From selling books online, to offering book rentals and trade-ins, Bookurve offers a number of different services, and they're all driven by the notion of giving modern readers what they want. In this episode, we speak to Ryan Teoh, the founder of Bookurve, about their business and how it's changed over the years. And then in Footnotes, we discuss what we look for when buying online. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For this month's Book Club, we review 2022 Epigram Books Fiction Prize winner The Accidental Malay, by Karina Robles Bahrin - a novel centred upon Jasmine Leong, the heir apparent of a billion-ringgit bak kwa company, until she discovers that she is a Malay Muslim. We discuss how the book uses a deceptively light touch to explore much heavier themes around religion and freedom of choice in Malaysia, and whether it manages to do so successfully. We close things off with a discussion - and a prime...
The winner of the 2nd Fixi Novo Malaysian Novel Contest, Not A Monster is a crime thriller, focusing on a mysterious serial killer, Shadowman, and the investigators intent on hunting him down. But alongside this, it also asks questions about the nature of good and evil, and what it means to be, well, not a monster. We speak with author Chua Kok Yee about where this story came from, the process of writing it, and handling content with darker themes. And then in Footnotes, we review the book. See ...
Book clubs can be a great way to be introduced to new books, and to get comfortable with discussing them - and when they're for children, they have the added benefit of encouraging a love for reading. We speak with Li Hsian Choo, a parent and founder of a book club for children, about the joys of reading together as a group. We then close off the conversation with recommendations of children's book titles. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
The power of a well-designed book cover shouldn't be underestimated - just think about all the iconic covers that have become inextricably linked with the stories they contain: The Godfather, Catcher in the Rye, Jaws, Twilight. We discuss what makes some book covers so memorable, and share our favourites. And then in Footnotes, we close off with the uproar caused on social media by Joyce Carol Oates when she claimed white male writers aren't getting enough publishing opportunities. See omnystudi...
While she was best known for Frankenstein, Mary Shelley lived a deeply fascinating life - she was raised with a radical, intellectual education, engaged in feminist activism throughout her life, and pushed through tragedy, with the loss of her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley at a young age (and three of their children). And she was also a prolific writer and editor to boot. We dive into her life and work in this episode of Bibliography, and then in Footnotes, discuss adaptations and biopics. Image ...
With What Do Men Want: Masculinity and its Discontents, author Nina Power seeks to explore and understand how the role of men has evolved and changed in our current times, with the larger aim of reaching a mutual understanding between the genders. We review the book, discuss where it succeeds and stumbles, and talk about whether it actually answers the big questions it puts forth. Then in Footnotes, we discuss the newly launched TikTok Book Club, which builds on the popularity of #BookTok. Image...
A number of great books are marking some major anniversaries and centennaries, including The Diary of Anne Frank, Invisible Cities, and Ulysses. We look back at these books and their impact - and then on Footnotes, we dive into a study that found that there are 4 times more male characters in books than female, and how that impacts us as readers. Image Source: Goodreads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Do you consider yourself a reader, and yet sometimes find yourself struggling to actually read a book? You're not alone. In this week's show, we share our own challenges with occasionally falling out of love with the act of reading, and the kinds of books that have helped us rediscover that joy. We close off our conversation with lessons public libraries could learn from coffee shops. Image Source: Gülfer ERGİN, Unsplash See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Generations of people have loved the adventures (both fantastical and otherwise) of Calvin, the rambunctious, curious six year old, and Hobbes, his wise, sardonic best friend, who just happens to be a tiger who is either alive or a stuffed toy depending who's in the panel with him. In this episode, we talk about the work of their creator Bill Watterson, why Calvin and Hobbes have resonated with so many for so long, and how Watterson impacted the way newspaper comics were thought of. And of cours...
Hanna Alkaf's latest young adult novel takes place in the high-pressure world of Scrabble tournaments, where teenager Najwa Bakri is trying to win the title of Queen of the Tiles while also coming to terms with the mysterious death of her best friend a year ago. As Najwa struggles to cope with her grief while also focusing on the competition, her dead friend's Instagram account starts posting cryptic messages. We discuss the thrills of a murder mystery unfolding amidst much word-nerdery, and whe...
Organised by MIDP and MY Poetry School, the inaugural Kuala Lumpur Youth Literary Arts Festival will be running from 24th to 26th June 2022, with the aim of promoting literary arts education, highlighting young, emerging writers, and building youth writing communities. We speak to organisers Emellia Shariff and Elaine Foster as well as Teoh Nuan Ning, a young poet who is also one of the mentors during the festival, to find out more about the festival, what attendees can expect, and why it's impo...
All bookstores are not created equal, and the secondhand bookstore holds a special place in the hearts of most bibliophiles - not only do they offer books at an affordable price, but they also provide a place to browse and discover unexpected titles free from the confines of the bestseller list. We speak with the owner of Chaplang Store, a local secondhand bookstore that had its start in the online space, and despite now having a physical store, continues to use social media to draw its customer...
A hugely influential poet both during his time and after - William Butler Yeats also lived a very interesting life, as a proud Irish nationalist, occultist, and later in life, even senator. In this Bibliography episode, we discuss his life and career, and of course his writing and its significance. And then in Footnotes, we talk about the ways in which his work has influenced other writers, films and even music. Image Source: Biography.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Project Future Malaysia is an online project where 10 Malaysian creatives reimagine an equitable, fair and sustainable Malaysia through fiction and art. We speak to its founder, Kevin Bathman, and one of the featured writers, Jaymee Goh, about imagining an optimistic future for the nation, and the potential of speculative fiction and futurism in creating a space to do so. We close off the conversation with some futuristic reading recommendations. Image Source: 'Intangible' by Max Loh | Project F...
A semi-autobiographical novel that shares a title with a Fyodor Dostoevsky novel, The Idiot is a bildungsroman that tells the story of Selin, a Turkish American college freshman, attending Harvard University in the 1990s and falling desperately and confusingly in love with a Hungarian mathematics student, Ivan. An intriguing, funny and unusual look at love, language, and one person's quest for meaning, there's a lot to unpack - which we do, in this book club episode with Alia Zefri, who recommen...
Best known for the various works that make up Peter Pan, JM Barrie's life was deeply interesting, and marked by tragedy as well as the relationships that informed much of his work. In this episode of Bibliography, we talk about his life, his success in writing, and the way the themes of Peter Pan were inspired by real experiences and people. Then in Footnotes, we talk about the adaptations of his work as well as biopics. Image Source: English Book Education See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...
Transpacific - An Asian Canadian Literary Journey is an exhibition including essays and posters, organised by the High Commission of Canada in Malaysia, aiming to highlight Asian Canadian literature and writers. We speak to its curator, Vincent Ternida about putting it together, what it feels like to represent the Asian Canadian writing community, and how his cultural identity has shaped his own writing. And then in Footnotes, we discuss the various ways of being introduced to writers and books,...
To Kill A Mockingbird is a hugely influential classic, and considered one of the great American novels of the 20th century, but its author, Harper Lee famously did not enjoy her fame, or the attention the book brought her, and didn't put anything else out until the controversial publication of Go Set A Watchman. We discuss Harper Lee's life, how it made its way into her books, and her legacy. And then as always in Footnotes, we discuss the adaptation of her work. See omnystudio.com/listener for ...
Childhood literacy isn't always a straightforward thing, and the effects of falling behind in reading can be far-reaching. In this episode, we talk to Rachael Francis about MYReaders, an organisation that aims to provide sustainable reading programmes and develop effective, relevant resources to help children learn to read. We also talk about Rachael's own path to becoming a reader, and the role that parents need to play. And then in Footnotes, we talk about how we learned to love reading. Image...
Inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess Chang’e, Sue Lynn Tan’s young adult novel follows the titular young woman’s quest to free her mother, which pits her against some of the most powerful immortals in the realm. Along the way, she trains to become a warrior, battles terrifying creatures, and finds both friendship and love. We review the book and discuss its refreshing take on the classic YA coming-of-age tale. We close off with some long read recommendations for Footnotes See omnys...
Douglas Adams would have turned 70 on March 11 2022, which is why we're dedicating our bibliography episode in March to his life and works. Best known for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Adams was a novelist and essayist, but also wrote for radio, and both the big and small screen. We discuss the impact his work has had on us, and on humourists and science fiction authors that followed. And then in Footnotes, we discuss the many, many adaptations there have been of his works. See omnystudi...
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid tells the grand saga of fictional Old Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo, who at the age of 79, mysteriously decides to give a tell-all interview to up-and-coming journalist Monique Grant. The book switches between past and present, and explores what it means for those who live on the fringes to take control of their own stories - all with a great sprinkle of Hollywood glamour. We review the book, and talk about how its breezy style hides a much m...
The winner of this year's 2022 Epigram Books Fiction Prize, Karina Robles Bahrin joins us to talk about her debut novel, The Accidental Malay. Telling the story of Jasmine Leong, the workaholic scion of a billion ringgit bak kwa company, Phoenix, whose life changes when she discovers she is actually a Malay, the novel navigates tricky issues such as race, religion and identity in Malaysia - but aims to be accessible and easy to read. We talk about the inspiration and writing process for this boo...
With International Women’s Day falling on March 8, we pay tribute to women who write, by discussing the choice to consciously read more female authors - and the many things a reader gains by doing so. We further recommend books by some of our favourite women writers. Then in Footnotes, we talk about how the largest literary collection ever found in the UK - including manuscripts by the Brontës, Jane Austen and Walter Scott - was saved from private auction and made available to the public. Image ...
From classic tragedies to melancholy stories, there's just something about a book that can move you to tears, or evoke Big Feelings. In this episode, we discuss the craft behind writing a book that tugs at the emotions, and the pleasures of being a reader of these books, even when the experience can be difficult. And then in Footnotes, what makes the film adaptations of these books work, and when do they fall flat? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Victor LaValle's The Ballad of Black Tom revisits H.P. Lovecraft's short story The Horror at Red Hook, but from the point of view of a young black man living in 1920s New York. Far from being a straightforward tribute, the novella is instead an interrogation of Lovecraft's complicated legacy, taking on the racism present in the horror writer's work and flipping it in clever, complex, and sobering ways. We review the book and discuss how it manages to pack so much within its compact space. Then i...
Yalpanam is a difficult book to describe - but at its heart, it's an imagery-rich exploration of hidden histories, memory and hauntings, as seen through the enigmatic central figure, a 185 year old woman, Pushpanayagi, living in a colonial-era home and a connection she forms with her 18-year-old neighbour, Maxim. We discuss the process of writing this book, and its language with author Shivani Sivagurunathan. And then in Footnotes, as always, we review the book and discuss how much we enjoyed it...
Few writers have become emblematic of both children’s literature and controversy the way Judy Blume has - so much so, she’s been called one of the most frequently challenged authors of the 21st century. Not surprising perhaps, when you consider that her novels take on subjects that aren’t often addressed in books for young people, such as puberty, sexuality, religion, and divorce. But it is also for these very reasons that Blume is so celebrated, and so formative to many a young reader; not to m...
The Elephant Trophy and Other Stories is a collection of 18 short stories, taking a slice-of-life approach to depicting the nuances and experiences of the Indian community and diaspora in Malaysia. We speak to Paul GnanaSelvam about the stories, what inspires him as a writer, and why he enjoys writing shorter yarns. Then, in Footnotes, we review the book. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
