10 Books to Discover CDMX
Through Literature
No. 1
The Savage Detectives - Roberto Bolaño
Mexico City´s bohemian underworld in the 1970s
A cult classic, this novel follows young poets Arturo Belano and Ulises Lima as they navigate Mexico City´s literary scene in the 1970s. From smoky cafés to dimly lit cantinas, Bolaño captures the intellectual and rebellious spirit of the city´s underground culture.
No. 2
Mexico City Blues - Jack Kerouac
The Beat Generation?s vision of Mexico City
Kerouac´s jazz-like poetry collection is inspired by his time in Mexico City, where he sought refuge from the U.S. His free-flowing verses depict a city of raw energy, spirituality, and existential wanderings.
No. 3
Here´s to You, Jesusa! - Elena Poniatowska
A woman´s survival in 20th-century Mexico City
Based on real testimonies, this novel follows Jesusa Palancares, an indigenous woman who moves to Mexico City and struggles to survive through revolutions, poverty, and the city´s harsh realities. Poniatowska masterfully brings to life a city seen through the eyes of someone often forgotten by history.
No. 4
Where the Air Is Clear - Carlos Fuentes
Post-revolutionary Mexico City, 1950s
Considered the quintessential novel about Mexico City, Fuentes paints a panoramic portrait of the metropolis, exploring its social contrasts, political tensions, and cultural richness. A must-read for understanding the city´s modern identity.
No. 5
Inner Circuit - Francisco Goldman
Personal stories intertwined with Mexico City´s political and cultural landscape
Part memoir, part political and urban chronicle, Goldman explores his deep connection with Mexico City, reflecting on love, loss, violence, and the ever-changing nature of the city. An intimate and beautifully written book that brings the city to life.
No. 6
The Wild Book - Juan Villoro
A fantastical literary adventure through Mexico City
Although Villoro has written extensively about Mexico City, The Wild Book is a unique and imaginative novel that takes the reader through a hidden world of books and libraries in the city. A great introduction to his writing style and the literary side of the capital.
No. 7
A Draft of Shadows - Octavio Paz
A poetic journey through childhood and the streets of Mixcoac
A deeply personal and poetic book where Paz reflects on his childhood in Mixcoac, one of the city´s oldest neighborhoods. The text explores memory, language, and identity while offering a rare glimpse into the Mexico City that shaped the great poet.
No. 8
Faces in the Crowd - Valeria Luiselli
A fragmented, dreamlike portrait of Mexico City and New York
A beautifully written novel that moves between Mexico City and New York, blending fiction, memory, and history. Luiselli´s poetic prose captures the rhythms and ghosts of the city, making it a unique literary experience.
No. 9
Battles in the Desert - José Emilio Pacheco
Mexico City in the 1940s
A short but powerful novel, this coming-of-age story captures the nostalgia of growing up in Mexico City´s Roma neighborhood, showing a city in transition between tradition and modernity.
No. 10
Down the Rabbit Hole - Juan Pablo Villalobos
A child´s view of narco culture in a luxurious Mexico City mansion
A darkly humorous and satirical novel about a child growing up in a drug lord´s mansion, providing a surreal perspective on wealth, violence, and privilege in contemporary Mexico.
