My Favorite Books by Asian Americans

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I’ve been attempting to write a post for some time about violence against Asian Americans. I’ve been starting and deleting posts for weeks.

I’ve struggled with writing about my own experiences with racism. For multiple reasons – and to be honest I still don’t feel comfortable. And I don’t think we have the obligation to share anything we don’t want to. But I also believe we can use our voices to tell our stories the best ways we know how. For me, it’s through my work, and if you do read my latest book, I hope you will leave some some understanding of how I feel about being an Asian woman in America.

And on the topic of books: I have read so many from my fellow Asian American authors that have inspired me and given me insight into all kinds of characters and people. I have learned so many things, and enjoyed stories from all over the world. This is by all means NOT a comprehensive list – to be honest I started this post but just kept going and going and finally had to stop. So if you have any favorites, I’d love to hear them below.

Where Reasons End, by Yiyun Li. In my opinion Li is one of the most best writers today. Her language and sentences are stunning. I will read everything she writes. That says, her books are not necessarily “plotty” – they have stories, deeply touching ones, but you won’t always get your happy ending.

Miracle Creek, by Angie Kim. A thriller that examines issues around race, special needs children, and the stresses faced by their parents. Kim is a great writer and you will be engaged throughout.

Bury What We Cannot Take, by Kirstin Chen. A wonderful examination of life in the Maoist China era. What happens when in order for your family to survive, you have to leave a child behind? Chen is a wonderful writer and if you like this I also recommend her earlier book, Soy Sauce For Beginners.

Severance, by Ling Ma. I see this frequently described as a millennial zombie novel. Which is technically true but it is so well done, so well written that I worry the description makes some people turn away. The writing is excellent. So is the story.

America Is Not The Heart, by Elaine Castillo. A wonderful book about an extended Filipino family, based in the Bay Area (but extending to the Philippines). Castillo is a skilled, literary writer and you feel each and every one of her characters.

The Collected Schizophrenias, by Esme Wang: A beautiful book of essays about Wang’s experience with her illness. Part memoir, part examination of science, and just overall wonderfully written.

A River of Stars, by Vanessa Hua. A wonderful (and propulsive!) story about Chinese immigration and the people who come here to chase their dreams. A great read for anyone looking for a thoughtful, yet still quick moving story with wonderful writing.

Edinburgh, by Alexander Chee. I think Chee is likely best known (at least recently) for his non-fiction, How To Write An Autobiographical Novel (which I also recommend), but Edinburgh is actually my favorite of his work. Beautifully written, thrilling, and highly literary.

Minor Feelings, by Cathy Park Hong. I think I’ve already shared how much this book means to me. To me this is one of the best books you can read if you want to understand the Asian American experience. But it’s also just really wonderful written and plain good.

A Tale For The Time Being, by Ruth Ozeki. I love, love this one. Japanese schoolgirl’s diary washes up on the shore, where a Japanese American woman finds it. So good, so beautiful. I just read this a few months ago and have already purchased copies for gifts.

Interior Chinatown, by Charles Yu. The National Book Award winner (and so well deserved). I love this book. For the writing, the characters, and simply what it does with form. So incredibly thoughtful, funny, perceptive.

All You Can Ever Know, by Nicole Chung. Chung, a Korean adoptee, writes beautifully about her experience growing up with white parents, her journey to find the story of her birth, and how her own motherhood has shaped her perception. A wonderful memoir.

Exhalation, by Ted Chiang. It’s funny, I didn’t realize until now that I couldn’t recall if Chiang has Asian characters in his books, so I went to go look it up, and read an interview where he said he deliberately doesn’t really talk about race. Which I respect and as a fellow author deeply understand. When I read novels from Asian Americans I don’t expect them to only write about Asian Americans – I think we can, and do, write from all sorts of perspectives. Another author I can think of who proves this is Kazuo Ishiguro – who I would have totally listed (I just finished re-reading A Pale View of Hills), but I wanted to dedicate this post to Asian American authors.

Please add your favorite books from Asian authors! I’d love to hear them!