Best Hispanic & Latino Biographies Books of 2025

Tremendous: The Life of a Comedy Savage is a candid and hilarious memoir by Joey Diaz, a Cuban-American actor, comedian, and podcast host. Diaz shares his story of growing up as an outsider and misfit, dealing drugs, serving time, and eventually finding his true calling in comedy. The book is not for the faint of heart, as it includes dark episodes of addiction and depression, but Diaz shares it all with brutal honesty and humor. Overall, Tremendous is a unique and inspiring tale of how the direst of circumstances can change in unimaginable ways.

Solito is a memoir that tells the story of Javier Zamora's journey from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine. He travels alone through Guatemala and Mexico, and across the U.S. border to reunite with his parents. The journey is perilous and full of danger, but also full of unexpected kindness and love. Zamora's memoir is a gripping and moving account of a treacherous and near-impossible journey that millions of others have had to make. It's a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love. Solito is a must-read for anyone interested in the immigrant experience.

The memoir "Chita: A Memoir" by Chita Rivera, a three-time Tony Award winner, Kennedy Centers honoree, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, takes readers behind the curtain of her extraordinary show business career. Rivera shares deeply moving details about her upbringing and heritage, and how they shaped her work and career. She also reveals the highs and lows of her career, the creative processes, the ego clashes, and the exhilaration when it all went right. This colorful and entertaining memoir is as vital and captivating as Chita herself, and is an inspiring personal story of a performer who blazed her own trail.

Solito (Spanish Edition) is a powerful autobiography that tells the story of a young Salvadoran boy's journey to reunite with his parents in the United States. Javier's adventure is filled with danger, uncertainty, and unexpected kindness from strangers who become his makeshift family. This book is a moving and immediate account of a difficult and almost impossible journey undertaken by millions of people forced to leave their homes. Recommended by Jenna Bush in her book club, Solito is a must-read for anyone interested in the immigrant experience.

The book "To Selena, with Love: Commemorative Edition" by Chris Perez is a heartwarming tribute to the Latin music superstar Selena. The author, who was Selena's husband, shares the story of their unbreakable friendship, forbidden relationship, and blossoming marriage that was tragically cut short by Selena's murder. Through his powerful storytelling, Chris gives readers a rare glimpse into Selena's sincerity, vulnerability, strength, conviction, and absolute resilience. The book includes photos and a special chapter detailing the author's reflection since writing the book. Overall, "To Selena, with Love" is an everlasting love story that immortalizes the heart and soul of an extraordinary, unforgettable, and irreplaceable icon.

"You Sound Like a White Girl" by Julissa Arce is a powerful polemic against the myth that assimilation leads to happiness and belonging for immigrants. Arce argues that assimilation is a moving finish line designed to keep Black and brown Americans and immigrants chasing racist American ideals. In this dual polemic and manifesto, she combs through history and her own story to break down this myth. The book is an essential read and a love letter to the Hispanic and Latino community.

Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands is a memoir by Linda Ronstadt that takes readers on a journey to the place her soul calls home, the Sonoran Desert. Through this book, Ronstadt shares her intimate memories of growing up as the granddaughter of Mexican immigrants and a descendant of Spanish settlers near northern Sonora. The book is a portrait of a place, a genealogy of sorts, and a celebration of marvelous flavors and indomitable people on both sides of what was once a porous border. The book features recipes for traditional Sonoran dishes and a bevy of revelations for Ronstadt’s admirers. Overall, this book is a heartfelt tribute to the beauty and magic of the Sonoran Desert.

Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood is a captivating memoir that tells the inspiring story of Danny Trejo's journey from a life of crime and addiction to Hollywood stardom. This book offers a raw and honest account of Trejo's life, including his time in some of the country's most notorious state prisons and his work with legendary actors. The book is a testament to the power of resilience and the possibility of redemption. It is a must-read for anyone who loves a good underdog story.

The Devil's Highway: A True Story by Luis Alberto Urrea is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and a national bestseller that tells the tragic story of a group of men attempting to cross the Mexican border into southern Arizona. The book is a necessary and poignant account of the absurdity of U.S border policy, written in a captivating and poetic style. The author's writing is wickedly good, capturing the tragedy and beauty of U.S.-Mexican border culture with an unmatched intimacy. The Devil's Highway is a well-crafted melange of first-person testimony, geographic history, cultural and economic analysis, poetry, and an indictment of immigration policy.

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado is a groundbreaking memoir that explores psychological abuse in a relationship. The author uses different narrative tropes in each chapter to examine the events from various angles. Machado's writing is both witty and poignant, making the book a riveting read. She also unpacks the stereotype of lesbian relationships as safe and utopian, widening the view with essayistic explorations of the history and reality of abuse in queer relationships. In the Dream House is an innovative memoir that challenges our ideas of what a memoir can be.