Best-Sellers by Latine Authors Worth Reading in 2023

why didn't you tell me carmen rita wong illegally yours rafael agustin you sound like a white girl julissa arce lighter yung pueblo neruda ont he park cleyvis natera

Latine authors in the United States have made notable contributions to American literature and played a vital role in representing the experiences and perspectives of Latino communities. They have have also written best-selling books.

Coming from a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds and often writing about their experiences as immigrants, their work has helped to enrich and diversify the literary landscape in the U.S. Their ability to tell stories that are often underrepresented in mainstream media, gives voice to the diversity of experiences that exist despite the tendency of mainstream media to lump the entire Latine community into one non-existing monolith.

These five best-selling books by Latine authors released in 2022 accomplish exactly that - the dismantling of the mythical Latine monolith. They each do a deep service to the community by adding their unique stories about what the American-Latine experience is really like.

“Why Didn’t You Tell Me?” by Carmen Rita Wong

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Carmen Rita Wong on Instagram: "Good morning! ☀️ It’s LAUNCH DAY!! 🚀 Let’s goooo! Sales today/this week mean A LOT! If you’ve got me in your cart, time to BUY! 🙌🏽 *link in bio! Ain’t no shame in my sales game 😎 After all… I am my parents’ daughter!…. Uh.. Which parents tho? 🧐 You’ll have to buy to find out! 😉 LOVE + GRATITUDE to u all!! This day has been a long time comin’… Aldo, we made it 😅🥹❤️ #WDYTM #WHYDIDNTYOUTELLME #booklaunchday #booklaunchday🚀"

Carmen Rita Wong is a journalist, author, and television personality. She is best known for her work as a financial journalist and commentator. She has appeared as a guest on numerous television programs to discuss economic issues and personal finance. In addition to her journalism work, Wong is the author of several books on personal finance and economic issues.

When Carmen’s mom passed away, her lifelong secrets finally unraveled, shaking up Carmen’s fundamental understanding of her daily life, identity, and place in the world. She wanted to shake her mother’s soul by its shoulders and demand: Why didn’t you tell me?!

In this very raw, personal memoir, Carmen explores generational trauma, the psychology of resilience, and racial and cultural identity as she discovers and learns to cope with her mother’s long-held secrets.

Why Didn’t You Tell Me?
$28.00
$22.99

“You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation” by Julissa Arce

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Julissa Natzely Arce Raya on Instagram: "Wanted to read some short excerpts from my book, “You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation.” ✌🏾. If you know my work, then you know how much I love us- our community. And that I also ask that we are critical of the things we’ve learned all of our lives and hold as truths."

Julissa Arce is an immigrant rights activist, speaker, and author. She is known for her work advocating for the rights of immigrants, particularly those who are undocumented. Arce was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States when she was 11 years old. She became a successful businesswoman, working at Goldman Sachs and other financial firms, but later dedicated her career to social justice activism.

Julissa believed that the secret to fitting in was to “sound like a white girl,” as in having no accent at all. But boy, was she wrong. In her book “You Sound Like a White Girl,” Julissa aims to dispel the myth many immigrants coming into the U.S. are often told: that assimilation leads to happiness and belonging. Instead, she encourages the celebration of our uniqueness, culture, origins, and heritage as she shares her own story and experiences as an immigrant.

You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation
$27.99
$13.99

“Illegally Yours: A Memoir” by Rafael Agustin

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Rafael Agustín on Instagram: "I’m also just a boy, standing in front of book readers, asking them to love him 🥹 @juliaroberts @barnesandnoble"

Rafael Agustín is a television writer and producer who has worked on several popular television shows. He is best known for his work on the award-winning CW show “Jane the Virgin,” on which he served as a writer and producer. Agustín has also written for other television shows, including “Superstore” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.”

While trying to get his driver’s license during his junior year of high school, teenage Rafael accidentally discovered his parents were undocumented immigrants. This revelation turned his life upside-down and made him question his sense of belonging and identity. “Illegally Yours” is a hilarious and heartwarming tale of how his family’s secret became their struggle, and their struggle became their hustle. As Rafa’s mom told him: “dreams should not have borders.”

Find it as a Hardcover, eBook, or Audiobook:“Illegally Yours: A Memoir” by Rafael Agustin

Illegally Yours: A Memoir
$29.00
$24.99

“Lighter: Let Go of the Past, Connect with the Present, and Expand the Future” by Yung Pueblo

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yung pueblo on Instagram: "My new book Lighter is temporarily 30% off the preorder price on Amazon. There are preorder links through the link in my bio and through my stories. Swipe through to read reviews of Lighter. Grateful to my friends who took the time to read Lighter and write supportive blurbs. I have never written anything so personal before, so it was a bit daunting to hand the book to those close to me to see what they think. I am excited for Lighter to soon be in your hands because this book really has everything that I feel is important in regards to healing and personal transformation. Lighter is a chapter book and can be read from beginning to end, but it is divided into topics like self love, relationships, healing, letting go, emotional maturity and much more — so you can really start with any chapter and get what you need from it. I am not sure how long the sale will last, they usually go by fast. I don’t control the online prices. Preordering now will lock down the current sale price. The link in my bio has ample places to order from in the US and globally. Sending love to all 🙏🏽☀️ #yungpueblo"

Yung Pueblo is the pseudonym of Diego Perez, a spiritual teacher, author, and social media influencer. Perez is known for his work as Yung Pueblo, through which he shares teachings and insights on spirituality, mindfulness, and personal growth.

Moving forward and healing oneself is never easy, but there are steps we can take toward starting that journey. In his book, Yung Pueblo shares his own path to healing after years of using drugs that were taking a toll on his mind and body, and while he’s still on that journey, he shares with us the first few steps to moving forward. From learning self-compassion to letting go, we can grow stronger, and the burdens we carry will finally become lighter.

Lighter
$24.00
$19.99

“Neruda On The Park” by Cleyvis Natera

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Cleyvis on Instagram: "A most humbling aspect of my journey has been fearing I’d have a hard time finding community when I decided to find my way back to writing four years ago, only to find my community stood joyously strong and ready. I’m so grateful to the @bklyncbeanlitfest for their support of my work and the many opportunities they’ve granted me to be in community with other Caribbean writers. Please mark your calendars for the launch of Neruda on the Park at @center4fiction on Tuesday, May 17th. Links for registration should go up next week. Repost from @bklyncbeanlitfest • What do you call when you are now arranging the launch event for the debut novel of the runner up to your inaugural 2019 BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Prize? We don’t know either but we know that feels like a special kind of purpose-filled magic.😄 To Cleyvis, thank you for entrusting us to be part of your midwifery team. It’s an honour and we know you know that we are holding your hands as you push your baby, Neruda On The Park into this brave new world of representation and possibilities for Caribbean writers. 🇩🇴🇩🇴🇩🇴 Look out for the Neruda on the Park launch at the Center for Fiction @center4fiction. More info soon! #supportcaribbeanwriters #caribbeanliterature #dominicanwriters #nerudaonthepark #latinxwriters #afrolatina #caribbeanwriters #caribbeanfiction #caribbeanamerican #wetelltales #bclf"

Cleyvis Natera is an acclaimed essayist, short fiction writer, critic, and novelist born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City. She worked a corporate job in insurance for two decades before becoming a full-time writer. Upon the publication of her debut novel “Neruda On The Park,” it was selected as May 2022 New York Times Editor’s Choice and as the June 2022 pick for Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai’s Fearless Literati Book Club.

An exciting debut novel about members of a Dominican family in New York City who take vastly different routes when faced with impending gentrification, “Neruda On The Park” crafts a vibrant tapestry of community as well as the sacrifices we make to safeguard what we love most in a beautifully detailed depiction of family, friendship, and ambition.

Neruda On The Park: A Novel
$28.00
$28.00