Twelve recommended reads for East and Southeast Asian Heritage Month 2025

The story of Hunchback is told by Shaka Isawa, a Japanese woman with congenital muscle disorder, whose life takes place in the confinement of her home. As a pastime, she delves into the deep part of the internet writing erotica and tweeting her darkest desires – not knowing that someone she knows has picked up on it. This is a wonderfully intriguing and daring story about sexuality, bodily autonomy and owning one’s desire.

Recommended by by Isabel Lacurie, Marketing and Communications Manager, LSE Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method & Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science

The Joy Luck Club beautifully weaves together the lives of four Chinese immigrant women in the US, and those of their daughters who have been born and raised in the US. It captures the essence of identity dilemma, mother-daughter relationship and melting pot culture of the US. The way Tan describes the inner conflict of the newer generation is bound to resonate with immigrants from all backgrounds, particularly the struggle to overlap their heritage with foreign society. There’s a movie adaptation for the book too, but as they say, don’t judge a book by its movie.

Recommended by Tania Gandhi, Project Coordinator, LSE Consulting Team, Research and Innovation Division

 I really enjoyed Homeseeking – a tender tale of love and homesickness that spans Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Los Angeles, tracing the Chinese diaspora’s search for a “home away from home.” The author’s use of local dialects and language also stood out and will resonate with readers familiar with Shanghainese or Cantonese. What also stayed with me was the way the author captures the female experience: the quiet strength, the generational tensions, and the resilience of women navigating identity and belonging.

Recommended by Xiaoran Xu, Communications and Marketing Manager, LSE Department of Health Policy

Tiny Moons is a beautifully written essay collection about heritage, belonging and finding home through food. The book is a tender and exciting journey sharing insights into China’s diverse and delicious food culture and how food helps create memories and a sense of identity. The essays made me equally hungry for food and travel – and had me thinking about which food made me into the person that I am today.

Recommended by Isabel Lacurie, Marketing and Communications Manager, LSE Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method & Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science

Smile as They Bow is one of the most beautifully written books in Burmese: I’m not sure how much of the meanings and nuances are lost in English translation as I have not read English version. The storyline is very strong, based on sad and true events.

It is very rare to talk about queer-related stories in Burmese culture, as people see queerness as taboo and rarely accept it. But every generation of Burmese people loves this book, even though it tells a queer story and makes the audience see both the beautiful and ugly sides of queerness and exploitation that took place in closeted queer communities. It also based on one of the biggest festivals in the middle region of Burma and describes the culture and belief systems in great detail. 100/10 for me: I always love to recommend this one.

Recommended by Tint Htoo Aung, Timetables Officer, LSE Academic Registrar’s Division

Private Revolutions is an engrossing insight into the lives of four young Chinese women born in the 1980s and 1990s. It manages to combine their personal, and often moving, life stories, with an insight into wider social and economic changes occurring in Chinese society at this time. I was particularly struck by the courage of Leiya who at the age of 15 escapes from the poverty and traditional gendered roles of her rural village to work in a factory in the city and by sheer determination becomes a labour activist. It really gave me an insight into the way in which the hukou urban registration system worked at this time and its impact on individual lives.

Recommended by Heather Dawson, Librarian, LSE Library

All Who Live on Islands is a collection of personal essays which explores identity, family, and the experience of growing up in New Zealand as someone with Asian heritage. It is a generous book, which has a particular focus on the unique experiences of different Asian groups in New Zealand. The way that a pan-Asian identity is applied to Asian New Zealanders, and how this flattens the experiences of people from vastly different backgrounds, is a core theme of the book. Rose Lu explores this from within her own family, her interactions with white New Zealanders who struggle to appreciate these differences, and her perspective as a young New Zealander. Beyond this, there are plenty of candid insights about being young, finding your place, and being from a small island nation at the bottom of the world.

Recommended by Max Nichol, Course Administrator, LSE Department of International Development Department

Black Box is a powerful and courageous account that sheds light on sexual violence, systemic inequality, and the struggles faced by survivors in Japan and beyond. Ito’s personal testimony not only exposes the barriers to justice but also challenges cultural silences and institutional failures that allow such injustices to continue. What makes this book so important is its ability to spark critical conversations on gender, power, and accountability – issues that resonate far beyond Japan and are urgently relevant worldwide. Black Box is both a deeply moving memoir and a vital call to action, making it an essential read for anyone committed to understanding and addressing gender-based violence and social change.

Recommended by Jennifer Ho, Executive Programmes Administrator, LSE Cities & Co-Chair of Co-Chair of LSE EmbRace

Concerning my Daughter tells the story of a Korean mother who allows her daughter – and her girlfriend – to come and live with her. It’s a compelling read about generational struggles and tensions from a protagonist with a more traditional point of view, or so you would think. The book is touching on contemporary topics such as family dynamics, political uproar, ageing and isolation. I highly recommend this book to everyone who would like to read a generational story written from the perspective of a parent of a “rebelling” child.

Recommended by Isabel Lacurie Marketing and Communications Manager, LSE Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method & Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science

Subtitled ‘”How To Be From Two Worlds At Once”, Sidesplitter reflects on the author Phil Wang’s experience of being from both Britain and Malaysia. He takes an incisive look at what it means to be mixed-race, explores the contrasts between cultures and delves into the two nations’ shared histories. Throughout, he brings his trademark cynicism and wit to topics ranging from family, food, and comedy to race, empire, and colonialism.

Recommended by Rebecca Sealy, LSE European Partnerships Coordinator (CIVICA)