The public life of a writer: a series of micro-glories punctuated by the occasional micro-humiliation. Followed by a private awareness that the various measures of literary "success" are largely meaningless, arbitrary, and shallow. And that just having written is its own triumph.

Crazy Hilary got lost on the LA freeways apparently. She left Tijuana headed north, got to Palm Springs and made a left, going west all the way to Compton, then a sharp right on the 110 to Dodger Stadium, and then up the 5 into the desert, where she got lost looking for Vegas.

I'm deeply honored to join so many great writers as a finalist for The Kirkus Prize, for my book "Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of 'Latino'" npr.org/2023/08/30/119…

Be sure to tune in tonight at 8:00 PM ET to hear from Hector Tobar. His newest release, “Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of ‘Latino,’” is being featured as part of our partnership with the Library of Congress #NatBookFest. See you there!

On 10/12, join us for #LIVEfromNYPL with the Pulitzer Prize–winning writer Hector Tobar & Alejandro Varela as they discuss the complicated story of the historical and social forces that define Latino identity. Register now to join in person or online: on.nypl.org/3Q4ASs8

New Yorkers! Please join me next week, Thursday Oct. 12 @ 7 p.m., at the New York Public Library's iconic Schwarzman Building, where I will be discussing my book Our Migrant Souls with the wonderful novelist Alejandro Varela. nypl.org/events/program…

My wonderful Guatemalan mother, so smart and funny. Like me, she never took a class in literary criticism. But throughout my life she's read my work and told me: "Mijito, siempre le das ese toquecito humano." Yeah, mom: little human touches. That's what it's all about. Gracias.

Our Migrant Souls won the Kirkus Prize for nonfiction this week. And I was deeply honored to share a stage with my fellow honorees: The legendary novelist James McBride (who won in fiction) and Ariel Aberg-Riger (for her work in YA literature).

Truly moved to see my book Our Migrant Souls on the New York Times list of 100 Notable Books of 2023. Really a wonderful honor. And to see it on the best-of-the-year lists at Time, Amazon, and NPR. Many thanks to the editors and reviewers at those places. nytimes.com/interactive/20…

Craft+persistence=a writer. Craft+persistence+humility=a good writer.

I can't wait until the movie awards season is over. Because then, and only then, will I stop getting messages in my in-box telling me "American Fiction is an instant modern classic." Attn: Orion Pictures: a dozen emails (yeah, I counted them) is enough.

My book Our Migrant Souls is the winner of this year's Zócalo Book Prize. Please join myself and the great Natalia Molina as we talk about the book on Thurs., Jun 13 at 7. pm., in downtown L.A., at the old Herald Examiner building.