5 New Books for Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month
In celebration of Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15–October 15), I present to you four recent books (and one to look out for) from 2022. Each of these books is written by either a Latinx or Hispanic author and draws from their cultural experiences. Included are fictional stories, memoirs, and poetry, each focusing on aspects of life unique to the Latinx/Hispanic experience. If you are interested in celebrating this rich heritage, I highly recommend you check out these wonderful books.
Kimberly Garza
The Last Karankawas
Henry Holt
In Galveston, Texas, there is a small neighborhood called Fish Village that Carly Castillo calls home. According to her mother, they are the descendants of the Karankawas, a tribe that was once indigenous to Texas. This heritage keeps her tied to her small hometown, but she dreams of seeing the world outside of her family’s past. Her boyfriend, Jess, has had his chance to see the world outside of Fish Village but doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon. These plans are interrupted as an intense storm begins to build into Hurricane Ike, and Carly and the rest of the Fish Village residents are forced to decide between leaving their homes behind or holding onto their history—no matter the cost.
Angie Cruz
How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water
Flatiron Books
Cara Rivero loved her job, and if it were up to her, she’d never leave. However, when the Great Recession hits and half the country loses their jobs, Cara is not left unscathed. Unemployed for the first time in forever, Cara begins to meet with a job counselor. Over the course of twelve sessions, we listen to Cara tell her life story. From love affairs to severe debt to deep secrets, Cara’s story is one you won’t soon forget.
Javier Zamora
Solito: A Memoir
Hogarth Press
Javier Zamora’s memoir covers the dangerous journey he takes at only nine years old to join his parents across the United States–Mexico border, starting from his small town in El Salvador. Traveling with a group of strangers, Zamora recounts the nearly three thousand perilous miles he trekked and every dangerous encounter he meets along the way. Zamora’s painfully true story is one that many migrants will find all too familiar.
Kenneth Reveiz
MOPES
Fence Books
This collection of poems includes themes of racial and cultural equality, queer eros, pleasure and disappointment, and aesthetic desire. Funny and emotional, Reveiz covers it all.
Aldo Amparán
Brother Sleep
Alice James Books
In their debut collection, Amparán writes of their life as a queer person near the United States–Mexico border. Losing their brother, falling in love, and experiencing extreme homophobia only begins to describe the poetic material in this collection. Amparán’s poetry dances the line between a common and unique experience as a queer person at the border.
University of Oklahoma
