Celebrating the State

In honor of New Mexico's Centennial, several organizations have gotten your input about which books and authors best represent our state. The New Mexico Book Co-op, the group behind the annual New Mexico Book Awards, has compiled a list of the 100 Best New Mexico Books. The New Mexico State Library and NM Department of Cultural Affairs have selected and honored the official New Mexico Centennial Poet, Author, Children’s Author and Storyteller, in addition to a special Distinguished Writer.

If you're a native New Mexican, a proud transplant, or curious visitor, be sure to check out these books and authors to indulge in our rich and varied literary heritage.

The Centennial Authors are:

• Poet: Levi Romero
• Author: Don Bullis
• Children’s Author: Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
• Storyteller: Joe Hayes
• Distinguished Writer: N. Scott Momaday

The Top Ten Best New Mexico Books are:

Bless Me, Ultima — Rudolfo Anaya
A Thief of Time — Tony Hillerman
Ben Hur — Lew Wallace
Death Comes for the Archbishop — Willa Cather
First Blood — David Morrell
House Made of Dawn — N. Scott Momaday
Lamy of Santa Fe — Paul Horgan
Milagro Beanfield War — John Nichols
Red Sky at Morning — Richard Bradford
The Rounders — Max Evans

How many of the Top Ten have you read? How many of the Top 100?