies is part of a trilogy of books along these lines, though it can be read as a stand-alone novel in its own right. Read The Transmigration of Bodies : Amazon | Goodreads

An Easy Thing by Paco Ignacio Taibo II book cover with man's face with shadows smoking

An Easy Thing by Paco Ignacio Taibo II, translated by William I. Neuman

In this noir detective crime thriller, Paco Ignacio Taibo’s stimulant-addicted detective Hector Shayne sets out to solve not one, but three new cases – each one more different than the last.

As he chains cigarettes and Coca Colas together, Shayne must work out what happens when someone dies in a corrupt factory.

He must also reveal who is threatening the daughter of a former porn actress and get to the bottom of the disappearance of the Mexican Revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata.

Fortunately, he has acute insomnia, so he’ll have plenty of time to put his mind to it.

There are plenty of books set in Mexico that use Mexico City itself as a backdrop.

However, Taibo’s take on the nation’s capital gives it an extra dimension, making it into a character in its own right, as you would hope from a noir novel.

An Easy Thing is the second book in a series with detective Hector Shayne as the protagonist, with each plot providing a new and different mystery to solve – or mysteries in this case. Read An Easy Thing : Amazon | Goodreads

The Underdogs: A Novel of the Mexican Revolution by Mariano Azuela book cover with classic seal and person's trunk dressed for batttle

The Underdogs: A Novel of the Mexican Revolution by Mariano Azuela, translated by Sergio Waisman

A nuanced insight into the dubious morality of war, The Underdogs tells the fictional story of Demetrio Macias and his band of outcasts as they traverse the landscape of the Mexican Revolution.

As an oppressed peasant on the run from his own government’s soldiers due to a misunderstanding with a local landowner, Macias decides to take revenge on those who have wronged him.

Gathering together a group of rebels and misfits, he joins the cause of the Mexican Revolution and begins a journey of sacking and pillaging across the Mexican landscape.

But the longer these men continue to fight, the harder it is for them to remember what they are fighting for.

With many of their actions and tactics seemingly no different from their enemy’s, disillusionment and hopelessness begin to set in. What good is it to fight when you don’t know which side is the right one?

Originally published as a newspaper serial in 1915, this sobering depiction of the moral ambiguity of conflict stands as one of the most definitive Mexican books about the Mexican Revolution. Read The Underdogs : Amazon | Goodreads

2666 by Roberto Bolano book cover with red title

2666 by Roberto Bolaño, translated by Natasha Wimmer

This doorstopper of a book is one of the first books about Mexico I ever read, and it has haunted me ever since.

2666 takes place in the Mexican city of Santa Teresa where women are disappearing without a trace in alarming numbers – hundreds over a decade.

The authorities don’t seem to notice or care, in part because almost all of the women are poor.

Inspired by the real homicides of hundreds of women in Ciudad Juárez, 2666 is a heartbreaking and bleak Mexican book about the violence women endure. But if you can stomach it, it is well worth your time. Read 2666 : Amazon | Goodreads

Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor book cover with black background and white lightning bolt coming down

Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor, translated by Sophie Hughes

The Witch lived in a large but crumbling home where she lured in the youth of La Matosa with wild parties in exchange for sexual favors.

This nonlinear Mexican novel begins with her decomposing body, which the kids of La Matosa find in a canal one afternoon.

The discovery sets the small town on edge, and they become determined to find out who killed the Witch.

But her death is just a catalyst for unearthing uncomfortable truths about the town and its residents. Each chapter is about a different person within the La Matosa .

The story explores their personal histories and traumas – of which there are many.

The chapters are long and written entirely as one block of text in colloquial language that is meant to be reminiscent of traditional Mexican oral traditions.

Melchor was inspired to write the book after reading about a real woman who was found in a canal in Veracruz. When they arrested the man who murdered her, he claimed she tried to bewitch him and he had no choice.

Hurricane Season is a difficult read, but it’s one of the best Mexican books about the harsh realities of violence and machismo within Mexican culture. Read Hurricane Season : Amazon | Goodreads

The Mongolian Conspiracy by Rafael Bernal book cover witth red background and hand holding and pointing a gun

The Mongolian Conspiracy by Rafael Bernal, translated by Katherine Silver

With this multinational political thriller, Rafael Bernal mixes the usual tropes of detective noir into a cocktail of grit, seediness, and brutality so in-your-face that, in a surreal sense, it comes out as amusing.

In 1960s Mexico City, the Mexican police enlist the help of 60-year-old cop Filiberto García to investigate the accuracy of an alleged Chinese-Mongolian plot to assassinate the presidents of both the Soviet Union and the United States at a public event.

With a foul mind and a foul mouth, García heads to Mexico City’s Chinatown to start asking questions and generally stir up things.

But when he has to deal with an increasing number of bodies – caused both by criminals and García himself – it becomes increasingly clear that finding whoever is pulling the strings will be a lot messier than his employers had hoped.

One of the most hard-boiled books about Mexico available, this period crime novel certainly has a distinct narrative voice, with perspective switching between third person and García’s own internal thoughts almost fluidly.

Be warned: “gun for hire” Filiberto García makes for a fairly repellant central character, and the repeated uses of harsh language throughout might be off-putting for those looking for a more lighthearted experience.

If you can see the funny side, you’ll enjoy this book. Read The Mongolian Conspiracy : Amazon | Goodreads

Historical Fiction Books About Mexico

The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea book cover with red designed carved into beige background of a woman's face

The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea

In this historical novel, Luis Alberto Urrea tells the story of the life of Teresita, the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy rancher and future saint.

Following her birth on a large ranch in Sinaloa, Mexico, in 1873, Teresita is abandoned by her laborer mother.

With her father’s identity unknown to her, Teresita manages to survive under the guidance of Huila, an elderly healer and favored servant of the rancher’s house.

Believing her marked for spiritual greatness, she teaches Teresita the arts of medicine and prayer, unlocking her ability to heal seemingly with the touch of her hands.

But this power soon brings increasing amounts of attention, both from pilgrims wishing to be cured of their ailments and from agents of the government who wish to stop anything from threatening their position of power.

This novel took Urrea 20 years to write – one of the longest writing periods of the Mexican books on this list.

While some of the events and themes lean toward the supernatural, the characters and history discussed are largely based on lengthy historical research.

Because of this, the characters in The Hummingbird’s Daughter all feel fleshed out and well-rounded, adding some pleasant grounding to the story. Read The Hummingbird’s Daughter : Amazon | Goodreads

Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros book cover with sepia-toned portrait of a young woman with hair in braided knots

Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros

In Caramelo , we follow the main character Ceyala “Lala” Reyes who is the only girl amongst six brothers.

Though Lala is the only girl, she does not have a close relationship with her mother and questions if her mother loves her at all. Conversely, her mother and brothers dote on each other.

Every year Lala’s whole family – including aunts, uncles, and cousins – make the journey from Chicago to Mexico City to visit Awful Grandmother and Little Grandfather.

This year Lala, the self-appointed family historian, decides to make herself stand out by telling her grandmother’s life story.

As the story grows, so do tensions within the family. Lala learns small pieces about all of her family and how they became the people they are now.

Caramelo is a semi-autobiographical story based on Cisneros’ own Mexican heritage and Chicago childhood. This is one of the best books about Mexico as it covers over 100 years of the country’s rich history. Read Caramelo : Amazon | Goodreads

Non-Fiction Books About Mexico

Massacre in Mexico by Elena Poniatowska book cover with red splatters on black and white background

Massacre in Mexico by Elena Poniatowska, translated by Helen Lane

On October 2nd 1968, thousands of civilians – mostly college and high school students – gathered in a plaza in the Tlatelolco district of Mexico City to protest against the 1968 Olympics, which were to begin in Mexico City 10 days later.

In the early evening of that day, the Mexican Armed Forces opened fire on those unarmed civilians, killing a still unknown number, and wounding hundreds more.

Thousands of protestors and innocent bystanders were unlawfully detained or arrested, some for months without trial.

No definitive figures are known; the exact details of what happened that day – in what is called the Tlatelolco Massacre – are still unknown.

In her book Massacre in Mexico , also known as La noche de Tlatelolco , prominent Mexican journalist Elena Poniatowska has compiled an oral history gathered from the eyewitness stories of those who were there to see the events unfold.

This powerful account of individual voices – corroborated by the release of official Mexican and US documents decades after the fact – tells a far more tragic and oppressive story than what was originally stated by the Mexican government at the time. Read Massacre in Mexico : Amazon | Goodreads

The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande book cover with rocky hills and person in pink shirt walking away

The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande

This harrowing autobiographical account of Reyna Grande’s experiences as a child torn between two parents and two countries showcases Grande’s skill as a writer. She translates her childhood thoughts and feelings into adult literature.

It begins with Grande’s father leaving behind his wife and three children as he crosses to “El Otro Lado” (“The Other Side”) and into the United States.

Once there, he says, he will earn enough money to come home and provide for them.

As the days and weeks turn into months and years, Grande works through her feelings of abandonment until her father calls on his wife to join him on The Other Side.

When she also crosses the border, the children are left to live with their abusive grandmother. To cope with this, they play childish games to take their minds away from real life.

Eventually, the parents come back to bring the children with them across to The Other Side. But will life be any better than it was before? Is the poverty you know any worse than the “promised land” you don’t? Read The Distance Between Us : Amazon | Goodreads

Horror Books Set in Mexico

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia book cover with young woman with short hair and a dragon like creature

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Certain Dark Things manages to shake up the vampire setting by reimagining history.

Set in an alternate present-day Mexico City, vampires in this world are a known group, having been revealed to the world in the 1970s.

However, there is more than what we deem as “conventional” vampires to be wary of in this reality.

The varied vampire species each have different abilities and characteristics, giving each one its own distinct level of life-threatening danger.

Throughout the novel, we check in with various characters, but the main protagonist is the young and beautiful Atl.

Atl is a vampire on the run following the destruction of her clan by a rival group of European vampires.

With only her faithful dog Cualli at her side, she enlists the help of Domingo, a street boy native to Mexico City, in order to try and make her way out of the country.

The exploration of the lore of different vampire species and the depth of world-building of an undead-conscious society provides a refreshing change of pace for a sub-genre that has been very well explored already.

If you love this unique vampire story, check out some of these other bloodlusty vampire books .

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a fantastic Mexican-Canadian author , and we also enjoyed her novel, Mexican Gothic . Read Certain Dark Things : Amazon | Goodreads

Desert Flowers by Paul Pen book cover with house and cacti around it

Desert Flowers by Paul Pen, translated by Simon Bruni

I love books set in isolated locations, and Desert Flowers delivers this in spades!

Rose and Elmer live a secluded life in the desert of Baja California. It’s just them, their five daughters… and a secret.

One afternoon a young man named Rick appears at the doorstep, claiming to be a hiker seeking a place to sleep for the night.

He seems harmless enough, and the family agrees. However, Rick has a secret too, and he’s not leaving until he gets what he came for. However, Rose and Elmer aren’t giving up everything they’ve created here without a fight.

Part horror, part mystery thriller, Desert Flowers is one of the most nail-biting books about Mexico, that will have you questioning everything until the last page. Read Desert Flowers : Amazon | Goodreads

The Ruins by Scott Smith book cover with red flower petals on yellow left steam

The Ruins by Scott Smith

Two young American couples – Jeff and Amy, Eric and Stacy – are having the time of their lives vacationing on the sunny beaches of Mexico.

While there, they befriend several other tourists, one of whom is a German tourist named Mathias who is searching for his missing brother, Heinrich.

Heinrich disappeared after following a girl he’s fallen for to an archaeological dig. Thinking it will be a fun Mexican adventure, they decide to go with Mathias to find his brother down to the Yucatan.

But the group soon realizes that rather than a fun adventure, there are horrors in store they could never have imagined.

They’re not all going to make it out alive. If you’re in search of spooky books for adults , The Ruins is one of the most terrifying books about Mexico, and a must for any horror fans. Read The Ruins : Amazon | Goodreads

Fantasy and Magical Realism Books Set in Mexico

Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo book cover with foggy night scene

Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo, translated by Margaret Sayers Peden

As his mother lies dying, Juan Preciado promises to honor her last wish and seek out his estranged father, the eponymous Pedro Páramo.

Juan and his mother fled from Páramo years previously, and have had no contact with him since.

In order to find him, Juan heads to the town of Comala. But Comala is a ghost town of sorts, full of dreams and hallucinations, where Juan’s journey dissolves into an almost stream-of-consciousness flow of events.

Will he find his father, the murderer, and tyrant? And was Páramo really such a man?

Mexican books don’t often come with this level of surrealism, but when they do it can be quite a departure from the casual reader’s usual experience.

It certainly stood apart from contemporary books when it was first released back in 1955.

Pedro Páramo is an incredibly influential book, and one of the best showcases of the concept of magical realism in Latin American literature. Read Pedro Páramo : Amazon | Goodreads

The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia book cover with bees, flowers, and fruit

The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia, translated by Simon Bruni

Amidst the devastation of the Mexican Revolution and influenza of 1918, a small baby is found disfigured and abandoned under a bridge, covered in a swarm of bees.

Despite some reservations about the baby’s seemingly demonic origins, he is taken into the care of the Morales family, who raise him as their own and give him the name Simonopio.

As Simonopio grows up, it is clear that he has an unusual destiny in store. For when Simonopio closes his eyes, he can see events of the future, both good and terrible.

On top of this, he is followed at all times by a protective swarm of bees as he attempts to keep his adoptive family safe from the bad things he sees in his visions.

The relationships Simonopio develops with his adoptive family and the other members of the community will take you on quite the journey.

Sofía Segovia’s emotional descriptions and strong use of metaphor give this period novel a strong literary voice, making it one of the best books about Mexico for lovers of fantasy and fables. Read The Murmur of Bees : Amazon | Goodreads

Like Water For Chocolate Laura Esquivel book cover

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, translated by Carol and Thomas Christensen

This hugely popular foodie book combines a tragic tale of forbidden love and familial responsibility with magical realism and a passion for cooking.

Tita is the youngest daughter of the all-female De La Garza family. According to tradition, as the youngest, she is forbidden to marry. She must instead attend to the needs of her mother until she dies.

This leaves little room for Tita to follow her passions and desires, especially when it comes to the feelings she feels for Pedro, their neighbor.

The only way she is free to express herself is through her cooking, with which she has a deep love and affinity. After all, she was born in a kitchen.

However, Tita’s strong emotions begin to affect her cooking, as well as those who eat it. Before long, a series of unfortunate events begins, and it seems to start bringing Tita and Pedro closer together.

Will love – and food – triumph after all?

Reflecting Tita’s love of cooking, every chapter of this novel begins with a recipe, making it one of the few books about Mexico to act both as a story and a cooking aid.

Each recipe links directly to its accompanying chapter, though due to Tita’s emotional magical influences, the results are far more unpredictable than if the reader were to try out the recipes for themselves.

Tita is also one kick-butt woman in historical fiction . Like Water For Chocolate makes for a great Mexican movie too. Read Like Water for Chocolate : Amazon | Goodreads

The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F.G. Haghenbeck book cover with Frida in black and white photo with colorful illustrations of food

The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F.G. Haghenbeck, translated by Achy Obejas

After several notebooks were found in Frida Kahlo’s estate, F.G. Haghenbeck was inspired to write a story about a secret notebook of Kahlo’s that goes missing (for the record, this notebook does not exist).

This fictional secret journal was gifted to her by a lover, and now the pages are filled with creative thoughts, memories, and recipes.

In fact, you’ll find mouth-watering recipes throughout the book for Mexican dishes!

Most of the dishes can be used as offerings during The Day of Dead, which is an important aspect of the book. As is death itself, which Frida becomes somewhat obsessed with.

If you already know a lot about Frida Kahlo, you won’t find much new history in this. However, what makes this one of the best books about Mexico’s beloved artist is the magical realism elements.

In The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo , paintings come to life, and a messenger of Death shares frequent conversations with Frida. Read The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo : Amazon | Goodreads

More Books Set In Mexico From Christine

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia book cover with Mexican woman wearing a maroon dress holding flowers

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

One of the most talked-about haunted house books that released in 2020, travel to the Mexican countryside in the 1950s.

Noemí Taboada is one stellar woman in historical fiction taking on the spookiest house, High Place. High Place’s walls come alive with evil demons and promises of death.

When Catalina, Noemí’s cousin, writes to her lamenting that the haunted manor is taking a toll on her health, Noemí heads out to save her.

She realizes that something isn’t quite right. What is this house hiding, and can the cousins survive another night?

For gothic horror books set in Mexico, take in the rich details filled with terror and glimmering darkness. Read Mexican Gothic : Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas book cover with woman in red dress walking away from house at night

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

One of the best new books set in Mexico, don’t miss 2022 book release The Hacienda . This one is perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic and Rebecca – as well as ghost story seekers .

Beginning at the end of the Mexican War of Independence, Beatriz must strategically marry to save herself and her mother upon the execution of her father.

Marrying Don Rodolfo Solórzano is the practical solution, especially since he owns a large country estate, Hacienda San Isidro.

However, his previous wife mysteriously died in this haunted house – and now evil spirits roam its halls.

Who or what is haunting this family, and can the local priest perform an exorcism before Beatrix is next?

Find historical romance, gothic horror, and witches in a subtle Mexican book about the ghosts of colonialism.

Read The Hacienda : Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information

Save Your Favorite Mexican Novels & Nonfiction For Later

Books Set In Mexico and Mexican Books Pinterest Pin with picture of stucco building with colorful flags in Mexico and book covers for The Hummingbird's Daughter, Caramelo, Irma Voth, The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo, Certain Dark Things, Desert Flowers, The Murmer of Bees, and I'll Sell you a Dog

Shop for the best Mexican books:

Thank you to TUL contributor, Dagney McKinney

Writer Dagney McKinney white female with light brown hair wearing a purple shirt and smiling

Dagney (pronouns: any) is a neurodivergent writer who loves all things macabre and weird. She likes outrageously spicy food, long walks through graveyards, and historical tangents. You’ll most likely find her wandering around somewhere quiet or underground, buying salt, or whispering to camels.

What are your favorite Mexican books?

Who are your favorite Mexican authors, and what books about Mexico have you read and loved? Should we add any more to our list and TBR piles? Please let us know in the comments.

You May Also Enjoy

Best Movies To Learn About Mexico Books Across North America 50 States Reading Challenge 2022 Reading Challenge

Writer Dagney McKinney white female with light brown hair wearing a purple shirt and smiling

Dagney McKinney

Dagney (pronouns: any) is a neurodivergent writer and book nerd who is drawn to all things weird and macabre. She also loves anything to do with fast cars, unhinged anti-heroes, and salt. When she isn’t working or reading, you’re likely to find her eating Indian food, playing board games, or hiding out somewhere dark and quiet, stuck down an internet rabbit hole. The easiest way to win her over is through cats and camels.

I enjoyed The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli, an entertaining collection of tall tales centered around the professional auctioneer Gustavo Sanchez Sanchez and particularly his obsession with celebrity teeth — Marilyn Monroe, Virginia Woolf, Rousseau, Petrarch, etc.

We are intrigued! That sounds incredibly unique. Thanks so much for sharing, Caleb.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

A vibrant Afro-Mexican community has always been in Mexico, their country is finally catching up

Girls during a queen pageant in an Afro-Oaxacan community in 2004

Jorge Gonzalez, director of the Afro-Mexican department at the WorldBeat Cultural Center and author of works on Black identity in Mexico, will discuss “Afro-Mexicanos: Mexico Officially Recognizes its Black Citizens” on Feb. 26 at the Central Library in downtown San Diego

  • Show more sharing options
  • Copy Link URL Copied!

It could be called a revelatory moment, learning about the presence, history, and culture of Black people in Mexico. For Jorge Gonzalez, a college course on the ethno-history of Oaxaca first gave him answers to questions that had been tugging at him for a long time.

“There was a day where we talked about the African presence in Mexico, and I had never heard of any of that. It blew my mind and a lot of things started connecting for me…(It) explained why one of my aunts has very kinky hair, and there are Black features in some of us,” he says. “I started realizing that the Black presence has been around since colonization, since Cortez arrived to Mexico, and has played a fundamental role in shaping the culture, from the very depths of what it means to be Mexican and everything that has to do with Mexican pride.”

Gonzalez has been studying the African diasporic presence in Mexico since the early 2000s, tracing his own family’s roots in Sahuayo, Michoacan, Mexico in the 18th century when it was majority Black, to the recent government recognition of Afro-Mexicans on the country’s 2020 census (for the first time in at least 200 years, according to Minority Rights Group). On Feb. 26, he’ll discuss “Afro-Mexicanos: Mexico Officially Recognizes its Black Citizens” at 6:30 p.m. at the Shiley Special Events Suite at the Central Library in downtown San Diego (registration is free). Gonzalez, who is the director of the Afro-Mexican department at the WorldBeat Cultural Center in Balboa Park, is also the author of “The (Re)construction of Blackness in Costa Chica, Oaxaca: NGOs and the Making of an Afro-Mexican Ethnic Group”; his work has been published in “Converging Identities: Blackness in the Modern African Diaspora”; and he shares African diasporic global music when he’s spinning tracks as DJ Mafondo . He took some time to talk about his upcoming lecture, why its taken so long for Afro-Mexicans to be recognized and acknowledged in their own country, and how this recognition is a step toward dismantling anti-Black racism in Mexico. (This interview has been edited for length and clarity. )

Q: The human rights organization, Minority Rights Group, notes that Mexico had a larger enslaved African population than other countries in the Americas , with more than 200,000 people and outnumbering the Spanish population until the early 19th century. While there appears to be a period where the Black population was documented, that stopped in the 1800s. What happened? Why has it taken more than 200 years for the country’s government to recognize its Black citizens?

A: Just like in the United States, integrationist theory and integrationist movements were real in Mexico. They were trying to centralize a nation state. In the 1940s, a lot of anthropologists of the time were supporting the government and thinking, ‘How do we create a nation state? What is it going to require?’ In Mexico, they call this “la Mexicanidad,” or the mestizaje [ a mix of Indigenous and Spanish ]. It was a national project to sell this idea that we’re all one people, we’re all one race. That Mexicans, all of a sudden, were categorized to one specific race, and that left out the African presence because the makeup was European and Indigenous, period. That is, to this day, very problematic. That project worked. In fact, a lot of what I’m going to share in my presentation talks about all of the erasure that happened. A lot of the famous Mexican scholars in the ‘40s and ‘50s were creating that erasure. One of the grandfathers of Afro-Mexican history [Gonzalo Aguirre Beltran] was involved, as well. He pretty much went to do an ethno-history of the first, Black community of this town called Cuajinicuilapa, or Cuaji, for shot. He basically told the Mexican government that by the 1960s, within 20 years, the Black population would disappear, that they would blend in with other races. He was wrong. These Black communities are still there today. The result has been, because of that erasure, because of not giving them the ethnic rights the Indigenous population was able to obtain, the Black population has never gotten their own funding or their department or policies in place. This was, in large part, because of what this anthropologist was claiming at the time, that there’s no need to document the ethnic history of these communities because it was a matter of time before they were erased. It was systemically done, this wasn’t by accident. It was a complete racist approach to centralizing and creating a nation state by erasing this history.

Then, when UNESCO got involved, they put a lot of pressure on Mexico to be part of this xenophobia and racism conference that took place in Durban [World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001], and Mexico joined for the first time. They sent a delegation to come back with information on, ‘Where are we going wrong? What’s missing with our country?’ Even then, there was very little investment in raising awareness of a Black population in Mexico, and a lot of it was funded through UNESCO. The United Nations was really invested and Mexico wasn’t doing much at the time. It took a lot of community involvement for [the Black community] to amplify that, ‘Hey, we’re still here. We haven’t been erased. This scholar was wrong.’

Q: Can you talk a little about Gaspar Yanga and Vicente Guerrero? Who were they and why are the significant to Afro-Mexican history, and Mexican history in general?

A: Yeah, 1609, Gaspar Yanga liberated the first Black, free community of the Americas, from what we know. He created this town called San Lorenzo de los Negros, which was the original name. About 300 to 500 people went up the mountain and lived there free and even had a legal document with the Spanish monarch at the time, that they wouldn’t interfere or get in their business. They had a legal document that claimed their freedom, to be in autonomy. That town, today, is called Yanga. He was a revolutionary of his time. He was able to build alliances with Indigenous populations in Veracruz and did a few revolts, which stopped a lot of the trade that was starting to occur between Veracruz and the colonization that was happening in Mexico City, at the time. He was able to deliver votes, he was able to, essentially, tax a lot of merchandise that was going through the area, and he was able to build a small economy through some of these revolts that he did and things that he gained as a result. To this day, there’s a monument of him in the town of Yanga. We see Black, marooned communities in Colombia, you have them in Brazil. Slave revolts were pretty prominent. Yanga was one revolutionary that there’s documentation, but there were other revolts happening in Oaxaca and on the Pacific side, as well, that are not documented to the extent that Yanga was. This narrative that comes out of this free slave and revolutionary, that’s something very common from the Americas and in the Caribbean. We start seeing the Haitian Revolution, first, and it created a whole ripple effect. Then, there was a lot of communication happening that oftentimes we don’t think about. The slave trade also provided a lot of information that appeared all the way up until the 18th century.

Vicente Guerrero became the first Black president of the Americas, similar to what we thought Obama was, but he was like the original Obama. He was of African and Spanish descent, he was originally a geologist by trade and became president in the 1820s, and was our Abraham Lincoln. He helped write the constitutional rights and abolish slavery, which was huge. This was before the United States. You had a huge underground railroad coming to the south; a lot of people talk about it going north, but the underground railroad went south, as well. He fought to protect northern frontiers before the annexation of Mexico. Vicente Guerrero was also in the military and later became president. He was also of Indigenous descent and spoke other indigenous languages.

Q: You also curate Afro-diasporic music as DJ Mafondo? Can you talk about this contribution from African descendants in Mexico—with examples like “La Bamba” and son jarocho music—that people may not be familiar with, and its roots in resistance?

A: The common history of when Africans came to the Americas, they were taking their drums away, so stomping became second best. They were adopting a lot of musical influences where they were coming from. Oftentimes, people think that they were coming straight from Africa; a lot of the Africans that came to the Americas were coming also from Spain. They had lived in Seville and they had learned Spanish to learn to communicate with the Spanish nobility at the time. They also learned their musical guitar styles, so there’s a lot of influences that they brought with them. A lot of that got transferred to what we now know as bossa nova, capoeira. There’s music influences all around the Americas, like bachata or Cuban music, which is son, or bomba in Puerto Rico. And, Mexico has son jarocho, it was a call-and-response, very similar to rap. It’s traditionally in a circle, so it’s a very community-based music. It brings community together and towns together, it’s usually done through celebrations during baptisms, during the day of the saints in different towns in Mexico. They talk a lot about everyday life in being in the country. A lot of folks in Veracruz, specifically, “jarocho” means people of a mixed Black descent, that’s essentially what jarocho means. It had a very negative, derogatory meaning. It was a name that the music was given.

Chileans of African descent from Chile were being transferred all the way to what we now know as San Francisco, and some of them stayed behind and this music influence, called la chilena, stayed in Oaxaca. So, they adopted that music, as well. It was also African diasporic music that now, to this day, lives in Mexico. Mariachi is also connected to Black history; there’s Black history in son huasteco, which is another very indigenous style of indigenous music. In reality, a lot of these musical styles are Afro-Indigenous, actually. They’re not necessarily 100 percent African, they’re Afro-Indigenous, for the most part, and utilizing European instruments. This music was, again, [referred to very] derogatorily back in the colonial times, and during the folklorization of Mexico in the ‘40s, they started to document it as folk music. What’s unique about it now, it has a very strong presence here in the United States. “La Bamba” is one song that became very globally famous that traces its roots this way.

Q: The 2020 Mexican census was the first time since the independence of the country that included people in Mexico who self-identify as Black, with 2.5 million people on record (with about a 50-49 split between women and men), according to the global affairs thinktank, the Wilson Center . Can you talk about the typical criteria for recognition and the challenges that has created for Afro-Mexicans? ( There’s reporting about Afro-Mexicans speaking Spanish , as opposed to an indigenous language, that historically excluded them from recognition, and the idea of a mestizaje society and how that also has excluded Blackness.)

A: I have always liked to call them ethnic markers, identification markers. In order to become an ethnic group in Mexico, they have to very much fit the description in how they identify Indigenous people in Mexico, so that’s wrong, first and foremost. I think that was a difficulty Mexico was having, as a whole, because it was questioning the parameters and the measuring tool that they were using to measure who should be considered an ethnic group, in general. Oaxaca was the first state to actually recognize the Afro-Mexican population, I believe, in 2005, if I’m not mistaken. That took a long time for that to happen. What was interesting was they were included under the Indigenous community, so they pretty much added just a sentence to the constitutional rights of Indigenous people in Oaxaca, but as you know, based on what I said earlier with this anthropologist, Gonzalo Aguirre Beltran, who’s considered the grandfather of Afro-Mexican studies, at the time when he wrote this book on the ethno-history of this community, he did recognize that there was a specific differentiation in the way they spoke Spanish, but that didn’t mean that they spoke a different tongue. So, that was one thing that disqualified them from becoming an ethnic group, that they didn’t speak a specific tongue from Africa, that derived from Africa. Two, the food. There was some uniqueness to the style of food, but the gastronomy at the time that he was seeing was very mixed. Another cultural marker was that these dishes were not African, essentially. So, language, food, and then you have religion. They didn’t practice their own indigenous, or African-derived religion. It was all under disguise in the other religious practices within different saints, but there was a lot of what he called assimilation, and that’s what essentially ended up disqualifying the Black population from becoming an ethnic group back in the day, when Aguirre Beltran and Mexico were going through differentiating the various ethnic groups in Mexico. I mean, Jewish people got their own census, and the Indigenous people got their own census, but not the Black population because these ethnic markers that were being used didn’t qualify the Black population as being a separate ethnic group. Rather, they were part of the mestizaje, they were part of the new race that was being constructed at the time.

So, language, religion, and then the phenotype. That was the other thing, that there was a strong phenotype that claimed that there was evident that there was a strong Black population of African descent, but because of the fast-paced mestizaje that they were foreseeing happening, that these communities would eventually disappear and there would be no need to categorize someone as a particular ethnic group and they were now becoming part of this mestizaje.

The same can be said about music. They weren’t playing music that derived from Africa, it was already very blended, or there’s a hegemony already happening with their music style. There was a lot of mixing already with different influences, so that also disqualified them.

Q: Why is it important to you to do this kind of work, and what kind of difference does this sort of official recognition make?

A: I mean, it’s paramount, the recognition. For one, it really combats racism in Mexico, which is very prevalent. It’s not only in Mexico, but throughout Latin America, so to have a language to call racism for what it is, is something that Mexico has been very focused on since the 1950s. Accepting that there were Indigenous groups in Mexico that were not going to become part of the mestizaje equation, that they will continue to seek autonomy and be there and have their own customs, has been important.

So, part of the recognition that the social movement in Mexico has been fighting for is to really get a head count, first and foremost, to understand the disparities that are happening in these communities and to be able to provide support from the federal government to put clear numbers behind the needs of these populations that are underfunded and in Mexico. Even though they’re underfunded, Indigenous communities have their own clinics, their own offices where they can file claims and whatnot; in Black communities, you have none of that infrastructure. So, by getting a headcount and understanding what the disparities are—the amount of women, the amount of kids—it’s very important to start measuring how vulnerable these communities are in the long term. I think, ultimately, bringing to the attention of the Afro-Mexican population in Mexico is an issue that stems from its history. It means to really rewrite history and to create constitutional reforms all over. There are demands left and right that are happening as we speak, to change that perception that Mexico is not only a composition of indigenous and European, but there’s also a strong African presence that shows up in our daily lives—in language, food, in our ethnic makeup of who we are as a people in Mexico. Calling out what racism is in Mexico right now, there isn’t a language, it’s always based on class and folks don’t take it seriously, so it also allows xenophobia to exist. There are several documented cases of people getting deported because they’re Black and they don’t believe they live in Mexico, so they get deported. Those human rights are being taken away in Mexico for decades and they don’t really get to the national news. In Oaxaca, they get some attention now because that was the state where ethnic rights became a reality, but at the national level there’s a lot of work to be done there. There are some senators who are of Afro-Mexican descent, they’re lifting all of these issues up and it’s very important because it’s systemic.

Get Essential San Diego, weekday mornings

Get top headlines from the Union-Tribune in your inbox weekday mornings, including top news, local, sports, business, entertainment and opinion.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

books by mexican authors

More from this Author

San Diego CA - February 15: Brooklyn Burroughs, 17, is a student at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, and one of the featured artists in the "Black Perspectives: A Celebration of Community, Family & Heritage" art exhibition at The Brooks Theater Gallery in Oceanside through March 26, shown here at her school on Thursday, February 15, 2024 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

San Diego SCPA student’s work part of ‘Black Perspective’ exhibit in Oceanside

Feb. 17, 2024

Aman stops to look over the damage to the nearby apartments on National Avenue.

Heavy rains offer revelations and reminders about environment, inequality

Feb. 11, 2024

San Diego, CA - February 08: Kori Gillis at his home in Point Loma on Thursday, February 8, 2024, in San Diego, CA. Gillis is performing with his band, Kogee Soul Reprise, in a tribute to the music of Stevie Wonder at The Brooks Theatre in Oceanside. He talks about his career as a musician, including serving as lead vocalist when he was in the Navy, for the branch's military bands, as well as being able to perform openly as a member of the LGBTQ community. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Local singer sharing the music of Stevie Wonder, learning ‘to be proud of yourself first’ in personal journey

Feb. 10, 2024

Steve Holen (standing) pictured here with hafted hammer, breaking an elephant femur in Tanzania, Africa in 2006.

Western science beginning to catch up to what Indigenous history has always known

Feb. 4, 2024

ALPINE, CA - FEBRUARY 01, 2024: Krystal Casey, an author, motivational speaker, and sexual health speaker, holds her latest book "Womanhood" at the Alpine Library in Alpine on Thursday, February 01, 2024.

Local author, speaker rejects shame and silence for authenticity, empowerment

Feb. 3, 2024

Still image from the documentary "Summer Qamp," about LGBTQ-plus youth at an overnight camp in Canada

A promise of ’85 minutes of safety’ for LGBTQ folks at Human Rights Watch Film Festival

Jan. 28, 2024

More in this section

Cesar Flores plays saxophone for passengers during the Tren Tur’stico Tijuana-Tecate tourist train ride on January 27, 2024, in Tijuana, Mexico. The recently reactivated train ride takes people in two passenger train coaches from Tijuana to Tecate and back, with a four hour stop in Tecate. The excursion was the second time after the inaugural ride in December 2023. January 27, 2024 Tijuana, Mexico Photo - David Maung

Ham on Wry: Blink and you’ll miss the (free) performance of a lifetime

What could be better than watching renowned violinist Joshua Bell and legendary dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov?

Feb. 18, 2024

The view of the downtown San Diego skyline and beyond.

Michael Smolens: San Diego voters are in a grim mood. Here’s why incumbents might survive it

San Diego’s failure to provide adequate flood control is just the latest in a string of problems that cast a shadow over city government

A bald eagle takes off in San Diego County.

Outdoors: Getting lost in nature is part of the journey

Encounters with a bald eagle and a magic kingdom filled with mushrooms and a fungus known as turkey tail

Lederer on Language: What you may not know about the Father of Our Country

Presidents’ Day (please note my placement of the apostrophe) began life as a celebration of George Washington’s Birthday, February 22, 1732, But Washington was really born on Feb. 11, 1731, according to the Julian calendar, which was in effect when Washington entered the earthly stage.

Southbound Metrolink train was stopped in San Clemente by ocean waves washing over the tracks.

Michael Smolens: Is rail travel passing San Diego by at high speed?

Ambitious rail projects are moving ahead nationwide, though some not without big problems. San Diego’s coastal rail route remains uncertain.

Feb. 16, 2024

Ramona's Billy Laninovich makes a jump during a Supercross race last month at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.

Sports Columnists

Bryce Miller: Ramona’s Billy Laninovich makes Supercross history as part of improbable comeback

Ramona resident, 40, became the oldest rider to reach a Supercross main event — then did it again over the weekend

Feb. 15, 2024

An English-language road sign warns drivers that it's illegal to bring guns from the U.S. to Mexico. A Mexican flag waves in the distance.

Mexico is suing US gun-makers for arming its gangs − and a US court could award billions in damages

books by mexican authors

Regents' Professor & Professor of Law, Georgia State University

Disclosure statement

Timothy D. Lytton has provided expert consulting services to law firms representing gun violence victims.

View all partners

The government of Mexico is suing U.S. gun-makers for their role in facilitating cross-border gun trafficking that has supercharged violent crime in Mexico.

The lawsuit seeks US$10 billion in damages and a court order to force the companies named in the lawsuit – including Smith & Wesson, Colt, Glock, Beretta and Ruger – to change the way they do business. In January, a federal appeals court in Boston decided that the industry’s immunity shield, which so far has protected gun-makers from civil liability, does not apply to Mexico’s lawsuit.

As a legal scholar who has analyzed lawsuits against the gun industry for more than 25 years, I believe this decision to allow Mexico’s lawsuit to proceed could be a game changer. To understand why, let’s begin with some background about the federal law that protects the gun industry from civil lawsuits.

Gun industry immunity

In 2005, Congress passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act , which prohibits lawsuits against firearm manufacturers and sellers for injuries arising from criminal misuse of a gun.

Importantly, there are limits to this immunity shield. For example, it doesn’t protect a manufacturer or seller who “knowingly violated a State or Federal statute applicable to the sale or marketing ” of a firearm. Mexico’s lawsuit alleges that U.S. gun-makers aided and abetted illegal weapons sales to gun traffickers in violation of federal law.

Mexico’s allegations

Mexico claims that U.S. gun-makers engaged in “ deliberate efforts to create and maintain an illegal market for their weapons in Mexico .”

According to the lawsuit, the manufacturers intentionally design their weapons to be attractive to criminal organizations in Mexico by including features such as easy conversion to fully automatic fire, compatibility with high-capacity magazines and removable serial numbers.

Mexico also points to industry marketing that promises buyers a tactical military experience for civilians. And Mexico alleges that manufacturers distribute their products to dealers whom they know serve as transit points for illegal gunrunning through illegal straw sales , unlicensed sales at gun shows and online, and off-book sales disguised as inventory theft.

In short, Mexico claims that illegal gun trafficking isn’t just an unwanted byproduct of the industry’s design choices, marketing campaigns and distribution practices. Instead, according to the lawsuit, feeding demand for illegal weapons is central to the industry’s business model.

Two military agents wearing camouflage uniforms examine dozens of seized illegal guns displayed on a table.

In response, the gun-makers insist that Mexico’s attempt to hold them legally responsible for the criminal activity of others is precisely the type of lawsuit that the federal immunity shield was designed to block. They argue that merely selling a product that someone later uses in a crime does not amount to a violation of federal law that would deprive a manufacturer of immunity. Additionally, the gun-makers assert that, even if Mexico’s lawsuit were not barred by the immunity law, they have no legal duty to prevent criminal violence that occurs outside the U.S.

The next legal steps

In January 2024, a federal appeals court in Massachusetts decided that Mexico’s allegations, if true, would deprive the gun-makers of immunity, and it sent the case back to trial court . Mexico now needs to produce evidence to prove its allegations that the industry is not only aware of but actively facilitates illegal gun trafficking.

Additionally, to win, Mexico will need to convince a Boston jury that the manufacturers’ design choices, marketing campaigns and distribution practices are closely enough connected to street crime in Mexico to consider the companies responsible for the problem. This is known as “ proximate cause ” in the law.

For their part, the gun-makers have asked the trial judge to put the case on hold while they pursue an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. However, the Supreme Court has been reluctant to weigh in on gun industry cases until they have reached their conclusion in the lower courts, where most of them are dismissed and a few have settled .

High stakes for the industry

If Mexico does win at trial, its demand for $10 billion in damages could drive several of the nation’s largest firearm manufacturers into bankruptcy . Even if the case were to settle for much less, a victory by Mexico would provide a template for a wave of future lawsuits that could change the way the gun industry operates.

Similar theories about dangerous product designs, irresponsible marketing and reckless distribution practices in opioid litigation have transformed the pharmaceutical industry. Civil lawsuits have forced the drugmakers to take public responsibility for a nationwide health crisis, overhaul the way they do business and pay billions of dollars in judgments and settlements.

Mexico’s lawsuit holds out the prospect that the gun industry could be next.

  • United States
  • Legal immunity

books by mexican authors

Partnership Development Manager

books by mexican authors

Lecturer / Senior Lecturer - Business Law & Taxation

books by mexican authors

Newsletters and Social Media Manager

books by mexican authors

Industrial Officer (Senior)

books by mexican authors

Supply Chain Management – Open Rank (Tenure-Track)

Local ingredients that shine with simplicity. Westchester restaurant named among best in the US

books by mexican authors

Mariachi Mexico in Armonk is a farm-to-table Mexican restaurant, where ingredients are sourced locally from the Hudson Valley, and this week it has made national news. Along with 46 other restaurants, it was included on the 2024 USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year list . 

"My parents worked very hard to open their dream restaurant 33 years ago, and now, being selected as one of USA TODAY Restaurants of the year 2024 is a huge honor," said chef-owner Joana Herrera, who took over the restuarant with her sister Meto Herrera in 2013. They changed it from Tex-Mex to a modern farm-to-table spot. "I'm very, very grateful to be able to cook the kind of food I grew up with, honor traditions, and have strong relationships with the people who grow our food.”

How many have you been to? Check out USA TODAY's 2024 Restaurants of the Year.

What makes Mariachi Mexico stand out

Herrera has passion for seasonality, which means no two meals at Mariachi Mexico are ever the same. A large blackboard in the back of the dining room is constantly being updated, listing the farmers she's sourced from that week.

The 43-year-old Herrera likes to call her menu "back to the basics with a New York twist." That means a respect for tradition, using fresh nixtamalized corn masa for handpressed tortillas, molcajete for salas, molinillo for frothing chocolate and seasonal Hudson Valley ingredients. Everything, from quesadillas plazeras to tetelas and memelas, are pressed to order, with many items gluten-free and vegan.

Furthermore, each dish — whether it's shrimp tacos with salsa tatemada de molcajete and lime, tetela de hoja santa (made using an old family recipe for mole) or guacamole with market crudité and gluten-free tostada — is served like a tiny piece of art, complete with edible flowers.

The bounty of what's available at the markets — Manhattan's Union Square Greenmarket and the Hastings-on-Hudson and Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow TaSH farmers markets — is where Herrera gets her inspiration, often with loud music in her earpods and piping hot black coffee by her side. Her menu is tight and small and changes weekly.

That seasonality extends to the cocktails, which in the fall and winter tend to focus on classics such as Mezcal Negroni, Mexican coffee and sangria. The spring and summer feature margaritas and spritzes.

In addition to what she finds at the markets, Herrera, who grew up accompanying her grandmother to "Día de Plaza" (aka "Market Day") in Tlaxcuapan Mexico, also grows some of her own food. Come spring, summer and early fall, her planters, in front and in back of the restaurant, are full of herbs, edible flowers, veggies and flowers she uses for table decor.

The Herrera siblings (brother Pedro Herrera is also involved in the business) are keen on a "less is more" approach, which is reflected in the restaurant's minimalist decor and the handwritten motto etched into the rafters that reads: "Eat. Drink. Smile. Love. Cheers to Life."

Our criteria for: USA TODAY's Restaurants of the Year for 2024

What to order at Mariachi Mexico

Guacamole with Farm Fresh Crudités. With radish varieties, flowering broccoli, mustard greens, cuca melon and husk cherries, and garnished with flowering cilantro (and my fave sal de Tlaxcuapan, which comes from the family's generations-old salt mines), this dish tastes like a summer garden, even in the heart of winter.

Quesadilla Plazera. Since the menu is ever-changing you'll find these hand-pressed and stuffed with whatever's in season. Often, it's Oaxaca cheese, medium rare skirt steak and salsa tatemada, topped with farm-fresh baby greens, radish, extra virgin olive oil and salt. In peak season, you'll find edible flowers and herbs grown in house.

Shrimp Tacos . Again, the veggies will change, but usually you'll find plump shrimp nestled alongside salsa tatemada de molcajete, herbs and lime. The warm tortilla is like a hug wrapped around super fresh ingredients that shine in their simplicity.

See the full menu .

Did you know?

Even Herrera's salt is thoughtfully sourced — from generations-old family salt mines in Tlaxcuapan, Mexico.

Details: 405 Main St., Armonk, NY, 914-273-6805, mariachimexico.biz

More great restaurants: 13 Lower Hudson restaurants that should have made USA Today's 'Restaurants of the Year' list

Jeanne Muchnick  covers food and dining. Click  here  for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram  @jeannemuchnick  or via the  lohudfood newsletter . 

IMAGES

  1. 11 Of The Best Mexican Authors To Read Right Now

    books by mexican authors

  2. Pedro's Big Mexican Adventure

    books by mexican authors

  3. 16 Books by Mexican-American Authors

    books by mexican authors

  4. 20 Best Books by Latinx Authors 2021

    books by mexican authors

  5. Novels by Mexican Authors

    books by mexican authors

  6. Best Books from Mexican Writers You Have to Read Once in the Life

    books by mexican authors

COMMENTS

  1. 30 Best Books by Hispanic Authors to Read in 2024

    1. The Making of Yolanda La Bruja by Lorraine Avila VIA MERCHANT Lorraine Avila's The Making of Yolanda La Bruja touches on everything from spirituality and race to the real threat of gun violence...

  2. 11 Of The Best Mexican Authors To Read Right Now

    Laura Esquivel While most well known for Like Water for Chocolate, I'd also recommend Esquivel's novel La Malinche , which tells the story of the Nahua woman who was played an important role in Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs, or her most recent novel, Pierced by the Sun, a novel of modern Mexican politics. 5. Guadalupe Nettel

  3. Mexican Literature (384 books)

    Listopia Mexican Literature Poems, plays, and novels by Mexican authors. There is some leeway on non-fiction. Please review your submissions to make sure authors are from Mexico. If not, please delete, as I don't want this list to lead anyone astray. I will delete works written by non-Mexican authors.

  4. 25 Best Books by Latinx and Hispanic Authors to Read 2024

    1 Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo Now 50% Off $15 at Amazon $30 at Macy's Flor can predict the day someone is going to die, so when she plans a living wake for herself, her sisters are suspicious....

  5. Best Mexican Books (107 books)

    Listopia Best Mexican Books Books from mexican writers that you've liked the most. flag All Votes Add Books To This List ← Previous 1 2 Next → 107 books · 41 voters · list created June 25th, 2011 by Samuel Ch. (votes) .

  6. 25 Best Books by Hispanic Authors

    But in 2020 alone, Hispanic and Latinx authors have released some of the most talked about (not to mention award-winning) books, including Once I Was You by Maria Hinojosa, Cemetery Boys by...

  7. Best Books by Latinx Authors to Read For Hispanic Heritage Month

    Whether it's the lyrical fiction of Carolina de Robertis, the fantastical stories of Zoraida Córdova, or the laugh-out-loud tales of John Paul Brammer, these Latinx authors are telling stories that will transport you while also making you feel at home.

  8. Novels by Mexican Authors

    Of Women and Salt ($27) is the debut novel by Mexican and Cuban writer Gabriela Garcia. Released in 2021, the book explores the intertwined story of a few different women and their journeys to...

  9. The Best Books by Latinx Authors to Read in Spanish

    The Best Books by Latinx Authors to Read in Spanish ¡Celebra el Mes de la Herencia Latinx leyendo con nosotros! ... A contemporary retelling of the origin myths of Mexico, crafter as a single cohesive narrative. The stories in Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky trace the history of the world from its beginnings in the dreams of the dual god ...

  10. 18 most anticipated Latino books of 2022

    Bookshop.org. $ 27.49. Amazon. $ 28.00. Barnes and Noble. Aquino says she is a "longtime fan of Grande's work" and is intrigued by this novel that was released on March 15, 2022. It is set in ...

  11. 16 Best Mexican Authors

    1. Octavio Paz Octavio Paz was a Mexican activist, novelist, and journalist who was renowned as a progressive figure. Paz is well-known for his poetry and writings, many of which examine literature and art through a critical lens. The Collected Poems of Octavio Paz, released in 1952, includes a selection of his works.

  12. 15 Books by Contemporary Mexican Writers That Make America Greater

    Álvaro Enrigue, Sudden Death, trans. Natasha Wimmer For me, this book—by Valeria Luiselli's husband, FYI—was one of the best books of 2016, a bizarre and rewarding meta-fictional novel about a 16th-century tennis match between Spanish poet Francisco de Quevedo and Italian painter Caravaggio, playing with a ball stuffed with the hair of Anne Boleyn.

  13. Mexican Authors Books

    Showing 1-50 of 582 Like Water for Chocolate (Paperback) by Laura Esquivel (shelved 17 times as mexican-authors) avg rating 3.95 — 364,292 ratings — published 1989 Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars Pedro Páramo (Paperback) by Juan Rulfo (shelved 15 times as mexican-authors)

  14. Must-Read Books by Chicanx, Mexican, and Mexican American Authors

    Must-Read Books by Chicanx, Mexican, and Mexican American Authors. These writers explore a range of storytelling, from gothic horror to personal memoirs. Explore a few of our favorite books by authors of Mexican descent. Share these incredible stories year-round using the hashtag #IAmLaCultura.

  15. 11 great books by Latino authors to read this month and always

    The below list of 11 books by Hispanic authors — from famous to debut — only showcases a small fraction of the range, vibrancy, and depth of Latino literature out there for you to read. You ...

  16. Top 10 Contemporary Mexican Novels You Must Read

    Known for the famed Mexican writers Carlos Fuentes, Juan Rulfo and Octavio Paz, Mexico has a plethora of contemporary authors that are still battling for the wider recognition of their forefathers. Here are the top ten must-read texts. The House on Mango Street | © Reading in Public/Flickr The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

  17. 18 Books by Latinx Authors Coming Out in 2023 You Need to Read

    Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the author of beloved books The Daughter of Doctor Moreau and Mexican Gothic, returns with yet another thriller, Silver Nitrate. Taking place in the '90s, the novel follows Montserrat, a sound editor employed by Mexico City's film industry, who's overlooked even by her best friend Tristán, a struggling soap opera ...

  18. Five of the Best Classic Mexican Novels

    The next classic Mexican novel you've chosen to recommend is Cartucho by Nellie Campobello, an autobiographical novella first published in 1931. It is published in English together with a second Campobello novella called My Mother's Hands.Tell us about Cartucho.. There are countless novels about the Mexican Revolution, but what fascinated me about Nellie Campobello's book is her ability ...

  19. 11 Books By Latinos to Read for Hispanic Heritage Month

    For National Hispanic Heritage Month, 11 Recent Books on Latino Life. 5. By Miguel Salazar , Isabelia Herrera and Gregory Cowles. Sept. 19, 2021. Leer en español. National Hispanic Heritage Month ...

  20. Ten must-read 2022 books by Latino authors

    Ten must-read 2022 books by Latino authors. Memoirs and poetry, novels and sweeping histories, a groundbreaking work about Latino racism and an ode to British punk are among the eclectic mix of ...

  21. 20 Must-Read YA Books by Latino Authors

    Published: August 18, 2020. First-generation American LatinX Liliana Cruz does what it takes to fit in at her new nearly all-white school. But when family secrets spill out and racism at school ramps up, she must decide what she believes in and take a stand. Liliana Cruz is a hitting a wall—or rather, walls.

  22. 25 Books by Latinx Authors You Should Read Immediately

    Sometimes books lead us to a small village in Mexico or to New York City in 1965, or, perhaps, to the beaches of Miami. ... (Our extensive lists on books by Black and LGBTQ+ authors are also ...

  23. Mexican Authors (21 books)

    Books by Mexican authors flag All Votes Add Books To This List 21 books · 7 voters · list created December 14th, 2010 by Jessup (votes) . Like Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes. People Who Voted On This List (7) Jessup 957 books 271 friends Liliam 1 book 0 friends Kelli 632 books 92 friends Eunice 1680 books 69 friends

  24. 22 Best Books About Mexico

    Grab your favorite Mexican novels and history books here: Audible Plus: From Amazon, listen to Amazon Originals, podcasts, and audiobooks.They add new titles every week. Book of the Month: Get the month's hottest new and upcoming titles from Book of the Month.You might snag an early release or debut author.

  25. A vibrant Afro-Mexican community has always been in Mexico, their

    Jorge Gonzalez, director of the Afro-Mexican department at the WorldBeat Cultural Center and author of works on Black identity in Mexico, will discuss "Afro-Mexicanos: Mexico Officially Recognizes ...

  26. Mexico is suing US gun-makers for arming its gangs − and a US court

    The government of Mexico is suing U.S. gun-makers for their role in facilitating cross-border gun trafficking that has supercharged violent crime in Mexico.. The lawsuit seeks US$10 billion in ...

  27. Mariachi Mexico restaurant review: Everything you need to try

    Mariachi Mexico in Armonk is a farm-to-table Mexican restaurant, where ingredients are sourced locally from the Hudson Valley, and this week it has made national news. Along with 46 other ...