Translated from the Russian, Notes and Commentary by Roger Pulvers. "If you want to know how Russians feel about their country, read the poetry of Sergei Esenin. "The 'old plank bridge' spans not only eras but centuries; not only one Russia with another, but Russia with the rest of the world." So writes acclaimed author and translator Roger Pulvers about…
by Li Tong Winner of the 1986 Hong Chien-Chuan Children's Literature Award and the 1989 Yang Huan Literature Award Through misunderstanding, sympathy, reconciliation and love, seven schoolchildren forged an abiding friendship in their hometown Penghu, a cluster of islands in the Taiwan Strait. Brought together by their Arts and Crafts teacher, the children learned to cherish their friendship and…
by Marcia Thompson Akbar’s India tells the story of Akbar (emperor of India 1556 -1605) through eight paintings. The paintings were selected from many produced in his workshops to tell the story of his remarkable reign. The book was written and the different exercises were devised to encourage children to give the pictures more than a cursory glance - to help…
by Crystal Z. Lee “This heartfelt, transporting story sparkles with a constellation of characters who call this city home while pursuing their China dream. As multifaceted as Shanghai itself, this novel follows overlapping narratives about the complexities of adulting, of parenting, of the urban quest for love and finding one’s place in the world.” —Emily Ting, film director of Go…
by A.K. Kulshreshth In World War II Singapore (1942-1945), many people went through unimaginable suffering. Siew Chin was forced to become a “comfort woman” in a Japanese military brothel. Her husband Tiong was taken away to be massacred. Ah Ding collaborated with the Japanese occupiers. And yet, as is always the case with the moral complexities of war, Ah Ding…
Author: Shih Chiung-Yu "Masked Dolls is one of those rare books which after reading reveals itself to be greater than the sum of its parts. Brutal, intense, fascinating." - The Writes of Woman "Set in turn-of-the-century Seoul and Taipei, Shih Chiung-yu’s novel depicts what it means to be a woman reconciling the scars of a tortured past with living in…
by Roger Pulvers Eric is a black American soldier stationed in Japan at the height of the Vietnam War. Karen is a white American student who falls in love with him. Eric is about to be sent to the front line in Vietnam. But he refuses to kill … and the two go into hiding in Tokyo, pursued by both…
Witness poems and Essays from Burma/Myanmar (1988-2021) edited by Ko Ko Thett and Brian Haman Fallen innocents on blood-stained streets. The defiant banging of pots and pans echoing in the darkness. The birth of a springtime revolution amidst the interrupted lives of a country and its people. On the morning of 1 February 2021, a coup d’état was initiated by…
edited by Sim Wai Chew and Yow Cheun Hoe Singapore Comparative Literature Compendium presents an array of essential readings from the local canon. A compelling argument for the comparative study of Singapore’s multilingual literature, the compendium aims to encourage inter-ethnic, inter-lingual, and inter-cultural transfer through the study of cultural expression across language and cultural divides within Singapore’s literary scene. Apart…
Story by Li Xiaohong, Illustrations by Lam Ho Hei, Translated by Daniel Lam I’ve never talked to anyone, even my dad, my mum and my brother have never heard my voice… I am a little different. Mountains are windy. Birds are chirping. People are speaking. Everything makes a sound, except for me. My mouth is wide open but no sound…
by Yeng Pway Ngon When the fervour of revolution is gone, what remains? Four leftist teenagers in 1950s Malaya dedicate themselves to overthrowing colonialism and bringing about a better world. With time, their paths diverge — into capitalism, into adultery, into the dark heart of the Cultural Revolution. Disillusioned and middle-aged, they look back at their lives from the…
Original text by Qin Wenjun, Illustrations by Yu Rong, Translated by Helen Wang In my dream I am dressed as a warrior. I have long eyelashes. My hair ribbons flutter in the breeze. When I draw my dream, I see her… I see Hua Mulan. I see Hua Mulan, where the lands are gold and the skies are blue. This…
