I recently started reading Salman Rushdie's Midnight’s Children and what I love isn’t just the style, but how much I’m learning about South Asian history, politics, religion, and identity through his storytelling.
I’m now looking for other authors who do something similar for other cultures or regions — writers whose fiction:
- Grapples with real historical or political transitions
- Feels culturally immersive and socially insightful
- Helps you understand a place and its people through layered storytelling
Who would you recommend as the “Rushdie” of Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, East Asia, Europe, etc.? Fiction only — I’m building a reading list that’ll help me have smarter conversations about art, politics, and culture.
Bonus points for novels that are also widely referenced or discussed in those cultures today.
by Rqees