Rey Chow
[isbn]
Roughly a year ago I took a deep dive into Rey Chow's literary criticism and cultural politics. The Protestant Ethnic & the Spirit of Capitalism is perhaps my favorite of all her books. Of any political, philosophical, or cultural text, this book stands out as one I most eagerly wish I could get other people to read and understand. It goes next to Race & Resistance by Viet Thanh Nguyen as one of my resources in my ongoing,... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Haruki Murakami, Alfred Birnbaum
[isbn]
This book combines Murakami's early writing style with some of his best worldbuilding. Magical subterranean creatures, unicorn skulls, sci-fi brain surgeries, and surreal microworlds combine into a landscape that I wish I could have so much more of. If you haven't yet taken the dive into the fantastic and confusing stories of Murakami, I would recommend this book as an entry point (especially for readers coming from the sci-fi/fantasy genre).... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Haruki Murakami
[isbn]
This certainly has to be one of Murakami's best. Amongst his other titles and his dreamlike reality of storytelling, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle manages to stand out so boldly and beautifully. The imagery it brings to mind is so vivid and powerful, instilling a great sense of dread, passion, or even spectacle at times. Compared to the other works of Murakami that I've read, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle has lived a longer, louder... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Viet Thanh Nguyen
[isbn]
Race & Resistance has firmly planted itself inside my head. It has become a critical reference for me in my perpetual exploration of Asian American culture and politics. Despite being nearly 20 years old at this time, the messages contained within Viet Thanh Nguyen's analysis seem almost years ahead of where we currently stand in terms of Asian American identity and resistance. If we're truly going to make steps in the right direction,... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Haruki Murakami, Jay Rubin, Philip Gabriel
[isbn]
Murakami is a master at producing questions. The worldbuilding of each and every story he crafts never fails to prod my curiosity. Befitting the epic length and the title of this book, 1Q84 is packed full of questions. It's an endless barrage of surreal events and ideas that spiral through your brain. I took so much pleasure in becoming lost in the mysteries and foundations of this new, parallel world. The two main characters in this... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Viet Thanh Nguyen
[isbn]
The Sympathizer has burrowed itself deep into my psyche. It has elicited a radical change in my perception, filling me with new concerns and confidence. The book has penetrated my growing list of Asian American fiction, rightfully claiming a place in my top three Asian American narratives. Nguyen strikes at the history and realities we all too frequently forget or overlook. The narrator, our antihero, a double agent communist spy, is... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Viet Thanh Nguyen
[isbn]
The Committed is a sequel as praiseworthy as its predecessor, The Sympathizer. Viet Thanh Nguyen has once again crafted something so multifaceted and provocative in its content that I am left in awe. The explorations into the mind of the antihero just hit harder and harder as you witness the effects of the events of the previous book play out in his new life in Paris. I rocketed through The Committed, propelled forward... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Genzaburō Yoshino
[isbn]
Buy one copy of this book for yourself and one copy for every child in your life. I would argue that How Do You Live? is perhaps a perfect book. It's wholesome, it's kind, and it thinks critically. It just makes better people. It's wonderful to experience Copper's stories followed by his uncle's philosophical journal entries. You witness the concepts that will ultimately form an undoubtably good person. This book explores so much... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Charles Yu
[isbn]
I've been in dire need of a book like Interior Chinatown for quite some time. As an Asian American, it's nice to have something that, to me, feels so straightforward and unapologetically blunt about our circumstances. Subtlety is awesome, but sometimes you're fed up and need the catharsis of exposing and berating all of your frustrations. It's like taking a moment to go off and scream where nobody can hear you. It's like rehearsing an... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Yoko Ogawa and Stephen Snyder
[isbn]
This story is terrifying. I love it so much. The oppressive memory-wiping police state is soul crushing. But, despite literally having their memories taken day by day, the characters of this book don't lose themselves. Forget large, heroic displays of rebellion for a minute, because that's not what you should expect from this book. It's not a story made to focus on rebellion. It's a story made to focus on the perseverance of our humanity within... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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John Okada
[isbn]
This is perhaps one of the greatest books for understanding the turmoil and frustration that lies beneath Japanese American culture. I think John Okada puts forth a lot of emotion and sentiment that non-Japanese people simply wouldn't be cognizant of otherwise. I read this book and feel a deep catharsis as the characters and narration echo an anger that I thought was just my own. The life between American and Japanese can be agonizing. This book... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Michelle Zauner
[isbn]
I have been surprised in more ways than one by Crying in H Mart. In terms of grief, death, and dying, Michelle Zauner has provided an intimate dive into the torment of slowly losing her mother to terminal cancer. The anxious, crushing sensation of anticipating death brought me to tears. The way in which she describes each and every event will devastate you. In terms of Asian American identity, it's a masterpiece on that front, too. She... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Haruki Murakami and Philip Gabriel
[isbn]
There is something so indescribable about Kafka on the Shore. I never know where to begin when recommending this book. Murakami bottles up so much of the surreal and intangible within a narrative. The book continually stacks bizarre events on top of each other, never seizing up or slowing down. You begin to feel lost in something deeply spiritual, chaotic, and profound. The characters take you on such a wild mental adventure. You get... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Emily Itami
[isbn]
What do we do in a world that meets our loving care with indifference? How do we, with absolute certainty, know when love isn't what it used to be? When do we for sure (100% without a doubt) pack up and move on? It's a tough place to feel so strongly that you should be happy, yet be falling into a devastated heap. Fault Lines navigates these themes with delightful prose, and handles them with such satisfying, wholesome lightheartedness.... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Robert Jordan
[isbn]
The Wheel of Time series is an ambitious transition from the Tolkien-inspired books that dominated much of the fantasy market decades ago. The plot, the world-building, and the characters are all products of traditional and contemporary themes. If you like traditional, pre-'90s fantasy, you'll appreciate this series. If you enjoy much of our current era of fantasy, you'll enjoy this series. I strongly believe everyone can find something they... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Patrick Rothfuss
[isbn]
This is the book that hooked me into the fantasy genre. This is the book that transformed me into an avid reader. This is fantasy in its most beautifully meticulous, subtle form. The world-building is dense, but not so dense that you become overwhelmed by exposition or your own retention. The characters become real products of this world, and they act so genuinely human that it sometimes hurts. The prose is poetic and rarely matched by other... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Sayaka Murata and Ginny Tapley Takemori
[isbn]
It may be taken for granted what we have in our ability to understand and connect with other people. Keiko Furukura doesn't want to be othered. She seeks a place and a purpose in the world like anybody else. The trouble arises from the fact that she can understand the what and the how of humanity, but she can't understand the why. She can exhibit tactfulness and social norms, but only as a means of blending in. Convenience Store Woman is... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto, Karen Tei Yamashita, Yuki Obayashi
[isbn]
As a Japanese American, this is perhaps one of the most important books in my life so far. It provides a much-needed glimpse into older, traditional Japanese life, while still maintaining a surprisingly large degree of relevance. The author works hard not just to write a good autobiography, but also a great work of art. Her story of life in Japan and America is stunning, and I urge people to jump into this book to better understand Japanese... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Honda
[isbn]
I'm really not a fan of anime or manga, but Skull-Face Bookseller Honda-San has charmed me. It found its way through my barrier. The stories he tells from page to page strike incredibly close to home, and it's hilarious and awesome to navigate them with him. He smoothly displays the stresses of customer service in a bookseller's world while also reminding me why I love and adore my job. It's a pleasure to read what Honda-san puts on the... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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Osamu Dazai and Donald Keene
[isbn]
This book is mentally taxing. It's beautiful, rough, and difficult. You are asked to observe the life of a man who generally struggles to empathize or connect with other people. Where you might find yourself empathizing, the protagonist, Yozo, will not. His alienation is the core of the narrative, leading him into a lifestyle of faking humanity in attempts at feeling anything. It hurts. His relationships (friends, family, romance) are tough.... (read more)
Recommended by Jun L.
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