Top 5 South Asian Authors Everyone Should Read

With Malala Yousafzai’s memoir coming up, we revisit South Asian writers who redefined storytelling and identity

As anticipation builds for Malala Yousafzai’s upcoming memoir, Finding My Way, readers across the region are once again reflecting on the power of South Asian voices in global literature. From tales of displacement and belonging to stories of rebellion and quiet resilience, South Asian authors have long used fiction as a mirror to history and the human condition. Here’s The Express Tribune's list of five authors whose works capture that spirit. 

1. Mohsin Hamid (Pakistan)

Author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Exit West, and Moth Smoke, Mohsin Hamid is known for his sharp, minimalist prose and philosophical undertones. His writing explores migration, capitalism, and the illusion of progress in a globalized world. Through his characters, Hamid examines how modernity reshapes love and belonging. He’s a must-read for anyone curious about the Pakistani urban experience seen through a global lens.

2. Arundhati Roy (India)

Arundhati Roy, author of the Booker Prize–winning The God of Small Things and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, writes with both tenderness and rage. Her fiction and essays weave the personal with the political, giving voice to the marginalized and the forgotten. Roy’s work stands out for its lyrical prose and unflinching confrontation of power, inequality, and dissent. Reading her is both a literary and moral experience.

3. Khaled Hosseini (Afghanistan/US)

Best known for The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and And the Mountains Echoed, Khaled Hosseini writes with empathy and emotional depth. His novels chronicle the personal costs of Afghanistan’s turbulent history, stories of friendship, loss, and redemption that resonate far beyond borders. Hosseini’s gift lies in his ability to make readers feel the ache of displacement and the beauty of human resilience.

4. Fatima Bhutto (Pakistan)

From her memoir Songs of Blood and Sword to novels like The Shadow of the Crescent Moon and The Runaways, Fatima Bhutto explores youth, ideology, and disillusionment in a rapidly changing world. Her writing moves between Karachi, London, and the Middle East, capturing what it means to live at the crossroads of politics and identity. Bhutto’s work is introspective yet global, appealing to readers seeking stories of rebellion and belonging.

5. Kamila Shamsie (Pakistan/UK)

Kamila Shamsie, author of Home Fire, Burnt Shadows, and Kartography, is known for her elegant storytelling and nuanced political insight. Her novels span continents and generations, examining how war, migration, and love intertwine. Shamsie’s writing makes the political deeply personal and her characters linger long after the final page.

As Malala’s memoir promises to offer another deeply personal look at courage, this reading list celebrates the writers who continue to map the emotional and political landscapes of South Asia.