Carlos Fuentes published 20 novels, 2 novellas, 3 short story collections, 4 non-fiction books and 5 other books, beginning with Aura (1962).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Carlos Fuentes
Start here
Aura
Carlos Fuentes's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Where the Air Is Clear (1958)
The Death of Artemio Cruz (1962)
A Change of Skin (1967)
La Region Mas Transparente (1968)
Las Buenas Conciencias (1973)
Terra Nostra (1975)
The Hydra Head (1978)
Distant Relations (1983)
The Old Gringo (1985)
Christopher Unborn (1987)
Myself with Others (1988)
The Campaign (1991)
The Buried Mirror (1992)
Diana, the Goddess Who Hunts Alone (1995)
The Crystal Frontier (1995)
The Years with Laura Díaz (2000)
Inez (2001)
The Eagle's Throne (2006)
Destiny and Desire (2011)
Nietzsche on His Balcony (2016)
Novellas in order
Aura (1962)
Vlad (2012)
Short story collections in order
Los Días Enmascarados (1954)
Constancia and Other Stories for Virgins (1991)
The Vintage Book of Latin American Stories (2000)
Non-fiction in order
Whither Latin America? (1963)
Latin America, at War With the Past (1985)
A New Time for Mexico (1994)
This I Believe (2002)
Other books in order
The Good Conscience (1961)
Cristóbal Nonato (1991)
Το Ένστικτο Της Ινές (2004)
The Diary of Frida Kahlo (2005)
Η Ήσυχη Συνείδηση (2010)
About Carlos Fuentes
Carlos Fuentes Macías was a Mexican novelist, essayist and ambassador to France. Among his works are The Death of Artemio Cruz (1962), Aura (1962), Terra Nostra (1975), The Old Gringo (1985) and Christopher Unborn (1987). In his obituary, The New York Times described Fuentes as "one of the most admired writers in the Spanish-speaking world" and an important influence on the Latin American Boom, the "explosion of Latin American literature in the 1960s and '70s", while The Guardian called him "Mexico's most celebrated novelist". His many literary honors include the Miguel de Cervantes Prize as well as Mexico's highest award, the Belisario Domínguez Medal of Honor (1999). He was often named as a likely candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature, though he never won.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Carlos Fuentes FAQ
- How many books has Carlos Fuentes written?
- Carlos Fuentes published 20 novels, 2 novellas, 3 short story collections, 4 non-fiction books and 5 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Carlos Fuentes's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Aura.
- What is Carlos Fuentes's last book?
- Vlad (2012).
- What is Carlos Fuentes's most famous book?
- Aura (1962) is Carlos Fuentes's most widely read book.
Authors like Carlos Fuentes
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.