The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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30.10 - Jennifer N's task: In Honor of Asian Authors
List of countries that are accepted: Asian Continent Approved Authors: (Because of question)
Tarquin Hall - India
Adeline Yen Mah - China
Arthur C. Clarke - Sri Lanka
Fyodor Dostoevsky - Russia
Barry Eisler - Japan
Melissa de la Cruz - Philippines
Xinran - China
T.H. White - India
Ayn Rand - Russia
M. M. Kaye - India
Pearl S. Buck - China
Barbara Demick - China
Greg Mortenson - Afghanistan/Pakistan
Salman Rushdie - India
Atiq Rahimi - Afghanistan
I'm really excited about this task - thank you!A few I'm considering:
China: Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang
Malaysia: The Rice Mother by Rani Manicka
India: The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan
Pakistan: Kartography by Kamila Shamsie
Japan: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Would The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall work? The author was born in England, but his bio says that he has lived throughout Southeast Asia and currently splits his time between London and Dheli since his wife is Indian. Thanks!
I can highly recommend - The Housekeeper and the Professor - Japani'm planning on using:
The Surrendered - Chang-Rae Lee (Korean)
Hotel Iris: A Novel - Yoko Ogawa (Japan)
Israel counts as Asian, right? If so, I am going to use David Grossman's To the End of the Land and A Good Fall: Stories (by Ha Jin, from China)The Surrendered and Never Let Me Go are both fabulous.
travelgirlut wrote: "Would The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall work? The author was born in England, but his bio says that he has lived throughout Southeast Asia and currently..."I will accept this author.
Would Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah work? She was born in China but now is between California and London.
★Meghan★ wrote: "Would Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah work? She was born in China but now is between California and London."Yes - As long as she was born in China.
Another author to approve: Arthur C. Clarke? He moved to Sri Lanka in 1956 and lived there until his death in 2008. Thanks!
Would Pearl S. Buck work for China? She was raised and spent her early/mid adult life in China (1892-1934) but was born and died in The States. Here's a Wiki synopsis of her life:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_S....
travelgirlut wrote: "Another author to approve: Arthur C. Clarke? He moved to Sri Lanka in 1956 and lived there until his death in 2008. Thanks!"That will work
I am planning on read The Kite Runner (Afghanistan) and The Brothers Karamazov (Russia). That works, correct?
Kathryn wrote: "I am planning on read The Kite Runner (Afghanistan) and The Brothers Karamazov (Russia). That works, correct?"Correct
I think my question may have been missed:Petra wrote: "Would Pearl S. Buck work for China?
She was raised and spent her early/mid adult life in China (1892-1934) but was born and died in The States. Here's a Wiki synopsis of her life:
http://en.wikipe..."
Petra wrote: "Would Pearl S. Buck work for China? She was raised and spent her early/mid adult life in China (1892-1934) but was born and died in The States. Here's a Wiki synopsis of her life:http://en.wikipe..."
I did miss your question. I think that this will be fine. It appears that her parents only came back to the U.S. for her birth and moved back when she was 3 months old. - I'll take it.
Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Would Amy Tan be acceptable?"I can't find anything about Amy Tan living in China. I see that she visited there. If she does live there please let me know, otherwise I'll have to say no.
Jennifer N. wrote: "Petra wrote: "Would Pearl S. Buck work for China? I did miss your question. I think that this will be fine. It appears that her parents only came back to the U.S. for her birth and moved back when she was 3 months old. - I'll take it. ..."
Super! Thanks!
Jennifer N. wrote: "Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Would Amy Tan be acceptable?"I can't find anything about Amy Tan living in China. I see that she visited there. If she does live there please let me know, otherw..."
Amy Tan is Asian by birth. She is born of Chinese parents.
I'm pretty sure Melissa de la Cruz is from the Philippines, so she could work for this task correct?I think Barry Eisler might work for Japan. It says in his bio he worked in Japan at one time. Does that count?
Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Amy Tan is Asian by birth. She is born of Chinese parents.."Actually, I believe she's first generation Asian-American. She was born in Oakland, California.
would Xinran work? She lived in China before moving to Great Britian.
i'm so happy i can fit Snow here, and it's perfect because you used it as an example! i'm guessing that salman rushdie would work...he was born in india. so turkey and india?
Kristi (Passion for the Page) wrote: "Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Amy Tan is Asian by birth. She is born of Chinese parents.."Actually, I believe she's first generation Asian-American. She was born in Oakland, California."
That's what I found too. I am going to disallow her unless anyone has evidence of her living in Asia.
Valorie wrote: "I'm pretty sure Melissa de la Cruz is from the Philippines, so she could work for this task correct?I think Barry Eisler might work for Japan. It says in his bio he wo..."
Barry Eisler: I found in wikipedia that: "Eisler lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and Tokyo." so I will accept him.
Melissa de la Cruz: She appears to have been born in Manila so she is fine.
Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "would Xinran work? She lived in China before moving to Great Britian."According to her profile she was born in Beijing, China so she works.
Are we considering Iran an Asian country for this task?
Joy Marie wrote: "Are we considering Iran an Asian country for this task?"I am going with what Dlmrose said in message 3 of the General Questions board and saying that: "It can be defined in different ways, but we are using Asian Continent for this challenge. There's a list of countries including former names at the bottom of the page"
So - Yes Iran works for this task
Jennifer N. wrote: "Valorie wrote: "I'm pretty sure Melissa de la Cruz is from the Philippines, so she could work for this task correct?I think Barry Eisler might work for Japan. It sa..."
Thanks Jennifer!
T.H. White The Goodreads Biography: Born in Bombay to English parents, Terence Hanbury White was educated at Cambridge and taught for some time at Stowe before deciding to write full-time. White moved to Ireland in 1939 as a conscientious objector to WWII, and lived out his years there.
Would he qualify as Asian writer since he was born in India --- even though his most famous books are all about King Arthur? :0) Thanks!
Deedee wrote: "T.H. White The Goodreads Biography: Born in Bombay to English parents, Terence Hanbury White was educated at Cambridge and taught for some time at Stowe before deciding to write f..."
He fits
Kate wrote: "Would The Namesake or Ayn Rand work?"Ayn Rand appears to work because she was born in Russia but Jhumpa Lahiri does not appear to have lived in India. She was born in London and moved to the U.S. when she was 3. Unless you can find out if she lives in India I'm going to say no.
M.M. Kaye was born and grew up in British India. Does this count even though she wasn't actually Asian?I loved The Far Pavilionswhen I read it years ago.
Wendy UK wrote: "M.M. Kaye was born and grew up in British India. Does this count even though she wasn't actually Asian?I loved The Far Pavilionswhen I read it years ago."
From the Goodreads biography: M. M. Kaye was born in India and spent her early childhood and much of her early-married life there. Her family ties with the country are strong: her grandfather, father, brother and husband all served the British Raj.
So, by the criteria Jennifer is using, she'd qualify as Asian writer.
Deedee wrote: " Wendy UK wrote: "M.M. Kaye was born and grew up in British India. Does this count even though she wasn't actually Asian?I loved The Far Pavilionswhen I read it ..."
Thats correct.
What about Greg Mortenson? As far as I know he lives in Afghanistan/Pakistan and the US. He splits his time. Thanks!
As my lovely Iran is accepted Im going to read My Father's Notebook: A Novel of Iran by Kader Abdollah (Iran)and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Afghanistan)
Julie wrote: "What about Greg Mortenson? As far as I know he lives in Afghanistan/Pakistan and the US. He splits his time. Thanks!"
From what I saw he was born in Minnesota, grew up in Tanzania and now lives in Montana. He seems to have visited there and done quite a bit of humanitarian work but not really lived there. If you have information about when he lived there for a significant amount of time I'll take him, if not I don't think he works.
In his first book Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace... One School at a Time it talks a lot about him living there while trying to get the schools going. This bio says that he's lived there for 6 years (but it wasn't six years straight - it was off and on as he'd come back to the US to get more funding and then would go back for months/year(s) at a time to build more schools:He is one of few foreigners who has worked extensively for sixteen years (over 72 months in the field) in rural villages where few foreigners go.
http://www.threecupsoftea.com/greg-mo...
No worries either way,
Thanks!
Julie wrote: "In his first book Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace... One School at a Time it talks a lot about him living there while trying to get the schools going. This bio sa..."That's fine.
Would Pearl S. Buck count? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_S.... says: Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892 — March 6, 1973) also known by her Chinese name Sai Zhenzhu was an award-winning American writer who spent most of her time until 1934 in China. She was born in West Virginia. Thanks!
Deedee wrote: "Would Pearl S. Buck count? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_S.... says: Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892 — March 6, 1973) also known by her Chinese name Sai Zhenzhu was an ..."That was already approved but I forgot to update the Accepted area. She is fine.
The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (other topics)Spring Moon: A Novel of China (other topics)
The Patience Stone (other topics)
The Patience Stone (other topics)
Snow (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Atiq Rahimi (other topics)Salman Rushdie (other topics)
Greg Mortenson (other topics)
Barbara Demick (other topics)
Pearl S. Buck (other topics)
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Read 2 books written by authors from Asia. The authors must be from different countries.
Ex. You could read Snow by Orhan Pamuk who is from Turkey for the first book and then The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro who is from Japan for the second.
The author should be Asian by birth or residence. In other words, if they were born in an Asian country, they need not live there presently. But if they were born outside of Asia, they should live there now.
REQUIRED: Include the countries where the authors are from when posting.