Asian American & Pacific Islander Literature

In May, we celebrate the vital contributions of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Explore this collection to find texts related to AAPI history and culture, including works by Ted Chiang, C Pam Zhang, and Ha Jin, among others.

Publication year 1986

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Food

Tags Education, Education, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Chinese Literature, Grief / Death, Food


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Food

Tags Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Self Help


Publication year 2014

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Animals, Society: Community

Tags WWII / World War II, Animals, History: World, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Military / War, History: Asian, Action / Adventure, Biography


Publication year 1999

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War, Society: Colonialism

Tags History: Asian, WWII / World War II, Politics / Government, Military / War, Asian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature


Publication year 2012

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Tags Asian Literature, Immigration / Refugee, History: Asian, Korean Literature, History: World, Action / Adventure, Politics / Government, Biography

Escape from Camp 14 is the story of Shin Dong-hyuk, who is the only known person to have been born in and escape from a North Korean labor camp. The book’s author, Blaine Harden, interviewed Shin many times and has also spoken with former camp guards and North Korean traders. His book details Shin’s life both inside and outside the camp, as well as the political landscape in North Korea.As Shin was born in the... Read Escape from Camp 14 Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality

Tags Mythology, Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality


Publication year 2016

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Korean Literature, Asian Literature, Children's Literature, History: World, Action / Adventure, Biography

Every Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea is a 2016 memoir by Sungju Lee and Susan McClelland. This first-person narrative nonfiction work recounts author Sungju Lee’s childhood in North Korea, surviving on the streets as a young boy after he was abandoned by his parents, as well as his harrowing escape at age 16. He is now a consultant and advocate for the reunification of the Korean Peninsula... Read Every Falling Star Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Tags Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy

Ted Chiang’s Exhalation is a collection of nine science fiction short stories. Published in 2019, the stories feature time travel, robots, artificial intelligences, and human beings grappling with an everchanging world. Seven of the nine stories appeared in previous publications, going on to win multiple Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards. Through the science fiction/dystopian genre, Exhalation explores forgiveness, parenting, technology ethics, free will, and climate change. This is Ted Chiang’s second collection, following Stories of... Read Exhalation Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, WWII / World War II, Post-War Era, History: World, Japanese Literature


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 1986

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Frankly in Love is a coming-of-age novel written by David Yoon and published in 2019 by Penguin Young Readers, Putnam. The story revolves around Frank Li, a Korean American teenager torn between his American identity and the traditional expectations of his Korean parents. With its engaging storyline and exploration of cultural identity, Frankly in Love tackles themes of love, family expectations, and self-discovery. David Yoon’s writing skillfully portrays the complexities of Frank’s experiences as he... Read Frankly in Love Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Asian Literature


Publication year 1986

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Lyric Poem, American Literature, Food


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Front Desk is the debut novel of Asian-American author Kelly Yang. First published in 2018, the children’s book became a New York Times bestseller and was mentioned on multiple Best Books of the Year lists including NPR, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, the Washington Post, Amazon, School Library Journal, the New York Public Library, and the Chicago Public Library. Front Desk also made ALA’s Booklist of the Top Ten Debut Novels of 2018. It won the 2019... Read Front Desk Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags History: World, Military / War, Chinese Literature, Biography

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World is a nonfiction book divided into three parts and dealing with the early life and rise to power of Temujin, the man who would become known as Genghis Khan. The text details his conquests and the establishment of the Mongol Empire, and the changes undergone by the empire after his death, and up until its collapse. Throughout, Weatherford makes the argument that the Mongol Empire played... Read Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World Summary


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction

Jean Kwok's Girl in Translation details the first decade of the lives of Kimberley Chang and her mother after they emigrate from Hong Kong to New York City in the 1980s. The novel is told from Kim's perspective. Each chapter corresponds roughly to a year of her life, beginning in early elementary school and ending shortly before Kim goes to college. Kim struggles as she attempts to balance her doublelife as a brilliant student during... Read Girl In Translation Summary


Publication year 1987

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Society: Colonialism, Identity: Femininity

Tags Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Immigration / Refugee, Gender / Feminism, Indian Literature

“Good Advice Is Rarer Than Rubies,” a short story written by Salman Rushdie, was first published in The New Yorker in 1987 and then reprinted in East, West, a collection of Rushdie’s short stories published in 1994. This anthology divides the stories into three sections: “East, “West,” and “East/West.” “Good Advice Is Rarer Than Rubies” can be found in the “East” section. Most of this story takes place in a shantytown next to the British... Read Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies Summary