unleash your imagination and awaken to the joys of literature and the reading life
a media sponsor of the 2010 citibank-ubud writers & readers festival 6-10 october 2010
Tan Twan Eng’s much-anticipated début novel, The Gift of Rain (Myrmidon, 2007) is a literary feast of a novel set in the tropical climes of Penang island during the Japanese Occupation of Malaya, told with much lyricism, meditativeness and assuredness of touch. Tan has written a well-realised piece of fiction that all Malaysians will be proud of.
posted by Eric Forbes at 6:14 PM
I am a senior book and magazine editor who lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I love books and the freedom to read whatever makes me happy: both fiction and nonfiction. I have always been obsessed with the relationship between literature and life and its role in society. As an editor, I have edited many books, but never get tired of the grand adventure of reading. We must never underestimate the redeeming power of fiction in our lives. The idea that there is something out there that is far, far bigger than our lives sustains some of our lives. I am the co-editor of URBAN ODYSSEYS: KL STORIES.
9 Comments:
Does that mean you liked it...a bit? :-)
I quite enjoyed it. I like the mood it conjures. The story is quite gripping.
That's good! :-)
Heh...Sympozium had a point. For a moment there I thought you were "damning him with faint praise".
But yep, I've also heard many good things about this book. Am gonna pop it onto my shopping list for when I next go out. Tan Twan Eng himself may swing by here for a visit, I hear.
Thanks for the plug, Eric.
Eric, thanks for pointing out the book to me at MPH. This will be next on my list. as you know I bought a lot of books from MPH that I have to go through. Aaaarghhh! and thank you for tea and spending time with me that day.
Very engaging and elegantly written (and I've only read several chapters). Recommending it to my partner who wants to "read something about Malaya/Malaysia".
Congrats, Mr Tan!
Thanks for all the kind comments. Glad you all enjoyed the book.
Best regards,
Tan Twan Eng
I have some pages left to read on this book, and I almost don't want to read them, as I will have to leave it then. This is a stunning book, it's visual, full of smells-you can taste the food and feel the pain. The intensity of the outrage I felt at some points makes it so real.I think I'm in a little place where I've met these people. Fab book, ticks all nine sides of the cube for me.
I'm reading the book for the second time and finding so much that I didn't pick up on the first time. It is worth reading more than once. One of the best books I have read in along time. Hope the next one is as good. After living living in Singapore I could identify with the book so well.I visited Malaya and felt so at home with the book.
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