If you’d like to support Asian American or Asian diaspora authors during this holiday season, I’ve got some recommendations for all ages and most tastes!
After starting the podcast, I started reading more and more books by Asian diaspora. It was a case of “you don’t know what you’re missing until it arrives”. Now I can’t get enough of Asian diaspora authors.
PS: Given what’s coming in 2025, you better get those books before they’re banned 😉
Disclaimer: I earn a tiny referral commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase the book by clicking on the links below to Bookshop.org. This revenue goes directly into funding the podcast. By buying through Bookshop.org, you support independent local bookshops across the country rather than the big corporations! Click “VIEW ALL ON BOOKSHOP.ORG” to see all the titles in each list.
Books for kids
What type of book should you give to your Secret Santa?
Does this person cook? If so, maybe a cookbook might be a good idea! I personally enjoy receiving cookbooks because it’s the kind of book I don’t typically go out of my way to get, but love having around.
If they live on takeout, and they’re not exactly the bookish types, but they are interested in culture (somewhat), and would appreciate nice visuals, check out Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now, The Golden Screen: The Movies That Made Asian America, or Yes We Will: Asian Americans Who Shaped This Country.
Or perhaps they’re social activist types interested in deconstructing harmful ideologies? If they’re nerdy like me, you might score brownie points with some of the other books in this history & social justice list!
That said, 2025 is coming and we’ll all need a little escapism to cope every now and then. If you’d like to give the gift of escapism, here’s a great list of fiction works. My favorites include Do Not Say We Have Nothing and Yellowface.
I don’t think one needs to be queer to enjoy queer stories. In fact, I think we should all read more stories about experiences that differ from ours. This was why I made Queering Premodern Asia after all! Give them their new favorite they didn’t know they missed out on, or send them a passive aggressive memo about their bigotry with one of these!
Do they have a big celebrity they stan? Yup there’s probably a memoir or biography you can find. Did they go through a particular type of experience? Yup somebody’s probably written something that would resonate with that. There’s a memoir for everyone out there. This list is far from exhaustive but hopefully can point you in the right direction! I’ve read quite a few on this list.
The coming years are going to be mentally taxing for so many of us. Some of the books in this list might come in handy for those who are attuned to current world events. For those with female reproductive biology, I would highly recommend It’s Not Hysteria, written by TikTok-famous OBGYN Karen Tang.
Poetry is a genre that I feel many people would not necessarily think to buy, but would appreciate as a gift.
Disability justice is something I’ve been trying to learn more about and promote on the show. There are actually quite a few great books on the topic by the Asian diaspora.
This bunch is for the artsy ones who may or may not be suuuuuper geeky about it.
An anti-capitalist Christmas?
A few years ago, my husband and I wrote a somewhat anti-capitalist Christmas song. If you’re feeling particularly anti-capitalist this year but you still look forward to seeing loved ones, this might be for you! We’re @twentythirdhour on IG if you’d like to follow our music updates.
You can stream it on your fav music platform or you can stream/buy a digital download on our website. We also have a lot of other holiday music if you’re really in the mood this year and would love some background music!
Snow is glistening
Bells are swinging
It's the merriest time of year
And I can′t wait to celebrate with you here
If you're wondering
What to get me
It won't come in a box with bows
You will even find it when stores are closed
Just remember what this season is for
It′s much more than the trees and gifts & all
I don′t have to be yet another name to cross off your list
I would rather see your smiling face, the one that I miss
Instead of you fighting the crowds
To get what you hope might be my wish
Let's let a day together be Christmas
This Christmas
We′ll share meals and funny stories
Laughs will brighten the darkest room
This is all that really matters
Time together, me and you
Just remember what this season is for
I don't have to be yet another name to cross off your list
I would rather see your smiling face, the one that I miss
Instead of you fighting the crowds
To get what you hope might be my wish
Let′s let a day together be Christmas
I don't have to be yet another name to cross off your list
I would rather see your smiling face, the one that I miss
Instead of you fighting the crowds
To get what you hope might be my wish
Let′s let a day together
Let's let a day together
Let's let a day together be Christmas
This Christmas
I am currently on an extended a break as I figure out how to best serve you in the coming years. If you have any feedback or suggestions, please feel free to DM me on any of the socials @nuancespod!
I will be sharing some new episode swaps as well as new episodes soon though, so stay tuned. I just need to get some rest first. Hope you’re all doing well. Mask up, test and stay safe!
I’ll be back soon for another nuanced conversation.
Cheers,
LAZOU
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