So, I recently made Southeast Asia my home by officially moving to Bangkok! I’ve celebrated in the only way I know how – adding the best books about Southeast Asia to my ever-growing reading wishlist and further expanding on my knowledge of Asian literature (see my list of the best Japanese novels for more on that topic too).
Here, I’m recommending one novel set in each country in Southeast Asia (available in English) and where possible, by an author from that country too.
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What to Read in Brunei Darussalam
Devil of a State, Anthony Burgess
You may recognise this British author by his more famous work, A Clockwork Orange, but Burgess also travelled and worked around the world, writing about the places he visited and lived in.
Devil of a State is a 1961 novel based on Burgess’ experiences living and working in Bandar Seri Begawan in the tiny Southeast Asian sultanate of Brunei, on the island of Borneo, between 1958-59. However, for libel reasons, the novel is actually set in a fictional state of East Africa, due to the controversy of the subject matter.
The plot follows an Italian father and son, whom are working on the marble for a new grand mosque. After an argument, the son hides in one of the mosque’s minarets and inadvertently becomes a symbol of the struggle against colonial oppression, which makes him a household name all over the world.
What to Read in Cambodia
First They Killed My Father, Loung Ung
Written by a survivor of the Cambodian genocide, First They Killed My Father is the harrowing true story of Loung Ung’s childhood during Pol Pot’s regime.
One of seven children, Loung’s life was turned upside down when Pol Pot stormed into Phnom Penh, forcing her family to flee and disperse. Loung was trained as a child soldier, while her siblings were sent to labour camps; they weren’t reunited until after the Khmer Rouge was destroyed.
The subject matter is heavy, but Loung’s story is one of courage, hope and love. This book was also made into a film, directed by Angelina Jolie.
Recommended Reads: You can learn more about Cambodia travel in Two Weeks in Cambodia Travel Diary, How I Saw 10 Temples In Angkor In Just One Day, Cambodia Travel Advice: My Backpacker’s Budget & Travel Tips and So That History Does Not Repeat Itself.
What to Read in East Timor (Timor-Leste)
The Redundancy of Courage, Timothy Mo
Published in 1991, The Redundancy of Courage by Timothy Mo is set in the fictitious country of Danu in Southeast Asia, which is based on East Timor. The book was also shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction.
Like East Timor, Danu is a former Portuguese colony north of Australia and is invaded and occupied by its larger neighbour, which is not named, but is based on Indonesia. Although the characters are fictional, they are closely based on real people and events that took place in East Timor in 1975, including Indonesia’s invasion of of the country and the killing of five Australian journalists.
What to Read in Indonesia
Durga/Umayi, Yusuf Bliyarta Mangunwijaya
Durga/Umayi is a satirical novel, first published in Indonesia in 1991, which sheds light onto Indonesia’s politics and history, with an emphasis on patriotism and post-colonialism.
The story begins in the 1930s, before Indonesia’s independence from the Dutch, and follows a poor Javanese woman who becomes a servant in the household of President Sukarno. The title refers to the myth of the beautiful goddess Umayi, who is cursed with a second, monstrous form called Durga.
Recommended Reads: Learn more about Indonesia in Two Weeks In Bali, A Series Of Unfortunate Events and Guide To Bali: Budget Planning & Travel Tips.
What to Read in Laos
Mother’s Beloved, Outhine Bounyavong
Outhine Bounyavong is one of the most prominent contemporary writers in Laos. His writing is often themed around Laotian virtues of simplicity, compassion and respect for age; environmental concern and the tragedy of war.
Mother’s Beloved is a collection of 14 short stories in English translation alongside the Lao originals and is also the first collection of Lao short stories to be published in the English language.
Recommended Reads: You can read my previous posts about Laos (one of my favourite countries I visited in Southeast Asia) here – One Week in Laos Travel Diary, Things To Do In Laos and 24 Hours in Luang Prabang.
What to Read in Malaysia
The Garden of Evening Mists, Tan Twan Eng
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng won the Man Asian Literary Prize for its elegant and haunting portrayal of war, art and memory.
The novel is set in Malaya, in 1951 and follows the story of Yun Ling Teoh, the scarred lone survivor of a brutal Japanese war camp. After coming across a Japanese garden and its creator, the exiled former gardener to the emperor of Japan, Yun Ling decides to create a garden in memory of her sister and becomes the gardener’s apprentice. As they work together, secrets are slowly revealed and the two seek redemption and forgiveness through their cultivation of the garden.
What to Read in Myanmar
Saving Fish from Drowning, Amy Tan
Amy Tan is more well known for her novel The Joy Luck Club, but Saving Fish from Drowning is also highly critically acclaimed.
The story follows San Francisco art patron Bibi Chen, who plans a journey along the Burma Road for herself and 11 friends. However, after her mysterious death, Bibi watches on from beyond the grave as her friends commit cultural gaffes and are oblivious to the fact they are being kidnapped by a group who believe one of the teenagers is their prophesised saviour.
Recommended Reads: For more on Myanmar (Burma), you can read previous posts on 10 Days In Myanmar Travel Diary and Burma Budget And My Myanmar Travel Tips.
What to Read in the Philippines
Noli Me Tangere, Jose Rizal
Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) is considered to be the great novel of the Philippines and having visited the country three times so far, I can vouch for Rizal’s popularity, both as an artist and a national hero.
The book is a passionate love story set against the ugly political backdrop of repression, torture and murder. It was written as a major work of resistance to European colonialism. Originally written in Spanish, the book is more commonly published and read in the Philippines in either Tagalog or English, and the reading of Noli is obligatory for high school students.
What to Read in Singapore
The Singapore Grip, J. G. Farrell
The Singapore Grip is a tragicomic story of love and a war, set in a city is under siege while the British Empire is dying.
The plot revolves around Walter Blackett, the head of British Singapore’s oldest and most powerful firm. While Walter is concerned over his daughter’s choice of boyfriends and striking natives, he laments how life isn’t what it used to be, never suspecting that age of colonialism and empire is about to come to a terrible end.
What to Read in Thailand
The Bridge On the River Kwai, Pierre Boulle
Although the story is fictional, the plot of The Bridge On the River Kwai is based on real events and the author’s experiences in Asia at that time; the Japanese forcing British Prisoners of War to build a train route from Burma, going north.
The book describes describes the mistreatment of prisoners in the POW camp and how they tried to sabotage the construction of the bridge. This novel was also later made into a famous film of the same name.
Recommended Reads: You can see more in The 11 Best Books About Thailand, By Both Thai & Western Authors.
What to Read in Vietnam
Paradise of the Blind, Duong Thu Huong
Paradise of the Blind follows the lives of three Vietnamese women struggling to survive in a society where subservience to men is expected and Communist corruption crushes every dream. It was the first Vietnamese novel published in English in the United States, in 1988 and is banned in Vietnam because of the political subject matter.
Recommended Reads: You can read more about Vietnam in my posts Don’t Miss Saigon! and Ho Chi Minh City Guide.
More Novels Set in Southeast Asia
I’m currently compiled another list of great Southeast Asia books that are more multi-country (ideal for those going on a Southeast Asia backpacking trip), so watch this space. Got any recommendations for novels set in Southeast Asian or written by Southeast Asian authors? I’d love to hear them – let me know in the comments.
Oh my goodness! That’s a lot of books to read while in all these different places! I love reading and I think it’s a great idea to read about a place you are going to or have visited. I often try to buy books in the place I am visiting by an author in that country. Our world view is dominated by Western writers and it’s so refreshing to see it from a different perspective.
I love this post! I’ve got so many books to add to my To-Read list now. Have you added The Beach by Alex Garland to your general SEA list? I feel like that book and then the Leo DiCaprio movie really launched the popularity of Southeast Asia as a tourist destination.