First initiated in 2019, DKU Library’s “Books From Home” project calls for international students to bring or donate books that represent their own cultures to the Library. We believe this project can help us build a more diverse and inclusive library collection that represents our students coming from over 60 different countries and regions around the world, a diversity that DKU Library respects and values.
We are proud to present to you the books we received in 2019, 2023, and 2024 from our amazing students, whose names are written in the bottom right corner of each book. These books come from 21 countries and are in 16 languages, available in the New Book Reading area on the first floor.
We are also looking for volunteers who can read the following languages to help us create records for a few uncatalogued books in this collection: Uzbek, Kazakh, Burmese, and Kannada. Please email dkulibrary@dukekunshan.edu.cn if you are interested.
*Please remember to borrow the books first before you take them out of the library.*
Славянобългарска история
Call no.: DR74 .P3 2002
Author: Паисий Хилендарски
Language: Bulgarian
Славянобългарска история (lit. ‘Slav-Bulgarian History’) is a book by Bulgarian scholar and clergyman Saint Paisius of Hilendar. Written in 1762, it is considered Saint Paisius of Hilendar’s greatest work and one of the most influential pieces of the Bulgarian revival, as well as the first work of Bulgarian historiography.
Teodora Eliyanova Petkova from Bulgaria
The Vortex
Call no.: PQ8179.R54 V713 2001
Author: José Eustasio Rivera
Language: English
The Vortex is a novel written in 1924 by the Colombian author José Eustasio Rivera. It is set in at least three different bioregions of Colombia during the rubber boom. This novel narrates the adventures of Arturo Cova, a hot-headed proud chauvinist and his lover Alicia, as they elope from Bogotá, through the eastern plains and later, escaping from criminal misgivings, through the amazon rainforest of Colombia.
Laura Navarro from Colombia
ვეფხისტყაოსანი
Call no.: PK9169.R8 V4 2012
Author: შოთა რუსთაველი
Language: Georgian
ვეფხისტყაოსანი (fig. ‘The Knight in the Panther’s Skin‘) is a Georgian medieval epic poem, written in the 12th or 13th century by Georgia’s national poet Shota Rustaveli. A definitive work of the Georgian Golden Age, the poem consists of over 1600 Rustavelian Quatrains and is considered to be a “masterpiece of the Georgian literature”.
Luka Mdivani from Georgia
下町ロケット
Call no.: PL871.5.K453 S558 2013
Author: 池井戶潤
Language: Japanese
下町ロケット (lit. ‘Downtown Rocket’) is a novel and series written by Jun Ikeido. It has been adapted into a television drama and a radio drama.
The story follows Tsukuda Kohei, a former researcher at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, as he becomes president of Tsukuda Manufacturing, a small business run by his late father, and struggles alongside his employees.
Reika Shimomora from Japan
こころ
Call no.: PL812.A8 K6 2004
Author: 夏目漱石
Language: Japanese
Kokoro is a full-length novel by Natsume Soseki.
This work was written by Soseki after he was influenced by the suicide of Nogi Maresuke, and like his previous works, it expresses the conflict between the egoism deep within human beings and one’s sense of ethics.
Reika Shimomora from Japan
Presenting Malaysia
Call no.: DS594 .B685 2016
Author: David Bowden
Language: English
Presenting Malaysia provides an extensive introduction to the geography, history, people, religion, food, and arts and crafts, as well as a visual journey through the 13 states and three federal territories that make up this impressive and always fascinating country.
Gui Xian Ong from Malaysia
Монголчууд. Дэлхийг эрхшээсэн морьтон дайчдын гүрэн (XII-XVII зуун)
Call no.: DS19 .M5963 2016
Author: Баярсайхан Д
Language: Mongolian
The fourth volume of the “Mongols” series published by the “Monsudar” publishing house for universal history education. The book was written jointly by 13 scientists and researchers, and Dr. Bayarsaikhan worked as the editor-in-chief.
In this volume, the 12th-17th century, the process of scattered tribes joining together to become an empire that occupied half of the world, and further, the empire collapsed. It covers more than 500 years of history. It is one of the volumes of a series that enriches the history of Mongolia with pictures, maps, illustrations, and other visual materials.
Dulguun Nyamgerel from Mongolia
Иргэншлийн замд: Монголын соёлын альманах
Call no.: DS798.4 .T737 2015
Author: Бямбажавын Цэнддоо
Language: Mongolian
For centuries, Mongolians lived as nomads, and only recently shifted to urban life and communism at the same time. The country’s social and educational progress, which is tied to its socialist years, still connects strongly to past traditions, even as Mongolia adapts to the modern world.
This book explores how Mongolia, despite limited experience in unity, has remained independent and built a democratic society among larger neighbors. With over 240 images, easy explanations, timelines, and memorable sections, the book offers insight into Mongolia’s resilience and unique journey to sovereignty.
Nomunaa Ganbold from Mongolia
From the Land of Green Ghosts: A Burmese Odyssey
Call no.: DS528.2.K46 K4 2003
Author: Pascal Khoo Thwe
Language: English
This book is the autobiographical story of a young man’s upbringing in a remote tribal village in Burma and his subsequent journey from his strife-torn country to the tranquil quads of Cambridge.
Despite his humble beginnings and the oppression he faced, Pascal Khoo Thwe brings us into a world forgotten by the West, but one that readers will not soon forget.
Jack Nyi Hun from Myanmar
Nepal: A Country in Transition
Call no.: DS495.6 .N4585 2018
Author: Dwarika Nath Dhungel, Madan Kumar Dahal
Language: English
Born in 1768 as a modern state, Nepal is one of the few countries to have escaped colonial occupation. However, since Nepal opened up to the modern world in 1851. It has faced a series of political upheavals, followed by volatile constitutional experiments, leading to growing risks to its very basic structure.
Nepal: A Country in Transition analyses the crux of the ongoing churn on multiple fronts, and helps in a comprehensive understanding of the problems facing the country. A galaxy of eminent scholars discusses pragmatic strategies to deal with the many crises and ensure Nepal’s national unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity and ways to economic prosperity in the twenty-first century.
Sabhyata Jha from Nepal
Vanished Trails
Call no.: PR6037.P5 V3 2001
Author: Richard Spittel
Language: English
*Sinhala version available (PR6037.P5 V3176 2000)*
Vanished Trails depicts the lives of three generations of Veddas, the indigenous people of Sri Lanka, in their transition from the troglodyte, food-gathering stage to the beginnings of the hut-dweller and food-producer. It is a tough story, violent and tragic at some points, describing people who usually have to fight for survival, not achieving success in occasions. Some characters outstand for their leadership and virtue in the middle of such a hard environment.
Spittel, a renowned Sri Lankan doctor and anthropologist, based the book on his personal experiences dealing with the Veddas, stressing the human interest, rather than writing in the detached manner of a purely scientific investigation.
Upeksha Hettiarachchi from Sri Lanka
Sigiriya: Kassapa’s Homage to Beauty
Call no.: DS490.S53 G86 2008
Author: Siri Gunasinghe
Language: English
Sigiriya, the palace in the sky of King Kassapa (5th century) is widely regarded as a magnificent architectural and garden complex found anywhere in the civilized world. UNESCO accorded it world heritage status. The book has over 32 pages of colour photographs.
Upeksha Hettiarachchi from Sri Lanka
The Food and Cooking of Thailand
Call no.: TX724.5.T5 B37 2008
Author: Judy Bastyra and Becky Johnson
Language: English
Thai cuisine is one of the most popular ways of eating, and this fabulous book has 180 wonderful, fragrant recipes to try out. It includes fascinating information about the history and traditions of this rich culture and also includes a fully illustrated guide to Thai ingredients, with preparation and cooking techniques.
The easy-to-use recipe section covers every occasion for serving Thai food, including appetizers, soups, salads, poultry, vegetables and fish dishes, as well as desserts.
Thanaporn Thongthum from Thailand
A People’s History of Scotland
Call no.: DA760 .B36 2018
Author: Chris Bambery
Language: English
A People’s History of Scotland is a 2014 book by Chris Bambery.
Written from a far-left perspective, the book briefly covers Scottish ancient history, before documenting events from the Middle Ages until 2014, focusing on the struggle of workers and Scottish perspectives on the UK’s political parties and sense of national identity.
Erin Greig from the UK
Cristo si è fermato a Eboli
Call no.: DG975.B3 L48 2014
Author: Carlo Levi
Language: Italian
“This self-biography narrates the story of a Jewish teacher who gets deported to a rural settlement in an underdeveloped area in the South of Italy by the Fascist regime.”
Lorenzo Maggio Laquidara from Italy
Balta drobulė
Call no.: PG8749.S54 B35 2022
Author: Antanas Škėma
Language: Lithuanian
“White Shroud tells the story of Antanas Garšva, a Lithuanian poet and immigrant who has fled the Soviet occupation of his homeland and struggles to make ends meet in his new life in the United States. The book is stream-of-consciousness novel that attempts to influence reader’s psychology.”
Agne Juozulynaite from Lithuania
Кеча ва Кундуз
Call no.: PL56.9.C47 K43 2019
Author: Абдулҳамид Чўлпон
Language: Uzbek
“The book gives readers a glimpse into the everyday struggles of men and women in Russian imperial Turkestan. More than just historical prose, Cho’lpon’s magnum opus reads as a poetic elegy and turns on dramatic irony.”
Doniyor Erkinov from Uzbekistan
The Theory of Celestial Influence: Man, the Universe, and Cosmic Mystery
Call no.: BD701 .C65 1993
Author: Rodney Collin
Language: English
“This book covers Rodney Collin’s theory of celestial influence using what he learned from Ouspensky. He talks into depth about the universe and living things.”
Anna Galvin from the USA
Sagarana
Call no.: PQ9697.R76 S3 2019
Author: João Guimarães Rosa
Language: Portuguese
“Sagarana is a collection of 9 short stories portrayed in the cerrado of northern Minas Gerais, a region with unique traditions and social circumstances in Brazil. The tales bring strong descriptions of the setting, as well as common intrigues experienced in a timeless way by my people.”
Daniel Monteiro from Brazil
Ceremony
Call no.: PS3569.I44 C4 2006
Author: Leslie Marmon Silko
Language: English
“A story about a young Native American man struggling with post-traumatic stress and his journey to healing himself and his community after World War 2. “
Kiera McManus from the USA
Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas
Call no.: PQ9697.M18 M5 2019
Author: Machado de Assis
Language: Portuguese
Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas (fig. ‘Epitaph of a Small Winner’), is a novel by the Brazilian writer Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis that is regarded as one of the greatest works of Brazilian literature. The book is presented as the memoirs of its protagonist, Brás Cubas, as told from beyond the grave.
Published in 1881, the novel has a unique style of short, erratic chapters shifting in tone and style. Instead of the clear and logical construction of a normal nineteenth-century realist novel, the novel makes use of surreal devices of metaphor and playful narrative construction. It is considered the first novel of the realist movement in Brazil.
“The ghost of a decadent and disagreeable aristocrat decides to write his memoir. “
Mariana de Lima Carvalho de Moraes from Brazil
Тескари Кўзлар
Call no.: PL56.9.M35 T48 2019
Author: Тохир Малик
Language: Uzbek
“Humorous fiction describing the ordinary life of Uzbeks living in villages. The book describes their everyday life, way of thinking and conversations common at the time. “
Sevara Kazimova from Uzbekistan
Le Maroc
Call no.: DT310 .T46 2016
Author: Auguste Terrier
Language: French
“This book talks about Morocco’s history, culture, and unique characteristics.”
Mohamed Ali Lahrichi from Morocco
Монгол уран бичлэгийн түүх: богино насны бүдэг бичээс
Call no.: NK3639.M65 B37 2015
Author: Довдонгийн Жалайр Батбаяр
Language: Mongolian
*2 volumes in collection*
“These 2 books are written by Jalair Dovdongiin Batbayar, who registered Mongolian calligraphy into UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage and Urgent Safeguarding list.
The first book is about the history of Mongolian calligraphy, many types of script adopted by Mongolians and the analysis of arts and scripts of many different cultures. This books also have many visual elements making it a joy to read and look. The second edition is a continuation of the first book with overall same idea. However, the second edition focuses on writing techniques and styles of different time periods and historical artefacts.”
Amar Battulga from Mongolia
«Свеча горела…»
Call no.: PG3476.P27 A6 2022
Author: Борис Пастернак
Language: Russian
This publication presents the creative legacy of one of the greatest Russian poets, Nobel Prize winner Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (1890-1960). From his early “frantic” verses, he moved on to the “stunning simplicity” of his late lyrics. His works have been loved by many generations of readers as a pure sound in the deafening noise of the era. According to Tsvetaeva, Pasternak will never have a “square”, but there will be “a multitude of lonely people, a lonely multitude of thirsty people, whom he, a solitary spring, waters.” The book includes selected poems by B. L. Pasternak from different years.
“This is a collection of poems of Boris Pasternak, a Nobel prize winner.”
Polina Postnikova from Russia
Երևան` ճեպանկարների գիրք
Call no.: DK689.27 .M56 2017
Author: Արարատ Մինասյան, Զաքար Դեմիրճյան (authors); Քրիստ Մանարյան, Արարատ Մինասյան, Զաքար Դեմիրճյան (illustrators)
Language: Armenian
“The book represents beyond the rich history of Armenia’s capital. It explores Yerevan’s ambience: colors, music, aromas and known/unknown people living their ‘Yerevantsi’ (person who lives in Yerevan) lifestyle.”
Davit Kavkasyan from Armenia
