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 2015

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Parenting, Historical Fiction, Indian Literature, Arts / Culture

Secret Daughter (2010) is the debut novel of Canadian-Indian author Shilpi Somaya Gowda. Spanning twenty years, it follows two families who are mysteriously connected by an adopted daughter. A New York Times Bestseller, the novel has been translated into more than thirty languages and has sold more than a million copies. Godwa formed the idea for Secret Daughter while volunteering at an Indian orphanage as an undergraduate. Secret Daughter received much critical praise for its... Read Secret Daughter Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Biography, Social Justice, Religion / Spirituality, Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism


Publication year 1949

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Immigration

Tags Education, Education, Japanese Literature

“Seventeen Syllables,” originally published in 1949 by the Partisan Review, is Hisaye Yamamoto’s most anthologized short story. Yamamoto was one of the first Japanese American authors to achieve critical and commercial success after World War II due to her celebrated short stories about life in Southern California and the experiences of Japanese Americans. Her stories were eventually published together in 1988, in a collection titled Seventeen Syllables and Other Stories released by Kitchen Table Press... Read Seventeen Syllables Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Romance, Humor, Race / Racism


Publication year 1998

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Relationships, Indian Literature


Publication year 1983

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation

Tags Magical Realism, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Indian Literature, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction

Written by Salman Rushdie in 1983, Shame takes place in a fictionalized version of the city of Quetta in Pakistan. Although several characters are based on historic Pakistani politicians, the novel incorporates elements of magical realism to create a richly nuanced fable whose philosophical message transcends the boundaries of the ordinary. The novel explores themes of Shame Versus Shamelessness, the partition of Pakistan through Partition and Duality, and The Systemic Misogyny of Patriarchal Societies. Shame... Read Shame Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration

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

In the novel Sister of My Heart, the Indian-born American author and poet Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni explores issues of family, womanhood, and diasporic experience, constantly affirming and exploring the redemptive power of storytelling. Divakaruni’s first collection of stories, Arranged Marriage, won an American Book Award, a PEN Josephine Miles Award, and a Bay Area Book Reviewers Award. Her novel The Mistress of Spices was released as a film of the same name in 2005. Sister of My Heart was made into a television series... Read Sister of My Heart Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2020

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Immigration, Society: War, Relationships: Family, Society: Community

Tags Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, History: World


Publication year 1983

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Tags Asian Literature, Chinese Literature, Education, Education, Social Science, History: World, Politics / Government, Biography

Son of the Revolution (1983), written by Liang Heng with his wife, Judith Shapiro, is a memoir of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and is both the story of Liang’s own coming-of-age and a chronicle of China’s political and cultural upheaval following the Communist Party’s rise to power in the mid-1900s.Content Warning: The source material and this guide contain references to violence and death by suicide.Liang Heng is born in Changsha, a large city in central... Read Son of the Revolution Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Asian Literature, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

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


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Tags Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Chinese Literature, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Immigration

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Asian Literature, Music, Biography


Publication year 2002

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Tags Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Magical Realism, Technology, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, Information Age, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy

Stories of Your Life and Others is a collection of short stories published in 2002 by the American science fiction and fantasy writer Ted Chiang. The book contains eight stories that belong to science fiction, science fantasy, alternative history, and magic realism genres. Seven of the eight stories appeared in previous publications. In the stories, Chiang explores concepts including the ethics of science, the benefits and dangers of intelligence, and cultural differences in alternate realities... Read Stories of Your Life and Others Summary


Publication year 1989

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: U.S., History: Asian, Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Asian Literature, Sociology, History: World, Chinese Literature

Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans is a 1989 book by American historian Ronald Takaki. Takaki analyzes the long and diverse history of Asians in America, explaining the personal and economic circumstances that prompted their immigration, and recounting their myriad experiences in their new country. Takaki argues that, traditionally, historians’ Eurocentric histories have neglected to analyze and explain Asian Americans’ role in American history. This has led to a distorted perception... Read Strangers from a Different Shore Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Psychology, Sociology, Self Help, Business / Economics, Relationships, Psychology

Priya Parker’s book The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters (2018) is a series of chapter-length essays that provide a guide to organizing effective gatherings as well as a persuasive argument for thinking about them as tools for social transformation. As a highly experienced group facilitator, advisor, podcast host, and expert in conflict resolution, Parker brings a specialist’s insight to her topic. At the same time, she organizes and presents the... Read The Art of Gathering Summary