Gema Charmaine Gonzales is a Paris-based writer originally from the Philippines. Her mother wanted her to become a professional singer. She instead became a PhD literary researcher in the Sorbonne-Nouvelle. She still performs in front of an audience, but she is often seen holding index cards instead of a microphone. Her ideal day is spent with a thick historical novel and a glass of milk tea.
In this Read Harder Challenge post, we're recommending books for the task asking you to read a a food memoir by an author of color.
Dig into these delectable food novels by Southeast Asian women writers that explore the language of food and an underlying message, including Soy Sauce for Beginners by Kirstin Chen.
What we read is just as important as why we read. Doing a PhD in Literature made me realize the value of reading for pleasure.
Here's a list of short Southeast Asian novels by women for a quick read and an introduction to some of the region's literature.