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72 New Books by Asian American Authors to Read Now
This May, as we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we wanted to take an opportunity to shine a light on some of the new books from Asian American authors.
As you can see, the genres, styles, and topics of these books are as varied and diverse as the Asian American population (we are, after all, talking about Americans with roots in more than 20 different countries). In the mood for science fiction? Try an artificial intelligence thriller, or Ken Liu's new short story collection. For memorable memoirs, pick up Crying in H Mart, Sigh, Gone, or Speak, Okinawa. There's also plenty of literary fiction, historical fiction, romance, and fantasy to keep you reading all year long.
We have divvied up the books below by adult fiction, young adult fiction, and nonfiction—all of them published since the start of 2020 through the beginning of May. Scroll over the covers to learn more about each book, and be sure to add the books that pique your interest to your Want to Read shelf!
Adult Fiction
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Young Adult Fiction
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Nonfiction
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Do you have a reading recommendation for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month? Tell us about it in the comments.
Check out more recent articles:
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Check out more recent articles:
32 Highly Anticipated Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reads for Summer
Readers' Most Anticipated Books of May
The Science (and Math) of Andy Weir's Sci-Fi Success
Comments Showing 1-42 of 42 (42 new)
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by
Michelle
(new)
Apr 30, 2021 02:45AM
It's exhausting to want to read all the books.
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M. wrote: "It's exhausting to want to read all the books."Agreed! I marked all the ones I haven't read yet as "want to read"!
Thank you SO much for including A Pho Love Story!
Wow! Where am I going to find the time to read these fantastic books?
Try some Epeli Hau'ofa. "Tales of the Tikongs" is a collection of short stories about life on a small island in Oceania. "Kisses in the Nederends" is a comic novel about a man who seeks help for an embarrassing and very painful condition in a very embarrassing part of the body.Both are very funny and very satirical,
Hau'ofa was Tongan and spent many years teaching/working at the University of the Southern Pacific in Fiji
Robin sharma is not the list!!!bit disappointed but list is interesting..
asian american what about asian asians?? maybe you should promote them too
Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay is stellar.
Am happy for the page of Asian Americans stories, but do wish that once in a while there could be a backlist or something...
FINALLY they showed Asian people, even if none of them are non-Americans as usual. Stop Americanising everything, it actually makes me strike these types of books from my Amazon basket.
I'm kinda happy they're showcasing more books by Asian-Americans authors but I wish they did more with authors from other countries who would have a lot to add with their perspective. Although I added some of these books to my TBR because I need to read more books by POC authors.
Isabelle wrote: "asian american what about asian asians?? maybe you should promote them too"Liam wrote: "FINALLY they showed Asian people, even if none of them are non-Americans as usual. Stop Americanising everything, it actually makes me strike these types of books from my Amazon basket."
The list is to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Your reading comprehension is really disappointing on a site for book lovers.
Isabelle wrote: "asian american what about asian asians?? maybe you should promote them too"I agree with Isabelle. Asian-themed stories are also told by many non-American authors of Asian descent. This list seems to have excluded a lot of authentic and quality Asian writing. Asian authors are authors of Asian descent, no matter what nationality, and should all be celebrated in the #AsianHeritageMonth.
Love these, I now have a few new books I need to read.
Thank you SO much for including American Betiya! <3
Alice wrote: "Isabelle wrote: "asian american what about asian asians?? "I agree Isabelle. Asian-themed stories are also told by many non-American authors of Asian descent..."
@alice & @isabelle, I think it was upfront and obvious what this piece was about. The headline of "72 New Books by Asian American Authors to Read Now" and the opening of the article made it very clear that this was a US-based listing.
Asian American Heritage Month was started in the US in 1978; its history and origins are important. Moreover, we are facing issues that are distinct and particular to that experience.
Wiser to not conflate all Asians in diaspora and certainly not Asians in Asia.
April wrote: "M. wrote: "It's exhausting to want to read all the books."Agreed! I marked all the ones I haven't read yet as "want to read"!"
Absolutely agree!
Septuagenarian: Love Is What Happens When I DieI'd like to recommend Septuagenarian, which is a poetic memoir of a woman growing up as the daughter of a Chinese father and an African American mother in Minneapolis. Her struggle for identity, love, and acceptance was a journey of seven decades, as the title suggests. Don't miss it!!
Good list, but so many more to discover! Recommend Carol J. Yee's "Welcome Back to Abuja Once Again," a world travel memoir about an Asian American girl's search for humanity and great food.
All great titles! Adding to the list: Haven to Heaven by Ninsavang Pravisay. Asian story by Asian American author.
Aditya wrote: "Ten Tangled Tales: For, Life's not a Fairy Tale!"I'd like to recommend Ten Tangled Tales- this is a collection of short stories from different parts of India. :D
Love the list of books! Wish they also included Amy Tan (Joy Luck Club).
I think the book Dial A For Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto would be a good book to add to the list!
“Remembering Shanghai” by Isabel Sun Chao and Claire Chao, a mother- daughter duo, is a beautifully written memoir of Isabel’s life growing up in pre-communist Shanghai.
I do not see any Canadian authors on these lists. We have many great Asian/Canadian authors. example Larissa Lai Tiger Fly, Sarah Suk Made in Hong Kong a YA novel.
Wild Things Will Roam This is an incredible read by AAPI author K.M. West - dystopian thriller, emotional, gripping, real. I recommend it!
Anne wrote: "I do not see any Canadian authors on these lists. We have many great Asian/Canadian authors. example Larissa Lai Tiger Fly, Sarah Suk Made in Hong Kong a YA novel."Made in Korea.
The month is, for better or worse, called "AAPI Heritage Month" - I don't see any PI authors represented here (at a glance - please correct me if I'm wrong), which is disappointing!
This is a great list! I would add Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance by Erica Dhawan!
I'd also suggest When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller for middle-grade students; it just won the 2021 Newbery Medal. https://www.amazon.com/When-You-Trap-...
I wish I saw this one day sooner but I'll save this list for later. I already went on my book buying binge for APIA Heritage Month:
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao
Asian American author here:) Have been writing in my second language (English)—challenging but I’m enjoying it. Name is C.Y. Stewart. Actually one of my books just went on free-download promotion on Amazon through this Saturday, if anyone is interested to check it out. I very much appreciate everyone’s support for Asian American authors.C.Y. Stewart Have You Seen Jeffrey?
Annette wrote: "The month is, for better or worse, called "AAPI Heritage Month" - I don't see any PI authors represented here (at a glance - please correct me if I'm wrong), which is disappointing!"There are no PI authors as the title specifies "Asian American" but I do wish they had done a list to include AAPI authors on a whole. Unless there's a PI list somewhere else ...
