Asian-American Voices bestsellers

“A beautifully written novel about people connected by a local library and an amazing reading list. As the characters’ lives are revealed through interweaving storylines, readers will root for them, cry for them, and celebrate their victories.”

“My words can't do justice to how beautiful the language is in this book. Listening to the author read it was so raw and engaging. This book was emotionally painful in a lot of parts but just touched me on so many levels. Definitely the best book that I've listened to (and read) so far this year.”

“Little Fires Everywhere is a breathtaking novel about art, motherhood, and truth. Mia and her daughter, Pearl, move to the perfectly planned community of Shaker Heights as the last stop on their nomadic adventure, bringing some much-needed permanence to teenager Pearl's life. They both find friendship, but the connections they create with their landlord's family will soon change all of their lives. Impossible to put down or stop thinking about. A great read.”

“A masterful blend of memoir and fiction, this is an unforgettable journey through the lives of a Muslim family finding their place in a post-9/11 America. A searing navigation of the loves we try to reconcile — familial, religious, societal — and the definition of home. Written with wisdom, wit, and unsparing honesty, this an important book that you will continue to contemplate for a very long time. Both intimate and epic, this is a must-read.”

“Clark and Division is a propulsive mystery and a heart-wrenching examination of Japanese internment and relocation in the 1940s. Hirahara beautifully weaves history and injustice into this fascinating and compelling crime novel.”

“Candace Chen is a first-generation Chinese millennial immigrant who tries to make a life in New York City by succumbing to the role of the office drone who helps create cheap bibles. But when Shen Fever—a plague that causes its victims to perform a rote task until death—hits, only a few survive, including Candace. She soon finds herself in a cult-like band of other survivors heading to the Midwest while also trying to come to terms with her past and the unknowns of her future. With dark humor, sharp intelligence, and compassion, Ling Ma has written a well-constructed, biting satire of capitalism and a moving glimpse into the roles of memory, place, and identity in a life.”

“A father's gentle nature, a mother's sacrifice, a daughter's trust, and a son's determination are the cornerstones of this grand, multilayered saga. Pachinko follows one family through an ever-changing cultural landscape, from 1910 Korea to 1989 Japan. As the bonds of family are put to the test in the harsh realities of their world, Sunja and those she holds dear manage to carve themselves a place to call home with hard work, self sacrifice, and a little kimchi. Through it all is a message about love, faith, and the deep-rooted bonds of family. Min Jin Lee gives us a phenomenal story about one family's struggle that resonates with us today. It will take hold of you and not let go!”

“Bold, brash, and uniquely unforgettable; the vivid wild West of Tom Lin’s The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu is a reading experience you won’t want to miss. Ming Tsu is on a quest for revenge, tearing his way across the wilderness of the old West–leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Filled with colorful characters, hints of the magical, beautiful writing, and entrancing violence; Lin reimagines what the mythology of the American West can mean. With echoes of Cormac McCarthy and C. Pam Zhang’s How Much of These Hills is Gold but with a voice all its own, The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu is one of the best debut novels of the year. ”

“We all make choices throughout our lives, choosing different paths to follow, different roles to play. But who selects the options we choose from? Interior Chinatown is like a rapier taken to stereotypes that inhabit society's attitudes towards Asian Americans. The main character, Willis Wu, is a minor actor in an ongoing cop drama who wants to be more than a generic Asian male in the background, maybe even someday becoming "Kung Fu Guy". The novel bounces back and forth between the script Wu is inhabiting and an interior monologue . And one of the strengths of this book, for the reader, is how thin the line sometimes feels between these stereotypical roles that Willis is acting, and the ridiculousness of the particular situation. Interior Chinatown is a brilliant novel, one that challenged this reader in the best possible ways”

“Riveting story of two families struggles as racial violence has forever bound them together.”

“What would you give up to have it all? Magical and queer as hell, Jordan Baker takes readers through Jazz Age New York as her snark, rage, and feelings for Daisy keep us turning pages until early morning. Like one of Gatsby’s cursed parties, this book was one I wanted to never end.”

“In post-Gold Rush California, a Chinese-American family struggles to make money to improve their lives. When bad things get even worse, 10 and 11-year old Lucy and Sam take off on a stolen horse and head east, living off the land. Sam takes off on her own, and Lucy ends up in a town but never feels really at home. The two sisters meet up again several years later and decide to try to fulfill their mother's dream—traveling to China where they might finally find Home. With lyrical style that cloaks the narrative of a chain of miserable events in a dream-like quality, Zhang's writing evokes the real sense of alienation that many immigrants and displaced people feel as they search for a place to belong. The writing is beautiful. Recommended.”

“Catherine Chung’s female protagonist is a mathematician, and it is thrilling to have a woman scientist who is a complex character in an even more complex novel. In trying to solve a math riddle, she ends up exploring the riddle of her own childhood, which is inextricably linked to one of the darkest episodes in human history. Catherine Chung has woven a rich tapestry mixing present and past, ambition, identity, and gender issues. A beautiful book.”

“Ivy Lin’s unassuming looks and demeanor hide a dark side. She is obsessed with the wealth and privilege she sees around her and will cross boundaries to get what she needs — most of all, the object of her teenage affection. Susie Yang crafts a brilliant and mesmerizing tale that gives readers an intimate look into the experience of immigrants. Well-written prose, excellent characters, and a surprising turn of events will keep readers hooked until the end — and it is a doozy.”

“Miracle Creek is a courtroom drama with impeccable pacing, an original plot, and stellar writing. It’s also a remarkably empathetic book, exploring the ripple effects of causality and the urgent need to do right by each other in big and small ways, recognizing that even the best of us will fail once in a while. It is a lovely reminder that even when doing the right thing feels like swimming upstream, we never know what harm may be prevented and what good might come from our actions. Agreat read that deserves broad success.”

“This captivating story is set in a remote Yunnan village where, for many years, the Akha people have followed the rituals and cycles of harvesting tea leaves. Slowly, the changes going on in the rest of China begin to reach the area. Li-yan, one of the few educated girls in the village, acts as translator for a stranger seeking a rare tea from Yunnan. When Li-yan gives birth to a baby out of wedlock, she wraps her baby in a blanket along with a package of the rare tea and leaves her in a city where she will be taken to an orphanage. Over the years, mother and daughter dream of finding one another again. Brew yourself a cup of tea and settle down to read this tale of family and the search for answers in different places and cultures.”

“I loved this stunning debut collection of stories. Chen digs deep and uses her experience as a foreign correspondent to portray the voices and lives of people living in modern China. These stories will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading the book. Highly recommended.”

“ I loved everything about this book! The writing is so playful and sweet, allowing the author to touch on issues of race, sexuality, bias, familial strife and 2nd generation immigrant conflict with grace and love. Frank is a character I hope my teens strive to be like, he is confident, intelligent, hard working, sweet and strong. Listening to him fall in love was a treat, he is a character I will miss long after the last pages are finished...”

“Full of fun and Drama! The women in Erotic Stories for Punjabi Women shake up their community with their racy story writing - and solve a mystery! This book is full of surprises. I loved it. A delight! The narration of the audiobook was well done and greatly added to the story.”

“These stories of the members of a compact Cambodian-American community, from the refugees to the business owners to the gay teenagers, seamlessly balance humor with hardships.”

“Nicole Chung’s clear and introspective memoir brings new light to the search for identity and navigating both the past and the future when surrounded by the complexity of those who love you. As a transracial adoptee, the incongruity of growing up happy yet uncomfortably different leads her to search out the truth about her birth parents when she is on the brink of becoming a parent herself. This unique, difficult, and often surprising journey considers what one needs most in the world to belong.”

“This book was a delight. AMERICA FOR BEGINNERS is a story about acceptance as well as the immigrant experience. Franqui delves into cultural prejudice and biases in an accessible and subtle way. This would be a good vacation listen!”

“Meet Alex, a space obsessed almost 12 year old who has been recording sounds and conversations on his golden iPod to send into space so aliens can know what it’s like here on earth. He’s done his research, has met a bunch of similarly rocket obsessed friends via an online rocket forum and has determined that the place to send his golden iPod into space is at a rocket festival one state away from his home. Alex has his clothes and tent packed, his AmTrak ticket in hand and his dog, Carl Sagan (named for Alex’s hero), by his side as they set off on an epic road trip adventure to the rocket festival on a quest to communicate with outer space, search for the truth and try to be brave.Sounds like a great family road trip, right? Well, not quite. Because from the beginning of See You in the Cosmos, you notice some things are amiss with Alex’s family and quickly realize that Alex and Carl Sagan are on their own on this adventure. The fact that no one is traveling with or following Alex is a big part of the secrets that Alex uncovers about his family along the way. Each chapter is written as a new sound recording on his iPod. The format is like a play script in that other characters and sounds appear in the storyline. Alex is a delightful narrator of his story and he is full of big questions—not just about space but about his father who died, about his mom and where she goes on her long walks, and about how a kid like him can learn to be brave. He loves space and obviously has a great knowledge of it. He is sweet and kind and has a place in his heart for people—and his dog. There are serious themes in this book but the sound recording format and Alex’s innocence and exuberance keep the heaviness in check. Alex’s story opens up many opportunities for readers to discuss the weighty topics raised in this story. If you are heading out on your own epic family road trip, do check out the audiobook version of See You in the Cosmos on libro.fm as it is out of this world!”