Autumn has shyly approached Old Dominion University as September’s warmth persists. Despite October’s 80+ degree temperatures, the cold will soon return to Norfolk, Virginia just as the leaves begin to fade into the state’s signature oranges, yellows, and browns. As summer’s heat dwindles and the warm breeze of fall ushers in a new comfort to the outdoors, I feel far more inclined to open up a novel in the fresh air. As I think about reading and this time of year, a few books have come to mind.
Oct. 15 marks the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, where we reflect on and celebrate the influence that Hispanic and Latino culture has on our society. As a first-generation student raised by Puerto Rican parents and grandparents, I am always looking to expand my knowledge on my history and my culture, as well as immerse myself in the creative world of Latin American writing. In this light, I’ve compiled a list of ten books of different genres from my ever-growing to-be-read list (and a few that I’ve already read!) so that you might consider enhancing your bookshelf with Latin authorship—during any month of the year.
When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago
Pages: 274
Topics: Memoir, Immigration, Young Adult, Nuyorican Life, Family Dynamics
Brief: An autobiographical coming-of-age story about how Puerto Rican author Esmeralda Santiago and her family are whisked to Brooklyn, New York, where they must embrace urban American life after an upbringing in the countryside. This immersive narrative weaves together strong imagery, complicated family dynamics, and the experience of having one’s life uprooted, spun in a voice so rich that readers of this memoir will find it hard to put down.
Inventing Latinos: A New Story of American Racism by Laura E. Gómez
Pages: 336
Topics: Nonfiction, History, Sociology, Race, Social Justice
Brief: In an “examination of Latinx identity,” Gómez explores the recent development of a collective racial identity amongst those who hail from the Caribbean and Central America in Inventing Latinos. Gómez argues that racism and classism intersect regarding the generalization of different kinds of Latin Americans who reside in the United States. Overall, the complexity of being Latino in America is dissected here through a sociological and historical lens.
Malas by Marcela Fuentes
Pages: 375
Topics: Historical Fiction, Adult Fiction, Coming of Age, Multigenerational POVs
Brief: Set along the Texas-Mexico border, this dual-timeline story follows two women whose lives are upended by a supposed generational curse. With the 1950s and 1990s expertly woven together, an honest tale of womanhood, classism, and history emerges, spiced with family secrets while honoring Mexican American heritage.
Boricuas Edited by Roberto Santiago
Pages: 401
Topics/Formats: Anthology, Poetry, Essay, Fiction, Speeches, Letters
Brief: Santiago collects several works from influential Puerto Ricans in this anthology, ranging from Esmeralda Santiago and Maria Esteves to Pedro Albizu Campos and Luis Muñoz Marín. Filled with history, pride, and stories of love and prejudice, Puerto Rican life is articulated through the words of some of the most prolific writers born from the island’s culture.
Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano
Pages: 317
Topics: History, Nonfiction, Latin American History, South America, Politics
Brief: The “open veins” of Latin America bled gold, coffee, fruit, and metals; Galeano explores the ways in which the United States and Europe emptied these veins throughout Latin America and the Caribbean over five centuries. Open Veins of Latin America is a compelling, vivid narrative that analyzes the consequences of colonization of a continent of people.
The Taste of Sugar by Marisel Vera
Pages: 380
Topics: Historical Fiction, War, Immigration, Young Love
Brief: Following dwellers of a coffee farm in the Utuado region of Puerto Rico, the novel explores the looming Spanish-American War amid the tensions of poverty and climate disaster. A rich showcase of the mismanagement of Puerto Rico and its people, The Taste of Sugar is a testament to perseverance through love and community.
Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro
Pages: 143
Topics: Mystery, Murder, Thriller, Feminism, Literary Fiction
Brief: The case of a woman’s murder in a church bell tower is closed by officials, dismissed to be forgotten. Her mother, Elena, insists on solving the crime because no one else will. Suffering from Parkinson’s and dependent on pills to function, Elena faces limitations and struggles that punctuate the chapters in this novel. As an examination of society’s authoritarianism and hypocrisy, the novel explores ageism, the autonomy of women and their bodies, and the church’s hold on society. Elena Knows is ripe with flashbacks, high stakes, and cultural critique, ensuring a compelling read for lovers of the thriller genre.
Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia
Pages: 207
Topics: Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Cuba, Feminism, Multigenerational POVs
Brief: A non-chronological collection of stories depicting the lives, environments, and impossible struggles of women across different generations, heartbreakingly accurate to their time. Each tale is intricately woven with another in the novel, creating an atmosphere readers will not be able to forget.
Content warning: includes mentions of abuse, addiction, immigration, deportation and ICE, and strained mother-daughter relationships.
Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas
Pages: 371
Topics: Horror, Fantasy, Vampires, Vaqueros, Romance, Gothic, Historical Fiction
Brief: Sparks of childhood romance are tragically extinguished when a supernatural entity haunts the mountainside. Years later, in 1840s Mexico, protagonists Nena and Néstor are reunited under less-than-ideal circumstances, but attacks from the United States are not the only threats to a beloved ranch community. With men being drained of blood and the Mexican-American War unfolding, magic, betrayal, and forbidden love sit just above the horizon.
War Against All Puerto Ricans by Nelson A. Denis
Pages: 400
Topics: History, Nonfiction, Politics, Race, Social Justice, American History, Puerto Rico
Brief: A meticulously researched history of Puerto Rico, focused on the tense, predatory relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States. Touching on the Nationalist movement and contextualizing Puerto Rico’s current economic crisis, Nelson A. Denis spares no detail when it comes to atrocities, racism, and the consequences of the colonization of Puerto Rico. Featuring images, declassified FBI files, and uncensored reporting, War Against All Puerto Ricans “tells the story of a forgotten revolution.”