Histories in the region date back to the
Hispanos of New Mexico chronicling the oral traditions of the
Pueblo,
Navajo,
Apache, and
Comanche peoples. One of the earliest mentions of New Mexico was in
Nahuatl as "Yancuic Mexico" in the
Crónica Mexicayotl. Among the earliest works of New Mexican literature was
Gaspar Pérez de Villagrá's 1610
Historia de la Nueva México. In the 19th century,
Western fiction became popular globally, with tales of
Geronimo,
Pat Garrett,
Billy the Kid, and
Elfego Baca becoming folklore icons. Other novels written in New Mexico at this time include
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. During the 20th century, the 1927 novel
Death Comes for the Archbishop set in New Mexico was published, and
Fabiola Cabeza de Baca Gilbert produced the first English language cookbook to mention
New Mexican cuisine. Scholarly works of the 20th century also remain relevant, especially ones related to the works of
Angelico Chavez,
James Fulton Zimmerman,
Evelina Zuni Lucero, and those of
Project Y. Authors and writers of the later 20th and early 21st centuries include
Rudolfo Anaya,
George RR Martin, and
Simon Romero. ==As a genre==