If you enjoy reading books by Min Jin Lee then you might also like the following authors:
Celeste Ng writes stories that explore relationships and family dynamics with emotional depth. Her book, “Little Fires Everywhere,” takes place in a suburban community in Ohio.
It kicks off when a house burns down, and the story looks at the lives of two families tied to the events. The book touches on issues like privilege, identity, and the hidden tensions beneath a picture-perfect neighborhood.
If you enjoyed how Min Jin Lee weaves personal struggles with larger social themes, you might find Ng’s work a great next step.
Lisa See writes stories about family, identity, and cultural heritage. Her book “The Island of Sea Women” focuses on two women, Mi-ja and Young-sook, whose friendship unfolds on Jeju Island in Korea.
They are part of a community of haenyeo, female divers who harvest seafood from the ocean. The story spans decades, showing how history and personal choices build tension in their lives.
It’s a story rooted in tradition and resilience, filled with human connections and challenges.
Jhumpa Lahiri is an author known for her deeply personal stories about identity, family, and cultural roots. One of her most famous books, “The Namesake,” explores the life of Gogol Ganguli, a boy born to Bengali parents in America.
The story follows Gogol as he grows up, trying to balance his parents’ expectations with his own desires and struggles with his unusual name.
It’s a heartfelt look at the push and pull between tradition and independence that will resonate with anyone who enjoys stories about heritage and self-discovery.
Chang-rae Lee is an author known for exploring identity, family, and cultural displacement. His novel “Native Speaker” follows Henry Park, a Korean American man living in New York.
Henry works as a spy, infiltrating immigrant communities for a shadowy company, but his personal life is unraveling. His marriage is strained after the loss of his son, and his connection to his heritage leaves him feeling adrift.
The book combines themes of fractured relationships with a story of espionage, giving readers insight into the struggles of balancing loyalty, identity, and belonging.
Amy Tan is an author known for exploring family relationships and cultural identity. Her book “The Joy Luck Club” tells the story of four Chinese immigrant mothers and their American-born daughters.
Through interconnected stories, it reveals the struggles and misunderstandings between generations. One memorable part shows a mother teaching her daughter life lessons through the game of mahjong, but it’s about so much more than the game itself.
Tan’s writing captures the push and pull of holding on to heritage while adapting to a new world.
Yaa Gyasi is a writer known for her ability to weave personal histories with broader cultural and historical themes. Her book, “Homegoing,” traces the lineage of two half-sisters from 18th-century Ghana.
One sister is sold into slavery, while the other remains in Africa, and through their descendants, the story spans continents and generations. The novel explores how slavery’s legacy shapes lives on both sides of the Atlantic.
Each chapter focuses on a new character, painting a vivid portrait of their struggles and triumphs. It’s a powerful exploration of identity, family, and history that makes you feel connected to the characters’ lives across time.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian writer known for her thoughtful storytelling and rich depictions of identity and culture. Her novel, “Half of a Yellow Sun,” explores the lives of multiple characters during the Nigerian Civil War.
The story follows Ugwu, a young houseboy, Olanna, the educated daughter of a wealthy man, and Richard, a British expatriate. Their lives become deeply interwoven as the war unfolds.
The book offers a vivid picture of love, loss, and human resilience during a time of intense upheaval.
Han Kang is a South Korean author known for her deeply emotional and thought-provoking stories. One of her most well-known works, “The Vegetarian,” follows the life of a woman named Yeong-hye, who makes the unexpected decision to stop eating meat.
This decision disrupts her family and unravels hidden tensions in her relationships. The book moves through the perspectives of the people closest to her, revealing moments of quiet rebellion and startling vulnerability.
It’s a story that explores identity, freedom, and the impact of personal choices.
Andrew Sean Greer is an author known for writing stories with heart, humor, and insight into the human condition.
His novel, “Less,” follows Arthur Less, a struggling writer who decides to accept invitations to literary events around the world in order to avoid his ex-boyfriend’s wedding.
The journey takes him through unexpected adventures, embarrassing moments, and reflections on love and life. It’s both warm and funny, with moments that feel deeply personal and universal.
Kazuo Ishiguro is an author known for creating deeply emotional and reflective stories about human connections. One of his most well-known books, “Never Let Me Go,” follows three friends, Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth, as they grow up in a boarding school in the English countryside.
At first, everything in their lives seems ordinary, but as secrets about their existence start to surface, the story takes a heartbreaking turn. The book explores themes of identity, love, and what it means to live a life with purpose.
Fans of Min Jin Lee’s focus on human struggles and relationships might find Ishiguro’s storytelling equally captivating.
Ruth Ozeki is a writer who blends life stories with deep emotions. Her book, “A Tale for the Time Being,” follows a teenager named Nao, who writes in her diary about her struggles and dreams.
The diary washes ashore in Canada, where a writer named Ruth discovers it and becomes drawn to Nao’s world. The story moves between Nao’s life in Japan and Ruth’s life on the Canadian coast, connecting their experiences.
It’s a book about family, loneliness, and the unexpected ways lives intersect.
Nicole Chung is an author who writes deeply personal and heartfelt stories. Her memoir, “All You Can Ever Know,” explores her experience as a Korean American adoptee raised by white parents.
The book follows her journey of uncovering her roots, reaching out to her birth family, and navigating identity and belonging.
It’s filled with honest reflections and emotional moments, like when she learns about the circumstances of her adoption and the choices her birth parents faced.
Fans of Min Jin Lee might appreciate Nicole Chung’s ability to write about family, identity, and cultural heritage in a moving and authentic way.
Madeleine Thien is a Canadian author known for her deeply emotional and richly layered storytelling. Her novel “Do Not Say We Have Nothing” follows the lives of two families in China during the Cultural Revolution and its aftermath.
The book explores how political upheaval affects personal lives, including a young woman learning about her father’s past through a mysterious book left behind. Through these connections, Thien brilliantly captures themes of history, music, and family bonds.
Fans of Min Jin Lee will appreciate Thien’s ability to show the ties between generations and the weight of history on individual lives.
Ha Jin is an author who often explores themes of identity, cultural conflicts, and personal struggles within larger societal systems. His novel “Waiting” follows the life of Lin Kong, a Chinese army doctor caught in a love triangle.
Lin is stuck in an arranged marriage with Shuyu, a woman he respects but does not love, while feeling drawn to Manna Wu, a nurse at his hospital.
The story unfolds over decades, showing his quiet desperation, the challenges he faces within the rigid laws of Chinese society, and the toll this takes on all three lives. Ha Jin’s writing captures the weight of suppressed emotions and the complexity of human connection.
Amitav Ghosh writes stories that explore history, culture, and the movement of people across borders. One of his well-known books, “Sea of Poppies,” takes place in nineteenth-century India during the Opium Wars.
It follows a group of characters from different walks of life who come together on a ship bound for Mauritius. There’s an opium addict, a widowed village woman, and a former Raja who has lost everything.
Their lives intersect in unexpected ways as they navigate personal struggles and the forces of colonialism.