Read Around Asia Challenge
Read at least one book by an author from each country in Asia.
Best books from Asia (1979)
671.
The Stoning of Soraya M. by Freidoune Sahebjam EN
IranDescription:
The true story of an innocent woman stoned to death in modern Iran--only one of over 100 such barbaric executions that still occur there every year, sanctioned by Islamic law. Already an international bestseller, this book eloquently reveals the ever-growing disparity between the fundamentalist rights of men and women in Muslim society.
672.
The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing EN
Description:
The landmark novel of the Sixties – a powerful account of a woman searching for her personal, political and professional identity while facing rejection and betrayal.
673.
Exiled for Love: The Journey of an Iranian Queer Activist by Arsham Parsi EN
Description:
To be gay in Iran means to live in the shadow of death. The country’s harsh Islamic code of Lavat is used to execute gay men, and LGBT individuals who avoid execution are often subjected to severe lashings, torture and imprisonment. It was in this unforgiving environment that Arsham Parsi came to terms with his identity as a gay man. When a close friend committed suicide after his family learned he was gay, Arsham felt compelled to act. Risking his life as well as the safety of his family, he used the anonymity of the Internet to speak out about the human rights abuses against LGBT people in h... continue
674.
Daughters of Smoke and Fire by Ava Homa EN
Description:
"Set in Iran, this extraordinary debut novel takes readers into the everyday lives of the Kurds. Leila dreams of making films to bring the suppressed stories of her people onto the global stage, but obstacles keep piling up. Leila's younger brother Chia, influenced by their father's past torture, imprisonment, and his deep-seated desire for justice, begins to engage with social and political affairs. But his activism grows increasingly risky and one day he disappears in Tehran. Seeking answers about her brother's whereabouts, Leila fears the worst and begins a campaign to save him. But when sh... continue
675.
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi EN
IraqDescription:
*Man Booker International Prize finalist* “Brave and ingenious.” —The New York Times “Gripping, darkly humorous . . . profound.” —Phil Klay, bestselling author and National Book Award winner for Redeployment “Extraordinary . . . A devastating but essential read.” —Kevin Powers, bestselling author and National Book Award finalist for The Yellow Birds From the rubble-strewn streets of U.S.-occupied Baghdad, Hadi—a scavenger and an oddball fixture at a local café—collects human body parts and stitches them together to create a corpse. His goal, he claims, is for the government to recognize the pa... continue
676.
The Last Girl : My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State by Nadia Murad, Jenna Krajeski EN
Description:
WINNER OF THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE • In this “courageous” (The Washington Post) memoir of survival, a former captive of the Islamic State tells her harrowing and ultimately inspiring story. Nadia Murad was born and raised in Kocho, a small village of farmers and shepherds in northern Iraq. A member of the Yazidi community, she and her brothers and sisters lived a quiet life. Nadia had dreams of becoming a history teacher or opening her own beauty salon. On August 15th, 2014, when Nadia was just twenty-one years old, this life ended. Islamic State militants massacred the people of her village, exe... continue
677.
The Corpse Exhibition: And Other Stories of Iraq by Hassan Blasim EN
Description:
The first major literary work about the Iraq War from an Iraqi perspective, The Corpse Exhibition shows us the war as we have never seen it before. Here is a world not only of soldiers and assassins, hostages and car bombers, refugees and terrorists
678.
God in Pink : A Novel by Hasan Namir EN
Description:
Hasan Namir's God In Pink is a revelatory novel about being queer and Muslim, set in war-torn Iraq in 2003. Ramy is a young gay Iraqi struggling to find a balance between his sexuality, religion and culture. Ammar is a sheikh whose guidance Ramy seeks, and whose tolerance is tested by his belief in the teachings of the Qur'an.
679.
Absent : A Novel by Betool Khedairi EN
Description:
Dalal is a young woman living in a crowded Baghdad apartment with the childless aunt and uncle who raised her. In the same building, Umm Mazin, a fortune-teller, offers her customers cures for their physical and romantic ailments, Saad the hairdresser attends to a dwindling number of female customers, and Ilham, a nurse, escapes the stark realities of her hospital job in dreams of her long-lost French mother. Despite the damaging effects of bombings and international sanctions on their world, all the residents try to maintain normal lives. Hoping to bring in much-needed cash by selling honey, ... continue
680.
Dedos de dátiles by Muḥsin Ramlī ES
Description:
Han transcurrido diez años desde que Selim, un exiliado iraquí que trabaja en Madrid, huyó de la dictadura, la guerra, y las estrictas tradiciones familiares y religiosas de su país. Su tranquila vida se ve alterada el día en que se encuentra con su padre, de quien no había tenido noticias durante años, ahora convertido en un irreconocible personaje.
La religión, la guerra, la muerte y el amor sirven como base para presentar conflictos sociales o morales con una espléndida sensibilidad poética. El autor manifiesta aqu&iacut... continue