My guest today is Tash Aw, the acclaimed author of The South, a moving coming-of-age novel set during the 1997 Southeast Asian financial crisis. The story follows 16-year-old Jay as he spends a summer on his family’s orchard in southern Malaysia, navigating family tension, economic uncertainty, and a tender relationship with another boy. It’s a quiet, potent emotional journey, as both wrestle with identity, desire, and belonging. In addition to The South, Tash is the author of several award-winning novels, including The Harmony Silk Factory and Five Star Billionaire, the latter of which was longlisted for the 2013 Booker Prize.

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Tash Aw’s four books were:

• Giovanni’s Room, James Baldwin (1956)

• The Buru Quartet, Pramoedya Ananta Toer (1980-1988)

• The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst (2004)

• Uncle Vanya, Anton Chekhov (1897)