Our recommended reads and resources

Wildcat Reads Collection

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

The acclaimed author of Gods of Jade and Shadow returns with a darkly enchanting reimagining of Gothic fantasy, in which a spirited young woman discovers the haunting secrets of a beautiful old mansion in 1950s Mexico.

Wildcat Reads is a collection of recreational titles over a wide range of genres available for checkout on the 3rd floor of the Main Library.

Books That Matter Collection

Healing like our ancestors: the Nahua tiçitl, gender, and settler colonialism in central Mexico, 1535-1660 by Homero Aridjis

Aridjis transports readers to the world of María Sabina, the revered Mazatec healer, whose sacred mushroom ceremonies captivated the global imagination during the 1960s counterculture movement. This is one of many books in the Borderlands category. Stop by second floor of the Main Library to browse and / or borrow.

Books That Matter is a curated exhibit of our larger collection to highlight diverse identities, histories, and genres. 

The University of Arizona Press recommendations

Carne de Dios by Homero Aridjis and translated by Chloe Garcia Roberts

"Carne" focuses on the real-life person of María Sabina, the renowned Mazatec healer who spends her days in the small town of Huautla de Jiménez selling produce at the market and foraging under the new moon for the sacred mushrooms that grow near her home—her Holy Children, Carne de Dios, or Flesh of God. 

meXicana Roots and Routes: Listening to People, Places, and Pasts edited by Vanessa Fonseca-Chávez and Anita Huízar-Hernández

This book details little-known oral histories and archival material to present a rich account of lives along the border with emphasis on women and the working class. This is the inaugural book in the Arizona Crossroads series. 

Life Undocumented: Latinx Youth Navigating Place and Belonging by Edelina M. Burciaga 

Burciage captures the compelling stories of Latinx undocumented young adults growing up and living in two distinct sociopolitical contexts: California, which provides legal pathways into higher education for undocumented youth, and Georgia, which does not. 

Scarred Landscapes: Place, Trauma, and Memory in Caribbean Latinx Art by Stephanie Lewthwaite

"Scarred" is a groundbreaking exploration of the rich and complex works of Caribbean Latinx artists. Lewthwaite documents the work of 10 influential artists of Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican descent, based in New York City from the 1970s to the present. 

In Rooted in Place: Botany, Indigeneity, and Art in the Construction of Mexican Nature, 1570–1914 by Rick A. López

(Publication date: October 2025) Historian López traces how scientific intellectuals studied and debated what it meant to know and claim the flora that sprang from Mexican soil—ranging from individual plants to forests and vegetated landscapes—and the importance they placed on indigeneity. 

The University of Arizona Press is the premier publisher of academic, regional, and literary works in the state of Arizona. UA Press disseminates ideas and knowledge of lasting value that enrich understanding, inspire curiosity, and enlighten readers. UA Press advances the University of Arizona’s mission by connecting scholarship and creative expression to readers worldwide.

Additional resources

Special Collections: Borderlands collections

University Libraries Special Collections has one of the nation's finest collections of archival materials and printed texts on the Borderlands of the Southwest and Northwest of Mexico, from Baja, California to Tamaulipas, Mexico. The Borderlands collections document the region's culture and history, from the colonial period to the present. Accounts of Native Americans and their ancestors, the impact of Spanish and Mexican settlement and the influx of people into the region during the 19th century are also included.

Mexican American Studies LibGuide

This guide was designed to help faculty with research and instruction.