8 Essential Mexican Books to Read During Quarantine

Every night since I began my quarantine a month ago, I stand at my window — about 10 tall stories above southern Mexico City. Of all the places to “self-isolate,” I’d choose here. I can watch the sunset, then stare out and see the twinkling lights of a million apartments and houses rising up the mountainsides in the distance. There is no better place to contemplate the beauty and fragility of our existence. And the spectacular, precarious, over-populated chaos we all live through in this wonderful monster of a city. And curl up on my sofa, with one of my favorite Mexican books.

But it should come as no surprise that even as I enjoy my home and my solitude, I’m also jonesing to travel. Gazing out the window is great, but it also reminds me of all the places I love, those I’ve yet to visit, and the people I’m longing to see in this miraculous country.

Fortunately, Mexico is unbelievably rich in forms of cultural expression — many of which I can enjoy from my home! With that in mind, I thought I’d share some of my personal favorite Mexican books. Many of us are struggling right now: with the psychology of isolation, difficult finances, and anxiety over the coronavirus epidemic. For all that we lack, there remains an incredible bounty of cultural richness to explore.

Without further ado, here’s my guide to the books that will transport you through Mexico from the comfort of your armchair! This list is by no means exhaustive or definitive. It’s simply full of novels and nonfiction works that are especially close to my heart.

1) Caramelo, by Sandra Cisneros

This novel by Mexican-American author Sandra Cisneros is a wonderful introduction to Mexican culture and history. While perspectives and time periods shift around, it’s written largely from the perspective of a Chicago kid road-tripping south with their parents in order to visit family in Mexico City. It follows this story, along with the personal histories of various family members, introducing you to a remarkable expanse of Mexican life throughout time. Cisneros’ passage while the family crosses over from the U.S. into Mexico is one of my all-time favorites. It perfectly captures the sights, the sounds, the sensory experience of this crossing.

2) The Mexico City Reader

This collection of writings about Mexico City was written at a darker time in history, in the ’90s when crime was rampant and the city hadn’t yet undergone its present-day beautification. Despite these discrepancies, the diverse works of The Mexico City Reader often get at essential qualities of the city. It’s a fun, lively read that will make you laugh and think more deeply about this marvelous place. Don’t skip the front matter, which includes an excellent introductory essay on the city’s development and modern life! (For a deeper dive into Mexico City’s urban history, check out I Speak of the City, by Mauricio Tenorio Trillo.)

3) Malinche, by Laura Esquivel

Many of you are already familiar with Mexican writer Laura Esquivel. If you spy some Mexican books on a U.S. bookshelf, it’s likely that she’s the author. Her bestselling romantic novel Like Water for Chocolate and its movie adaptation made her a household name.

I like Malinche even more, though! Esquivel was fascinated with Malinche, the indigenous woman who became conquistador Hernan Cortez’s translator and mistress. She’s a polarizing figure in Mexico, at once considered the Mother of the Mestizo (mixed) Race, and the first traitor of the Mexican people. Esquivel dives deep into Malinche’s reality in this fictionalized account, breathing new life and autonomy into this fascinating figure.

4) La Perdida, by Jessica Abel

A young Mexican-American woman moves to Mexico City in this intriguing graphic novel from Jessica Abel. Her art style is beautiful, capturing urban scenes precisely: markets, bars, city streets and parks, the canals of Xochimilco, the blooming spring jacarandas. The story is very dense, shifting between English and heavily slang-influenced Mexican Spanish. But its unfolding mystery is highly rewarding if you give this book the time it deserves.

5) Instrucciones para vivir en México (Instructions for Living in Mexico), by Jorge Ibarguengoitia*

If you’ve lived in Mexico for any length of time, this book will make you laugh out loud endlessly. Jorge Ibarguengoitia is widely beloved for his poignant, sarcastic, and often hilarious observations on Mexican life and politics. Instructions for Living in Mexico compiles hundreds of the short columns he wrote for Mexican newspapers in the 1970s.

Despite being nearly 50 years old, these pieces could have been written yesterday. Ibarguengoitia tears apart everything from Mexican bureaucracy to elections, etiquette to small town life. Many have already read Octavio Paz’s famous The Labyrinth of Solitude, which contains some similarities. But I love this book’s exacting observations and clever wit even more.

6) La fila india (The Indian Line), by Antonio Ortuño*

No novel captures modern Mexico with more unflinching power than Antonio Ortuño’s La fila india. In some ways it’s a shame that no one has translated this powerhouse book. Yet it’s one of those books that probably only works in Spanish, so unique is Ortuño’s use of language. The novel follows a human rights functionary in the Mexican government as she travels to the southern border with Guatemala. There, a horrific massacre of Central American migrants has taken place. The event is fictional, but it’s based on similar real-life killings in recent years.

La fila india takes a clear-eyed look at the ugliest parts of contemporary society: not only the inhumanity of the cartel and the immense suffering of the migrants who cross through Mexico, but also the hypocrisy, apathy, and veiled racism of the educated elite in Mexico City. Of all the Mexican books featured on this list, Ortuño’s masterpiece may have left the most unnerving impression on me.

7) The Power of the Dog, by Don Winslow

Another dark yet powerful story comes in this first novel from an action-packed trilogy. The Power of the Dog is the only book on this list from an author who’s neither Mexican nor Mexican-American. Rather, Don Winslow is a well-known American crime and noir writer. When he set his sights on the history of Mexican narco-trafficking, the result was this page-turner, which reads like Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico (but far preceded the series).

Media focus on this issue is often highly sensationalist and graphic. What I like about Winslow’s books is that they remain utterly gripping, yet this guy clearly did his research as well. Names have been changed, but many historical events are quite accurate. The U.S. government’s role in the violence and instability is made particularly clear. Even while focusing on the early days (1970s onward) of the drug war, Winslow extolls Mexico’s sophisticated culture and beautiful cities, not just violence. It’s not a perfect book. However, it’s an entertaining and well-written look at a challenging period in the country’s recent history. It’s the first in a page-turning trilogy, followed by The Cartel and The Border.

8) Hurricane Season, by Fernanda Melchor

The only reason Hurricane Season is listed last is because I haven’t gotten my hands on it yet! I’m including it, however, because Fernanda Melchor is one of Mexico’s most promising young writers. Her short story collection Aquí No es Miami (This Isn’t Miami) explores her native Veracruz, and its current crisis of crime and violence, with a clear voice and sense of irony. Now, Hurricane Season has come along: Melchor’s first book to be translated into English. And it’s already shortlisted for the Booker International Prize! The themes in her previous works are reflected here, on a more epic scale.

I hope this brief introduction to the wide world of Mexican books helps you get through the quarantine, coming out on the other side a little more knowledgable about the country and culture! And with muchas ganas (a strong desire) to visit and explore in-person ASAP. Stay tuned for guides to Mexican film, TV, art, and more in the near future!

*Note: The titles marked with an asterisk are only available in Spanish at this time, without subtitles/translations that I could find. Seek these out if you’re looking to brush up on your language skills during quarantine!