Literary anthologies serve a practical purpose, whether in an introductory course, or as a helpful tool for instructors and general audiences interested in familiarizing themselves with the formal and historical range of Latino/a writings. The anthologies listed here represent  the formal range of literary texts (from performance art to prose fiction), as well as the historical range (from pre-Columbian to the present). While there is some overlap among these texts, each of these editors or group of editors offers us a constellation of readings, an opportunity to see and interpret a pattern  of writing. Pablo Neruda is quoted as having said that art is indivisible from its context, historical and political. These anthologies help us understand, not only the literary contributions of Latino/a writers, but the historical and political forces to o often and incorrectly rendered  invisible. The Norton Anthology of Latino Literature and El Coro: A Chorus of Latino and Latina Poetry are both especially good: the former because of its range and the strength of its introductory and supporting materials; the latter because it reflects the insights and concerns of an important contemporary Latino poet, Martín Espada. For
instructors and others especially interested in developing a sense of historical breadth, Nicolas Kanellos’ anthology, Herencia, which means “heritage” or “inheritance” in Spanish, is also very helpful.

Aragón, Francisco, ed. The Wind Shifts: New Latino Poetry. Tucson, AZ: Univ. of Arizona
Press, 2007.

Baeza Ventura, Gabriela. US Latino Literature Today. New York: Longman, 2004.

Christie, John and José Gonzalez, eds. Latino Boom: An Anthology of U.S. Latino Literature.
Longman, 2005.

Espada, Martín, ed. El Coro: A Chorus of Latino and Latina Poetry. Boston: Univ. of
Massachusetts Press, 1997.

Gimenez Smith, Carmen and John Chavez, eds. Angels of the Americlypse: New Latin@ Writing.
Counterpath Press, 2014.

Kanellos, Nicolas, ed. Herencia: The Anthology of Hispanic Literature of the United States. New
York: Oxford Univ. Press, 2003.

Ramirez, Elizabeth C. Chicanas/Latinas in American Theatre: A History of Performance.
Bloomington, IN: Indiana Univ. Press, 2000.

——- and Catherine Casiano, eds. La Voz Latina: Contemporary Plays and
Performance Pieces by Latinas. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2011.

Stavans, Ilan, Edna Acosta-Belén and Harold Augenbraum, eds. The Norton Anthology of Latino
Literature. New York: Norton, 2010.