Periphery | Substack

Welcome to Periphery

A publication dedicated to fostering greater understanding and appreciation of Asian cultures and experiences among a global readership

Jul 1, 2024 • Tiffany Chu

Guest Essays

Crossing the Desert of Illegality

Memoir by Jiwon Yoon

Oct 22, 2025 • Dr. Jiwon Yoon

The Way it Bears Fruit

A Filipino-American daughter and her mother dig up a beloved loquat tree, unearthing buried memories and healing generational wounds.

Aug 20, 2025 • Trin Encarnacion

The Conversation

Two old friends meet for dinner in Brooklyn, but beneath polite conversation lies unspoken tensions about choices, sacrifice, and drifting apart.

Jul 16, 2025 • Buku Sarkar

The Secrets of Our Mothers

A daughter explores her Korean heritage through memories of her mother, finding meaning in silences, grief, and the weight of untold stories.

May 21, 2025 • Tiffany Chu and Miró Myung Justad

A writer's surreal dreams of Lord Ganesh offering magical but flawed gifts parallel her struggles with writing and a strained relationship.

Apr 16, 2025 • Tiffany Chu and Nidhi Arora

Subscribe to find diverse reads you won't find anywhere else

Features

From the Margins | Issue 10

Discover 8 powerful Asian American Substack writers covering activism, healing, social justice, culture, and community stories

May 31, 2025 • Tiffany Chu and Demian Yumei

From the Margins | Issue 09

A curated collection of powerful Asian writing across genres - from personal essays and literary critique to healthcare advocacy and cultural commentary

Mar 31, 2025 • Tiffany Chu

From the Margins | Issue 08

From memoir to photography: A carefully curated selection of contemporary South Asian writing that moves and challenges

Feb 28, 2025 • Tiffany Chu and Sanobar Sabah

Asian Reads | Issue 07

Essays on finding meaning in daily life, work-life balance, and discussions on language and identity

Jan 31, 2025 • Tiffany Chu, bakhtawar, and sunshine moonlight

Asian Reads | Issue 06

Explore diverse Asian voices through personal essays, poetry, and memoirs from the Asian Writers' Collective, featuring reflections on identity…

Dec 31, 2024 • Tiffany Chu and TheUltraContemplative

Book Recommendations

4 Books Featuring Palestinian Poets to Diversify Your Bookshelf

Periphery is a publication dedicated to fostering greater understanding and appreciation of Asian cultures and experiences among a global readership.

Feb 19, 2025 • Tiffany Chu, bakhtawar, and I. S. Bashirah

10 Books by Indian Authors to Decolonize Your Bookshelf

Discover must-read Indian literature with recommendations spanning mythology, history, and politics from young writer Aryan's curated list of…

Jan 22, 2025 • bakhtawar, Aryan Kavan Gowda, and Tiffany Chu

Decolonize Your Bookshelf: Malaysian Edition

Discover 9 compelling Malaysian fiction books in English, from fantasy and crime to literary fiction, curated by Malaysian poet Sharmila.

Nov 25, 2024 • Tiffany Chu and Sharmila Ganapathy

Decolonize Your Bookshelf: All-Time Favourites Edition

From Dark Academia to Heartfelt Memoirs: 8 Diverse Books That Will Stay With You

Oct 28, 2024 • Tiffany Chu

Decolonize Your Bookshelf: Pakistani Literature Edition

Recommendations and Talking about Pakistani publishing hardships

Sep 23, 2024 • bakhtawar

5 Surprising Books to Decolonize your Bookshelf for Fall

Explore diverse Asian voices through curated fiction and non-fiction recommendations. Discover cultural insights and compelling stories.

Aug 19, 2024 • Tiffany Chu

Interviews

Rohan Srinivasan: The Soundtrack of Storytelling

Rohan Srinivasan: 24-year-old Bay Area novelist blending film production background with literary craft in debut novel "An Imagined Life."

Jul 9, 2025 • Tiffany Chu

Joanne Yi: Transforming Grief into Literary Truth

From Korean Roots to Voice of Healing in Young Adult novel, "All the Tomorrows After

Jun 11, 2025 • Tiffany Chu

Ai Jiang: Transcending Genres and Exploring the Human Experience

Ai Jiang, an acclaimed author, discusses her unique approach to storytelling, transcending genres and delving into the essence of the human experience.

Jan 15, 2025 • Tiffany Chu and Ai Jiang | 江艾

Many Voices, One Mission: Aaron Lee's Faith Journey to Publishing

'A Letter to the Asian American Church' brings together vital perspectives from Asian American Christian leaders, curated by worship leader and…

Dec 23, 2024 • Tiffany Chu and Aaron Lee

Beyond the American Story You Think You Know

Former teacher Ellie Yang Camp discusses her journey from classroom to activism, challenging assumptions about Asian American identity and history.

Nov 19, 2024 • Tiffany Chu and Ellie Yang Camp

Rejection to Success: Esmé Weijun Wang's Journey in Publishing

Esmé Weijun Wang discusses mental health, Asian American identity, and her journey as a writer. Insights on overcoming stigma and creating authentic…

Oct 21, 2024 • Tiffany Chu and Esmé Weijun Wang

Periphery

Periphery

A publication dedicated to fostering greater understanding and appreciation of Asian cultures and experiences among a global readership

Recommendations

Good Things

Adaline

Silent No More

Demian Yumei

The Twenties Girl

The Twenties Girl

Tania

In-between Lines

In-between Lines

Samira

A YEAR WITHOUT WATER

A YEAR WITHOUT WATER

Sam

#nojs-banner { position: fixed; bottom: 0; left: 0; padding: 16px 16px 16px 32px; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; background: red; color: white; font-family: -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; } #nojs-banner a { color: inherit; text-decoration: underline; } This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts