NEW YORK -- At a time when very little feels normal, I find that reading is a more essential escape than ever -- the ability to inhabit someone else's mind for a few hours can be the best antidote to the alarming headlines.
I'm sure books about the pandemic will start appearing before too long, but for now every book is a time machine to a better, or at least different, past. This list offers books in a variety of genres and lengths -- short for when you just can't concentrate, longer when you need serious distraction -- representing languages and territories across East Asia. I hope you find the one you need.
