Saras Manickam’s debut book is a collection written over nearly two decades, and features her 2019 Commonwealth Short Story Prize-winning entry as the titular story. In the anthology, flawed but authentic characters span the decades in a Malaysian setting, as Saras explores both intimate, personal struggles as well as broader societal themes. We speak with Saras about her writing process, and how she lets her characters wend their own way through her stories. We close off with a review of the bo...
May 23, 2023•34 min
Many fantasy and science-fiction novels begin with maps of the lands in which they're set. And this does a few things: it gives the reader a sense of scope, it welcomes us into the landscape of the story, and frankly, they're often very beautiful to look at. But what about the work that goes into these maps? What's the process? We speak to illustrator (and avid mapmaker), Charis Loke, about these very things. And then in Footnotes, we discuss whether we, as readers, are sufficiently appreciative...
May 16, 2023•32 min
One of the biggest catalysts in any story, and yet also one of the most underrated characters, mothers have always had a strong presence in literature and non-fiction. In this episode ahead of Mother's Day, we discuss some of our favourite mothers in books, including classics, literary fiction, and memoirs. We also touch on why mothers can be complicated to write about, as well as the trope of the Bad, or Complicated Mom. And then in Footnotes, we explore how we feel about some of our favourite ...
May 09, 2023•31 min
Stories that span more than one book - whether a duology, a trilogy or a series - can either be exciting or daunting, depending on the kind of reader you are. We discuss our evolving relationships with this type of storytelling, and talk about whether we're completists or comfortable abandoning a book mid-series. Then, in Footnotes, we talk about sustainability in the book publishing industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
May 02, 2023•29 min
Franz Kafka's The Trial, written between 1914 and 1915, and published posthumously in 1925, tells the story of a man arrested for an unnamed crime and then forced to navigate an impossible legal and bureaucratic system to prove his innocence. Celebrated as an incisive allegory of how an oppressive, authoritarian regime might wear down its citizens, The Trial is often hailed as prescient and ahead of its time. We discuss the book, and how it can be both challenging and rewarding. See omnystudio.c...
Apr 18, 2023•36 min
Having started selling books on Facebook in 2016, Rachel Ang expanded Books n Bobs to a full-blown website and even a physical store. We talk to her about how it all came to be, and how to sell secondhand books online in a way that readers want and appreciate. And then, on Footnotes, we discuss the closure of a major bookseller, Book Depository, and how it marks the end of an era. Image Credit: Books N Bobs/Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Apr 11, 2023•32 min
Malaysian writer Nadia Mikail recently hit the headlines when she was announced the winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize as well as the older readers’ category, for her debut book, The Cats We Meet Along The Way - a tale of a Malaysian family that goes on a road trip as the wait for the world to end. We speak with Nadia about her inspirations for the book, and how she infuses warmth and sweetness into an inherently bleak premise. We close off the show by reviewing the book. See omnyst...
Apr 04, 2023•37 min
Korean author Bora Chung’s collection of short stories has been garnering praise for its critique of patriarchy and capitalism, while also blurring the lines between magical realism, horror, and science fiction. We review the book and talk about whether it effectively uses the short story form. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 28, 2023•32 min
Once you start looking, they're everywhere - website after website, publication after publication, it feels like everyone's got a definitive list of books that you simply have to read before you shuffle off this mortal coil. But what's the value of these lists anyway? Are they just book snobbery? We get into it on the show, and also mention some titles we're glad to have read while we had the opportunity to. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Mar 21, 2023•27 min
Brickfields We See You is a new zine that explores Brickfields through writing, illustrations and photos - and in this episode, we speak with one of its creators, Adriana Noordin Manan, about why she wanted to put this together, and what the whole process was like. And in a broader sense, we also wanted to explore the world of zines and the space they occupy, which is why we were also joined by Shari Elis Jaffri, who's no stranger to zines. Following that, in Footnotes, we ask them for some of t...
Mar 14, 2023•26 min
In line with the theme for 2023's International Women's Day - #EmbraceEquity - we look at book publishing, and what needs to happen to reach gender equity within the field on all levels. We speak with Flavia Alves Bravin, board member of PublisHer, a community of female publishing leaders who seek to address the inequalities in the field. We close off the conversation with recommendations of writings by women to check out. Image Credit: Facebook/PublisHerEvents See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...
Mar 07, 2023•29 min
Spare, the much-anticipated autobiography by Prince Harry (ghost-written by J.R. Moehringer), arrived with a flurry of press coverage, all breathlessly focused on snippets of the book, including a physical confrontation with his brother, and anecdotes about his nether regions. But the book itself is actually a more thoughtful read, with meditations on a privileged, but deeply public and restricted existence, glimpses of what it means to be born into royalty as a 'spare', and grief. We're joined ...
Feb 28, 2023•22 min
In his second collection of short stories set in Malaysia, Marc de Faoite tells intimate, empathetic stories about people and communities who often go unheard. We speak to him about how his 15 years living in Malaysia inspired so much of his writing, and why he was drawn to telling stories that while empathetic, can also be difficult to take in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 21, 2023•37 min
Historical figures have always offered many storytelling avenues, allowing writers to explore not only major events, settings and societies in the past, but also to explore human emotions and fallacies - ultimately, bringing us closer to people from history, who can otherwise feel remote or unrelatable. In this episode, we discuss some of our favourite books about people from history, and also some of the problems of fictionalising troubled, or dark figures like serial killers. See omnystudio.co...
Feb 14, 2023•30 min
Inspired by Daryl Kho's personal experience with his father's dementia, Mist-Bound: How to Glue Back Grandpa is a middle-grade fantasy about a little girl, Alexis, who sets off on a magical quest into a secret land to save her grandfather's shattered memories. We speak to Daryl about the fantasy world he's created, and how he channeled his family's experiences into his writing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 07, 2023•36 min
The winner of the 2022 Booker Prize, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka, tells the story of the titular character, a 'war photographer, gambler, and closet queen'. Or more specifically, the story of Maali Almeida after his sudden death in Colombo in 1990, when he has seven moons to both investigate what happened to him, while also making some big decisions about his fate in the afterlife. Equal parts a murder mystery, a dark comedy, a metaphysical philosophical treatise, a h...
Jan 31, 2023•30 min
This week, we dive into Malaysian literature in Chinese, or Mahua literature, by talking about how it originated, the way it's evolved, and its complex place within both Malaysian and global literatures. We close off the conversation with a series of recommendations from our guest, Dr Florence Kuek of the Chinese Studies Department at Universiti Malaya. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 17, 2023•34 min
To kick off the New Year, we revisit our favourite reads of 2022, which ran the gamut from dystopia, fantasy, and mythology to historical fiction and social commentary. To close off, in Footnotes, we make reading resolutions for the upcoming year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 03, 2023•28 min
Preeta Samarasan's second novel is set in Malaysia post May 13, 1969, where a group of people settle down in a secluded mansion in Cameron Highlands, eschewing labels of race and religion, and hoping to remain apart from the country's changing political climate with its increasing religious polarisation. Things take a turn, however, when they are joined by Salmah, a Malay Muslim woman. We speak with Preeta about the complexities of depicting these fraught realities, and how she captured a partic...
Dec 13, 2022•37 min
Increasingly, newsletters have become a way for writers to publish their thoughts and writings, and send it directly into readers' inboxes. We speak to Darshini Kandasamy, CEO of Between the Lines, which describes itself as 'a daily email that summarises the main Malaysian news you need to know, with context, bite and wit.' We discuss the pleasures and challenges that come with running a newsletter, and finding a readership. And then on Footnotes, we talk about the newsletters we're subscribed t...
Dec 06, 2022•30 min
Alternatively titled 'The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death', Slaughterhouse Five has often been called Kurt Vonnegut's masterpiece. In this book club episode, we discuss what some have called the definitive anti-war novel, in honour of what would have been Vonnegut's 100th birthday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 29, 2022•26 min
Widely considered one of the most celebrated writers of our generation, Margaret Atwood’s body of work spans a dizzying variety of genres and themes, from speculative fiction, poetry, environmentalism, feminism, and identity. She has amassed numerous awards, including two Booker Prizes and the Arthur C. Clarke Award. Over the years, her writing, and The Handmaid’s Tale in particular, has also come to symbolise progressive politics in a very particular way. We discuss Atwood’s life and writing, a...
Nov 22, 2022•29 min
With the theme, 'Taming The Wild', aiming to explore the 'complex relationship between Wilderness and Human Nature', the George Town Literary Festival 2022 is back in person for the first time since the pandemic began. We speak with the festival curator, Pauline Fan, about what's in store at GTLF and what she's looking forward to. Image source: George Town Literary Festival website See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Nov 08, 2022•23 min
Located in the heart of Chinatown, Riwayat is the latest independent bookstore to open its doors in Kuala Lumpur. We catch up with one of its founders, Engku Roestam Alias, on what we can expect from the store, and what they hope to contribute to the Malaysian culture scene. We close off the conversation with a discussion on the different experiences offered by independent bookshops versus big chains. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Nov 01, 2022•28 min
Written by Stephen King during the pandemic, Fairy Tale tells the story of 17-year-old Charlie Reade, who befriends a lonely, elderly man, Mr. Bowditch, and his lovely, elderly dog, Radar - and the lengths Charlie will go to help them, and the other world that he's introduced to on his quest. In this book club, two Constant Readers join Charlie and Radar on their adventure and discuss whether we enjoyed it. And then on Footnotes, we unpack a recent interview with Alan Moore in which he looks at ...
Oct 25, 2022•31 min
Oscar Wilde is as known for his sparkling wit and love for aestheticism, as he is for his tragic persecution and eventual demise. For this month's Bibliography, we pay tribute to the acclaimed author and playwright - known for, among others, The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest - by celebrating his works and discussing his complicated legacy. We wrap up by discussing both adaptations of his works, and adaptations we'd like to see. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...
Oct 18, 2022•39 min
Ahead of the Booker Prize for this year being announced on October 17, we're looking back at some of the titles that have both won and been shortlisted for the prize over the years, and recommend our favourites. We also talk more broadly about the relevance of the prize itself, and its place in the literary (and colonial) landscape. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 04, 2022•29 min
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters revolves around the evolving relationships between Reese, Ames, and Katrina. Reese and Ames were in a loving relationship until Ames detransitioned. When Katrina tells Ames she's pregnant with his baby, all three of them are forced to re-examine their ideas of family and womanhood. We discuss the pleasures of reading the book, and how it blends the personal and the political seamlessly. We close off the conversation by sharing how we decide what to read next. ...
Sep 27, 2022•34 min
Best known for his incredibly well-loved children's books - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, just to name a few - Roald Dahl also lived a rich, interesting life. He was a fighter pilot, intelligence agent/spy, and screenwriter, and he also wrote some very dark, unexpected adult short stories. In this episode of Bibliography, we try to go through as much of his life and writing as we can, before talking about the many film adaptations of his work in Footnotes...
Sep 20, 2022•43 min
In anticipation of Malaysia Day, we discuss how English fiction in Malaysia has evolved, and what our literature says about the country, culture, and our aspirations. We close off the conversation with recommendations of local fiction to check out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 13, 2022•34 min
