I accept Tomás Rivera donations anywhere in the Albuquerque metro with free pickup — the whole collection: …y no se lo tragó la tierra / And the Earth Did Not Devour Him in every edition and translation, The Searchers (poetry), the essays, and the critical editions. You don't sort or price anything. Bring it all: I check every book by hand, and readable copies go back to readers.
Published June 2026 · By Josh Eldred, New Mexico Literacy Project
Tomás Rivera's …y no se lo tragó la tierra is one of the founding works of Chicano literature — a slim, indelible novel of a migrant farmworker family that won the first Premio Quinto Sol and is taught in classrooms across New Mexico and the Southwest. (Rivera went on to become chancellor of UC Riverside.) When a Rivera collection gets cleared, most people just want it to land somewhere that honors it. That's exactly what I'm for: I take the whole thing, free, and I check every book.
What I take: all of it
The novel, every edition
…y no se lo tragó la tierra in Spanish, the English translations (And the Earth Did Not Devour Him; the earlier "…and the earth did not part"), and the bilingual and critical editions.
Poetry & essays
The Searchers: Collected Poetry, the collected works (Tomás Rivera: The Complete Works), and his essays on literature and education.
Any condition
The scarce Quinto Sol first, the Arte Público reprints, school paperbacks, signed copies, and reading copies — bring whatever's on the shelf.
Why bring the whole shelf
Donating takes one call or text: no research, no pricing, no listings, no shipping. Free pickup in the Albuquerque metro, or the covered 24/7 drop box outside the gate at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, any hour. I check every book by hand, readable copies go back to readers, and no readable book goes to the landfill. Here's where donated books go.
How free pickup works
Call or text 505-250-3804 (or schedule online), tell me roughly how much there is and where you are, and I add you to the next route through your area. I come to you and load it all. I cover Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Corrales, the East Mountains, and the surrounding metro, and I handle whole-house and estate cleanouts regularly.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I donate Tomás Rivera books in Albuquerque?
Right here — free pickup anywhere in the metro for the whole collection: the novel in every edition, the poetry, the essays. Call or text 505-250-3804.
Can I drop Tomás Rivera books off instead of waiting for a pickup?
Yes. The covered 24/7 drop box outside the gate at 5445 Edith Blvd NE takes them any hour, and someone is at the warehouse from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to help unload a bigger load.
Spanish editions too?
Yes, the Spanish and bilingual editions too, so please don't throw any of it out first.
Cite This Guide
Eldred, J. (June 2026). Donate Tomás Rivera Books in Albuquerque — Free Pickup. New Mexico Literacy Project.
https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/donate-tomas-rivera-books-albuquerque
Licensed under CC BY 4.0.