"A searching memoir . . . A subtle, expertly written repudiation of the American dream in favor of something more inclusive and more realistic."—Kirkus, starred review

 There are many Pedros living in many Americas . . .

One Pedro goes to a school where they take away his language. Another disappears in the desert, leaving behind only a backpack. A cousin Pedro comes to visit, awakening feelings that others are afraid to make plain. A rumored Pedro goes missing so completely it's as if he were never there.

In Pedro's Theory Marcos Gonsalez explores the lives of these many Pedros, real and imagined. Several are the author himself, while others are strangers, lovers, archetypes, and the men he might have been in other circumstances. All are journeying to some sort of Promised Land, or hoping to discover an America of their own.

With sparkling prose and cutting insights, this brilliant literary debut closes the gap between who the world sees in us and who we see in ourselves. Deeply personal yet inspiringly political, it also brings to life those selves that never get the chance to be seen at all.

There are many Pedros living in many Americas . . .

One Pedro goes to a school where they take away his language. Another disappears in the desert, leaving behind only a backpack. A cousin Pedro comes to visit, awakening feelings that others are afraid to make plain. A rumored Pedro goes missing so completely it's as if he were never there.

In Pedro's Theory Marcos Gonsalez explores the lives of these many Pedros, real and imagined. Several are the author himself, while others are strangers, lovers, archetypes, and the men he might have been in other circumstances. All are journeying to some sort of Promised Land, or hoping to discover an America of their own.

With sparkling prose and cutting insights, this brilliant literary debut closes the gap between who the world sees in us and who we see in ourselves. Deeply personal yet inspiringly political, it also brings to life those selves that never get the chance to be seen at all.

An Electric Literature Favorite Nonfiction Book of 2021

A most anticipated book of 2021 from LitHub

Named one of 22 LGBTQ+ Books You Absolutely Need to Read This Year by The Advocate

"Gonsalez has created a memoir that is at once a collection of essays about his life and also a kaleidoscopic investigation of the things America has tried to promise him... Gonsalez’s storytelling feels honest for its expansiveness, and he manages this without ever sacrificing the intimacy of his strong, personal voice." -- The New York Times Book Review

"A searching memoir . . . A subtle, expertly written repudiation of the American dream in favor of something more inclusive and more realistic." —Kirkus, starred review

"A quietly thrilling read, insightful, and constantly surprising." —The Advocate

"Filled with lush prose, the resulting memoir is a layered, scathing excavation of how the seeds of white supremacy have bloomed into damages on the everyday lives of immigrants, queer people of color, and others existing on the margins in the United States." -- Electric Literature

"An engrossing memoir that directly confronts intergenerational trauma, internalized prejudices, and colorism in relation to and within the Latinx community." -- Latino Book Review