Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
In the collection of short stories in Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri outlines the complex dynamics that exist when Indian traditionalism meets an American culture that often offers little respect for complex cultural dynamics it doesn’t understand. Each character’s story traces many of the most recognisable novel elements—longing, lust, betrayal—but they’re told in an exotic storyline that’s rich with detail and minutia.
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
A winner of the National Book Award for fiction, Ralph Ellison’s first novel, Invisible Man, spent an admirable 16 weeks atop the bestseller’s list. In large part, its early success is due to the relatable nature of its narrator, a young, nameless black man who has to navigate levels of American culture that are fraught with hate and bias in 1950s America. Eager for a place in time to call his own, the narrator finds that what he hopes for himself will remain elusive, just as the truth behind the events that surround him is ambiguous.
Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware
Chris Ware’s hero Jimmy Corrigan fancies himself the smartest kid on earth, but below that chutzpah is a timid, scared man who’s just looking for acceptance. A resolution seems to come when, at age 36, Corrigan has the opportunity to meet his father for the first time. What evolves is a retelling, in graphic and illustrative detail, of a lineage of Corrigan men who, like Jimmy, are paralysed by the fear or being unliked and unwanted.