Haven’t got the time for a full-fledged novel? These short story collections are the perfect summer read. Fall back in love with reading without the commitment, while immersing yourself in the intricacies of Asian culture
Submerge yourself in the worlds of these three short story collections by Asian authors: Vietnamese Viet Thanh Nguyen, Hong Kong native David T.K. Wong, and Indian immigrant Jhumpa Lahiri. Each draw from their own experiences, while proving that character development and a captivating plot are possible even in just a few pages.
If reading sometimes feels like an indulgence when there are so many other commitments to see to, these short stories will make for the perfect summer read.
The Refugees, Viet Thanh Nguyen (2017)
Pulitzer prize winning contemporary author Viet Thanh Nguyen does it again with The Refugees, a collection of nine short stories written over a period of 20 years. Between the various settings in both Vietnam and America, sharp observations by Nguyen capture the minutiae of life and human conflict, and how this is translated into the lives of refugees and Asian immigrants.
From Black-Eyed Woman, to The Transplant, to Fatherland—each story is as striking as implied by their title; featuring everything from the culture shock of a young Vietnamese man transported to bohemian San Francisco, to the story behind a haunted ghost-writer addressing the literal and figurative ghosts in her life. With a deliberate diversity of perspectives, there is a story for everyone—a personal favourite short story from this collection being The Other Man.
Available on Amazon
