Third Culture Kids Who Write: A Growing List of Third Culture Authors

Updated June 2017

What you will find here is Third Culture Authors's Names in six sections:

1) New stuff that I am adding this round (also integrated into sections 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 as appropriate)

2) TCAs whose work reflects their identity.

3) TCAs whose work doesn't necessarily reflect their identity

4) TCA memoirs

5) Colonial-Era TCAs

6) Misc. of related interest.


How do I choose authors for this list?

I go by David Pollock's definition of third culture kid: "[A] person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture. The TCK builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture are assimilated into the TCK's life experience, the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of the same background."

I recognize that definitions are infinitely adaptable and that Pollock's can be broadened to include CCKs (Cross-Cultural Kids) and other interesting, valuable experiences.  For the sake of establishing that TCAs are vast in number, and perhaps proving as much to any doubters, I keep to Pollock's definition fairly rigidly.

Note that most of these authors have published more than one work.  The list below represents thousands of published works by TCAs.  Enjoy!


1) New Stuff that I am adding this time round

(With thanks to Jessica Sanfillipo Schulz, Nina Sichel of Writing Out of Limbo, and Displaced Nation for their numerous tips and leads.)


Baranay, Inez. (Novels, Essays)
Eggerz, Solveig. (Novels)
Ghosh, Amitav. (Novels, some set in India, Ecocrit)
Gregson, Julia. (Military Brat, with substantial and diverse adult travel too, reflected in huge range of contexts in her novels)
Haddad, Saleem. (Novels--war, coming of age, sort of TCK ish in theme, definitely so in biographical terms)
Handal, Nathalie. (Poems, Plays, Travel narratives)
Harrar, Randa. (Novels, Essays)
Jeffries, Dinah. (Novels, re: Colonial Malaya, and inspired by her son's tragic death)
L'Esperance, Mari.  (Poetry!)
Mawer, Simon.  (Thrillers, including one that astute Jessica Sanfillipo noticed shares a title with TCK Heidi Durrow's novel by the same name The Girl Who Fell from the Sky!)
Sharif, Somaz.  Iranian-American, but perhaps because of frequent dislocations in the US before age 11, a TCK. (Poems)
Yanagihara, Hanya.  Frequent US moves as a child, almost a military brat-type pattern in terms of repeated dislocation, but because of her father's medical, career (Novels).

Memoir:
Arbuckle, Les. Saigon Kids: An American Military Brat Comes of Age in 1960s Vietnam.
Gardiner, Marilyn.  Essays (Between Worlds) and Memoir (Passages Through Pakistan).
Hervey, Emily.  Memoir (also practical guides for expatriation and academic work in Writing Out Of Limbo.)
Rice, Elizabeth.  Rituals of Separation: A South Korean Memoir of Identity and Belonging.
Young, Melody.  Fragments and Faith: An Adult Third Culture Kid Experience in Evangelicalism.


Interesting academic connections:


Dagnino, Arianna. Transcultural Writers and Novels in the Age of Global Mobility. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 2015.


Sanfillipo Schulz, Jessica.  "Marketing Transnational Childhoods: The Bio Blurbs of Third Culture Novelists."  Transnational Literature Volume 9, Issue 1, November 2016

By Me, Rauwerda, Antje. “Third Culture Time and Place: Michael Ondaatje’s The Cat’s Table.” Mosaic 49.3 (Sep. 2016): 39-53.

 and

 “Katniss, Military Bratness: Military Culture in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Trilogy.”  Children’s Literature 44 (2016): 172-191.

Trivia: Joe Strummer was a diplobrat!  And Jim Morrison was a military brat.

Contemporary Third Culture Fiction

(* denotes a text I’ve written about in The Writer and The Overseas Childhood)

2) By TCKs who write about TCK experience to some degree

Aitken, Neil.  Poetry.
*Alison, Jane.  (Novels)

Alameddine, Rabih (Novels)

Allende, Isabel. (Spanish language, but very available in translation)

Anam, Tahmina. A Golden Age.

Banerji, Sara. (Novels)
Baranay, Inez (Novels, Essays)

Bedford, Sybille.  (Novels and memoir)

Bell-Villada, Gene H.. (Academic Writing, but also TCK fiction and a memoir)
Berg, Elizabeth.  Durable Goods (but many other novels, some not about military brat/ TCK experience at all).

*Bird, Sarah. The Yokota Officer’s Club (other novels not explicitly TCK)

Blaise, Clark.  (Novels, Short stories)

Boyd, William. (Novels)

Boyers, Peg. (Poetry Honey With Tobacco is very TCK, Hard Bread less explicitly so)

Bromell, Henry.  (Novels, short stories, screenplays for Homeland and others)

Buck, Leila.  (Plays)

*Buck, Pearl S.. The Good Earth.
Burns, Helen.  (Military Brat) A Lovely Light.

Castro, Brian.  Birds of Passage and other novels (multiracial as well as TCK)

Chun, Trudy.  The Buddhapest (adolescent literature)

*Conroy, Pat. The Great Santini
Cowhig, Frances Ya-Chu.  Plays.

Desai, Kiran. (Novels, eg The Inheritance of Loss.  Anita Desai’s daughter)

Drew, Eileen. The Ivory Crocodile and Blue Taxi.

Duncan, Brian.  The Settler.

Durrell, Gerald (novels for adults and adolescents, in addition to a wealth of memoir)

Durrell, Lawrence.  (Novels)

Durrow, Heidi. The Girl Who Fell From the Sky.
Eggerz, Solveig. (Novels)
Evans, Maya.  Poetry.

Forna, Aminatta.  Three novels and a memoir

Girardi, Robert.  (Novels and stories, some more internationalized than others)
Glover, Merryn. A House Called Askival.

Gregson, Julia. (Military Brat, with substantial and diverse adult travel too, reflected in huge range of contexts in her novels)
*Greenway, Alice. White Ghost Girls. And The Bird Skinner

Handal, Nathalie. (Poems, Plays, Travel narratives)
Harrar, Randa. (Novels, Essays)
Hazzard, Shirley.  The Great Fire.

Iyer, Pico. (Novels, memoirs, essays)
Jeffries, Dinah. (Novels, re: Colonial Malaya, and inspired by her son's tragic death)
Johnson, Denis. (The Laughing Monsters and others)

Khan, Uzma Aslam.  The Geometry of God.
Kuegler, Sabine.  ( "German." Novels, some of which deal with growing up in Papua etc.)  
Kurtz, Jane.  Children's lit explicitly about TCK and transition issues.

L'Esperance, Mari.  (Poetry!)
Lee, Don.  (Though he is a TCK, his novels focus on Asian-American identity)

Lessing, Doris. (Many novels)
Lewis, Susan Kiernan. (MB upbringing; murder mysetries in international settings)

*Lewis, Richard. The Flame Tree (and other novels)
Lokko, Lesley Naa Norle.  (CCK issues, Scots-Ghanaian)

Manyika, Sarah Ladipo.  In Dependence (Novel), Short stories, Academic writing.

Matar, Hisham In the Country of Men
Markowits, Benjamin.  Novels

*Martel, Yann.  The Life of Pi (other novels less internationalized)

*Moser, Gene.  Skinny Dipping and Other Stories.
Moyer, Kermit.  Short Stories, MB focus

Meyers, Margaret.  Swimming in the Congo (MK)

*Nangle, Paula.  The Leper Compound. (Linked Short Stories)

Nothomb, Amelie. (French language, but fairly available in translation)

Obreht, Tea. The Tiger’s Wife.

Omotoso, Yewande.  Novels.

*O’Neill, Joseph.  Netherland.

Ondaatje, Michael. (Many novels, and many collections of poetry—most, but not all, international in scope)

Orr, Elaine Neil. A Different Sun.
Parfitt, Jo.  Sunshine Soup.

Parssinen, Keija.  The Ruins of Us.

*Palmer, Catherine. The Happy Room (and many romance novels not as internationalized)

Phoenix, Michele.  Novels and blog.  Active MK.
Porte, Joyce Baker. Stormbird of the Serengeti.
Rashkovich, Zvezdana. (Novels)

Revoyr, Nina. The Age of Dreaming.

Riley, Lucinda.  The Orchid House and lots of others.
Rinsai, Rosetti.  (Novels, various places) 
De Rosnay, Tatiana.  (Novels, 12 in French, 3 in English)

Rispin, Karen. African settings for romance novels.
Scott, Jack. Turkey Street (and others)
Scudamore, James. Heliopolis.
Scholes, Katherine.  The Rain Queen (and other novels).

Shafak, Elif. (Novels)

Shakespeare, Nicholas.  (Novels)

Slaughter, Carolyn.  (Novels and memoir)

Snell, Ron.  Rani Adventures Trilogy (for children)
Sonnenberg, Brittani.  Home Leave.

Tan, Hwee Hwee. Foreign Bodies.

Tearne, Roma.  Mosquito.
Tuck, Lily.  (Novels)
Windle, Jeanette. (Missionary Colombia reflected in works)

White, Robb.  Novels (missionary Phillipines)
Woodman, Betsy. Jana Bibi’s Excellent Fortunes.
Wyld, Evie.  All the Birds, Singing.

Wyss, Susi.  (Stories, Novels)

3) By TCKs who don’t write about TCK experience explicitly

Aridjis, Chloe. The Book of Clouds (and others)

Baldwin, Shauna Singh. (Novels).
Ballard, J. G.. (Sci fi)

Barker, Nicola (Several Novels/ collections of short stories)
Black, Tony. ("tartan noir" crime, according to wikipedia)

Carle, Eric.  Iconic children's books for very young readers.
Carroll, James. (Plays, Novels, Spy novels, Theological novels)

Catton, Eleanor The Luminaries and The Rehearsal

Clare, Cassandra.  (Several Fantasy Novels)

Collins, Suzanne (Several adolescent novels incl. The Hunger Games trilogy) 
Cortazar, Julio (Prominent Spanish language novels, all available in translation)

*Dekker, Ted.  (Many thrillers)

DeWitt, Helen. (Many novels—The Last Samurai is TCK in content)
Espey, John.  Novels.
Foreman, Amanda.  Many novels. 
Fox, Kate. Watching the English (non-fiction, social anthropology)
French, Tana. (Crime)

Girardi, Robert.  (Crime)
Graham, Frederick Cork. (Thrillers)

Ghosh, Amitav. (Novels, some set in India, Ecocrit)
Haddad, Saleem. (Novels--war, coming of age, sort of TCK ish in theme, definitely so in biographical terms)
Hamid, Moshin.  (Novels set in Pakistan—some international/global themes but not explicitly about dislocation?)
Hawkins, Paula.  The Girl on the Train (Thriller)
Hooman, Majid. (Non fiction works about Iran--diplomatic parents. Grandson of Ay. Khomeini)
Houellebecq, Michel.  Submission (and other novels)
Horrocks, Heather (Romantic Comedies and Mysteries)
Hosseini, Khaled. (Afghani novels eg The Kite Runner, childhood years in France)

Hyland. M.J. (Three novels: How the Light Gets In may be the most TCK in themes . . . though I suspect all three have TCK themes throughout--as do all the others in this section!)
Jaquiery, Anna.  Crime fiction.

*Kingsolver, Barbara. (The Poisonwood Bible is very TCK, other works less explicitly so)

Khoo, Rachel.  Cookbooks and Cooking TV.
Lanchester, John. (Novels)
L'Engle, Madeleine.  Fiction for children, primarily.

Lively, Penelope (So many novels!  Also children’s lit)
Lowry, Lois.  (Children's chapter books)

*MacDonald, Ann-Marie. (The Way the Crow Flies is very TCK, other novels and plays less explicitly so).
Maugham, Somerset W.. LOTS of expat novels, but his background is European TCK.
Mattich, Alen.  Zagreb Cowboy.

Markowits, Benjamin.  Novels.
Mawer, Simon.  (Thrillers, including one that astute Jessica Sanfillipo noticed shares a title with TCK Heidi Durrow's novel by the same name The Girl Who Fell from the Sky!)
McCallin, Luke.  Crime (Eastern Europe)

*McEwan, Ian. (Novels, typically not explicitly TCK)

McIntosh, Fiona.  (Fantasy novels)

McKinley, Robin (Adolescent Fantasy)

Messud, Claire.  Several novels (some evoke TCK and especially CCK--Algerian/French--themes)
Mina, Denise. Crime!

Peake, Meryn Laurence (Gormenghast novels—fantasy)

Pierre, DBC (Several Novels)
Poe, Edgar Allen. (English and Scottish boarding schools--who knew?)  

Powers, Richard. (Several Novels)

Pullman, Philip. (Many fantasy novels)
Purves, Libby. (Novels-- I want to read How Not to Be a Perfect Mother ;-) )

Rubinstein, Gillian (aka Lian Hearn.  Engl/ Nigeria.  Kids lit and recent adult fiction set in feudal Japan)
Rasheed, Leila. Kids lit (TCK and CCK--not sure how much of that comes up in her work) 
Say, Alan.  Some novels with TCK/ CCK themes, others more Japanese in focus.

Schaeffer, Frank. (Portofino is very TCK, but there are a wealth of other works on theology, Christanity, Evangelism and politics)

Sharif, Somaz.  Iranian-American, but perhaps because of frequent dislocations in the US before age 11, a TCK. (Poems)
Smith, Cordwainer.  (Penname for  Paul Linebarger. SciFi novels, and other genres under other pen names)

Stoppard, Tom (plays)
Taylor, Laini.  Lots of novels (some YA) 
Treloar, Lucy. Salt Creek (and others) 
Tolkein, J.R.R. (Many fantasy novels)

Ubukata, Tow.  (Fantasy, Manga)

Vandermeer, Jeff. (Sci fi/ Fantasy)

Weldon, Fay.  Novels.

Whedon, Joss (Buffy—JW did his last two years of highschool in England)

Wray, John. (Novels.  Wray is a Penname.  As John Henderson he writes for the New York Times Magazine)
Yanagihara, Hanya.  Frequent US moves as a child, almost a military brat-type pattern in terms of repeated dislocation, but because of her father's medical, career (Novels).
Yapa, Sunil (An adult traveller . . . and CCK, but  perhaps not TCK)

*Young, Wm Paul. The Shack.

4) Memoirs

Addleton, Jonathan. Some Far and Distant Place.
Alter, Stephen. All the Way to Heaven.
Arbuckle, Les. Saigon Kids: An American Military Brat Comes of Age in 1960s Vietnam.
Barcoft, Jane.  Pink Sand Poems (poetry)
Belcher, Wendy Laura.  (memoir and academic work on Ethiopia)

Burklin, Linda.  This Rich and Wondrous Earth.

Coleman,  Dan.  The Scent of Eucalyptus
Dalton Bradford, Melissa. Global Mom.
Dartnell, Ashley.  Farangi Girl: Growing up in Iran: A Daughter's Story.
Duncombe, Kristin Louise.  Trailing: A Memoir.
 Durrell, Gerald, Lawrence and Margaret.
Fuller, Alexandra.  Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight and others (TCK by virtue of England and Rhodesia/ Zim transitions???)
Gamble, Kathleen. Expat Alien.

Gardiner, Marilyn.  Essays (Between Worlds) and Memoir (Passages Through Pakistan).
Gardner, Rita M.. The Coconut Latitudes
Godwin, Peter (two memoirs in English)  
Graham, Frederick Cork. 
Hartley, Aidan.  The Zanzibar Chest.

Harvey, Vivian Palmer.  The Missionary Myth  
Hervey, Emily.  Memoir (also practical guides for expatriation and academic work in Writing Out Of Limbo.)
Hawkins, Paula.  The Journey to the Girl on The Train  
Henderson James, Nancy.  At Home Abroad.
Hudson, W.H. Far Away and Long Ago: A Childhood in Argentina.

Jentzsch, Michael Blutsbrueder (translation from German)
Kaplan, Alice.  French Lessons.

Kastner, Christin Kriha.  Soldiering On: Finding My Homes.
Lawlor, Mary.  Fighter Pilot's Daughter.
McKay, Lisa.  Love at the Speed of Email.
Murray, Taylor.  Hidden in My Heart: A TCKs Journey Through Cultural Transition.

Nafisi, Azar. Reading Lolita in Tehran.

Neudorf, Bob .  Journeying Mercies: Tuesday Was Gone. 
O'Shaughnessy, Chris.  Arrivals, Departures and the Adventures Inbetween.
Obama, Barack. Dreams of my Father

Oglesby, Sam. Wordswarm (edited collection of short memoirs by TCKs) and Encounters and others 
Osborne, Marilyn Stewart .  Child of the Outback and Footprints
Penhaligon, James.  Speak Swahili, Dammit.  
Phillips, Hudson. The Oyster Stuffed Locker (poems)
Rice, Elizabeth.  Rituals of Separation: A South Korean Memoir of Identity and Belonging.
Ritter, Michael ed.  The Brat Chronicles.
Samuelsson, Marcus.  Yes Chef (memoir) and cookbooks. 
Seaman, Paul Asbury.  Paper Airplanes in the Himalayas: The Unfinished Path Home.  
Sichel, Nina.  Essays and Stories.
Shigo,  Cynthia Cunningham (memoir and novel) 
Taber, Sarah.  Born Under An Assumed Name and other travel narratives 
Tait, Derek.  Sampans, Banyans and Rambutans: A Childhood in Singapore and Malaya.
Young, Melody.  Fragments and Faith: An Adult Third Culture Kid Experience in Evangelicalism.
Zweig, Stephanie.  Nowhere in Africa.

5) The Colonials (Many of these names also cross over into the Memoir section)

Blixen, Karen. Out of Africa
Cloete, Stuart.
Godden, Rumer. (and sister Jon)
Gordon, Katherine. The Emerald Peacock.
Greene, A.H.M. Kirk.
Huxley, Elspeth.
Kaye, M.M.. 
Keating, Barbara and Stephanie. (Lots of co-written novels)
Kendall, Felicity. White Cargo.
Kipling, Rudyard. 
Markham, Beryl.
Master, John.
McCall Smith, Alexander.
Pearce, Michael.
Orwell, George.
Smith, Wilbur.
Thesiger, Wilfred.


6) Misc but noteworthy:

Meneses, Lilliana "Homesick for Abroad: A Phenomenological Study of  Third Culture Identity, Language and Memory." (PhD thesis for GWU, 2006)

Canadian Artist and Military Brat Leslie Reid http://www.lesliereid.ca/paintings.html (interesting that her website's bio doesn't say anything about her childhood)

Dagnino, Arianna. Transcultural Writers and Novels in the Age of Global Mobility. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 2015.

Migration, Diversity, and Education: Beyond Third Culture Kids. Editors: Dervin, Fred, Benjamin, Saija (Eds.) (I can't wait to read this one! Work in here by Bell- Villada, Tanu and others)

Trivia: Joe Strummer was a diplobrat!  And Jim Morrison was a military brat. 

Rauwerda, Antje M. "Third Culture Time and Place: Michael Ondaatje’s The Cat’s Table.” Mosaic 49.3 (Sep. 2016): 39-53.

and  “Katniss, Military Bratness: Military Culture in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Trilogy.”  Children’s Literature 44 (2016): 172-191.

Sanfillipo Schulz, Jessica.  "Marketing Transnational Childhoods: The Bio Blurbs of Third Culture Novelists."  Transnational Literature Volume 9, Issue 1, November 2016