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The books were selected by the New Mexico Center for the Book at the New Mexico State Library (NMSL) to represent the state’s literary landscape at the National Book Festival, an event showcasing the importance of books and reading.
Source: New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs
Image: Courtesy
Santa Fe, NM – Two books that celebrate the rich culture of New Mexico have been chosen as the 2025 New Mexico Great Reads titles: “She Persisted: Deb Haaland” by Laurel Goodluck, and “The Half-White Album” by Cynthia Sylvester.
The books were selected by the New Mexico Center for the Book at the New Mexico State Library (NMSL) to represent the state’s literary landscape at the National Book Festival, an event showcasing the importance of books and reading. This year’s festival will be held on Saturday, Sept. 6 in Washington, D.C., as well as online.
Katherine Miles, Public Services Bureau Chief at NMSL says, “For 23 years, the Center for the Book at the New Mexico State Library has championed the stories, voices, and traditions of the Southwest, leading with literary vision and bringing the richness of New Mexico’s culture to the heart of the National Book Festival.”
The National Book Festival will include many livestreamed and recorded virtual programs celebrating books and authors, which will be posted on the National Book Festival website. You can also find out more about the New Mexico titles on the New Mexico State Library National Book Festival site.
About the Books
The youth book selection, “She Persisted: Deb Haaland” by Laurel Goodluck is a biography that tells the amazing life of Deb Haaland. As a child of two military parents, Haaland moved around frequently when she was young before settling in Albuquerque. She persisted in her career, studying hard and earning a law degree. An enrolled member of the Pueblo of Laguna, she was one of the first two Native American women to be elected to Congress, where she represented New Mexico’s 1st District. In 2021, she became the first Native American in history to become a cabinet secretary for the interior department. Author Laurel Goodluck lives in Albuquerque and believes that stories can help children learn about their cultures, problem-solve, think critically, and offer resilience.
The adult book selection, “The Half-White Album” by Cynthia Sylvester is a powerful debut collection that explores lives lived between worlds. Sylvester masterfully weaves together fiction, poetry, and nonfiction to give readers a poignant though fractured view of her characters’ lives, their loves, and their struggles. Told from the perspective of an urban Native, the work details a journey led by the nomadic band, the Covers. It is an experience meant to heal generational trauma and bring back into the light people who may otherwise be forgotten. Author Cynthia Sylvester is born into the Kiyaa’áanii Clan for the Bilagáana Clan and is an enrolled member of the Diné (Navajo Nation). She is a native of Albuquerque and her work has appeared in a variety of magazines and literary publications.
Many libraries across New Mexico and the Southwest carry copies of “She Persisted: Deb Haaland” and “The-Half-White Album,” which is also available through NMSL’s statewide eBook program NMReads, available online.
About New Mexico Center for the Book
New Mexico Center for the Book is a state affiliate of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress. The New Mexico center promotes literacy and a love of books, reading and libraries throughout the state, celebrating New Mexico’s literary heritage, and is administered by New Mexico State Library, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information about New Mexico State Library and Center for the Book visit nmstatelibrary.org.
