Carlos Fuentes Reading Order
5 series · 46 books · Born 1928
Carlos Fuentes was a prominent Mexican author known for his contributions to Latin American literature, particularly during the literary boom of the 20th century. With a diverse bibliography of 46 works, including five series, standalone novels, short story collections, and nonfiction, his influential style blends rich narrative and historical themes. Among his best-known novels are "Aura" and "The Death of Artemio Cruz," highlighting his mastery of storytelling from 1958 until 2009.
Anthologies Series
Complete9 books (1973–2006)
Start with Eye of the Heart, the first of 9 books in the Anthologies series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Eye of the Heart 1973Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | Magical Realist Fiction 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  An Exploration of Horror: Foundations of Fear 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Penguin Book of Latin American Short Stories 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Foundations of Fear: Volume II: Worlds of Fear 1994Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Oxford Book of Latin American Short Stories 1997Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The Picador Book of Latin American Stories 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 | Vintage Book of Latin American Stories 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Bordering Fires: The Vintage Book of Contemporary Mexican and Chicana and Chicano Literature 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
Foundations of Fear Anthology Series
Complete4 books (1992–1994)
Start with An Exploration of Horror: Foundations of Fear(With: George R.R. Martin,Robert A. Heinlein,David G. Hartwell,Peter Straub,Richard Matheson,Daphne du Maurier,Clive Barker,Arthur Machen,Gerald Durrell), the first of 4 books in the Foundations of Fear Anthology series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | An Exploration of Horror: Foundations of Fear(With: George R.R. Martin,Robert A. Heinlein,David G. Hartwell,Peter Straub,Richard Matheson,Daphne du Maurier,Clive Barker,Arthur Machen,Gerald Durrell) 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Foundations of Fear: Volume I: Shadows of Fear(By: Robert A. Heinlein,David G. Hartwell,Peter Straub,H.P. Lovecraft,Daphne du Maurier,Arthur Machen,Jean Ray,Harriet Prescott Spofford) 1994Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | Foundations of Fear: Volume II: Worlds of Fear(With: George R.R. Martin,David G. Hartwell,Thomas Hardy,Gertrude Atherton,Thomas M. Disch,Elizabeth Engstrom) 1994Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Foundations of Fear: Volume III: Visions of Fear(By: David G. Hartwell,E.T.A. Hoffmann,Richard Matheson,Philip K. Dick,Clive Barker,Octavia E. Butler,Gerald Durrell) 1994Buy 🇺🇸 |
Non-Fiction Series
Complete9 books (1984–2008)
Start with Juan Rulfo's Mexico(With: Margo Glantz,Jorge Alberto Lozoya,Eduardo Rivero,Víctor Jiménez,E. Billeter), the first of 9 books in the Non-Fiction series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Juan Rulfo's Mexico(With: Margo Glantz,Jorge Alberto Lozoya,Eduardo Rivero,Víctor Jiménez,E. Billeter) 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Buried Mirror 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  A New Time for Mexico 1994Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait 1995Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Voluptuario 1996Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Territories of Time 2003Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  This I Believe 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Fragile Demon: Juan Soriano in Mexico, 1935 to 1950(With: Octavio Paz,Edward J. Sullivan) 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Frida Kahlo: National Homage 1907-2007(With: Frida Kahlo,James Oles,Salomon Grimberg,Raquel Tibol) 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Story Collections Series
Complete3 books (1981–1989)
Start with Burnt Water and read in order.
Standalone Novels Series
Complete21 books (1958–2009)
Start with Where the Air is Clear, the first of 21 books in the Standalone Novels series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Where the Air is Clear 1958Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Good Conscience 1959Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Aura 1962Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Death of Artemio Cruz 1962Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  A Change of Skin 1967Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Terra Nostra 1975Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The Hydra Head 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Distant Relations 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  The Old Gringo 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  Christopher Unborn 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  The Campaign 1991Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  The Orange Tree 1993Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  Diana 1994Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  The Crystal Frontier 1995Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  The Years with Laura Diaz 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  Inez 2000Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  The Eagle's Throne 2002Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  Vlad 2004Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 |  Happy Families 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 |  Destiny and Desire 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 |  Adam in Eden 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Carlos Fuentes written?
- Carlos Fuentes has written 46 books across 5 series. Their published works span from 1958 to 2009.
- What is the first book in each Carlos Fuentes series?
- Here are the first books in Carlos Fuentes's series: Anthologies: Eye of the Heart; Foundations of Fear Anthology: An Exploration of Horror: Foundations of Fear(With: George R.R. Martin,Robert A. Heinlein,David G. Hartwell,Peter Straub,Richard Matheson,Daphne du Maurier,Clive Barker,Arthur Machen,Gerald Durrell); Non-Fiction: Juan Rulfo's Mexico(With: Margo Glantz,Jorge Alberto Lozoya,Eduardo Rivero,Víctor Jiménez,E. Billeter); Short Story Collections: Burnt Water.
- What order should I read Carlos Fuentes's books?
- We recommend reading Carlos Fuentes's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are Carlos Fuentes's series complete?
- Carlos Fuentes has 5 completed series.