Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2024: What We're Reading
Staff Picks for the Month of May and Beyond
Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2024 with our calendar of live events, recommendations, and on-demand content!
Discover your newest binge and get to know our staff a little better with the Asia Society Texas team's favorite ways to stay entertained!
As part of our 31 Ways to Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2024, enjoy this special edition of Staff Picks, highlighting fiction, manga and webtoons, and nonfiction! With recommendations spanning thrillers to cookbooks to middle-grade, we invite you to dive in for a fresh understanding and appreciation of the stories being told by Asian and Asian American creatives.
Jump to:
Fiction | Nonfiction | Publications | Manga and Webtoons
Fiction
Novels
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Recommended by Nandini Kommana, Development Associate
Find it on: Penguin Random House
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Recommended by Janjay Mason, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Find it on: Grove Atlantic
Umrao Jaan Ada by Mirza Hadi Ruswa
Recommended by Amal Hasan, Performing Arts and Culture Programs Manager
Find it on: AbeBooks
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: HarperCollins Publishers
Fantasy
And Break the Pretty Kings by Lena Jeong
Recommended by Teri Hogan, Guest Services Manager
Find it on: HarpersCollins Publishers
Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang
Recommended by Stephanie Todd-Wong, VP, Communications and External Affairs
Find it on: HarpersCollins Publishers
The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: Author's Website
Fantasy
Guardians of Dawn: Zhara by S. Jae-Jones
Recommended by Teri Hogan, Guest Services Manager
Find it on: Macmillan Publishers
Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: Simon & Schuster
Historical Fiction
Bitter Orange Tree by Jokha Alharthi
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: Penguin Random House
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
Recommended by Nandini Kommana, Development Associate
Find it on: Author's Website
Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See
Recommended by Jennifer Kapral, Director of Education and Outreach
Find it on: Simon & Schuster
Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: Macmillan Publishers
Short Stories
Land of Big Numbers by Te-Ping Chen
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: Author's Website
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: Penguin Random House
Graphic Novels (Fiction)
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Recommended by Janjay Mason, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Find it on: Macmillan Books
Himawari House by Harmony Becker
Recommended by Janjay Mason, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Find it on: Macmillan Books
Roaming by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki
Recommended by Michael Buening, Director of Performing Arts and Culture
Find it on: Drawn & Quarterly
Young Adult (YA)
The Queens of New York by E.L. Shen
Recommended by Janjay Mason, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Find it on: HarperCollins
My Father, The Panda Killer by Jamie Jo Hoang
Recommended by Phuong Ha, Education and Outreach Manager, and Janjay Mason, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Find it on: Penguin Random House
YA Paranormal/Fantasy
If I Have to be Haunted by Miranda Sun
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: HarperCollins Publishers
The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: HarperCollins Publishers
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: Author's Website
Young and Middle-Grade Readers
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: Penguin Random House
Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte
Recommended by Jennifer Kapral, Director of Education and Outreach
Find it on: HarperAlley
We Who Produce Pearls: An Anthem for Asian America by Joanna Ho and Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: Bookshop.org
Nonfiction
History
Asian American Histories of the United States by Catherine Ceniza Choy
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: Beacon Press
The Light of Asia: A History of Western Fascination with the East by Christopher Harding
Recommended by Alexis Perlloni, Guest Services Associate
Find it on: Penguin Random House
The Republic of China: 1912 to 1949 by Xavier Paulès
Recommended by Alexis Perlloni, Guest Services Associate
Find it on: Wiley
Shadows at Noon: The South Asian Twentieth Century by Joya Chatterji
Recommended by Michael Buening, Director of Performing Arts and Culture
Find it on: Yale University Press
Memoirs
I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
Recommended by Amal Hasan, Performing Arts and Culture Programs Manager
Find it on: Hachette Book Group
The Manicurist's Daughter by Susan Lieu
Recommended by Rayén Torres, Business and Policy Programs Manager
Find it on: Macmillan Books
red helicopter: lead change with kindness (plus a little math) by James Rhee
Recommended by Matt Fuller, Director of Busines and Policy
Find it on: HarperCollins Publishers
They Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies That Raised Us by Prachi Gupta
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: Penguin Random House
Anthology
Contemporary Asian American Activism: Building Movements for Liberation by Diane C. Fujino and Robyn Magalit Rodriguez
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: University of Washington Press
Cookbooks
Cook Korean! A Comic Book with Recipes by Robin Ha
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: Author's Website
Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation by Clarissa Wei
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: Author's Website
Food Writing
Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: HarperCollins Publishers
Invitation to a Banquet: The Story of Chinese Food by Fuchsia Dunlop
Recommended by Alexis Perlloni, Guest Services Associate
Find it on: W. W. Norton & Company
Graphic Novels (Nonfiction)
The Boy From Clearwater by Pei-Yun Yu, Jian-Xin Zhou
Recommended by Michael Buening, Director of Performing Arts and Culture
Find it on: Levine Querido
This Country: Searching for Home in (Very) Rural America by Navied Mahdavian
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager
Find it on: Author's Website
Publications
Campuccino
Recommended by Michael Buening, Director of Performing Arts and Culture
Find it on: Substack
The Juggernaut
Recommended by Janjay Mason, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Find it on: The Juggernaut
Vietnam Weekly
Recommended by Michael Buening, Director of Performing Arts and Culture
Find it on: Substack
Manga and Webtoons
Manga: Drama/Romance
The Apothecary Diaries by Natsu Hyūga and Touko Shino
Recommended by Phuong Ha, Education and Outreach Manager
Find it on: Square Enix Manga & Books
My Dress Up Darling by Shinichi Fukuda
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: Bookshop.org
One More Step, Come Stand By My Side by Toryumon Takeda
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: Bookshop.org
Manga: YA Romance
The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity by Saka Mikami
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: Penguin Random House
Honey Lemon Soda by Maya Murata
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: Bookshop.org
Love*Com by Aya Nakahara
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: Viz
Manga: YA Comedy and Romance
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-Kun Rating Scores by Izumi Tsabaki
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: Bookshop.org
You're My Cutie by Nakaba Harufuji
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: Barnes & Noble
Webtoons: Drama/Romance
Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp by Yuin
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: Tappytoon
Like Mother, Like Daughter by YIDAHM
Recommended by Ashley Gelato, Grants Manager
Find it on: Webtoons
The Makeup Remover by Lee Yone
Recommended by Ashley Gelato, Grants Manager
Find it on: Webtoon
My In-Laws Are Obsessed With Me by Seungu and Han Yoo Seol
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Exhibitions Manager and Registrar
Find it on: Webtoon
Webtoons: Thriller
Garden of Dead Flowers by Sero and Corbenyx
Recommended by Ashley Gelato, Grants Manager
Find it on: Webtoon
Shotgun Boy by Carnby Kim and Youngchan Hwang
Recommended by Ashley Gelato, Grants Manager
Find it on: Webtoon
Sweet Home by Carnby Kim and Youngchan Hwang
Recommended by Ashley Gelato, Grants Manager
Find it on: Webtoon
Welfare Center by NANA
Recommended by Ashley Gelato, Grants Manager
Find it on: Webtoon
Webtoons: Horror
Ghost Teller by QTT
Recommended by Ashley Gelato, Grants Manager
Find it on: Webtoon
Tales of the Unusual by Sungdae Oh
Recommended by Ashley Gelato, Grants Manager
Find it on: Webtoon
About APAH Month at Asia Society Texas
Beginning in 2021, Asia Society Texas has celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with the Houston community and beyond through a curated calendar of events for 31 ways to celebrate over the 31 days of May. Spotlighting the traditions, talents, and contributions of Asians and Asian Americans, the calendar highlights the month's key Asia Society programming, providing a platform to showcase local artists, performers, educators, and leaders who contribute to the vibrant, multicultural tapestry of Houston while also featuring staff recommendations for our favorite music, books, movies, and more by Asian and Asian American creatives.
At Asia Society Texas, APAH Month is an opportunity to celebrate and honor Asians and Asian Americans and to uplift their stories to a broader audience as part of our goal to inspire our larger community to better understand one another through culture, conversation, and connection. For information about sponsoring APAH Month and other projects like this one, please contact Saleena Jafry at [email protected] or 713.496.9939.
Presenting Sponsor of APAH Month at Asia Society Texas
Sponsors of APAH Month
Comcast
Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Media Sponsor
APAH Month 2024 Calendar
Digital Calendar Interactive/Printable PDF
Past APAH Month Calendars
2023: Highlights | Details
2022: Highlights | Details
2021: Details
About Asia Society Texas
Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.
