The author's fictional counterpart survives by escaping intoВ fragments ofВ time, place, and family before the chaos вЂ“В the stories, legends, and poems her father once shared with her. 'If you suddenly disappear without a trace, it's like you have never lived.' So begins this finalist for the PEN Hemingway Award,В rooted in Vaddey Ratner's own experiences as a young girl during Cambodia's KhmerВ Rouge regime before escaping to the United States in 1981. 'Absence is worse than death,' observes Raami, early on in In the Shadow of the Banyan. In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner Introducing Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos & Northern Thailand Cambodia Throughout what follows,В Tahmima Anam makes good on her goal to make Bangladesh feel 'real, not just a country to read about in the news when some disaster or other strikes,' in all the homey details of Dhaka and beyond. Soon the Bangladesh War of Independence is at their door testing their relationships as never before. It's March of 1971, and Rehana Haque is planning a special party for her children, who were taken from her in the 1950s and have sinceВ grown up into politically active university students. If you purchase through links on our site, Lonely Planet may earn a commission from the retailer. Our editors independently select the best products to help you have amazing travel experiences. Whether you're gearing up for your next bucket-list trip or need a panacea for the lingering pandemic lockdowns, these books will make you feel like you've stepped into city streets and ordinary homes, from Hanoi to Hong Kong. It's impossible to try and narrow down the sheer number of books by Asian authors into a manageable list вЂ“ where to begin? вЂ“ but we decided to try anyhow, with 25 selections that give you a taste of countries from Bangladesh to Laos from where ever you find yourself cozying up with a good read. From India to Japan, Mongolia to Sri Lanka and off into the diaspora,В the body of Asian literature is both broad and deep, encompassing ancient hymns, modernist novels, accounts of war and colonial violence, and deeply personal narratives of love, family, healing, and identity. Literature lovers will find no shortage of myths and legends, contemporary classics, comics, poems, novels, and memoirs on the largest continent. With some of the oldest languages on earth, vibrant storytelling traditions, and a rich melting pot of cultures, Asia is a bookworm's dream.

The woman who breathed two worlds