Meadow337
Former Moderator
Any author, any genre, any time period, immigrants or emigrants, travel, or non-fiction - if its about Asia lets discuss it.
This is my current reading list. I have not read every book, but most them.
Amirrezvani Anita
Blood Of Flowers (2011)
Life in 17th Century Iran is brought to life through the eyes of young woman who tries to improve her life through her skill at knotting rugs. Truthfully not much history in it, but a good depiction of women's struggles within a patriarchal world.
Tash Aw
The Harmony Silk Factory (2010)
Map of the Invisible World: A Novel (2010)
Life in Malaysia during the Japanese Occupation.
Johan Bjorksten
Learn To Write Chinese Characters
Bruun, Ole*
Precious Steppe (2006)
Economics of nomadic pasturalists in Mongolia
Pearl S. Buck
The Angry Wife (2013)
The Big Wave: A Novel (2012)
A Bridge for Passing (2013)
Come, My Beloved (2013)
Death in the Castle (2013)
Dragon Seed: The Story of China at War (2012)
East Wind: West Wind (1930)
The Eternal Wonder (2013)
God's Men (2013)
The Goddess Abides (1931)
Imperial Woman (2013)
Kinfolk (1973)
Letter From Peking (2013)
The Living Reed: A Novel of Korea (2012)
The Mother: A Novel (2012)
The Patriot (2013)
Peony: A Novel of China (2012)
The Promise: A Novel of China and Burma (2012)
I have read about half of these. Pearl S. Buck was the daughter of missionaries to China and grew up there.
Andrew X. Pham
Catfish and Mandala
Fascinating book about a Vietnamese immigrant to America who decides to cycle back to Vietnam to rediscover his roots. Sad, funny, uplifting ... a good read.
Su Tong
My Life as Emperor
Weird, weird, weird. Fantasy book about a Chinese Emperor who gets deposed and his adventures to regain his throne. Fun, but weird.
Jung Chang
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China (2011)
Three generations of Chinese women in China.
Wu Cheng-en
Journey to the West (2011)
Fun.
Mantak Chia
[1] Simple Chi Kung (2011)
[4] Chi Nei Tsang
Wayson Choy
The Jade Peony (2007)
Fascinating insight into the lives of immigrant Chinese to Canada told through the eyes of three siblings who relate the same events from their perspective. A good read.
Li Cunxin
Mao's Last Dancer (2011)
Autobiography of Li Cunxin a ballet dancer from Shangdong, China who sought asylum in America, now living in Australia.
Edwin Dingle
Across China on Foot (1911)
An early travelogue of China. Interesting historical perspective.
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The Mistress of Spices (1997)
If you saw the movie, this is much better, more depth.
Fumiko Enchi *
A Tale of False Fortunes (2011)
Tan Twan Eng
The Garden of Evening Mists
The Gift of Rain (2007)
Very hard to describe these books. On the surface both deal with experiences of the Japanese occupation of Malaysia, but both have such depths of human experience it is hard to limit them to the overt description. Highly recommended. Beautiful lyrical writing.
Pai Kit Fai
The Concubine's Daughter (2011)
Description of women's life in China as a concubine bought to bear sons, but not recognised as a second wife.
Daniel Fox
[1] Books of Stone and Water 1: Dragon in Chains (2011)
[2] Books of Stone and Water 2 - Jade Man's Skin (2011)
[3] Books of Stone and Water 3 - Hidden Cities (2011)
Fantasy books set in a mythical version of Taiwan.
Alison Goodman
[1] Eon - The Rise of the Dragon Eye (2011)
[2] Eona - The Last Dragon Eye
Fantasy based on Chinese myths. Technically YA but reads more maturely.
Chanrithy Him
When Broken Glass Floats (2001)
Life under the Khmer Rouge.
Khaled Hosseini
The Kite Runner (2004)
A thousand splendid suns (2007)
What can I add to what has already said about these books?
Hsia, R. Po-chia *
A Jesuit in The Forbidden City
Historical. TBR
Hu *
Encountering the Chinese
Non-fiction.
Conn Iggulden
[1] Genghis 1: Birth of an Empire (2007)
[2] Genghis 2: Lords of the Bow (2008)
[3] Genghis 3: Bones of the Hills (2010)
[4] Genghis 4: Empire of Silver (2010)
[5] Genghis 5: Conqueror (2011)
Historical. Well researched. Author lived in Mongolia for more than a year researching these books.
Ruth Prawer Jhabwala *
Heat and Dust (2010)
Zhang Jianguo
Qigong Exercise Therapy
Ha Jin
The Bridegroom
A Free Life (2011)
A Good Fall (2009)
Nanjing Requiem (2011)
Waiting (2011)
War Trash (2011)
The Writer as Migrant
One of my best authors. I simply love his writing. Sparse but deep. 'Waiting' is an astonishing book about a man whose inability to take action means he spends his life waiting. 'A Free Life' is about the immigrant experience. 'Nanjing Requiem' is about the fall of Nanjing.
Mitsuyo Kakuta *
Women On the Other Shore (2011)
Jean Kwok *
Girl in Translation (2010)
Michael David Lukas
The Oracle of Stamboul (2011)
Fantasy. Set in Turkey in the late Ottoman Empire. Enjoyable.
Derwin Mak *
The Dragon and the Stars (2010)
Rani Manicka *
The Rice Mother (2004)
Yann Martel
Life of Pi (2010)
Brilliant.
Chang Fu Mei
Speak Mandarin in 500 Words
Meyers, Ric
Films of Fury: The Kung Fu Movie Book (2011)
Anchee Min
Becoming Madame Mao
Empress Orchid (2004)
Red Azalea (2011)
Wild Ginger (2002)
Anchee Min was recruited from a labour camp to be an actress in Madame Mao's Shanghai Film Studio. Red Azalea is her memoir. The other books are fictional.
Deborah Moggach
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Set in modern India. More a book about old age, but still has some interesting insights on life in modern India, particularly from the perspective of British people who remember the 'old days'.
Haruki Murakami
A Wild Sheep Chase (2011)
Fantasy. Funny. Who knew genetic engineering could be such an amusing topic.
Julie Otsuka
The Buddha in the Attic (2011)
When the Emperor Was Divine
Japanese experience in the US during the second world war.
Rojas, Carlos.
Great Wall (2012)
non-fiction. The Great Wall through history.
Salman Rushdie
The Enchantress of Florence (2008)
Fury (2002)
Imaginary Homelands
The Jaguar Smile (2011)
Joseph Anton (2012)
Luka and the Fire of Life
Midnight's children (2011)
Moor's Last Sigh (1995)
The Satanic Verses (1989)
Shalimar the Clown (2006)
What can I say .. it's Salman Rushdie. His prose is beautiful.
Elizabeth Ann Scatborough
The Harem of Aman Akbar (2011)
Fantasy.
Lisa See
On Gold Mountain (2011)
Peony in Love (2011)
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005)
Shanghai Girls
[1] Shanghai Girls (2009)
[2] Dreams of Joy (2011)
With the exception of Snow Flower Lisa See writes about the immigrant experience in America. Her books also contain a lot history of her own family.
Murasaki Shikibu
Genji (2011)
The Japanese classic. A bit slow reading, but taken in small doses is fine.
Dai Sijie *
Balzac and the little Chinese Seamstress (2013)
Indu Sundaresan
Splendor Of Silence (2010)
A love story and mystery tied into one. An Indian girl falls in love with an American soldier, but he has secrets of his own. Recommended.
Szeto, Kin-Yan
The Martial Arts Cinema of the Chinese Diaspora
Amy Tan
The Bonesetter's Daughter (2009)
The Hundred Secret Senses (2011)
The Joy Luck Club (1998)
Rules for Virgins (2011)
The Joy Luck Club is a semi-autobiographical account about relationships between immigrant mothers and their first generation daughters who are growing up in a different world and moving away from the traditional life. Describes both the conflict and the journey to acceptance.
The Bonesetters Daughter is also semi-autobiographical about the art of chiropracty (bone setting) in China.
Trevanian
Shibumi (1983)
Another not so logical choice, but describes a lot about life in Japan at the end of the second world war.
Simon Winchester
Korea (2004)
The Man Who Loved China
The River at the Centre of the World (2008)
Non-fiction. Well researched. Interesting but dry.
David Wingrove
Chung Kuo
[1] Chung Kuo 01 - Son of Heaven (2011)
[2] Chung Kuo 02 - Daylight on Iron Mountain (2011)
[3] Chung Kuo 03 - The Middle Kingdom (1989)
[4] Chung Kuo 04 - Ice and Fire (2012)
I need to get the rest of these sci-fi novels set in a future ruled by China.
Frances Wood
Did Marco Polo Go To China
Non-fiction. Horribly written but interesting.
Qiu Xiaolong
Inspector Chen
[1] Chen 1 - Death of a Red Heroine (2011)
[2] Chen 2 - A Loyal Character Dancer (2011)
[3] Chen 3 - When Red is Black (2011)
[4] Chen 4 - A Case of Two Cities (2011)
[5] Chen 5 - Red Mandarin Dress (2011)
[6] Chen 6 - The Mao Case (2011)
[7] Chen 7 - Don't Cry Tai Lake
A police inspector in Shanghai investigates. Accurate insight into life in modern China.
Xinran Xue
Sky Burial, An Epic Love Story of Tibet (2011)
China Witness (2012)
Xinran Xue started and runs a charity for women and children in China. The Mothers' Bridge of Love: Culture for Children . Silent Witness is based on twenty years of interviews with women in China. Sky Burial is the story of young woman who's husband was sent to Tibet and then disappears. This is the story of how she sets out to find him, and instead found another life. Moving story.
Mo Yan *
Big Breasts & Wipe Hips: A Novel
The Garlic Ballads (2012)
Life and Death are Wearing Me Out (2011)
Red Sorghum (2012)
The Republic of Wine (2012)
Shifu, You'll Do Anything For a Laugh (2012)
Nobel prize winning author. I read the intro to Shifu, You'll Do Anything For A Laugh but haven't read further.
Mingmei Yip
Petals from the Sky (2011)
Basically a love story.
Jin Yong
The Book and The Sword (2011)
A Deadly Secret (2011)
Sword Of The Yueh Maiden (2011)
Eagle Shooting Hero
[1] LOCH Book 1 - Eagle Shooting Hero (2011)
[2] LOCH Book 2 - Eagle Shooting Hero (2011)
[3] LOCH Book 3 - Eagle Shooting Hero (2011)
[4] LOCH Book 4 - Eagle Shooting Hero (2011)
Heavenly Sword
[1] HSDS Book 1 - Heavenly Sword Dragon Slaying Saber (2011)
[2] HSDS Book 2 Heavenly Sword Dragon Slaying Saber (2011)
[3] HSDS Book 3 - Heavenly Sword Dragon Slaying Saber (2011)
[4] HSDS Book 4 Heavenly Sword Dragon Slaying Saber (2011)
ROCH
[1] ROCH Book 1 Divine Eagle, Gallant Knights (2011)
[2] ROCH Book 2 - Divine Eagle, Gallant Knights (2011)
[3] ROCH Book 3 Divine Eagle, Gallant Knights (2011)
[4] ROCH Book 4 - Divine Eagle, Gallant Knights (2011)
The classical Wuxia novels. Imagine swashbuckling hero's set in a fantasy universe where martial arts skills gives you the ability to fly, disappear and use incredible weapons. Just fun!
This is my current reading list. I have not read every book, but most them.
Amirrezvani Anita
Blood Of Flowers (2011)
Life in 17th Century Iran is brought to life through the eyes of young woman who tries to improve her life through her skill at knotting rugs. Truthfully not much history in it, but a good depiction of women's struggles within a patriarchal world.
Tash Aw
The Harmony Silk Factory (2010)
Map of the Invisible World: A Novel (2010)
Life in Malaysia during the Japanese Occupation.
Johan Bjorksten
Learn To Write Chinese Characters
Bruun, Ole*
Precious Steppe (2006)
Economics of nomadic pasturalists in Mongolia
Pearl S. Buck
The Angry Wife (2013)
The Big Wave: A Novel (2012)
A Bridge for Passing (2013)
Come, My Beloved (2013)
Death in the Castle (2013)
Dragon Seed: The Story of China at War (2012)
East Wind: West Wind (1930)
The Eternal Wonder (2013)
God's Men (2013)
The Goddess Abides (1931)
Imperial Woman (2013)
Kinfolk (1973)
Letter From Peking (2013)
The Living Reed: A Novel of Korea (2012)
The Mother: A Novel (2012)
The Patriot (2013)
Peony: A Novel of China (2012)
The Promise: A Novel of China and Burma (2012)
I have read about half of these. Pearl S. Buck was the daughter of missionaries to China and grew up there.
Andrew X. Pham
Catfish and Mandala
Fascinating book about a Vietnamese immigrant to America who decides to cycle back to Vietnam to rediscover his roots. Sad, funny, uplifting ... a good read.
Su Tong
My Life as Emperor
Weird, weird, weird. Fantasy book about a Chinese Emperor who gets deposed and his adventures to regain his throne. Fun, but weird.
Jung Chang
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China (2011)
Three generations of Chinese women in China.
Wu Cheng-en
Journey to the West (2011)
Fun.
Mantak Chia
[1] Simple Chi Kung (2011)
[4] Chi Nei Tsang
Wayson Choy
The Jade Peony (2007)
Fascinating insight into the lives of immigrant Chinese to Canada told through the eyes of three siblings who relate the same events from their perspective. A good read.
Li Cunxin
Mao's Last Dancer (2011)
Autobiography of Li Cunxin a ballet dancer from Shangdong, China who sought asylum in America, now living in Australia.
Edwin Dingle
Across China on Foot (1911)
An early travelogue of China. Interesting historical perspective.
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The Mistress of Spices (1997)
If you saw the movie, this is much better, more depth.
Fumiko Enchi *
A Tale of False Fortunes (2011)
Tan Twan Eng
The Garden of Evening Mists
The Gift of Rain (2007)
Very hard to describe these books. On the surface both deal with experiences of the Japanese occupation of Malaysia, but both have such depths of human experience it is hard to limit them to the overt description. Highly recommended. Beautiful lyrical writing.
Pai Kit Fai
The Concubine's Daughter (2011)
Description of women's life in China as a concubine bought to bear sons, but not recognised as a second wife.
Daniel Fox
[1] Books of Stone and Water 1: Dragon in Chains (2011)
[2] Books of Stone and Water 2 - Jade Man's Skin (2011)
[3] Books of Stone and Water 3 - Hidden Cities (2011)
Fantasy books set in a mythical version of Taiwan.
Alison Goodman
[1] Eon - The Rise of the Dragon Eye (2011)
[2] Eona - The Last Dragon Eye
Fantasy based on Chinese myths. Technically YA but reads more maturely.
Chanrithy Him
When Broken Glass Floats (2001)
Life under the Khmer Rouge.
Khaled Hosseini
The Kite Runner (2004)
A thousand splendid suns (2007)
What can I add to what has already said about these books?
Hsia, R. Po-chia *
A Jesuit in The Forbidden City
Historical. TBR
Hu *
Encountering the Chinese
Non-fiction.
Conn Iggulden
[1] Genghis 1: Birth of an Empire (2007)
[2] Genghis 2: Lords of the Bow (2008)
[3] Genghis 3: Bones of the Hills (2010)
[4] Genghis 4: Empire of Silver (2010)
[5] Genghis 5: Conqueror (2011)
Historical. Well researched. Author lived in Mongolia for more than a year researching these books.
Ruth Prawer Jhabwala *
Heat and Dust (2010)
Zhang Jianguo
Qigong Exercise Therapy
Ha Jin
The Bridegroom
A Free Life (2011)
A Good Fall (2009)
Nanjing Requiem (2011)
Waiting (2011)
War Trash (2011)
The Writer as Migrant
One of my best authors. I simply love his writing. Sparse but deep. 'Waiting' is an astonishing book about a man whose inability to take action means he spends his life waiting. 'A Free Life' is about the immigrant experience. 'Nanjing Requiem' is about the fall of Nanjing.
Mitsuyo Kakuta *
Women On the Other Shore (2011)
Jean Kwok *
Girl in Translation (2010)
Michael David Lukas
The Oracle of Stamboul (2011)
Fantasy. Set in Turkey in the late Ottoman Empire. Enjoyable.
Derwin Mak *
The Dragon and the Stars (2010)
Rani Manicka *
The Rice Mother (2004)
Yann Martel
Life of Pi (2010)
Brilliant.
Chang Fu Mei
Speak Mandarin in 500 Words
Meyers, Ric
Films of Fury: The Kung Fu Movie Book (2011)
Anchee Min
Becoming Madame Mao
Empress Orchid (2004)
Red Azalea (2011)
Wild Ginger (2002)
Anchee Min was recruited from a labour camp to be an actress in Madame Mao's Shanghai Film Studio. Red Azalea is her memoir. The other books are fictional.
Deborah Moggach
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Set in modern India. More a book about old age, but still has some interesting insights on life in modern India, particularly from the perspective of British people who remember the 'old days'.
Haruki Murakami
A Wild Sheep Chase (2011)
Fantasy. Funny. Who knew genetic engineering could be such an amusing topic.
Julie Otsuka
The Buddha in the Attic (2011)
When the Emperor Was Divine
Japanese experience in the US during the second world war.
Rojas, Carlos.
Great Wall (2012)
non-fiction. The Great Wall through history.
Salman Rushdie
The Enchantress of Florence (2008)
Fury (2002)
Imaginary Homelands
The Jaguar Smile (2011)
Joseph Anton (2012)
Luka and the Fire of Life
Midnight's children (2011)
Moor's Last Sigh (1995)
The Satanic Verses (1989)
Shalimar the Clown (2006)
What can I say .. it's Salman Rushdie. His prose is beautiful.
Elizabeth Ann Scatborough
The Harem of Aman Akbar (2011)
Fantasy.
Lisa See
On Gold Mountain (2011)
Peony in Love (2011)
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005)
Shanghai Girls
[1] Shanghai Girls (2009)
[2] Dreams of Joy (2011)
With the exception of Snow Flower Lisa See writes about the immigrant experience in America. Her books also contain a lot history of her own family.
Murasaki Shikibu
Genji (2011)
The Japanese classic. A bit slow reading, but taken in small doses is fine.
Dai Sijie *
Balzac and the little Chinese Seamstress (2013)
Indu Sundaresan
Splendor Of Silence (2010)
A love story and mystery tied into one. An Indian girl falls in love with an American soldier, but he has secrets of his own. Recommended.
Szeto, Kin-Yan
The Martial Arts Cinema of the Chinese Diaspora
Amy Tan
The Bonesetter's Daughter (2009)
The Hundred Secret Senses (2011)
The Joy Luck Club (1998)
Rules for Virgins (2011)
The Joy Luck Club is a semi-autobiographical account about relationships between immigrant mothers and their first generation daughters who are growing up in a different world and moving away from the traditional life. Describes both the conflict and the journey to acceptance.
The Bonesetters Daughter is also semi-autobiographical about the art of chiropracty (bone setting) in China.
Trevanian
Shibumi (1983)
Another not so logical choice, but describes a lot about life in Japan at the end of the second world war.
Simon Winchester
Korea (2004)
The Man Who Loved China
The River at the Centre of the World (2008)
Non-fiction. Well researched. Interesting but dry.
David Wingrove
Chung Kuo
[1] Chung Kuo 01 - Son of Heaven (2011)
[2] Chung Kuo 02 - Daylight on Iron Mountain (2011)
[3] Chung Kuo 03 - The Middle Kingdom (1989)
[4] Chung Kuo 04 - Ice and Fire (2012)
I need to get the rest of these sci-fi novels set in a future ruled by China.
Frances Wood
Did Marco Polo Go To China
Non-fiction. Horribly written but interesting.
Qiu Xiaolong
Inspector Chen
[1] Chen 1 - Death of a Red Heroine (2011)
[2] Chen 2 - A Loyal Character Dancer (2011)
[3] Chen 3 - When Red is Black (2011)
[4] Chen 4 - A Case of Two Cities (2011)
[5] Chen 5 - Red Mandarin Dress (2011)
[6] Chen 6 - The Mao Case (2011)
[7] Chen 7 - Don't Cry Tai Lake
A police inspector in Shanghai investigates. Accurate insight into life in modern China.
Xinran Xue
Sky Burial, An Epic Love Story of Tibet (2011)
China Witness (2012)
Xinran Xue started and runs a charity for women and children in China. The Mothers' Bridge of Love: Culture for Children . Silent Witness is based on twenty years of interviews with women in China. Sky Burial is the story of young woman who's husband was sent to Tibet and then disappears. This is the story of how she sets out to find him, and instead found another life. Moving story.
Mo Yan *
Big Breasts & Wipe Hips: A Novel
The Garlic Ballads (2012)
Life and Death are Wearing Me Out (2011)
Red Sorghum (2012)
The Republic of Wine (2012)
Shifu, You'll Do Anything For a Laugh (2012)
Nobel prize winning author. I read the intro to Shifu, You'll Do Anything For A Laugh but haven't read further.
Mingmei Yip
Petals from the Sky (2011)
Basically a love story.
Jin Yong
The Book and The Sword (2011)
A Deadly Secret (2011)
Sword Of The Yueh Maiden (2011)
Eagle Shooting Hero
[1] LOCH Book 1 - Eagle Shooting Hero (2011)
[2] LOCH Book 2 - Eagle Shooting Hero (2011)
[3] LOCH Book 3 - Eagle Shooting Hero (2011)
[4] LOCH Book 4 - Eagle Shooting Hero (2011)
Heavenly Sword
[1] HSDS Book 1 - Heavenly Sword Dragon Slaying Saber (2011)
[2] HSDS Book 2 Heavenly Sword Dragon Slaying Saber (2011)
[3] HSDS Book 3 - Heavenly Sword Dragon Slaying Saber (2011)
[4] HSDS Book 4 Heavenly Sword Dragon Slaying Saber (2011)
ROCH
[1] ROCH Book 1 Divine Eagle, Gallant Knights (2011)
[2] ROCH Book 2 - Divine Eagle, Gallant Knights (2011)
[3] ROCH Book 3 Divine Eagle, Gallant Knights (2011)
[4] ROCH Book 4 - Divine Eagle, Gallant Knights (2011)
The classical Wuxia novels. Imagine swashbuckling hero's set in a fantasy universe where martial arts skills gives you the ability to fly, disappear and use incredible weapons. Just fun!
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