Read Around Asia Challenge
Read at least one book by an author from each country in Asia.
Best books from Asia (1246)
1001.
The Disaster Tourist : A Novel by Yun Ko-Eun EN
Country: Asia / 
South Korea
South Korea
Description:
This stunning “dystopian feminist eco-thriller” from an award-winning South Korean author “takes on climate change, sexual assault, greed, and dark tourism” (Ms. Magazine). Welcome to the desert island of Mui, where a paid vacation to paradise is nothing short of a disaster in this “mordantly witty novel [that] reads like a highly literary, ultra–incisive thriller” (Refinery29). Jungle is a cutting–edge travel agency specializing in tourism to destinations devastated by disaster and climate change. And until she found herself at the mercy of a predatory colleague, Yona was one of their top rep... continue
1002.
Untold Night and Day by Bae Suah EN
Country: Asia / South Korea
South Korea
Description:
The day after her last shift at an audio theatre for the blind, Ayami guides a detective novelist through Seoul only to discover a frayed reality where the multiverse asserts itself, overlapping realities and potential outcomes before her eyes.
1003.
Country: Asia / South Korea
South Korea
Description:
Shortlisted for the 2018 Man Booker International Prize From Booker Prize-winner and literary phenomenon Han Kang, a lyrical and disquieting exploration of personal grief, written through the prism of the color white While on a writer's residency, a nameless narrator wanders the twin white worlds of the blank page and snowy Warsaw. THE WHITE BOOK becomes a meditation on the color white, as well as a fictional journey inspired by an older sister who died in her mother's arms, a few hours old. The narrator grapples with the tragedy that has haunted her family, an event she colors in stark white-... continue
1005.
The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur EN
Country: Asia / South Korea
South Korea
Description:
Suspenseful and richly atmospheric, June Hur's The Forest of Stolen Girls is a haunting historical mystery sure to keep readers guessing until the last page. 1426, Joseon (Korea). Hwani's family has never been the same since she and her younger sister went missing and were later found unconscious in the forest near a gruesome crime scene. Years later, Detective Min—Hwani's father—learns that thirteen girls have recently disappeared from the same forest that nearly stole his daughters. He travels to their hometown on the island of Jeju to investigate... only to vanish as well. Determined to fin... continue
1006.
The Hen Who Dreamed she Could Fly by Sun-mi Hwang EN
Country: Asia / South Korea
South Korea
Description:
!--[if supportFields]span style='mso-element:field-begin'/spanspan style='mso-spacerun:yes' /spanMERGEFIELD AI_Copy ![endif]--This is the story of a hen named Sprout. No longer content to lay eggs on command only to have them carted off to the market, she glimpses her future every morning through the barn doors, where the other animals roam free, and comes up with a plan to escape into the wild—and to hatch an egg of her own. An anthem for individuality and motherhood, The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly has captivated millions of readers in Korea. Now the novel is making its way around the worl... continue
1007.
Crying in H Mart : A Memoir by Michelle Zauner EN
Country: Asia / South Korea
South Korea
Description:
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the indie rock sensation known as Japanese Breakfast, an unforgettable memoir about family, food, grief, love, and growing up Korean American—“in losing her mother and cooking to bring her back to life, Zauner became herself” (NPR). • CELEBRATING OVER ONE YEAR ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up one of the few Asian American kids at her school in Eugene, Orego... continue
1008.
Miles from Nowhere by Nami Mun EN
Country: Asia / South Korea
South Korea
Description:
Fleeing her 1980s Bronx family home in the wake of her unfaithful father's abandonment and her mother's mental illness, Korean teen Joon struggles through an adolescence marked by homeless shelters, addiction, and demeaning jobs. A first novel. Reprint.
1009.
Killing Stalking: Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 by Koogi EN
Country: Asia / South Korea
South Korea
Description:
The Mature-rated Boys' Love horror webtoon from Lezhin that became a global manhwa hit! Get this chilling and thrilling tale in a deluxe, full-color paperback in English for the very first time. Yoon Bum, a scrawny and quiet man, has a crush on one of the most popular and handsome guys in his college: Sangwoo. After the two cross paths again, Yoon Bum’s feelings grow in intensity until they become an obsession–and he breaks into Sangwoo’s home. But what he sees inside is not the Sangwoo of his fantasies; his dreams of this alluring man abruptly turn into a nightmare. This wildly popular BL hor... continue
1010.
Country: Asia / South Korea
South Korea
Description:
Cursed Bunny is a genre-defying collection of short stories by Korean author Bora Chung. Blurring the lines between magical realism, horror, and science-fiction, Chung uses elements of the fantastic and surreal to address the very real horrors and cruelties of patriarchy and capitalism in modern society. Anton Hur’s translation skilfully captures the way Chung’s prose effortlessly glides from being terrifying to wryly humorous. Winner of a PEN/Heim Grant.