Books from Mexico

After a frantic letter from her newly married cousin Catalina, Mexico City socialite Noemí Taboada is sent into the mountains to find out what has become of her. What she finds is High Place: the mouldering mansion of the Doyles, an English family whose silver fortune ran out long ago and whose grip on the surrounding town has not.

• forced proximity
• survival
• morally grey

Dentro de su brevedad -determinada por el rigor y la concentración expresiva-, Pedro Páramo sintetiza la mayor parte de los temas que han interesado -y afligido- siempre a los mexicanos: ese misterio nacional que el talento de Juan Rulfo ha sabido condensar por medio rural del sur de Jalisco -de Comala en particular, región inscrita ya en la mitología literia universal-; sus personajes muertos que "evasivos, reticentes, convierten en secreto el aire mismo, y se vuelven elocuentes como consecuencia de callarse."

Minerva, a graduate student researching horror literature, stumbles upon a dark secret while investigating an obscure author. The author's most famous novel was inspired by a real-life disappearance decades ago, linked to a mysterious roommate and a terrifying encounter with a witch. As Minerva delves deeper, she fears the same malevolent force that haunted the past is now threatening her present.

• dual timeline
• multiple povs
• family saga
• dark academia

In this enchanting novel, Tita's emotions are inextricably linked to the food she prepares. When tradition forbids her from marrying the man she loves, Pedro, Tita pours her passion, sorrow, and rebellion into her cooking. Experience a world where meals are infused with magic and the youngest daughter's duty to her mother dictates her fate.

• forbidden love
• sacrifice

Step into the stark, haunting landscapes of rural Mexico with this collection of short stories. Juan Rulfo explores the subtle and overt violence that shapes lives, often going unrecognized by those who inflict or endure it. These tales delve into the lingering impact of conflict on the human spirit, revealing the quiet struggles of characters grappling with their pasts.

• morally grey

Earthy, magical, and utterly charming, this tale of family life in turn-of-the-century Mexico became a best-selling phenomenon with its winning blend of poignant romance and bittersweet wit. The classic love story takes place on the De la Garza ranch, as the tyrannical owner, Mama Elena, chops onions at the kitchen table in her final days of pregnancy. While still in her mother's womb, her daughter to be weeps so violently she causes an early labor, and little Tita slips out amid the spices and fixings for noodle soup. This early encounter with food soon becomes a way of life, and Tita grows up to be a master chef. She shares special points of her favorite preparations with listeners throughout the story. The Spanish language edition of the best-selling Like Water For Chocolate is a remarkable success in its own right. Now, in this mass market edition, thousands of new readers will be able to partake in the sumptuous, romantic, and hilarious tale of Tita, the terrific cook with an extra special something in her sauce. A delightful first novel... the fragrant story makes you dream of love and want your supper too. -- Glamour. A mystical Mexican love story... [that] will charm the palate and the heart. -- USA Today. A tall-tal, fairy-tale, soap-opera and home-remedy handbook all rolled into one. -- San Francisco Chronicle.

La nación del sol y el reino de la luna han logrado mantener la paz durante un milenio, pero hoy todo parece estar perdido: la reina Virian ha desaparecido y los vientos de guerra amenazan ambos territorios. Emil es el príncipe heredero a la corona del sol y en ausencia de su madre deberá asumir el trono a pesar de su juventud; de lo contrario su nación tendrá que enfrentar de nuevo una terrible era de oscuridad. Para evitarlo, Elyon, su mejor amiga -una solaris de espíritu libre y soñador-, lo convence de emprender un arriesgado viaje por Fenrai para dar con el paradero de la reina, antes de que los rumores sobre los siniestros planes del reino de la luna se vuelvan realidad. Pero la travesía se torna cada vez más peligrosa y desconcertante cuando descubren la verdad detrás de algunos secretos que era mejor no revelar. ¿Valdrá la pena poner en riesgo su vida para salvar el lugar que los ha visto crecer? ¡Una mágica aventura que los obligará a ser más fuertes y valientes!

In the 1950s, young Carlos falls for Mariana, the elegant stepmother of one of his classmates — until he learns she is actually his father's first wife. Told in beautiful, melancholic prose, this classic of Mexican literature captures a boy's loss of innocence against the backdrop of a changing Mexico City.

• coming of age
• love triangle

In 1962 Mexico City, a young lawyer is drawn into the mysterious world of Aura, a beautiful and enigmatic woman who lives in a decaying mansion. As he becomes entangled in her life, he finds himself losing his grip on reality and questioning his own identity. This short, powerful novel by Carlos Fuentes explores themes of love, obsession, and the blurring lines between the past and the present.

• unreliable narrator

Octavio Paz, a distinguished Mexican author and ambassador, offers a profound reflection on his experiences and observations during his time in India. This work delves into the intricate tapestry of Indian civilization, culture, and history, viewed through the unique perspective of a Western diplomat and poet. Paz intertwines personal anecdotes with broader philosophical inquiries, creating a rich exploration of the human condition and the clash of civilizations.

• fish out of water

A Mexican writer and his Jewish American wife set out for a road trip from Mexico City to Veracruz, only to be joined by a Jewish refugee and his young Mexican mistress. As the four of them travel together, the boundaries between their identities and relationships begin to blur and dissolve. Carlos Fuentes's 1967 novel is a meditation on cultural hybridity, the fragility of the self, and the ways in which history and love reshape who we are.

• multiple povs
• morally grey
• unreliable narrator

Carlos is a young boy growing up in Mexico City during the late 1940s, a time of rapid modernization and change. His life is forever altered when he falls in love with the mother of his best friend, a confession that leads to social ostracization and the painful end of his childhood. This short, evocative novel captures the fleeting nature of memory and the loss of a bygone era.

• coming of age
• forbidden love

Confabulario gathers a diverse array of short stories, fables, and parables from one of Mexico's most distinctive literary voices. These concise narratives blend fantasy, satire, and philosophical reflection, often exploring the absurdities of human nature and society. Readers will encounter a menagerie of characters and situations, each offering a unique lens on existence.

The debut work in English by Mexico's winner of the Cervantes Prize, The Art of Flight takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of the world's cultural capitals as Sergio Pitol looks back on his well-traveled life as an author, translator, scholar, and diplomat. The first work in Pitol's "Trilogy of Memory," The Art of Flight blends the genres of fiction and memoir in a Borgesian swirl of contemplation and mystery, expanding our understanding and appreciation of what literature can be and what it can do.

Step into a world of pure imagination with "Cuentos de damas fantásticas." This collection features incredible stories from masters of the fantastical like Max Aub and Adolfo Bioy Casares. Prepare to be whisked away to realms where the impossible becomes real and wonder awaits around every corner.

This collection brings together chronicles from acclaimed journalists Jon Lee Anderson, Antonio-Prometeo Moya Valle, and Juan Villoro. Through their incisive reporting, the book explores the nature of dictatorships, the figures who wield such power, and the societal impacts of their rule. It offers a critical look at political landscapes and human experiences under authoritarian regimes.

• love triangle
• slow burn
• chosen one
• mentor figure

"Fantasiosa y excéntrica en su infancia, desafiante en su adolescencia, Leonora Carrington vivió la más turbulenta historia de amor con el pintor Max Ernst. Con él se sumergió en el torbellino del surrealismo, y se codeó en París con Salvador Dalí, Marcel Duchamp, Joan Miró, André Breton o Pablo Picaso; por Max enloqueció cuando fue enviado a un campo de concentración. A Leonora se la confinó en un manicomio de Santandar, del que escapó para conquistar Nueva York de la mano de Peggy Guggenheim. Se instaló en México casándose con el poeta y periodista Renado Leduc; aquí culimina una de las obras artísticas y literaria más singulares y geniales"--From publisher's description. Traces the life of Leonora Carrington, the surrealist painter and writer, from her childhood in a wealthy English family, through her time in Paris between the wars and her escape from a mental institution, to her later years in Mexico.