Explore the China
The Banquet Bug by Geling Yan (2006) The funny, poignant, and vivid story of Dan Dong, a factory worker who stumbles into the pampered life of a journalist in contemporary Beijing. F Yan
Lin Kong lives in two worlds, struggling with the conflicting claims of two utterly different women as he moves through a society designed to regulate his every move and stifle the promptings of his heart. F Jin
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (2005) Set in 19th-century China, a story of two young women who find solace with each other, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their lifelong friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart. F See
Wild Ginger by Anchee Min (2002)
India
The Death of Vishnu by Manil Suri (2001) This story of one apartment building becomes a metaphor for the social and religious divisions of contemporary India, and Vishnu's ascent of the staircase parallels the soul's progress through the various stages of existence. F Sur
For Matrimonial Purposes by Kavita Diswani (2003) An unconventional heroine defies tradition by making a marriage between the strict customs of India and the wild freedoms of America to find her own happy ending. F Dis
Magic Seeds by V.S. Naipul (2004) A novel that takes readers into the hearts and minds of those who use terrorism as an ideal and a way of life. F Nai
The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar (2005) A searing novel that vividly captures the delicate balance of class and gender in contemporary India, as witnessed through the lives of an upper-middle-class Parsi housewife and her stoic, illiterate domestic worker. F Umr Japan
All She Was Worth by Miyuki Miyabe (1997) Here is a deftly written thriller that is also a journey through the dark side of Japan's consumer-crazed society. M F Miy
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami (1997) A tapestry of stories involving a mysteriously failed marriage, the superficiality of contemporary politics, suppressed memories of war, and a young man's search for his own and his nation's identity. F Mur
South Korea
House of the Winds by Mia Yun (1998) The story of a girl's childhood in Japanese occupied Korea, Yun's first novel is a warm and vivid reminiscence of the relationship between a girl and her mother. F Yun
The Lucky Gourd Shop by Joanna Scott (2000) This moving story about three adopted Korean children's origins is hauntingly powerful, revealing with honesty and empathy the sharpest edges that an unsympathetic world uses to carve our choices. F Sco Vietnam
The Book of Salt by Monique Truong (2003) In this literary feast, the Vietnamese cook for Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas reveals his fascinating story. F Tru
Le Colonial by Kien Nguyen (2004) A quest to convert lost souls turns into a battle for survival for three French missionaries in 18th-century Vietnam. F Ngu
An extraordinary narrative woven from the lives of four generations of her family, illuminates fascinating--and until now unexplored--strands of Vietnamese history. Non-F 959.704 Ell Contact Ji Hae Ju 609.924.9529, ext. 225 jju@princetonlibrary.org
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