Good reads - Tibet, China et al - in Fiction

Forget Amy Tan and Lisa See. As the world gets more and more in to the nitty gritty of Chian-Tibet-Rest Of the World triangle, try these lovely, worthy reads -

Elliot Pattison - Try his Inspector Shan series for a haunting , mesmerizing look at the Tibet and Tibetans and their relations with Mainland China and Han Chinese people. Start with Skull Mantra and then move on to Beautiful Ghosts, Water Touching Stone and Bone Mountain etc.

Balzac and Little Chinese Seamstress - by Dei Sijie - Do not, whatever you do, read his next book (Mr. Muo's Travelling Couch)or read it at your own peril. But, do read this little gem, to open your eyes about the cultural revolution and reeducation of the youth.

Try also some of the novels by the Chinese author (currently living in US)- Qiu Xiaolong, specially Death Of a Red Heroine, When Red is Black and Loyal Character Dancer. His last two efforts were not as good but these three carried a strong sense of China changing and still lingering at the culture of cummunism.