Asian American and Asian Pacific Islander Voices for Adults

May is Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month, and in honor of this, we have put together a list of titles by authors of Asian and Pacific Islander decent.

Updated April 28, 2024
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La Tercera
Apostol, Gina
Rosario Delgado, a Filipina novelist in New York City, learns of her mother's death in the Philippines. Instead of rushing home, she puts off her return by embarking on an investigation into her family's history and her mother's supposed inheritance, a place called La Tercera, which may or may not...
Mayumu : Filipino American desserts remixed
Balingit, Abi
A sweet baking book of fantastically imaginative remixed Filipino American dessert recipes, plus essays on the Filipino American experience by baker-fundraiser Abi Balingit. When the pandemic started her lonely work-from-home life in 2020, Abi...
Happy : a novel
Baljeet Basra, Celina
"Leaping, chattering, dancing atop this conundrum [of global migration] comes the hero of Celina Baljeet Basra's debut novel, Happy Singh Soni, his head bursting with ideas, his heart set on gargantuan dreams." --New York Times "Bighearted." --New York Times Book...
Mother ocean father nation : a novel
Batsha, Nishant
LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD FINALIST LONGLISTED FOR THE MARK TWIN AMERICAN VOICE IN LITERATURE AWARD "A brilliant debut novel." --Joyce Carol Oates A brother and sister's paths diverge in the wake of political upheaval: one forced to leave, one left behind On a small Pacific...
Hawaiian quilts : tradition and transition
Brandon, Reiko Mochinaga.
Recognized the world over for their bright colors and bold graphic designs, Hawaiian applique quilts reflect the lush subtropical flora of the islands where they were born. The book provides an extensive overview of Hawaiian quilting from its beginning as an art form in the 1870s to the present day....
The tao of self-confidence : a guide to moving beyond trauma and awakening the leader within
Chan, Sheena Yap
A WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER A guide for Asian women to tap into their confidence and joy, and shine as leaders in today's world In 2021, women represented 54.3% of the US workforce but only held 35% of senior leadership positions. Of...
Everything I learned, I learned in a Chinese restaurant : a memoir
Chin, Curtis
An American Library Association Stonewall Honor Book--Israel Fishman Nonfiction Award A 2024 Michigan Notable Book Best Nonfiction Books of the Year--Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year--Apple Books  
A living remedy : a memoir
Chung, Nicole
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK Named a Best Book of the Year by: Time * Harper's Bazaar * Esquire * Booklist * USA Today * Elle * Good Housekeeping * New York Times * Electric Literature * Today From the bestselling author of ALL YOU CAN EVER KNOW comes a searing memoir of...
The singles table
Desai, Sara
Opposites attract in this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about a free-spirited lawyer who is determined to find the perfect match for the grumpy bachelor at her cousin's wedding.   After a devastating break-up, celebrity-obsessed lawyer Zara Patel is determined...
A Great Country
Gowda, Shilpi Somaya
Named an ELLE BEST BOOK OF 2024 Named a BEST or MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR by Readers' Digest, Elle Magazine, CondeNast Traveler, Publishers' Weekly, Indigo, ZibbyMag, Goodreads, BookBub & more  "A deeply moving, layered portrait of the hopes, dreams and fears a...
They called us exceptional : and other lies that raised us
Gupta, Prachi (Journalist)
"In this vulnerable and courageous memoir, Prachi Gupta takes the myth of the exceptional Indian American family to task."--The Washington Post "I read it in one sitting. Wow. It aims right at the tender spot where racism, sexism, and family dynamics collide, and...
Hula
Hakes, Jasmin Iolani
Named a Best Book of the Summer by Harper's Bazaar and ELLE * Audiofile Magazine Earphones Award Winner * HONOLULU Magazine's Book of the Year About Hawai`i "Stunning . . . An intricately built novel that spans decades, moving in and out of a collective voice, while...
The best possible experience
Injam, Nishanth
A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR * An emotionally rich collection of short stories, painting a fascinating portrait of contemporary India and its diaspora and a yearning rendering of the people and places we call home, from a major new literary talent. "A full-hearted, brilliant...
This is paradise : stories
Kahakauwila, Kristiana.
Elegant, brutal, and profound-this magnificent debut captures the grit and glory of modern Hawai'i with breathtaking force and accuracy. In a stunning collection that announces the arrival of an incredible talent, Kristiana Kahakauwila travels the islands of Hawai'i,...
Every drop is a man's nightmare : stories
Kakimoto, Megan Kamalei
USA Today Bestseller "Rich and wise, humming with confidence." --New York Times Book Review "A knockout. Eleven knockouts. One KO for every story."--Elizabeth McCracken "Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare is a frontrunner for Book of the...
Memory piece
Ko, Lisa
NAMED A VOGUE BEST BOOK OF 2024 "Adventurous. . .gritty and refreshingly girl-centric. . . lingers in the imagination." -The New York Times "Ko...draws characters with such deftness that they feel wholly alive." -The Washington Post ...
Indian-ish : recipes and antics from a modern American family
Krishna, Priya
Named one of the Best Cookbooks of Spring 2019 by the New York Times, Eater, and Bon Appétit "A joy to cook from, and just as much fun to read." --Margaux Laskey, the New York Times A witty and irresistible celebration of one very cool and...
Yellowface : a novel
Kuang, R. F.
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK "Hard to put down, harder to forget." -- Stephen King, #1 New York Times bestselling author White lies. Dark humor. Deadly consequences... Bestselling sensation Juniper Song is not who she says she...
Aloha kitchen : recipes from Hawai'i
Kysar, Alana
From a Maui native and food blogger comes a gorgeous cookbook of 85 fresh and sunny recipes reflects the major cultures that have influenced local Hawaiʻi food over time- Native Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Korean, Filipino, and Western. IACP AWARD FINALIST ....
Biting the hand : growing up Asian in Black and White America
Lee, Julia Sun-Joo
Julia Lee is angry. And she has questions. What does it mean to be Asian in America? What does it look like to be an ally or an accomplice? How can we shatter the structures of white supremacy that fuel racial stratification? When Julia was fifteen, her hometown...
Where i belong : healing trauma and embracing Asian American identity
Lee, Soo Jin (Therapist)
An essential resource that addresses the unique experiences of trauma, healing, and mental health in Asian and Asian American communities. Coauthors Soo Jin Lee and Linda Yoon are professional therapists who witnessed firsthand how mental health issues often went unaddressed not...
The manicurist's daughter : a memoir
Lieu, Susan
An emotionally raw memoir about the crumbling of the American Dream and a daughter of refugees who searches for answers after her mother dies during plastic surgery. Susan Lieu has long been searching for answers. About her family's past and about her own future. Refugees from...
The night eaters. Book 1, She eats the night
Liu, Marjorie M.
The Night Eaters: She Eats the Nights is the first volume in a graphic novel horror trilogy from author Marjorie Liu and illustrator Sana Takeda--the creative team behind the New York Times bestselling series Monstress. * Eisner Award Winner...
The Chinese groove : a novel
Ma, Kathryn
Finalist for the California Book Awards Longlisted for the Dublin Literary Prize Longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice An Amazon Editors' Pick People, A Best Book of the Year For...
The fetishist : a novel
Min, Katherine
An Indie Next Pick In this hilariously savage, poignant novel by acclaimed author Katherine Min, a grieving daughter's revenge on the man who caused her mother's death sets off a series of unexpected reckonings. On a cold, gloomy night, twenty-three-year-old Kyoko...
A place for us : a novel
Mirza, Fatima Farheen
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NATIONAL BOOK AWARD "5 UNDER 35" NOMINEE * NEW YORK'S "ONE BOOK, ONE NEW YORK" PICK Named One of the Best Books of the Year: Washington Post * NPR * People * Refinery29 * Parade * BuzzFeed "Mirza ...
The banh mi handbook : recipes for crazy-delicious Vietnamese sandwiches
Nguyen, Andrea Quynhgiao.
A cookbook devoted to the beloved Vietnamese sandwich, featuring 50 recipes ranging from classic fillings to innovative modern combinations. Created by Vietnamese street vendors over a century ago, banh mi is a twist on the French snack of p t and bread that is as brilliant as it is...
A man of two faces : a memoir, a history, a memorial
Nguyen, Viet Thanh
LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD The highly original, blistering, and unconventional memoir by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sympathizer, which has now sold over one million copies worldwide With insight, humor, formal invention, and lyricism,...
A tale for the time being
Ozeki, Ruth L.
A brilliant, unforgettable novel from bestselling author Ruth Ozeki--shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award "A time being is someone who lives in time, and that means you, and me, and every one of us who is, or was, or ever will be."
The night of the storm : a novel
Parekh, Nishita
Hurricane Harvey is about to hit Houston. Meanwhile, single mom Jia Shah is already having a rough week: her twelve-year-old son, Ishaan, has just been suspended from school for getting in a fight. Still reeling from the fallout of her divorce - their move to Houston, her family's disapproval, the...
The Red Boat fish sauce cookbook : beloved recipes from the family behind the purest fish sauce
Pham, Cuong (Chef)
The official cookbook of 100 recipes from the cult favorite and top chef lauded fish sauce brand, Red Boat Fish Sauce   You wouldn't expect a condiment made of  anchovies to gain cult status--but that's exactly what Red Boat Fish Sauce did, earning praise from food...
The sense of wonder : a novel
Salesses, Matthew
From the author of PEN/Faulkner finalist Disappear Doppelgänger Disappear and Craft in the Real World comes a "a smart, very meta take" (Kirkus Reviews) on the ways Asian Americans navigate the thorny worlds of sports and entertainment when everything is...
The bandit queens : a novel
Shroff, Parini
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK * A young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband surprisingly useful--until other women in the village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbands--in this razor-sharp debut.
Chlorine
Song, Jade
In the vein of The Pisces and The Vegetarian, Chlorine is a debut novel that blurs the line between a literary coming-of-age narrative and a dark unsettling horror tale, told from an adult perspective on the trials and tribulations of growing up in a society that puts...
The good, the bad, and the aunties
Sutanto, Jesse Q.
What should have been a family celebration of Chinese New Year descends into chaos when longtime foes crash the party in this hilariously entertaining novel by Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties. After an ultra-romantic honeymoon across Europe,...
Asian-American : proudly inauthentic recipes from the Philippines to Brooklyn
Talde, Dale
The eagerly awaited cookbook from Dale Talde, Top Chef favorite and owner of the acclaimed Brooklyn restaurant Talde. Born in Chicago to Filipino parents, Dale Talde grew up both steeped in his family's culinary heritage and infatuated with American fast food--burgers,...
The Joy Luck Club
Tan, Amy
"The Joy Luck Club is one of my favorite books. From the moment I first started reading it, I knew it was going to be incredible. For me, it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime reading experiences that you cherish forever. It inspired me as a writer and still remains hugely...
Banyan Moon : a novel
Thai, Thao
A TODAY Show #ReadWithJenna Book Club Pick "A riveting mother-daughter tale." -- Elle "Radiant. ... An intimate account of one family's planting of roots in American soil and the sacrifices great and small that each member makes along the way." -- Washington Post A...
A song for the stars
Todd, Ilima
Inspired by a true story   Hawaiian Islands, 1779   As the second daughter of a royal chief, Maile will be permitted to marry for love. Her fiancé is the best navigator in Hawaiʻi, and he taught her everything he...
Late bloomers : a novel
Varadarajan, Deepa
An IndianAmericanfamily is turned upside down when the parents split up thirty-six years into their arranged marriage​in this"heartwarming journey of self-discovery" (Southern Living). "Touching . . . both funny and moving-a family drama the entire family can enjoy."-...
Dear America : notes of an undocumented citizen
Vargas, Jose Antonio
THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER "This riveting, courageous memoir ought to be mandatory reading for every American."  --Michelle Alexander, New York Times bestselling author of The New Jim Crow "l cried reading this book, realizing more fully what my parents endured....
On earth we're briefly gorgeous : a novel
Vuong, Ocean
A New York Times bestseller * Nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction * Ocean Vuong's debut novel is a shattering portrait of a family, a first love, and the redemptive power of storytelling "A lyrical work of self-discovery that's shockingly intimate and insistently...
Did you eat yet? : craveable recipes from an all-American Asian chef
Woo, Ronnie
From renowned chef and beloved food personality Ronnie Woo, a cookbook of over 100 craveable all-American Asian-inspired recipes. If you were ever to visit Ronnie Woo, chef and beloved food personality, the first words out of his mouth would be "Did you eat yet"--just like...
Holding pattern
Xie, Jenny
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY TIME, VOGUE, VULTURE, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, AND ELECTRIC LITERATURE A NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION "5 UNDER 35" HONOREE "Exquisite and wise." - New York Times "There is so much heart in these pages, so...
The golden screen : the movies that made Asian America
Yang, Jeff
From a New York Times bestselling author, this groundbreaking book celebrates and examines the history of Asian Americans on the big screen, exploring how iconic films have shaped Hollywood, representation, and American culture. In 2018, the...
Crying in H Mart : a memoir
Zauner, Michelle
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the indie rock sensation known as Japanese Breakfast, an unforgettable memoir about family, food, grief, love, and growing up Korean American--"in losing her mother and cooking to bring her back to life, Zauner became herself" (NPR). * CELEBRATING...

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