LeGuin is a long-time favorite of mine. I first got into her when I read her Earthsea books when I was about twelve, and I've reread them many times since then, along with lots of her other writing. I no longer read much science fiction, but hers is so well written and character-driven that I make an exception for her. Her non-sci-fi fiction is excellent as well, but there's much less of it.

I haven't read East, West. Would you recommend it? In fact, I haven't read nearly as much Rushdie as I'd like, but I figure that gives me lots to look forward to...

Junot Diaz is Dominican, and most of the stories in Drown seem to be semi-autobiographical. The stories revolve around one boy, capturing different stages in his life: his childhood in the Dominican Republic, his family's emigration to the US, and then adjusting to life in a New Jersey ghetto. He's one of those writers who is most impressive for his ability to say so much with so little--just an image or two, perfect word choice, and suddenly you've got a full picture in your head.