10 quotes from diasporic Asian authors who richly describe complexities of immigrant identity
- From Ocean Vuong’s heartbreaking semi-autobiographical novel to Cathy Park Hong’s incisive essays, these writers capture the joys and tribulations of being an immigrant
- The collection taps into themes central to the human experience, including the search for belonging
10 books from diasporic Asian authors who richly describe complexities of immigrant identity.Immigrants from Hong Kong, China and other parts of Asia have long made their mark in Western societies via literature, film and beyond.
Here is a list of 10 impactful quotes from Asian authors in the diaspora that illuminate the complexities of identity, cultural heritage and the search for belonging – themes central to the human experience.
If you’re interested in delving deeper, we highly recommend reading these books. Not only is it a great way to expand your English reading list, but the stories challenge stereotypes and will draw you in to explore the authentic experiences of Asians living outside of their home countries.
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The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu
One short story in this collection was the first work of fiction to win science fiction’s top three prizes: the Hugo, the Nebula and the World Fantasy awards. The tale is of the heartbreaking relationship between a Chinese-American boy and his mother.
“You know what the Chinese think is the saddest feeling in the world? It’s for a child to finally grow the desire to take care of his parents, only to realise that they were long gone.”
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
The semi-autobiographical novel follows a son’s letter to his illiterate mother from Vietnam, delving into the impact of war and the struggles of growing up in America as an immigrant.
“From then on, I would fill in our blanks, our silences, stutters, whenever I could. I code switched. I took off our language and wore my English, like a mask, so that others would see my face, and therefore yours.”
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Takeaway: Stories from a Childhood Behind the Counter by Angela Hui
This is an engrossing memoir of Hui’s experience growing up in her Chinese family’s takeaway shop in a rural part of the United Kingdom.
“Outside of the takeaway, I was too yellow. Inside, I was too white.”
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
The memoir follows Zauner’s experience visiting a Korean supermarket after her mother’s death.
“We’re all searching for a piece of home, or a piece of ourselves. We look for a taste of it in the food we order and the ingredients we buy. Then we separated. We bring the haul back to our dorm rooms or our suburban kitchens, and we re-create the dish that couldn’t be made without our journey.”
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The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
The novel focuses on the connections among four Chinese immigrant families in San Francisco who start a mahjong club.
“If she doesn’t speak, she is making a choice. If she doesn’t try, she can lose her chance forever. I know this, because I was raised the Chinese way: I was taught to desire nothing, to swallow other people’s misery, to eat my own bitterness.”
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
A riveting novel about class, race and privilege, Ng, who is a Chinese-American, wrote about the intertwined fates of two families living in Shaker Heights, a quiet suburb in the US state of Ohio.
“Sometimes you need to scorch everything to the ground, and start over. After the burning the soil is richer, and new things can grow. People are like that, too. They start over. They find a way.”
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The Leavers by Lisa Ko
Listed as a finalist of the 2017 National Book Award for Fiction, The Leavers is a multi -generational story about undocumented Chinese immigrants in New York City.
“Being surrounded by other Chinese people had become so strange. In high school, kids said they never thought of him as Asian or Roland as Mexican, like it was a compliment.”
Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong
The autobiographical book of essays written by the Korean-American author taps into the microaggressions experienced by Asian immigrants in America.
“One characteristic of racism is that children are treated like adults and adults are treated like children. Watching a parent being debased like a child is the deepest shame. I cannot count the number of times I have seen my parents condescended to or mocked by white adults.”
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They Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies That Raised Us by Prachi Gupta
In this honest and intimate memoir, Gupta writes about her upbringing as an Indian-American daughter, addressing how the dangerous model minority myth has shattered her family.
“I was just another product of inherited trauma, unresolved grief, and reactive survival mechanisms, like everyone else who came before me. We were mortals who felt ashamed when we failed to appear omnipotent. Now I see that my job was to release my ancestors from this burden, to allow those who come next the freedom to be ordinary.”
Yellowface by RF Kuang
The work of fiction written by Asian-American Kuang navigates topics of diversity, racism and social media in the publishing industry.
“For the first time since I submitted the manuscript, I feel a deep wash of shame. This isn’t my history, my heritage. This isn’t my community. I am an outsider, basking in their love under false pretences.”