From the first English-language novel by a Japanese writer to contemporary graphic novels, there are ways for everyone to engage with Asian and Pacific American cultures and history.
Access recent e-books from anywhere
During the month of April, the University Libraries’ OverDrive team is featuring recent books by Asian American authors. All of the works on the list were published in 2023 or 2024, so there’s sure to be new for you to explore.
Find engaging reading for all ages
Find children’s literature and graphic novels featuring Asian American perspectives and stories at the School of Information and Library Science Library.
This list was curated by Victoria Neff and Grace Villanueva.
Discover true stories, told by those who lived them
A collection of 11 memoirs by Asian American authors includes stories covering childhood, war experiences, family, love, survival, immigration, identity and more.
The list was curated by Lily Kirkhoff, who especially recommends “The Best We Could Do” for the beautiful illustrations it uses to tell the story of Vietnamese family’s journey to the US during the war.
Learn about Shinzaburo Mogi: Carolina’s first international student?
Shinzaburo Mogi, from Tokyo Japan, was one the earliest—and possibly the first—international to enroll at Carolina in 1893. A blog from the University Archives traces Mogi’s time at the University and North Carolina through local newspaper clippings.
Find out about the first English-language novel by a Japanese American author
When “The American Diary of a Japanese Girl” was published in 1902, it was purported to be the actual diary of a woman identifying as “Miss Morning Glory.” Later, it was revealed to be a work of fiction by poet and writer Yone Noguchi.
Both Noguchi and illustrator Genjiro Yeto were born in Japan and immigrated to the United States, and “The American Diary of a Japanese Girl” is now considered the first English-language novel published in the U.S. by a Japanese writer.
A copy of the novel is a recent addition to the Library’s Rare Book Collection.
