Books by AAPI Authors You Need to Read
Whether you’re new to AAPI literature or looking to go deeper, these 20 books, spanning memoir, fiction, graphic novels, and more, are essential reading all year long.

The Asian American community, constituting 17%–20% of California’s population, is made up of a beautiful multiplicity of ethnicities and experiences. The following are books by AAPI authors with ties to California. From a historical San Francisco hotel that was the site of fierce activism to a man of two faces, and from whimsical and magical tales to a racially charged and violent police raid, the stories these important books share are thrilling and rich—they are worthy additions to your to-read stack this month (and every month!).
Anita Felicelli is Alta Journal ’s books editor and the author of How We Know Our Time Travelers, Chimerica, and Love Songs for a Lost Continent.

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