Five Books by Latinx Authors to Add to Your Reading List

By Destiny Torres
Staff Reporter
One of my favorite ways to spend cold days, at least as cold as it gets in Los Angeles, is by cozying up with a good book. 

Back in high school, I was hardly exposed to books by Latinx authors. As a result, supporting Latinx artists and celebrating my culture has become increasingly important to me over the years. What better place to start that appreciation than with books? If you’re looking for writers who uniquely represent the Latinx voice, look no further than the list below. 

‘Sabrina & Corina” By: Kali Farjado-Anstine 

Kali Farjado-Anstine writes a beautiful collection of short stories in Sabrina & Corina. Taking place in Colorado, this book gives the reader a look into the life experiences of native and Latinx women. It’s a rather quick read, but each story is a hauntingly beautiful telling of the female experience and their struggles. 

In the Dream House: A Memoir By: Carmen Maria Machado

In her memoir, Machado writes about her relationship with a woman that starts off beautifully and ends abusively. Through a series of vignettes, Machado reviews every aspect of her relationship and how it made her into the woman she is today. Machado delivers an important message about love and abuse. It’s a book that is hard to read at times, but even harder to put down. 

“The Tattooed Soldier” By: Héctor Tobar 

In the “Tattooed Soldier,” Tobar takes readers to Los Angeles in 1992. Antonio Bernal, a Guatemalan refugee, struggles to live his life in the U.S. due to the loss of his wife and son who were murdered by a soldier with a prominent yellow tattoo. By chance, he crosses paths with Guillermo Longoria, a former Guatemalan soldier with a haunting tattoo that has been ingrained in Antonio’s mind. This is a piece of historical fiction that shows just how violence affects us. 

“Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A.” By: Luis Rodriguez 

This memoir by Luis Rodriguez captures you from the beginning to the end. It’s about Rodriguez’s life as a young kid from East Los Angeles who fell into the cycle of gang violence. His story is brutal and at times heartbreaking, but overall this book is full of hope and inspiration. 

“The Distance Between Us” By: Reyna Grande

Last, but not least, “The Distance Between” Us” is a memoir that takes us through the author’s life before and after migrating from Mexico to the United States. Being separated from their parents at a young age, Grande and her siblings had a difficult childhood, but the struggles don’t end when they cross the border. This book is a gripping tale of hardship and triumph that will have you invested from the very beginning. 

There are so many talented Latinx writers that I admire; these are only five books that I hope everyone can get a chance to read at least once.