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, including the older paperbacks you might not recognize; the 1971 Quinto Sol first is collectible, so I check everything and the rest funds New Mexico literacy.
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.
You don't have to know what's valuable
Here's the reason to call rather than dump: the 1971 first edition of …y no se lo tragó la tierra, published by Quinto Sol Publications (it won the inaugural Premio Quinto Sol), is collectible — a cornerstone of Chicano literature with a small early print run. By contrast, the later Arte Público and bilingual classroom editions are common, and to a non-collector the two can look much alike. That's exactly the distinction I check. Bring the whole shelf and I'll recognize the Quinto Sol first, protect it, and keep the reading copies — especially the bilingual ones — in circulation, with any hidden value identified and handled properly.
Why donate instead of selling it yourself
For a confirmed Quinto Sol first, selling on your own can pay. For the reprints and school paperbacks, listing each is more work than it's worth — and they belong in classrooms anyway. Donating handles it in one call: no research, no pricing, no listings, no shipping, free pickup at your door, reading copies to new readers, and a scarce first recognized and supporting New Mexico literacy. Here's where donated books go.
How free pickup works
Call or text 702-496-4214 (or schedule online), tell me roughly how much there is and where you are, and we set a time. 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 702-496-4214.
Is an old …y no se lo tragó la tierra worth anything?
The 1971 Quinto Sol first is collectible; later Arte Público and bilingual editions are common. They look similar — bring it all and let me check.
Spanish editions too?
Yes — Spanish and bilingual editions are in high demand for classrooms. Just 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.