By The Book

A book about books and people who love books - on our book club! This week, we’re joined by fellow reader and book lover Satthiya Kandi to discuss Gabrielle Zevin’s The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (2015) - a warm and engaging read that tells the story of a widowed bookseller who finds his life taking an unexpected turn when a mysterious baby is left at his shop. We discuss the novel and its pleasures, and then close the conversation off by talking about books that defy easy categorisation.

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Dorothy Parker once wrote: “If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second-greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of 'The Elements of Style. The first-greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they're happy.” In this episode of Bibliography, we talk about the book that's shaped generations of authors, and then dive into the works of E.B. White, whose career spanned articles for the New Yorker, as well as beloved childhood classics like Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web. And then in Footnotes, as always, we discuss adaptations of these works.

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Often hailed as one of science fiction’s seminal books, Foundation is the first of Isaac Asimov’s series set in a distant future of interplanetary travel and galactic empires. In this novel, we’re introduced to mathematician Hari Seldon, and the concept of psychohistory, a field of mathematics that allows for the prediction of future events. We discuss the book, the particular kind of sci fi it pioneered, and whether it still has something new to offer. We close off the conversation with other recommendations of books set in space!

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The King of Horror, one of the best selling and most adapted authors of all time, Stephen King is also a firm favourite in this book-loving corner of radio. Yet despite all this, he's always been something of an outlier in the literary world, with many critics not crediting his writing and influence. In this episode, we talk about why that is, along with the life and times of Stephen King, and the books we recommend. As always, in Footnotes, we pivot to discussing on-screen adaptations.

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In the second of two episodes, we're using books and the written word to celebrate what it means to be Malaysian. We speak with four Malaysians and ask: What is a Malaysian book you would recommend, and why? What was your experience reading this book? And what does this book represent in terms of the idea of "Malaysian literature"? From poetry and new age fiction to imaginary creatures and folk tales, there’s something here for everyone!

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In the first of two episodes, we're celebrating and exploring our country and our national identity, through the lens of books and literature. We speak to five Malaysians and ask them: What is a Malaysian book you would recommend, and why? What was your experience reading this book? And what does this book represent in terms of the idea of "Malaysian literature"? Their picks span poetry, graphic novels and more!

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With a story set in Pahang that traces a family’s story from 1920 to the present, Catherine Menon’s debut novel uses the relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter to examine the impacts of colonisation, war, and generational trauma. We speak with the author about returning to her family’s roots to write the book, and why she was so drawn to tell the stories of those who slip through the cracks of history. We close the show off with our thoughts on the book and the experience of reading it.

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With a story set in Pahang that traces a family’s story from 1920 to the present, Catherine Menon’s debut novel uses the relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter to examine the impacts of colonisation, war, and generational trauma. We speak with the author about returning to her family’s roots to write the book, and why she was so drawn to tell the stories of those who slip through the cracks of history. We close the show off with our thoughts on the book and the experience of reading it.

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A delightful autobiography from famed naturalist Gerald Durrell, My Family and Other Animals is many things: whimsical comedy, lovely family story, and loving ode to the flora and fauna of Corfu, which is where Durrell's family find themselves in the 1930s. We're joined by Wong Siew Lyn, Macaranga editor, to talk about the experience of reading this book, and the beauty of the writing. And then in Footnotes, we discuss the importance of reading books and writers in the context of their time.

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What would happen if your estranged grandmother with a vendetta was determined that you help her see it through? Oh, and she's a ghost living in your head. That's the opening premise of Zen Cho's latest novel, Black Water Sister, but as the novel unfolds, it also encompasses Malaysian mythos and religious practices, superstitions, family ties and feminine rage and agency. We speak to Zen about bringing all these strands together. And then in Footnotes, we talk about the book and whether we enjoyed reading it!

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