As National Hispanic Heritage Month continues, here are some new as well as classic memoirs written by Latinx authors. These compelling reads provide glimpses into some of the many different Latinx experiences possible in the US.
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The prince of Los Cocuyos : a Miami childhood
by Richard Blanco A memoir from the first Latino and openly gay inaugural poet, which explores his coming-of-age as the child of Cuban immigrants and his attempts to understand his place in America while grappling with his burgeoning artistic and sexual identities. |
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Children of the land
by Marcelo Hernandez Castillo An award-winning poet chronicles his experiences of growing up undocumented in the United States, describing how his family and his attempt to establish an adult life were heartbreakingly complicated by racist policies. |
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Ordinary girls : a memoir
by Jaquira Díaz A biographical debut by a Pushcart Prize-winning writer traces her upbringing in the housing projects of Puerto Rico, her mother’s battle with schizophrenia, her personal struggles with sexual assault and her efforts to pursue a literary career. |
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Soaring earth : A Companion Memoir to Enchanted Air
by Margarita Engle A companion to the Young People's Poet Laureate's award-winning Enchanted Air explores the impact of the Cuban Revolution on the author's teen prospects and her burgeoning views on civil rights, freedom of expression and environmental protection. |
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A dream called home : a memoir
by Reyna Grande The nationally best-selling author of The Distance Between Us describes her harrowing early experiences as a first-generation Latina university student and aspiring writer who navigated racism and poverty to build a life for her family. |
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In the country we love : my family divided
by Diane Guerrero The star of Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin presents her personal story of the real plight of undocumented immigrants in this country. |
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Thoughts without cigarettes : a memoir
by Oscar Hijuelos The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love shares insights into the people and places that inspired his best-selling works, describing his early upbringing as the son of a Cuban hotel worker in a multicultural Manhattan neighborhood, a childhood illness in Cuba and more. |
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Once I was you : a memoir of love and hate in a torn America
by Maria Hinojosa The Emmy Award-winning journalist and anchor of NPR’s Latino USA documents the story of immigration in America through the human lens of her family’s experiences and her decades in the media. |
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Becoming Maria : love and chaos in the South Bronx
by Sonia Manzano The award-winning author of The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano and influential Hispanic-American actress best known as "Maria" on Sesame Street traces her disadvantaged childhood and dreams of becoming an actress that motivated her career. |
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My voice
by Angie Martinez The influential hip-hop radio host popularly known as “The Voice of New York” shares behind-the-scenes stories of her rise to success and controversial interviews with guests ranging from presidential hopeful Barack Obama to post-prison Tupac. |
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In the Dream House : A Memoir
by Carmen Maria Machado The award-winning author of Her Body and Other Parties shares the story of her relationship with an abusive partner and how it was shaped by her religious upbringing, her sexual orientation and inaccurate cultural beliefs about psychological trauma. |
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Native country of the heart : a memoir
by Cherríe Moraga From the pioneering queer theorist Cherríe Moraga, a memoir about her relationship with her mother, and her people. |
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Undocumented : a Dominican boy's odyssey from a homeless shelter to the Ivy League
by Dan-el Padilla Peralta A Princeton University salutatorian describes his experiences as an undocumented immigrant youth in New York City, relating his efforts as a scholarship student in a private school that sharply contrasted with his street life in East Harlem. |
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The closer
by Mariano Rivera The 19-year veteran pitcher for the New York Yankees describes his life, discussing the difficulties in being a Latino baseball player in the U.S., how he keeps his Christian values in professional sports and his championships and rivalries. |
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When I was Puerto Rican : A Memoir
by Esmeralda Santiago Magic, sexual tension, high comedy, and intense drama move through an enchanted yet harsh autobiography, in the story of a young girl who leaves Puerto Rico for New York's tenements and a chance for success. |
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My beloved world
by Sonia Sotomayor The first Hispanic American on the U.S. Supreme Court shares the story of her life before becoming a judge, describing her youth in a Bronx housing project, the ambition that fueled her Ivy League education, and the individuals who helped shape her career. |