NHCC Book Club: Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzales

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm The NHCC invites lovers of literature, folks who love to read, and those who enjoy talking about the history and the vast array of identities that contribute to Latinidad/Hispanidad to join us! We will meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month in the Center’s HLA Conference Room. For the month of May, the NHCC Book Club will feature Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzales. PLEASE MAKE YOUR RESERVATION HERE! The New York Times bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez delivers a mesmerizing novel about a first-generation Ivy League student who uncovers the genius work of a female artist decades after her suspicious death Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn’t. By 1998 Anita’s name has been all but forgotten—certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret. But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist. Moving back and forth through time and told from the perspectives of both women, Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love, and art, daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite. (Goodreads) This book is available at the Albuquerque Public Library: 7 copies on Kindle, 3 audiobooks via Libby, 5 Large Type copies, 4 regular type This is a free community event. Please let us know who will be attending by registering below. NHCC Book Club | New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs