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<div class="header reader-header reader-show-element"> <a
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<h1 class="reader-title">Our Top 11 Book Recommendations Featuring
Mexico City</h1>
<div class="credits reader-credits">Lauren Cocking</div>
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<div class="reader-estimated-time" dir="ltr">7-9 minutes</div>
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<p color="#595959" id="first-paragraph">It’s no surprise
that an appealing yet conflicting metropolis like <a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/carlos-fuentes-and-the-latin-american-boom/">Mexico
City</a> finds itself the subject of any number of
poems, novels and pieces of non-fiction. While in this
guide we’ve predominantly focused on fictitious literary
efforts (with few exceptions), the possibilities are
endless if you want to read about the Mexican capital.
Here are the top 11 <a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/octavio-paz-a-poetic-portrait-of-mexico-s-soul/">recommended
texts</a> featuring Mexico City, by both native and
foreign authors.</p>
</div>
<p><a
href="http://www.andotherstories.org/author/juan-pablo-villalobos/">Juan
Pablo Villalobos’</a> debut novel is slight but
excellent, providing a new perspective – that of a child –
on the drug wars that have, are and probably will continue
to, ravage Mexico. We’re guided by seven-year-old Tochtli
(<a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/10-traditional-mexican-dances-you-should-know-about/">Nahuatl</a>
for ‘rabbit’), the son of Yolcaut (Nahuatl for
‘rattlesnake’). Yolcaut is a leading figure in the belly
of the drug underworld, who exposes his son to all the
goings on of his ‘business’ life; as a result, Tochtli is
frighteningly informed. Villalobos’ trademark dark humour
throughout makes <em>Down The Rabbit Hole</em> a
fascinating and enjoyable read.</p>
<div data-layout="aligninline" data-page-template="feature">
<p><img
src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/dfgfdg.jpg"
data-src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/dfgfdg.jpg"
data-pin-nopin="true"></p>
<p><span>© Anagrama / | And Other Stories Publishing</span></p>
</div>
<p>One of the only non-fiction entries on this list comes
from the incomparable journalist and writer <a
href="http://www.fundacionelenaponiatowska.org/biografia.html">Elena
Poniatowska</a>, with her social history of the
devastating 1985 earthquake that flattened many parts of <a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/an-introduction-to-mexican-literature-in-10-works/">Mexico
City</a>. Translating to ‘Nobody, nothing. The voices of
the earthquake’, <em>Nada, nadie. Las voces del temblor</em>
is exceptionally well researched and written, making it
(like much of Poniatowska’s work) essential reading. We
are privy to the voices of the injured, the bereaved and
the scared, as they recount the aftermath of one of
Mexico’s most tragic natural disasters.</p>
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<p><img
src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fotorcreatedssa.jpg"
data-src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fotorcreatedssa.jpg"
data-pin-nopin="true"></p>
<p><span>Elena Poniatowska</span><span> | </span><span>©
Pedrobautista/WikiCommons / © Ediciones Era</span></p>
</div>
<p>A classic of <a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/chile/articles/top-10-contemporary-chilean-authors/">Chilean
literature</a>, <em>The Savage Detectives</em> is
actually set in Mexico City and expertly weaves its tale
through the streets of this vast capital. Based in 1975,
it follows a 17-year-old poet as he gets immersed in the
world of a strange literary movement, all the while
navigating the streets of Mexico City. Widely considered
to be one of <a
href="http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/in-the-labyrinth-a-users-guide-to-bolao">Roberto
Bolaño’s</a> greatest achievements, <em>The Savage
Detectives</em> is nothing short of essential reading
for anyone interested in Latin American literature as a
whole.</p>
<div data-layout="aligninline" data-page-template="feature">
<p><img
src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fotorcreatedsssss.jpg"
data-src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fotorcreatedsssss.jpg"
data-pin-nopin="true"></p>
<p><span>Roberto Bolaño</span><span> | </span><span>©
Farisori/WikiCommons / © Macmillan</span></p>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.jackkerouac.com/">Jack Kerouac</a> is
considered by some as the best writer of the Beat
generation, while to others he’s merely an overhyped
alcoholic. Either way, he’s <a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/articles/in-defence-of-jack-kerouac-and-the-beats/">undeniably
a literary icon</a>. Despite being infinitely better
known for <em>On The Road, </em>he was also the author
of a novella based entirely in Mexico City; <em>Tristessa.
</em>Set predominantly in the historic centre and La Roma,
<em>Tristessa </em>follows his turbulent relationship
with a Mexican prostitute. Despite her real name being
Esperanza (hope), he nicknames her Tristessa (an
Anglicization of <em>tristeza, </em>or sadness).</p>
<div data-layout="aligninline" data-page-template="feature">
<p><img
src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/dcc.jpg"
data-src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/dcc.jpg"
data-pin-nopin="true"></p>
<p><span>Kerouac books</span><span> | </span><span>©
Thomas Galvez/Flickr / Jack Kerouac | Creative Commons</span></p>
</div>
<p>Literally set in a <a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/mexico-citys-10-must-try-dishes/">Mexico
City</a> hotel – there is actually a Hotel DF in the
capital to this day – our narrator Frank (<a
href="http://guillermofadanelli.blogspot.mx/">Fadanelli’s</a>
alter-ego) tells us of both the visitors and locals that
pass through its doors. Each story gives a fresh
perspective on the megalopolis of Mexico City through the
eyes of those that have just arrived, making it an
interesting read for both those who have been before and
those who have yet to stop by.</p>
<div data-layout="aligninline" data-page-template="feature">
<p><img
src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fotorcreatedsssssssssssss.jpg"
data-src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fotorcreatedsssssssssssss.jpg"
data-pin-nopin="true"></p>
<p><span>Guillermo Fadanelli</span><span> | </span><span>©
Rizo Terminal/WikiCommons / © Mondadori</span></p>
</div>
<p>One of Mexico’s greatest authors and poets, <a
href="http://www.cervantes.es/bibliotecas_documentacion_espanol/creadores/jose_emilio_pacheco.htm">José
Emilio Pacheco</a>, is the brains behind <em>Las
batallas en el desierto. </em>This is perhaps the
perfect novella to start with if you want a decent
introduction to his work and style, given that it is short
and that its plot is excellent. It deals with the story of
a young boy’s platonic love for an older woman, all the
while evoking the streets of Mexico City and the social
and political context of 1940s Mexico in general. It was
also the inspiration for one of <a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/an-introduction-to-cafe-tacuba-in-13-songs/">Café
Tacuba’s most popular songs, ‘Las batallas’.</a></p>
<div data-layout="aligninline" data-page-template="feature">
<p><img
src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/asasdadasdasd.jpg"
data-src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/asasdadasdasd.jpg"
data-pin-nopin="true"></p>
<p><span>José Emilio Pacheco</span><span> | </span><span>©
Gemeinfrei/WikiCommons / © Editorial Era</span></p>
</div>
<p><em>Instrucciones para vivir en México </em>brings
together a selection of <a
href="http://cultura.elpais.com/cultura/2013/01/08/actualidad/1357665137_187497.html">Jorge
Ibargüengoitia’s</a> <a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/europe/poland/articles/ryszard-kapu-ci-ski-magic-journalism-and-the-reliability-of-reportage/">journalistic</a>
efforts from the years 1969-1976. The second non-fiction
entry, this text penetrates to the heart of daily life in
Mexico City, while giving the reader a genuine insight
into the lives of the capital’s inhabitants and the
incomparable bureaucracy for which this country is
infamous. You’ll come away perhaps perturbed, but also
better informed and entertained due to Ibargüengoitia’s
distinct, darkly humorous approach.</p>
<div data-layout="aligninline" data-page-template="feature">
<p><img
src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fotorcreatedsddasf.jpg"
data-src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fotorcreatedsddasf.jpg"
data-pin-nopin="true"></p>
<p><span>Instrucciones para vivir en Mexico</span><span> |
</span><span>© Editorial Planeta</span></p>
</div>
<p><em><a href="http://jessicaabel.com/la-perdida/">La
Perdida</a></em> is a comic book series turned graphic
novel by American writer and artist Jessica Abel, who
moved to Mexico City in 1998 for two years. Originally
published between 2001 and 2005, it was compiled into a
single text in 2006. Notable for its heavy focus on
dialogue (the speech bubbles often dominate the panels),
Abel also incorporated in some Spanish punctuation and
vocabulary. The story itself centres on Carla, a Chicana
who moves to <a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/articles/the-top-10-latin-american-feminist-writers/">Mexico
City</a> to get better acquainted with her own heritage.</p>
<div data-layout="aligninline" data-page-template="feature">
<p><img
src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fotorcreatedadsd.jpg"
data-src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fotorcreatedadsd.jpg"
data-pin-nopin="true"></p>
<p><span>Jessica Abel</span><span> | </span><span>©
Jccabel/WikiCommon / © Pantheon Graphic Novels</span></p>
</div>
<p>The first novel by <a
href="http://www.academia.org.mx/Gonzalo-Celorio">the
writer who was the former director of the Fondo de
Cultura Económica</a>, <em>Amor propio </em>is a
colloquially written and intelligent novel seemingly about
three different characters. In reality, they are all the
same person but at various stages of their life – Moncho
is the child, Ramón the teen and Aguilar the adult, and
all of them are trapped in the same system. Ultimately a
text about the 1968 student protests, which were to have a
devastating end for some during the Tlatelolco massacre,
it’s a true <a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/articles/m-rquez-neruda-llosa-latin-america-s-most-famous-literary-exports/">coming-of-age
novel</a>.</p>
<div data-layout="aligninline" data-page-template="feature">
<p><img
src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ceeee.jpg"
data-src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ceeee.jpg"
data-pin-nopin="true"></p>
<p><span>Gonzalo Celorio</span><span> | </span><span>©
Ministerio de Cultura de la Nación Argentina/Flickr /
© Tusquets</span></p>
</div>
<p><a
href="http://www.vogue.com/13410486/alvaro-enrigue-valeria-luiselli-profile/">Valeria
Luiselli</a> has long been described as a rising star of
the <a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/our-top-11-book-recommendations-featuring-mexico-city/introduction">contemporary
Mexican writing scene</a>, however we think it’s fair to
say she’s now happily established as one of the best
authors of this generation. Her debut novel <em>Faces in
the Crowd </em>(Spanish: <em>Los ingrávidos</em>)
depicts an unhappy narrator who embarks on the novel
writing process, before being sucked into the world of the
Gilberto Owen (a lesser known Harlem Renaissance author).
Don’t expect a satisfying resolution in this masterful
text.</p>
<div data-layout="aligninline" data-page-template="feature">
<p><img
src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/xczxc.jpg"
data-src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/xczxc.jpg"
data-pin-nopin="true"></p>
<p><span>Valeria Luiselli</span><span> | </span><span>©
Fourandsixty/WikiCommons / © Coffee House Press</span></p>
</div>
<p>A detective novel by <a
href="http://enriqueserna.com.mx/">Enrique Serna</a>, <em>El
miedo a los animales </em>brutally depicts the
corruption and narco-culture that pervades day to day life
in Mexico City, especially after dark. Published over 20
years ago, many of the characters were based on actual
public figures and while many wrote off the text as
nothing more than bitter when first published, it grew in
popularity. While this text is set in Mexico City, its
references constantly hark back to <a
href="https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/canada/articles/top-10-dogs-in-literature/">Los
Angeles</a>.</p>
<div data-layout="aligninline" data-page-template="feature">
<p><img
src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fotorcreated14.jpg"
data-src="https://img.theculturetrip.com/450x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fotorcreated14.jpg"
data-pin-nopin="true"></p>
<p><span>Enrique Serna</span><span> | </span><span>©
Angélica Martínez/WikiCommons / © Alfaguara</span></p>
</div>
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