Chang-Rae Lee expertly describes alienation. In his first two books, he does so by presenting what it feels like to be an immigrant in a country not one's own. In Aloft, he does so by telling about how middle age changes one's perspective. I'd recommend reading his books in the order in which they were written, although I personally prefer his first two.

I too would recommend starting with Native Speaker. Aloft is also absorbing and memorable, and probably a more writerly, sophisticated book, but Native Speaker has a winning quality that makes you want to read more of Lee.