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 book.

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 book.

We’re on, when you’re off. Lee Chwi Lynn, Kelvin Yee and Tasha Fusil restore sanity to your day even as you’re stuck in traffic trying to get home. And who isn’t? Tune in as they take on hot-potato issues to inform and entertain you, soundtracked by the thumping music that only BFM plays. EE runs the gamut, bringing you noteworthy pop culture, punchy interviews, and rocking call-in sessions.

By The Book

A show that celebrates books, and the act of reading. We delve into topical discussions that rotate between an array of themes and occasions, author interviews, and book club panel discussions.

By the Book: Saras Manickam on My Mother Pattu

In his debut novel, speculative fiction writer Wole Talabi draws on Yoruba mythology to tell an adventure story that spans space and time. At the heart of the tale is Shigidi, a disgruntled nightmare god who partners up with Nneoma, a succubus with a mysterious past. Together, they find themselves tangled up in a heist at the British Museum, battling magical and mythical forces. We speak to Wole about his love for this genre, how the character of Shigidi came about, and why he enjoys drawing on his Nigerian roots for his stories. To close off, we review the book.

Image Credit: Goodreads

In his debut novel, speculative fiction writer Wole Talabi draws on Yoruba mythology to tell an adventure story that spans space and time. At the heart of the tale is Shigidi, a disgruntled nightmare god who partners up with Nneoma, a succubus with a mysterious past. Together, they find themselves tangled up in a heist at the British Museum, battling magical and mythical forces. We speak to Wole about his love for this genre, how the character of Shigidi came about, and why he enjoys drawing on his Nigerian roots for his stories. To close off, we review the book. Image Credit: Goodreads

By the Book: Shigidi And The Brass Head Of Obalufon, with Wole Talabi

15 years on from its first successful run, Kam Raslan's Confessions of an Old Boy: The Dato Hamid Adventures has been reissued, with a brand new look, and a previously unpublished story. We speak to Kam about the appeal and delight of writing about Dato Hamid and in his unique voice and what it was like to revisit the book after more than a decade. And then in Footnotes, we ask him for some recommendations!

Image Credit: Goodreads

15 years on from its first successful run, Kam Raslan's Confessions of an Old Boy: The Dato Hamid Adventures has been reissued, with a brand new look, and a previously unpublished story. We speak to Kam about the appeal and delight of writing about Dato Hamid and in his unique voice and what it was like to revisit the book after more than a decade. And then in Footnotes, we ask him for some recommendations! Image Credit: Goodreads

By the Book: Confessions of an Old Boy: The Dato Hamid Adventures

Bringing together her love for writing with her love for travel and discovering new cultures, Dipika Mukherjee's Writer's Postcards is a collection of essays spanning decades that capture her observations of the world. Part travelogue and part memoir, the book brings the personal, the political, and the global together, while also making a case for travel writing through a specifically female and Asian lens. We speak with Dipika about the process of writing the book, what drew her to travel writing, and why she's a firm believer in claiming space for unheard voices and stories.

Image Credit: Penguin.SG

Bringing together her love for writing with her love for travel and discovering new cultures, Dipika Mukherjee's&nbsp;Writer's Postcards is a collection of essays spanning decades that capture her observations of the world. Part travelogue and part memoir, the book brings the personal, the political, and the global together, while also making a case for travel writing through a specifically female and Asian lens. We speak with Dipika about the process of writing the book, what drew her to travel writing, and why she's a firm believer in claiming space for unheard voices and stories. Image Credit: Penguin.SG

By the Book: Saras Manickam on My Mother Pattu

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