The first-ever reference guide to New Mexico’s diverse literary history that includes significant New Mexican authors, periods, genres, publishers, themes, and books (as well as some of their characters).

A Reader's Guide to New Mexico Literature is an essential introduction to one of the most distinctive literary traditions in the United States, tracing New Mexico’s rich literary tradition from Pueblo and Athabascan origin stories, through early Spanish exploration narratives and nineteenth-century Anglo American accounts, noting the vital contributions of contemporary Black, Indigenous, and multicultural writers who have helped to shape New Mexico’s literary landscape.

From Don Diego de Vargas’s remarkable epistolary memoirs and Lew Wallace’s Ben-Hur, written in Santa Fe, to the genre-defining works of Tony Hillerman, Jack Williamson, Lois Duncan, and Leslie Marmon Silko, this guide surveys a tradition rich in fiction, poetry, history, drama, mystery, science fiction, and nature writing. It highlights Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners alongside influential regional voices, demonstrating how New Mexico’s singular landscape and cultures have inspired writers across centuries.

Organized alphabetically and designed for accessibility, A Reader's Guide to New Mexico Literature is an indispensable reference for readers seeking a clear, informed overview of New Mexico’s enduring literary legacy.