Autobiography of Cotton

In Autobiography of Cotton, Cristina Rivera Garza explores her grandparents' journey from mining towns to cotton fields, intertwining their experiences with the 1934 cotton workers' strike in Tamaulipas that inspired José Revueltas's novel Human Mourning. Through a blend of archival research and personal narrative, Garza examines the profound impact of cotton cultivation on the Mexico-United States border, highlighting the ongoing cycles of deprivation and ecocide. This intimate fictionalization presents a social history of agricultural colonization, labor activism, and cross-border migration, offering a politically charged reflection on land and identity.