British Asian Archives - Page 4 of 6

Brush of the Gods by Lenore Look, illustrated by Meilo So

19 Jun, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Biography, British Asian, Children/Picture Books, Chinese, Chinese American, Fiction

Somehow, over the last millennium-plus, the life story of Wu Daozi (689-759), possibly China's greatest painter, went mostly missing. Chinese American author Lenore Look (best known for her entertaining double series about growing up bicultural, Alvin Ho and Ruby Lu), together with British Asian illustrator Meilo So, whimsically...

Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala

18 Jun, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, British, British Asian, Memoir, Nonfiction, South Asian, Sri Lankan

Confession: I started Wave stuck in the ears, but didn't get very far because the narrator seems to have a lisp – which is not a judgment about the reader herself, but my little ears had too challenging a time comprehending each sentence. This is a...

The Night Ferry by Michael Robotham

16 Jun, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Audio, Australian, British, British Asian, Fiction

If I had not stuck Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad thrillers in my ears, I might never have discovered Australian journalist-turned-bestselling novelist Michael Robotham – French's The Likeness (I think) ended with the 'if you liked x, then try y'-recommendation that led me to Night Ferry. Contrarian that I am, however,...

The Blind Man’s Garden by Nadeem Aslam

16 May, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Afghan, British, British Asian, Fiction, Pakistani

Who needs films when writers like Nadeem Aslam can create such eloquent canvases that no celluloid could ever hope to project? Blind Man's Garden takes you deep into the tragic 'war on terror' and shows you the very lives of the individuals who must live...

Five Star Billionaire by Tash Aw [in Library Journal]

15 Apr, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, British Asian, Chinese, Fiction, Malaysian, Repost, Southeast Asian

* STARRED REVIEW Think of Tash Aw's third novel as an ingenious game called "How To Be a Billionaire." A how-to guide is interspersed with 30 rules that also serve as chapters, e.g., "Move to Where the Money Is," "Always Rebound After Each Failure," "Strive To...

Between the Assassinations by Aravind Adiga

11 Apr, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Audio, British Asian, Fiction, Indian, Short Stories

For fans of Aravind Adiga's unforgettable 2008 Booker Prized first novel, The White Tiger, who were perhaps not as enthralled with his 2011 follow-up, Last Man in Tower, might I suggest you look backward a few more years to his very first book? Introduced to eager readers just after Adiga's Booker...

The Wasted Vigil by Nadeem Aslam

27 Mar, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Afghan, Audio, British, British Asian, Fiction

In both content and form, The Wasted Vigil is a book of extremes. For readers who have experienced Nadeem Aslam before (and the apt word really is 'experience'), you'll recognize (and be awed by) his mesmerizing prose ...

Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall by Kazuo Ishiguro

29 Oct, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Audio, British, British Asian, Fiction, Short Stories

How wrenchingly ironic that this was the book I happened to be reading when I learned of a sudden death in our family. On the flight, in the car, during the rare moments of aloneness over the last four days, Kazuo Ishiguro's stories that spoke...

Food and Faith by Susan Reuben and Sophie Pelham

13 Aug, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in British, British Asian, Children/Picture Books, Middle Grade Readers, Nonethnic-specific, Nonfiction

Six children, six different faiths … while their holy days and festivals vary, the one thing they share – that we all share, regardless of the specifics of our backgrounds – are special foods we share with family and friends to celebrate memorable occasions. Francesca is...

Gods without Men by Hari Kunzru

21 May, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Audio, British Asian, Fiction, Indian American, South Asian, South Asian American

Most of the time, I love stories that require fitting together seemingly disjointed pieces; my brain feels delightfully tickled with the challenge. And, of Hari Kunzru's novels – Gods being his fourth and latest – I much appreciated both The Impressionist and Transmission [no, I've not yet read My...

Author Interview: Tahmima Anam [in Bookslut]

01 Aug, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Author Interview/Profile, Bangladeshi, Bangladeshi American, British Asian, Fiction, Repost, South Asian, South Asian American

In spite of the fierce, wrenching content of her books, Tahmima Anam in real life is a gentle, warm, incredibly youthful presence. We met in livetime a few years ago in Washington, DC, as her debut novel, A Golden Age, was winning major international awards,...

The Good Muslim [Bengal Trilogy, Book 2] by Tahmima Anam

18 Jul, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Bangladeshi, Bangladeshi American, British Asian, Fiction, South Asian, South Asian American

Tahmima Anam continues her outstanding Bengal Trilogy, which began with A Golden Age, her glowing 2008 debut that propelled Anam into a privileged literary circle filled with international accolades. From Rehana Haque, the protagonist mother in Age, Anam shifts her focus to the grown Haque...

The Story of Lee (vol. 1) by Seán Michael Wilson and Chie Kutsuwada

05 Apr, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, British, British Asian, Chinese, Fiction, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha, Hong Kongese, Young Adult Readers

The greatest strength of this series debut is, without a doubt, the art: the first spread, for example, captures the eponymous Lee gliding along on her bike, then the shock of a narrowly-missed collision with an elderly woman, and the embarrassed apology as she picks...

Author Interview: Xinran [in Bookslut]

07 Mar, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Absolute Favorites, Adult Readers, Author Interview/Profile, British Asian, Chinese, Nonfiction, Repost, Translation

People, even complete strangers, feel compelled to tell Xinran their personal stories, from the simple happiness of sweet everyday lives to the most horrific memories of shocking abuse. Something in her soothing voice, the wordless encouragement to keep talking, exudes a sense of undeniable comfort...

Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother: Stories of Loss and Love by Xinran, translated by Nicky Harman

11 May, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, British Asian, Chinese, Nonfiction

Okay, so I'm not quite sure of the U.S. publication date for Xinran's latest ...

Map of the Invisible World by Tash Aw [in Bloomsbury Review]

24 Apr, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, British Asian, Fiction, Malaysian, Repost, Southeast Asian

Five years ago, Taipei-born Malaysian British Tash Aw landed in the media spotlight with The Harmony Silk Factory, complete with public speculations about an allegedly enormous debut advance. Decorated with multiple important prizes, including Commonwealth and Whitbread first novel awards, Aw’s Factory earned him both...

Half Life by Roopa Farooki

18 Mar, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, British Asian, Fiction, Pakistani, South Asian

I don't know why the galley's back cover touts "shades of Slumdog Millionaire and The Namesake" because this book has no overlaps with either of those titles, much less their authors, or even locations! Really, not all brown people look alike – authors or their characters! Slumdog...

Salt and Saffron by Kamila Shamsie

23 Oct, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, British Asian, Fiction, Pakistani, South Asian

First an interruption: I learned a very entertaining meaning for a certain common(-ish) word on the first page of Shamsie's second novel: 'bugaboo.' "It's a word that demands to be said out loud," writes Shamsie, "particularly among bilingual Pakistanis who recognize its resemblance to 'baghal...

The Devil’s Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

25 Jun, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in British, British Asian, Fiction, Middle Grade Readers, Pakistani, South Asian, Young Adult Readers

Being a so-called 'normal' teenager for hapa Pakistani Londoner Bilqis SanGreal has never been an option. With an overbearing father who happens to be the Templar Master – even if many believe he murdered his beloved wife – Billi's destiny as the newest, youngest Knight is...

Broken Verses: A Novel by Kamila Shamsie

01 Jun, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, British Asian, Fiction, Pakistani, South Asian

I'm getting on the Shamsie-bandwagon a little late ...

BookDragon British Asian