7 Books by Asian Authors To Read During Asian Heritage Month
Celebrate Asian Achievement This Asian Heritage Month
May is Asian Heritage Month. The Government of Canada states that during this month, “Canadians are encouraged to learn more about the achievements and the contributions of Canadians of Asian origin”. A great way to understand and learn more about Asian heritage is to support the work they create. Here are 7 books by Asian authors you should check out this month.
“The Matchmaker’s List” by Sonya Lalli
Sonya Lalli is a Canadian writer of Indian heritage currently based in Toronto. “The Matchmaker’s List” revolves around the story of Raina Anand, a modern girl who has finally given into family pressure and agreed to let her grandmother play matchmaker. A romance novel centred around traditional expectations and a modern-day arranged marriage trap – this might be the multicultural romantic comedy you didn’t know you needed.
“the sun and her flowers” by Rupi Kaur
Rupi Kaur is definitely not new to the scene – she’s a #1 New York Times Bestselling Author and Illustrator of two collections of poetry. Her first collection, “Milk and Honey”, was published in 2014 and sold over a million copies and has now been translated into over thirty languages. “the sun and her flowers” is a collection which explores love, loss, trauma, healing, femininity, migration, and revolution. This one’s definitely one to share with all your friends and to read over and over again.
“The Kiss Quotient” by Helen Hoang
Helen Hoang’s “The Kiss Quotient” revolves around Stella Lane, who believes math is the answer to everyone’s problems. With her high paying job, she has zero time for romance…. Enter escort Michael Phan, hired by Stella, to teach her all about romance, and why ultimately, love is the best kind of logic. Helen Hoang’s personal journey inspired this book – it goes far beyond clichés and has an authentic tone to it that you just can’t ignore.
“Crazy Rich Asians” trilogy by Kevin Kwan
If you still haven’t heard of the “Crazy Rich Asians” franchise, now is your time to catch up. The first novel in the series already had it’s film adaptation late last summer and had gone on to win multiple awards and nominations, including nomination for “Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy” and “Best Performance By An Actress In A Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy” at the 2019 Golden Globes.
The story revolves around Rachel Chu, a New York City university professor, who flies to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family. Little does she know, he’s the heir to millions and millions of dollars… Crazy Rich Asians is the perfect depiction of the clash between old money and new money, Overseas Chinese and Mainland Chinese, and a fairy-tale like story on what it means to be young and in love.
“The Good Son” by You-Jeong Jeong
If you’re in the mood for a psychological thriller – this is the one. “The Good Son” is a story about twenty-six-year-old Yu-jin who can’t seem to remember what happened to his mother and why she was lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of their stairs at home. He suffered from seizures and often has trouble with his memory. The book quickly unravels what happened that night and also unearths dark secrets about his family and the twisted relationship his mother and himself share.
“Ayesha At Last” by Uzma Jalaluddin
Ayesha Shamsi dreams of being a poet, however, she has to put it aside and settle for a teaching job to pay off her wealthy uncle. Her Muslim family has arranged a surprise marriage between her younger cousin and Khalid, the boy she just might be looking for… This modern-day Muslim Pride and Prejudice novel is a staple for this new generation of love.
“Unlearn: 101 Simple Truths For A Better Life” by Humble the Poet
You’ve definitely heard of Humble the Poet before – an influencer, rapper, and spoken word artist whose goal is to offer insight and wisdom that challenge conventional thinking and help you tap into your best, most authentic self. In his new self-empowerment book, “Unlearn: 101 Simple Truths For A Better Life”, he speaks up on shedding the problematic lessons we’ve learned throughout our lives that limit us. From “fitting in is a pointless activity” to “killing expectations births happiness” to “you decide your worth” – this is the book to help you start afresh.
Looking for the best bedtime story to read with your family? Check out 5 Diversity Books To Read With Your Children”.
