Books are an escape from the reality. You get to live a thousand emotions and fantasies in one book. The author has this magic in their words. Often, the inspiration to write moving stories comes from experience.
So, let’s dig into such experiences of a few Asian authors. Their imagination coupled with the richness of their culture is perfect to build a vivid web of tales. We have curated a list of 5 diverse books by Asian authors. These books lay open the intricate threads of Asian culture. Go ahead and experience it.
Pachinko- Min Jin Lee
Min Jin Lee is a Korean-American author. Pachinko is a critically acclaimed work of hers. It is set in the 1900s against the backdrop of Japanese colonization and war. It tells the story of a family that emigrates to Japan under adverse conditions. The good and bad consequences of this decision form the rest of the plot.
Read this book if you want a peek into Korea under the Japanese invasion. It is a nicely written, emotionally evoking book.
The Summer I Turned Pretty- Jenny Han
Jenny Han is an American author of Korean descent. This trilogy of books by her has been adapted into a live-action series. It has three books- The Summer I Turned Pretty, It’s Not Summer Without You and We Will Always Have Summer.
All the books follow the story of a teenager Belly and her visits to Cousin’s Beach every summer. Here she is joined by her elder brother and her mother’s best friend’s sons. Read it if you are in the mood for a summer romance.
Dial A for Aunties- Jesse Q. Sutanto
Jesse Q. Sutanto is a Chinese-Indonesian author. Dial A for Aunties is the best of her works. It is centered around a Chinese-Indonesian family. Meddy Chen is a photographer for the wedding planning business run by her aunts. One day she accidentally kills a man and turns to her aunties for help. The rest of the plot is their efforts to get rid of the corpse as neatly as possible.
The book has dark humor. But it is equally entertaining, thrilling, and wholesome.
Norwegian Woods- Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami is a contemporary Japanese writer. All his books are an ode to the Japanese culture. This one is no different. It follows the story of two young friends Toru and Naoko in Tokyo in the 1960s. The book follows the lives of these youth after the loss of one of their friends.
It is a classic book with a mix of genres.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea- Axie Oh
Axie Oh is a Korean-American author. Her books have been popular among readers. This one is a historical fiction book.
The book is about a girl Mina whose village is ravaged by storms. She takes it upon herself to seek the Sea God and put the storms to an end. In this underwater adventure, she is joined by a tram of demons and spirits.
