Minian, Ana Raquel. Undocumented Lives The Untold Story of Mexican Migration. Harvard University Press, 2020. Undocumented Lives reveals the little-known story of Mexico’s policy in support of the migration of able-bodied men to the United States to find work, and the back-and-forth lives they lived before U.S. authorities tightened border controls. (PAPER, 336 Pp.)

Minian, Ana Raquel. In the Shadow of Liberty: The Invisible History of Immigrant Detention in the United States. Viking, 2024. Through the stories of four migrants fleeing turmoil in their countries for the promises of America, Minian illustrates the struggles and hopes of migrants and reveals the long and hidden history of immigrant detention, including its influence on the for-profit prison industry. (PAPER, 384 Pp.)

Dillingham, A. S.  Oaxaca Resurgent: Indigeneity, Development, and Inequality in Twentieth-Century Mexico. Stanford University Press, 2021. Drawing on declassified surveillance documents, interviews and original research, Oaxaca Resurgent examines how the Indigenous people of Oaxaca, one of Mexico’s most rebellious states, shaped the local and national politics of the twentieth century. (PAPER, 270 Pp.)

Fuentes, Carlos. The Buried Mirror. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1999. A fascinating, illustrated survey of Latin American culture and history by the great Mexican author Carlos Fuentes. With hundreds of color illustrations. (PAPER, 399 Pp.)

Simpson, Lesley Byrd. Many Mexicos. University of California Press, 1983. This widely known popular history of Mexico, first published in 1941, stands as an enjoyable, well-written introduction to the country and its history. (PAPER, 389 Pp.)

Spores, Ronald and Andrew K. Balkansky. The Mixtecs of Oaxaca, Ancient Times to the Present. OUP, 2020. A comprehensive study of the Mixtec peoples of Oaxaca, who were among the major original developers of Mesoamerican civilization. Combines archaeological, historical and ethnographic data to trace the emergence and evolution of the Mixtec civilization from its origin to the present. (HARD COVER, 328 Pp.)

Thomas, Hugh. Conquest: Montezuma, Cortes and the Fall of Old Mexico. Touchstone, 1995. An entertaining and monumental tome on the conquest of Mexico. It's rare to find a work of such scholarship and importance that is also an enjoyable read. (PAPER, 812 Pp.)

Villoro, Juan.  Horizontal Vertigo. Pantheon Books, 2021. A seemingly meandering exploration of Mexico City that brilliantly connects the city’s people and places to reveal the sweep of its history, from indigenous antiquity to its position today as one of the world’s leading cultural and financial centers. (HARD COVER, 368 Pp.)

Burri, Rene. Luis Barragan. Phaidon Press, 2000. A photographic tribute to the spirit and work of Mexican architect Luis Barragan, by his friend Burri, a photographer for the Magnum photo agency. (HARD COVER, 80 Pp.)

Du Pont, Diana (Editor). Tamayo, A Modern Icon Reinterpreted. Turner, 2007. This collection of essays takes in the breadth of the Mexican Modernist’s work and his development of a new form of abstract figuration. (HARD COVER, 384 Pp.)

Fekete, Devon. Doors of Oaxaca. Schiffer Pub Ltd, 2007. Oaxaca’s vibrant doors, rich in texture and color, and the Spanish colonial aesthetic that influences much of the region’s architecture are captured in over 700 stunning photographs. (PAPER, 256 Pp.)

Hamill, Pete. Diego Rivera. Harry N. Abrams, 2002. Hamill studied painting before becoming a journalist, and uses his knowledge and aesthetic eye in service of this lively biography of the Mexican muralist. (PAPER, 207 Pp.)

Herrera, Hayden. Frida Kahlo, Las Pinturas/The Paintings. Editorial Diana, 2002. Afflicted by polio as a child and tormented by a leg injury suffered in her teen years, a determined and talented Frida Kahlo began painting to help support her family. The daughter of a Jewish immigrant photographer father and Mexican mother, Kahlo passionately displayed her Mexican roots in her paintings. Irreverent and self-conscious, Kahlo's canvases also reflect her sadness and loneliness. This beautifully illustrated book serves both as a biography and as an exploration of the striking work of the renowned artist. It includes some never before published family photographs. (PAPER, 257 Pp.)

Mindling, Eric Sebastian. Oaxaca Stories in Cloth: A Book About People, Identity, and Adornment. Schiffer Craft, 2016. This exquisite documentation of the formal dress traditions of Oaxaca features 175 full color photos along with stories of the people of rural Oaxaca. A sensitive and beautiful portrait of a culture fighting to survive. (HARD COVER, 384 Pp.)

Monasterio, Pablo Ortiz and Jose Emilio Pacheco (Afterword). The Last City. Twin Palms, 1995. A handsome collection of black-and-white photographs showing daily life – and the contrast between ancient and modern – in Mexico City. With an afterword by Jose Emilio Pacheco. (HARD COVER, 104 Pp.)

Nichols, Deborah L. and Christopher A. Pool. The Oxford Handbook of Mesoamerican Archaeology. Oxford University Press, 2016. A comprehensive guide to the archaeological work that has taken place in Mesoamerica. Includes discussions of early hunter-gatherer societies, the economy and social-political structures of pre-colonial societies and the Spanish conquest and colonial rule. (PAPER, 1000 Pp.)

Rochfort, Desmond. Mexican Muralists, Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros. Chronicle Books, 1998. The story of the Mexican muralist movement and three of its most prominent artists, Jose Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, “Los Tres Grandes,” is told in this beautifully illustrated book that traces the lives and work of the three legendary artists. Over 100 color reproductions showcase both famous and lesser-known murals from around Mexico and the United States. (PAPER, 304 Pp.)

Turner, Newell. Mexican: A Journey Through Design. Vendome Press, 2023. Award-winning design editor and photographer Newell Turner explores nine decisive periods of Mexican design and architecture, beginning with the pre-Colombian aesthetics of Mexico’s indigenous people. Over 200 stunning colorful photographs of private homes, major cities and quiet pueblos capture the country’s rich design heritage. (HARD COVER, 256 Pp.)

Zamora, Martha. Frida Kahlo, The Brush of Anguish. Chronicle Books, 1993. A handsome biography with 75 color paintings, archival photographs, and accompanying text. (PAPER, 144 Pp.)

Goldman, Francisco. The Interior Circuit: A Mexico City Chronicle. Grove Press, 2014. Set against his struggle to overcome his fear of driving in Mexico City, Francisco Goldman chronicles his emergence from grief following the death of his beloved wife five years earlier. At the same time, organized crime consumes the city and Goldman seeks to understand the challenges the capital faces. Part memoir, part reportage, The Interior Circuit is an account of life in one of the world’s most remarkable and often misunderstood cities. (PAPER, 352 Pp.)

Hernández, Daniel. Down and Delirious in Mexico City: The Aztec Metropolis in the Twenty-First Century. Scribner, 2011. In search of his cultural roots, Daniel Hernández moves to Mexico City where he immerses himself in its many neighborhoods, slums and subcultures. From these explorations of the kaleidoscopic and contradictory city emerges an account that is essential reading for anyone hoping to better understand the Mexican capital. (PAPER, 288 Pp.)

Kahlo, Frida. Frida by Frida: Selection of Letters and Texts. Mexico D. F. Editorial RM. Editor Raquel Tibol, 2007. Tibol has assembled various writings by Kahlo into a beautiful autobiography, offering a unique window into the artist's life and work. (HARD COVER, 399 Pp.)

Rivera, Diego. My Art, My Life, An Autobiography. Dover Publications, 1992. A revealing portrait of the painter who revolutionized modern mural painting and is ranked among the most influential artists of the 20th century. (PAPER, 224 Pp.)

Peña, Alfredo Cardona and Alvaro Cardona-Hine (Translator). Conversations with Diego Rivera: The Monster in His Labyrinth. New Village Press, 2018. Over the course of one year, poet Alfredo Cardona-Peña interviewed Diego Rivera weekly, capturing the artist’s revolutionary views on the politics, culture and the art of Mexico, as well as his earliest memories of life. (PAPER, 224 Pp.)

Sacks, Oliver. Oaxaca Journal. Vintage, 2012. Neurologist, writer and American Fern Society member Oliver Sacks travels to Oaxaca with a group of fellow fern enthusiasts, where he keeps a journal of the trip. Observations on ferns blossom into a meditation on Mesoamerican civilization, chocolate, agriculture, mescal and amateur naturalists. (PAPER, 352 Pp.)

Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate. Double Day, 1994. This lovely novel uses elements of magical realism to portray themes of family, duty, sacrifice, love and freedom. (PAPER, 256 Pp.)

José, Pergentino. Red Ants. Deep Vellum Publishing, 2020. A dazzling collection of short stories that paints a candid picture of indigenous life in Mexico. With a dash modern magician realism, José’s stories explore themes of love, family and independence.  (PAPER, 152 Pp.)

Mayo, C. M. (Editor). Mexico, A Traveler's Literary Companion. Whereabouts Press, 2005. A who's who of contemporary Mexican literature from Carlos Fuentes and Laura Esquivel to Agustin Cadena and other young stars. (PAPER, 256 Pp.)

Mora, Nicolás Medina. América del Norte. Soho Press, 2024. A privileged young man from Mexico’s elite living a bi-national life in Mexico and the United States finds his world unraveling as Trump-era immigration restrictions, new political leadership in Mexico and family problems take hold. (HARD COVER)

Moreno-Garcia, Silvia. Mexican Gothic. Del Rey, 2021. A glamourous debutante receives a letter from her distressed cousin and travels to the Mexican countryside where she confronts the chilling secrets of her cousin’s new husband and the crumbling estate they live in. Voted one of the best books of the year by The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, NPR, The Washington Post, Tordotcom, Marie Claire, Vox, Mashable, Men’s Health, Library Journal, Book Riot and LibraryReads. (PAPER, 352 Pp.)

Moreno-Garcia, Silvia. Velvet Was the Night. Del Rey, 2022. Mexico City, the 1970s: Maite, a lonely secretary who lies about her non-existent love life and spends Saturday nights reading romance comics, finds herself swept up in the search for her next-door neighbor, the beautiful art student Leonora, who disappeared under suspicious circumstances. (PAPER, 320 Pp.)

Alonso, Cristina. Art and Fiesta in Mexico City: An Insider's Guide to the Best Places to Eat, Drink and Explore. Hardie Grant, 2020. Mexico City local Cristina Alonso has created a comprehensive guide to city's cultural attractions, eclectic food scene, shops, galleries and legendary markets. Includes a selection of itineraries and daytrips that highlight the very best the city has to offer. (PAPER, 232 Pp.)

Armstrong, Kate. Lonely Planet Mexico. Lonely Planet, 2022. This comprehensive guide includes information on Mexico City and Oaxaca. Suggested itineraries, including a tour of Mexico City’s top murals, detailed maps and honest reviews will help you make the most of your time in Mexico. (PAPER, 896 Pp.)

Glassberg, Jeffrey. A Swift Guide to Butterflies of Mexico and Central America. Princeton University Press, 2018. Covers more than 2,000 species and features over 3,700 beautiful color photos. Range maps, field marks and host plants are included for all Mexican butterflies. An ideal field guide that will allow you to identify almost every butterfly you see. (PAPER, 304 Pp.)

Meade, Julie. Moon Mexico City: Neighborhood Walks, Food & Culture, Beloved Local Spots. Moon Travel, 2023. Explore Mexico City’s neighborhoods, nightlife and historic sites, including Frida Kahlo’s house and the ancient ruins of Tenochtitlán, with this detailed city guide. Includes maps, suggested daytrips and self-guided tours. (PAPER, 424 Pp.)

Campero, Mariana. Mexico Matters. Produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Mexico Matters analyses key events and developments in Mexico and their impact on the United States. Features expert guests from both countries. (Apple Podcasts, 26 Episodes)

News in Slow Spanish. A weekly podcast that covers current events in the Spanish language, spoken slowly. Includes beginner, intermediate and advanced levels and has both Latin American and Castilian Spanish. (Apple Podcasts)

Cal y Mayor, Analeine (Director). Mala Fortuna. Disgraced by their parents’ involvement in a national financial scandal, Victoria and Julio clash as they seek to reinvent themselves with new identities and fresh connections. (AMAZON, 8 Episodes)

Colinas, Javier (Director). La Boda de la Abuela. Corazón Films, 2019. In this charming romantic comedy, an older woman decides to marry her much younger property caretaker. Despite objections all around, the two families come together to celebrate. (NETFLIX, 97 Min.)

Cuarón, Alfonso (Director). Roma. Espectáculos Fílmicos El Coyúl, 2018. This Oscar-winning film explores the relationship between a Mixtec live-in maid and the family she works for. As her relationship falls apart and her employers’ marriage unravels, she and the matriarch take a much-needed getaway. (NETFLIX, 135 Min.)

Estrada, Luis (Director). El Infierno. Bandidos Films, 2010. Deported back to Mexico after 20 years in the U.S., El Benny finds his birth-country devastated by the drug war. Yet, he is pulled into the trade, balancing the wealth, success and women with trying to stay alive. A darkly comedic commentary on post-revolution Mexico. (NETFLIX, 143 Min.)

Estrada, Luis (Director). La Dictadura Perfecta. Bandidos Films, 2014. A corrupt politician hires a media conglomerate to make over his image in this political satire about the power of media in government. (NETFLIX, 143 Min.)