5 top-rated nonfiction books by Asian American authors
Written by Aastha Malik
Asian American and Pacific Islander Month might be coming to an end, but the community and their amazing writing deserves to be celebrated year round. While books like Crazy Rich Asians and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before have garnered new support in recent years due to its blockbuster film, various other nonfiction gems from the API community deserve a shout out. So, that's what we are going to do. Here is a roundup of five other amazing, top-rated books to read from API authors.
Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning
By Cathy Park Hong (4.3 on Goodreads)
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This highly reviewed work by Cathy Park Hong blends together essays to discuss racial consciousness in America. Through an exploration of her own identity as a child of Korean immigrants, Hong explores the “minor feelings” of shame and sorrow that come with that reality. By conversing on family, depression, art-making and female friendship, Hong precisely reflects on her Asian American experience, one that many found themselves able to relate to.
Crying in H Mart
By Michelle Zauner (4.5 on Goodreads)
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This tear-jerker is based on the indie star's New Yorker essay that went viral. This powerful memoir follows family, grief and endurance as Michelle Zauner faces her mother’s death. This New York Times best-seller is sure to pull on your heartstrings as Zauner delves into stories of growing up, falling in love and dealing with loss.
Know My Name
By Chanel Miller (4.7 on Goodreads)
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The world came to know part of her story anonymously as the victim of the Brock Turner sexual assault case. Now, with Know My Name, Chanel Miller reclaims her identity and shares her journey of trauma, strength and courage. By illuminating on prevalent rape culture, the failed justice system and her power to overcome, this work has been hailed as a piece that will reshape the way we perceive sexual assault.
Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations
By Mira Jacobs (4.5 on Goodreads)
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Mira Jacob once wrote a Buzzfeed article that answered “37 Difficult Questions from My Mixed-Raced Son.” Now, in an expansion to that, the author writes this graphic memoir as a first-generation American, making sense of the world to her six-year-old. Stories on race, love and family are explored to delve into life in this comedic, yet very real book.
The Best We Could Do
By Thi Bui (4.3 on Goodreads)
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This illustrated memoir explores the difficulties and lasting effects of immigration through Thi Bui’s family’s own story of escaping Vietnam in the 1970s. Her story explores the determination for a better future, the essence of family and the power of unspoken love. The powerful piece with beautiful illustration is one that is heartfelt, empathetic and sure to leave you feeling moved.
