Books From All Around the World

I think one of the most important and impactful parts of books is the way it connects everybody. I mean no matter how old you are, where you’re from, and who you are, when you read the same book as someone you have that experience in common. I feel like that level of connection is important, and it can only be furthered when you expand your reading taste. By reading books from around the world, having diverse tastes, and supporting authors from all backgrounds, I think you gain and learn something valuable. This is why I wanted to provide and list some books set in several countries with messages and storylines that will help diversify your bookshelf.

Afghanistan: My Pen is the Wing of a Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women 

This incredibly inspiring and moving book holds many short stories written by many Afghan women. The book grew out of a project that aimed to connect translators and editors with aspiring Afghan writers who deserved to have their voices amplified after decades of suppression. The authors of this collection write and talk about haunting events in their homeland, and they paint portraits of war, heartbreak, resilience, and love. It offers a platform and a light onto issues overlooked and not completely covered by the media. Stories of political turmoil and violence are displayed, along with a simple look into the day-to-day routine of many women in Afghanistan. It’s an important read and a valuable one. Awareness and education remain incredibly important, as well as recognizing the voices and efforts of these many women who came together to develop such a novel. 

South Korea: Almond by Sohn Won-Pyung 

Set in contemporary South Korea, Almond follows the story of Yunjae, a boy who was born with a condition called Alexithymia. It impacted his ability to feel emotions, yet the author never falls short in making sure you know the depth and nuances of this important character. It follows the story of his adolescence, how he and his family adapt to life with his condition, and how he grows. The plot has a major shift as he faces change and juxtaposition when a new person is introduced into his life. This new boy at school becomes a bully who taunts Yunjae, he’s hotheaded and feels too much while Yunjae always keeps his composure. This difference between them curates curiosity and strangely brings them together, and a surprising friendship blossoms. It’s an emotional read, filled with themes of friendship, family, and individuality through tragedy. Not to mention the author of this novel is a South Korean novelist known for her character-driven books that grapple with the matter of humanity and existence. This is definitely a worthy read.

Colombia: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez 

One Hundred Years of Solitude incorporates magical realism with matters of love, power, violence, and fate in a novel that is now considered a classic. It takes place in the fictional and isolated town of Macondo, Colombia where the Buendia family resides. The novel follows this special family over many generations and developments, as their secluded island becomes more open to the world. It follows the history of this very isolated family/town and it includes matters like imperialism and even plot points taken from actual parts of Colombian history. It’s also really meaningful in the way that it represents change and long-established customs and norms of humans. Marquez uniquely includes perspectives that differ from the conventional and Westernized way of looking at life, and it brings attention and understanding of the many facets of Latin America. It’s been translated into 44 different languages and has cemented itself as incredibly prevalent in global literature.

Nigeria: Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi 

Freshwater is incredibly unique and has a plot and messages that are unlike many books that we have on our bookshelves. We have Ada, a woman living in Southern Nigeria, who is different from others as she was born with many spiritual identities within her. They say she was born with “a foot in another world.” She has these otherworldly aspects of her identity that influence her actions and experiences. Ada goes through many inner conflicts,  and she struggles with these many parts of herself. Throughout the novel, we truly understand the workings of her mind as the book is narrated by these various spiritual identities. While it isn’t classified as a memoir, Freshwater draws from the author's experiences, feelings, and journey with the multiple parts of herself and how she identifies. There are elements of Igbo (which is an ethnic group within Nigeria) mythology and spirituality that culminate in a unique reading experience that opens your mind to other ways of storytelling and thinking about the human psyche. The book offers a distinctive approach to discussing humanity, as the central parts of it are from the viewpoint of these multiple spirits that are a part of her.