If you enjoy reading books by Anuk Arudpragasam then you might also like the following authors:
Michael Ondaatje writes novels rich with poetic language and subtle, introspective explorations of identity and memory. His stories are often layered, uncovering complex, intimate histories beneath larger historical events.
If you enjoyed Anuk Arudpragasam’s focus on personal and historical reflections, you might appreciate Ondaatje’s lyrical storytelling in The English Patient, a beautifully woven narrative about four individuals in Italy near the end of World War II, each confronting love, loss, and identity.
Shyam Selvadurai portrays nuanced experiences of identity, displacement, and sexuality against the backdrop of Sri Lanka’s social tensions. He approaches these themes with sensitivity and emotional honesty, immersing readers deeply into his characters’ inner worlds.
If Arudpragasam's intimate storytelling resonated with you, Selvadurai’s novel Funny Boy offers a moving story of a young protagonist's personal awakening amidst ethnic tension and family struggles in Sri Lanka.
Romesh Gunesekera’s fiction vividly depicts personal lives caught within Sri Lanka’s shifting history, exploring loss, longing, and the search for home. His quiet, descriptive style draws readers into gentle yet profound character studies.
Fans of Arudpragasam’s reflective narratives will likely enjoy Gunesekera’s novel Reef, in which a young cook observes both intimate human moments and the wider political changes transforming his country.
Nayomi Munaweera writes candidly about complex emotions and relationships intertwined with difficult historical situations. Her thoughtful, compassionate storytelling captures the nuances of trauma, family dynamics, and the lasting effects of war.
If you admired Arudpragasam’s insightful treatment of grief and memory, you might appreciate Munaweera’s Island of a Thousand Mirrors, an exploration of two families whose lives become deeply connected through Sri Lanka’s civil conflict.
Mohsin Hamid writes precise, insightful novels about migration, identity, and globalization. His prose is direct, clear, and often deeply thoughtful, examining how individuals face profound upheavals in their personal, political, and cultural lives.
If Anuk Arudpragasam’s introspective observations appealed to you, you might enjoy Hamid’s Exit West, which blends realistic human experiences with subtle elements of magical realism as two lovers seek safety and meaning in an unstable world.
Teju Cole creates thoughtful narratives that blend fiction, personal reflection, and cultural observations. He explores themes of identity, migration, and the experiences of belonging and displacement.
His writing is subtle and reflective, often emphasizing quiet moments and small interactions. His novel Open City follows Julius, a Nigerian immigrant wandering through New York City streets, examining memories, encounters, and the feeling of alienation in modern urban life.
Ocean Vuong's prose balances poetic beauty with raw emotional intensity. His work often focuses on topics of identity, memory, war, and the immigrant experience, reflecting his family's Vietnamese background.
In his novel On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, Vuong explores themes of masculinity, trauma, family connection, and self-discovery through a son's letter addressed to his illiterate mother.
Viet Thanh Nguyen writes with dark humor and piercing insights about the experiences of refugees and immigrants. He captures the contradictions, complexities, and emotional scars of displacement and cultural division.
His novel The Sympathizer follows a conflicted double-agent navigating between Vietnamese and American loyalties during and after the Vietnam War, highlighting the moral ambiguities and contradictions of political conflicts.
Hisham Matar offers elegant, deeply personal writing that explores loss, exile, and the search for identity. Drawing from his own experiences of displacement and family suffering under political oppression, his style is intimate and powerful.
In The Return, Matar provides a moving account of returning to Libya after many years abroad, searching for answers about his father who disappeared under Qaddafi's regime.
Kamila Shamsie's fiction deftly navigates themes of cultural conflict, identity, and home within the context of historical and contemporary global tensions.
She creates nuanced characters who grapple with deeply personal struggles amidst larger political and historical backdrops.
Her novel Home Fire retells the ancient Greek play Antigone, shifting its narrative into contemporary Britain and exploring themes of family loyalty, radicalization, and complex cultural allegiances.
Arundhati Roy creates intensely personal, beautifully written stories. Her vivid style captures the emotional depth of her characters' lives against the backdrop of history and politics.
In her novel The God of Small Things, Roy tells the moving story of a family in Kerala navigating love, tragedy, and the restrictive boundaries of society.
If you appreciate the reflective storytelling and emotional depth of Arudpragasam, Roy's writing will captivate you as well.
Amitav Ghosh weaves narratives that mix historical moments, cultural encounters, and complex characters. His novels vividly portray the impact of larger historical events on individual lives and emotions.
A great example is The Shadow Lines, a novel that probes memory and identity across India, Bangladesh, and Britain. Like Arudpragasam's thoughtful and emotional storytelling, Ghosh explores meaningful themes in clear and accessible prose.
Jhumpa Lahiri writes with clarity and elegance about identity, belonging, and cultural conflict. Her prose highlights the quiet moments in life, those brief interactions where characters navigate complex emotions.
Her novel The Namesake sensitively portrays a young man growing up between Indian traditions at home and American culture outside. If you enjoyed Arudpragasam's careful observation of characters' inner lives and profound attention to surroundings, Lahiri will resonate with you.
Madeleine Thien focuses on how individuals cope with historical upheavals and personal loss. Her writing thoughtfully portrays her characters' emotional journeys, showing how history shapes everyday lives.
In her notable work Do Not Say We Have Nothing, Thien explores the impact of China's turbulent 20th century on families and artists. Readers who appreciate Arudpragasam's reflective and intimate portrayal of people amidst historical tension will appreciate Thien's storytelling.
Sunjeev Sahota's fiction reveals the quiet dramas of displacement and identity among immigrant communities. He writes gracefully about characters trying to build new lives in unfamiliar places.
His novel The Year of the Runaways intimately explores the struggles of Indian immigrants in the UK, capturing their hopes, fears, and deep humanity.
If you connected with the understated yet deeply emotional narratives of Arudpragasam, Sahota's compassionate and candid storytelling will appeal to you.