12+ Great 2022 Short Story Collections by Asian Authors

This is the first short story collection by acclaimed Iranian author and journalist Shahriar Mandanipour to be translated to English. Mandanipour is known for his ability to create surreal worlds that simultaneously reflect and offer sharp social commentary on the real world.

Sindya Bhanoo’s debut collection explores the experiences of South Indian immigrants and the family members they leave behind. These haunting, intimate stories center women and their complicated paths of hope and regret as they discover the costs of leaving or staying.

I went to casually leaf through this book and then suddenly realized 45 minutes had passed and I had devoured the first two stories, having been sucked in to them in a way I haven’t been sucked in by reading in months. This collection of 12 speculative stories feels all at once strange and familiar, presenting surreal versions of our world that scrutinize and illuminate the realities of human nature.

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of President Nixon’s resumption of diplomatic ties with China, this collection examines U.S.-China relations through the eyes of the ordinary people affected by them. Through these unique, provocative stories, Jen explores questions of identity and how people and history shape each other.

The subtitle for this anthology was all I needed to see to be completely sold: A Collection of Chinese Science Fiction and Fantasy in Translation from a Visionary Team of Female and Nonbinary Creators. Tell me you’re not preordering or requesting for your library immediately.

People from Bloomington was initially published in its original Indonesian back in 1980, and after just over 40 years, an English translation is being released. Budi Darma was an incredibly influential Indonesian writer, and he wrote this collection set in Bloomington, Indiana, following his time living there as a graduate student. In a counterpoint to the western gaze on the east, Darma sharply yet compassionately paints a picture of the “strangeness” of small-town America.

Nabarun Bhattacharya was a prominent Indian countercultural writer in the Bengali language. In these inventive stories ranging from the satirical to the surreal, he crafts an illuminating examination of the social and political climate of the Bengal region.

This collection of nine stories is a stunning and far-reaching exploration of Asian American identity. Award-winning writer Don Lee has been telling stories of Asian America for over two decades, and this latest book is yet another display of his craft and mastery.

In this unique collection of short comics, Rumi Hara turns tropes of the American comics canon on its head. Through her playful use of absurd elements interwoven with reality, Hara commands the reader’s attention with these strange and charming stories.

This is the first short story collection by Sayaka Murata, author of the acclaimed Convenience Store Woman, to be translated to English. Similarly to her novel, Murata shines a light on the outcasts of society, playing with and questioning the status quo.

The stories in Saeed Teebi’s elegant and intense collection throw the reader into the lives of Palestinian immigrants in Canada. As we watch these characters navigate their identities and varying circumstances, Teebi asks us to engage with and offers insight on the experience of the Palestinian diaspora.

In this follow-up to her award-winning collection Useful Phrases for Immigrants, May-Lee Chai tells vibrant tales of an increasingly multicultural and globalized world through a focus on China and Chinese diaspora. Not only does Chai tackle the topics of race and culture, but also explores their intersections with class, age, gender, and more with great nuance and depth.