This is a (absolutely non-exhaustive) list of books on Mexico. We are glad to add any suggestions you might have.
The first name to mention when talking about books on Mexico is the renowned and prolific Paco Ignacio Taibo II. In his more than fifty works, he spans from detective novels to political essays, always with an eye on social movements and political events of his adoptive country. Paco was actually born in Spain, and quit his country with the Franco regime.
Another name of interest for books on Mexico is Carlos Fuentes, also a prolific writer and careful observer of Mexican society. He wrote so much that it would be impossible to comment all of his books, but we feel like recommending The years with Laura Diaz, and incredibly vibrant family saga focused on the character of an amazing woman.
Laura Esquivel is more known for her Like water for chocolate, but even more interesting we find her Malinche. Malinche was the lover of Hérnan Cortés, the interpreter between Spanish colonizers and the Aztecs at the time of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. A book to understand how back in time some issues we still face today go.
The life of Rosario Castellano is a novel in itself. This outstanding Mexican writer is remembered for her incessant work for the indigenous communities and for the fight for women’s rights. Her best known work is Balún Canán.
Talking about Mexican women writers, we cannot omit Angeles Mastretta with (in particular) her wonderful Women with big eyes, a tribute to the women of her Mexican family who embody the history of her country. But also Ana Castillo and her So far from God, an exquisit novel set in New Mexico about mother and daughters, rebellion and spirituality.
Moving on to a more contemporary context, we suggest, in no particular order, the following books on Mexico:
- Hurricane season, Fernanda Melchor, about the devastating violence that nature (and climate change) inflict on Mexico;
- The children’s archives, Valeria Luiselli, about the plague of Mexican refugees children in the United States;
- Horizontal vertigo, a city called Mexico, by Juan Villoro, an exploration of Mexico’s capital;
- Down the rabbit hole, by Juan Pablo Villalobo, a comic (and a bit surrealistic) tale of narco wars;
We end this post on books on Mexico with two special recommendations:
- Self portrait in a velvet dress: Frida’s wardrobe: Fashion from the Museo Frida Kahlo, by Carlos Phillips Olmedo, Denise Rosenzweig, Magdalena Rosenzweig, Teresa del Conde, Marta Turok, Graciela Iturbide, and Pablo Aguinaco. Loads of printed words have been published on the charismatic Frida Kahlo, and we are sure you all have your list of favourite titles on her life, works and death. Why not turn to a bit of a different work on her? This precious book features Frida’s wardrobe (which tells so much of the artist she has been). 95 original dresses, nicely staged and restored, close to historical pictures of Frida wearing them. A real treat.
- Mexique: A refugee story from the Spanish civil war, by Maria José Ferrada with Ana Penyas, a graphic novel about the hundreds of Spanish children who sought refuge in Mexico at the time of the civil war. A beautiful and necessary book.