Tag Archives: Books

Hispanic Heritage Month 2013 Reading List

September 15th through October 15th is “Hispanic Heritage Month.” Here is a list I put together of books that talk about the Hispanic/Latin@ experience in the United States from different perspectives. I have only included books I have read and deemed interesting. I have also tried to capture different aspects of the Hispanic/Latin@ vida: from religion to sociology to economy to immigration… (I still have a very long list of other books to read… once I do read them, they will show up on this list!)

It is my hope that you can grab at least one of these books during this month and learn more about the Latin@/Hispanic experience in the United States. All of the books are in English, as my intention is to reach out to the English-speaking friends of all ethnicities and races. Hope you enjoy!




1. Mañana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective by Justo L. González

2. En la lucha / In the Struggle: Elaborating a mujerista theology. A Hispanic Women’s Liberation Theology by Ada María Isasi-Díaz

3. La Cosecha: Harvesting Cotemporary United States Hispanic Theology by Eduardo C. Fernández

4. Latina Evangélicas: A Theological Survey from the Margins by Loida I. Martell-Otero, Zaida Maldonado Perez and Elizabeth Conde-Frazier

5. Galilean Journey: The Mexican-American Promise by Virgilio Elizondo


1. When I Was Puerto Rican: A Memoir by Esmeralda Santiago

2. Almost a Woman by Esmeralda Santiago

3. The Turkish Lover by Esmeralda Santiago

4. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

5. The Circuit : Stories From the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jiménez

6. Breaking Through by Francisco Jiménez

7. Reaching Out by Francisco Jiménez

8. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Álvarez

9. Christ-Like by Emanuel Xavier

10. Americano: Growing up Gay and Latino in the USA by Emanuel Xavier

11. Santo de la Pata Alzada: Poems from the Queer/Xicano/Positive Pen by Lorenzo Herrera y Lozano

12. My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor


1. Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba by Tom Gjelten

2. Latino Americans: The 500-Year Legacy That Shaped a Nation by Ray Suárez

3. Latinos: A Biography of the People by Earl Shorris

4. Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America by Juan González

5. Latinos: Remaking America edited by Marcelo M. Suárez-Orozco and Mariela Páez

6. Historical Perspective on Puerto Rican Survival in the United States edited by Clara E. Rodríguez and Virginia Sánchez Korrol

Cultural Studies

1. From Bomba to Hip-Hop: Puerto Rican Culture and Latino Identity by Juan Flores

2. It’s All in the Frijoles: 100 Famous Latinos Share Stories, Time-Tested Dichos, Favorite Folktales, and Inspiring Words of Wisdom by Yolanda Nava

3. Latinos in America: Philosophy and Social Identity by Jorge J. E. García

Social & Contemporary Issues


2. HIS-Panic: Why Americans Fear Hispanics in the U.S. by Geraldo Rivera

3. Illegal People: How Globalization Creates Migration and Criminalizes Immigrants by David Bacon

4. The Presumed Alliance: The Unspoken Conflict Between Latinos and Blacks and What It Means for America by Nicolás C. Vaca

5. “They Take Our Jobs!” And 20 Other Myths About Immigration by Aviva Chomsky


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Filed under Culture, Heritage, Hispanics, History, Latino, Puerto Rico, United States, USA