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 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Asian Literature, Korean Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy

On Such A Full Sea is a 2014 novel by Chang-Rae Lee that explores themes of alienation, wealth, greed, ecology, freedom, and survival. The book is set in the future. America has fallen from grace. Society is strictly stratified into three classes. There are the Charter villages, which house the richest and most elite families. Then, there are the long-abandoned urban neighborhoods, which have been repurposed as high walled, self-contained labor colonies. Finally, there are... Read On Such A Full Sea Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Race / Racism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers

Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Korean Literature, Asian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature

Pachinko, written by Min Jin Lee (Free Food for Millionaires) and published in 2017, is the story of five generations of a Korean family living in both Korea and then later Japan from 1910 to 1989. Pachinko was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction in 2017. In Book 1, “Gohyang/Hometown 1910-1933,” the opening setting is the village of Yeongdo, Korea. The reader is introduced to the first generation of the family, the... Read Pachinko Summary


Publication year 1986

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Language, Society: Immigration, Natural World: Objects, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Food

Tags Lyric Poem, Ekphrastic, Free verse, Relationships, Immigration / Refugee, Arts / Culture, Confessional, Asian Literature


Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration

Tags Historical Fiction, Japanese Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., Asian Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Arts / Culture, Depression / Suicide, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction

Picture Us in the Light is a young adult novel written by Kelly Loy Gilbert and published in 2018 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Gilbert is the author of three young adult novels, all of which focus on the young Asian American experience. Picture Us in the Light is written in the first-person perspective of protagonist Danny Cheng, but Gilbert includes flashbacks to China to connect Danny to a past his parents have... Read Picture Us in the Light Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Identity: Race, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Race / Racism, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, History: World, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

Prodigy (2013) is the second installment in the Legend trilogy by Marie Lu. In this young adult series set in a dystopian future, the United States is divided into two warring nations, the Republic and the Colonies. Prodigy follows the first-person perspectives of two teen protagonists first introduced in Legend (2011), June and Day, as they join a rebel group called the Patriots in hopes of overthrowing the corrupt government. As they work to take... Read Prodigy Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Natural World: Environment

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


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Korean Literature, Asian Literature, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

P.S. I Still Love You is a young adult novel by Jenny Han, published by Scholastic in 2015. It is a sequel to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, published in 2014. The two books share the same main character and narrator, Lara Jean Song Covey, a Korean-American teenaged girl. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before concerns Lara Jean’s habit of writing secret love letters to boys she’s had crushes on, and P.S. I... Read P.S. I Still Love You Summary


Publication year 1986

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, History: U.S., Sociology, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Education, Education, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 2017

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, Education, Education, Biography

Michelle Kuo’s memoir, Reading with Patrick: A Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship, was published in 2017 to high acclaim. Kuo has won numerous fellowships and awards for her work in teaching, writing, and law. In addition to her memoir, she has also published essays and articles. She is currently an associate professor at American University in Paris where, since 2015, she has taught in its History, Law, and Society department.In the mid-2000s, Michelle... Read Reading with Patrick Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Immigration

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism


Publication year 1994

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Asian Literature, History: World, Chinese Literature, Biography, Asian Literature, History: Asian

First published in 1994, Anchee Min’s Red Azalea has won a fair bit of acclaim. It was named a New York Times Notable Book and also won the 1993 Carl Sandburg Literary Award in 1993. As a genre-defying blend of autobiography, memoir, and novel, Red Azalea focuses on the struggle to gain freedom and individual identity amid state-sponsored oppression. As the sole narrator of the novel, Min depicts her own views of the Cultural Revolution... Read Red Azalea Summary


Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Art, Relationships: Family

Tags Chinese Literature, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Humor, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Romance, Satire, Asian Literature

Rich People Problems, a contemporary romantic comedy of manners, was published in 2017. It is the third and final book in Kevin Kwan’s “Crazy Rich Asians” trilogy, which includes the first installment, the eponymous Crazy Rich Asians (2013), and the second, China Rich Girlfriend (2015). Crazy Rich Asians was adapted into a film, released in 2018 and starring Constance Wu and Michelle Yeoh. The film was a box-office success.Plot SummaryRich People Problems opens with the... Read Rich People Problems Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Middle Eastern Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture

Rooftops of Tehran (2009) is a historical fiction novel written by Iranian-American writer Mahbod Seraji. It follows a 17-year-old boy, Pasha, and his friends as they come of age during an era of political oppression and turmoil in Iran. The novel was selected as one of the books in the Outstanding Debut Category by the American Booksellers Association, and it was one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s 50 Notable Books of the Bay Area. Rooftops... Read Rooftops of Tehran Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Economics

Tags Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Modern Classic Fiction