World Literature

François-René Chateaubriand is a classic example of a French Romantic Era author. The beautiful, rich descriptions and soap opera quality of the story lines make both of these tales must reads.

Wole Soyinka is a Nobel Prize winning playwright from Nigeria. In his work, Soyinka rewrites and adapts Euripides' famous work into a series of contradictions that highlight African performative elements against the backdrop of classic Western constructs and conceits.

Edwidge Danticat is a highly-acclaimed author from Haiti. Although some of her other works are better known, this novel is haunting and beautiful. It gives insight into life in one small village and how the disappearance of a single child can bring to light the memories and secrets of one close-knit community.

Isabel Allende is a Chilean author who eventually settled down in the Bay Area in California. This book contains rich and evocative language, as well as a compelling character-driven story.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an award-winning author who was born and grew up in India before coming to the United States as a graduate student. Her novel is a work of magical realism that combines mysticism, a compelling love story, and heart-breaking choices that draw the reader into the fantastic world that Kivakaruni has created.

Lady Murasaki Shikibu was a noblewoman and lady-in-waiting at the imperial court during the Heian Period. Her text is often cited as the world's first novel. This classic Japanese tale follows Hikaru Genji, born to the Emperor during the Heian Period. The novel includes intrigue, elicit affairs, and all of the dangers one would expect of court life.