Pack your bags and join PBS Books and the Library of Congress as we visit New Mexico for our next stop in American Stories: A Reading Road Trip. Join us on November 12th at 8 p.m. ET/ 6pm MT for the episode premiere on the PBS Books YouTube channel, or watch on the PBS Books Facebook page, the PBS app, or pbs.org. Visit pbsbooks.org/readingroadtrip to learn more.
New Mexico’s literary story begins long before the printed page, in the oral traditions of its Native peoples, where stories, songs, and histories have been spoken and passed down for generations. These living traditions find expression in the work of Leslie Marmon Silko (Ceremony), N. Scott Momaday (House Made of Dawn), and Joe S. Sando (Nee Hemish: A History of Jemez Pueblo), whose distinct voices bring Native storytelling, landscape, and history to the page. In his epic poem published in 1610, Gaspar Pérez de Villagrá (Historia de la Nueva México) chronicled the Spanish expedition into the region, while Fray Angélico Chávez (My Penitente Land) captured the faith and traditions of Hispanic New Mexico. Rudolfo Anaya (Bless Me, Ultima) wove together cultural and spiritual traditions in a coming-of-age story that has become a cornerstone of Chicano literature. And in Silver City, Anita Scott Coleman (Unfinished Masterpiece) added a distinctive New Mexico voice to the Harlem Renaissance through short fiction and poems worth revisiting. Together, their work reveal a place where many traditions meet, and where storytelling is as much a part of the land as the mesas and rivers.
Hear from the writers of today who bring New Mexico’s cultures and communities to life in new ways. Luci Tapahonso (A Radiant Curve) draws on Navajo language, family, and the natural world in poetry that reflects the rhythms of everyday life. Anne Hillerman (Shadow of the Solstice) carries forward the Navajo Nation mysteries her father, Tony Hillerman, made famous, adding her own perspective to the beloved series. For younger readers, Laurel Goodluck (Rock Your Mocs) celebrates Native identity and cultural pride through a picture book that encourages children to embrace their heritage. And Ramona Emerson (Shutter) brings Navajo culture into a gripping supernatural thriller about a forensic photographer whose ability to see the dead makes her work anything but ordinary.
New Mexico’s literary life unfolds against an unforgettable backdrop, from ancient canyons and desert dunes to the libraries and bookstores that keep readers connected. At Chaco Canyon, the great stone buildings of the Ancestral Puebloans still stand beneath the open sky, while White Sands National Park and the Bisti Badlands offer landscapes so striking they feel like they’ve leapt off the page. Visitors can discover the D.H. Lawrence Ranch, where the famed English writer once found inspiration, and explore Native art and culture at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. Across the state, the Tony Hillerman Library and the Santa Fe Public Library welcome readers of all ages, while independent bookstores Collected Works Bookstore & Coffeehouse and Bookworks keep the love of reading alive from one community to the next.
Booklist for Reading Road Trip: New Mexico
About American Stories: A Reading Road Trip
Pack your curiosity —PBS Books is hitting the road! In partnership with the Library of Congress Centers for the Book, American Stories: A Reading Road Trip shines a spotlight on individual U.S. states and select territories to uncover their one-of-a-kind literary treasures.
From iconic authors and unforgettable books to hidden-gem bookstores, amazing libraries, and the real-life locations that inspired great works, this cross-country adventure celebrates the stories that have shaped our shared identity. Along the way, we’ll meet bestselling authors, passionate booksellers, and local storytellers —plus share highlights from local programs and events hosted by each state’s Center for the Book —revealing how their corner of America has left its mark on the nation’s imagination. Aligned with America’s 250th birthday, each episode invites viewers to explore the heart, history, and creative spirit of the United States —all through the lens of books and storytelling.
New episodes will stream on select Thursdays at 8pm EST on the PBS Books Facebook page, on the PBS Books YouTube channel, pbsbooks.org, and the PBS app.
About the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States –and extensive materials from around the world –both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
About PBS Books
PBS Books is a multi-platform initiative celebrating the love of reading. PBS Books is dedicated to connecting books with audiences by engaging them in unique experiences to spark their curiosity and encourage a life-long love of reading and learning. Through social and digital engagement and live coverage of important literary events across the country, PBS Books celebrates books and writers and works to foster a passion for reading among public media viewers and listeners.Visit pbsbooks.org, subscribe to the PBS Books YouTube channel, and follow PBS Books on social media to learn more.
