How Far Does the Apple Fall?
Intergenerational Stories
Books that take place across and tell the stories of at least two generations, exploring history, politics, culture, generational patterns, and trauma. Mostly focusing on families.
Please give more recs if you have any! (Twenty-three fiction, two non-fiction so far)
created by emma.thinks
last updated August, 2026
Comments
oooo gorgeous list, love to see it! The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan and Mad Sisters of Esi by Tashan Mehta would both fit your criteria, if you are open to recs!
Absolutely I am, thank you so much! Will add🙂↕️😊
wonderful idea Emma! Thank you for this list 🙂↕️ Do you take suggestions? 👀
Yes, please!!! I realised I love this kind of storytelling but haven't read many, gimme all the suggestions 😊
I feel like "Livonia Chow Mein" would fit! It's multi-generational and also part of the timely Literary Fiction-Quest 🙂↕️ Also, "Homegoing" is all about generations and how they deal with what came before them!
Thank you, I've added both of them! I know Homegoing has been on my radar for a while, I need to bump it up my TBR.
I really enjoyed it!
I love intergenerational stories! A few months ago I read Inheritance by Lan Samantha Chang which I think would fit your criteria!
This is amazing, thank you!! I've never heard of this one before, adding to the list and my Interested 🙂↕️☺️
Yay! I hope you enjoy it. I love Lan Samantha Chang's writing 🫶.
awesome list! On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous would be a great addition if you’re open to suggestions :)
Ooh, thank you!! This one is actually on my library TBR but I know basically nothing about it. Am adding and bumping up my TBR☺️
i love this! i thought about East of Eden and i’m glad it’s added already <3 maybe Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson fits in this list too?
Ooh, it looks like it does. So cool to find out titles on my radar follow this structure/theme, thank you!😊
And East of Eden was one of the first books of this type I read and it fascinated me, I loved it.
Ahhhh wonderful list!!!! I think A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing would fit well here!! 🙂
Ooooh, this has been on my TBR since it came out, but it seems like a book I have to be in a specific mood for😂 Just re-read the blurb, shall add it to the list. Thank you!😊
Creative list! I think Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides would go well here too 🙂↕️
Thank you for the rec! I did consider putting Middlesex on here, but I have some issues/struggles with it. I've not read it so I can't really have an informed opinion, but I've seen some criticisms centred on Eugenides' lack of in-person research in writing it. He didn't talk to any intersex people and says a lot of it came from his imagination. It also rubs me the wrong way that a straight, white, cis man felt he had to write a 'better' book after reading a memoir from the thoughts and experiences of a real intersex person. I've also heard of the gender essentialism and some stigmatisation of being intersex.
I know it's complex because I've heard he is a fantastic writer, and there are lots of queer people who identify with the book and for whom the book was revelatory. I just, at the moment, don't feel comfortable adding it as it feels very armchair expert applauding himself.
If you feel differently, please let me know! I'm interested in reading it somewhen, and know there is also lots of praise for it.
Thx for the reply! :) I read it for a queer book club of mine in person! My friends surprisingly liked it but I also had similar troubled thoughts while reading due to the author’s background trust! but after finishing, it sat with me a bit better as just a good story and journey rather than trying to view it as an all encompassing gender essay (but still acknowledging its criticisms). I think Jeffrey did do his research with mostly academic and medical literature but I agree he should’ve considered the experiences/opinion of real intersex people. It’s not a book I’d usually recommend but objectively I just thought it fit with the themes of the list 😅
Ooh, I'll move it up my TBR, thank you for your thoughtful response! It sounds like I will end up adding it as it's definitely had positive impact and means a lot to a number of people.
