The Asian Bookshelf
Home to words and voices from Asia today The Asian Bookshelf is a podcast delving into the world of Southeast Asian literature. It focusses on narratives, characters, and themes. It is co-hosted by acclaimed Asian-based writers T.A.Morton and Jon Gresham, and educator and presenter Devika Misra. It explores Southeast Asian fiction and nonfiction books: what works for readers and why; movie and streaming potential, emerging trends, and spotlights key industry figures. This show is for the discerning reader keen to take a deeper dive into the region’s exciting stories and emerging voices.
Episodes
Writer, Jon Gresham, talks to Dr Rosslyn Prosser and Dr Mandakini Arora about teaching and studying creative writing at LaSalle College of Arts, the differences between teaching CW in Singapore and Australia, successful international South East Asian writers, submitting overseas, the process of decolonizing the anglo-centricity and colonial overhang of creative writing education, and the challenge of finding and exploring creativi...
The Asian Bookshelf discusses Dirty Old Media Men by Millie Lee (pseudonym)
In this episode, presenter Devika Misra is joined by writer T.A. Morton to delve into Millie Lee's debut novel, Dirty Old Media Men. Together, they explore the memorable characters and key themes of the book, including sexual harassment in the workplace and the role of satire in addressing such critical issues. They also discuss whether the provocative title...
Presenter Devika Misra, talks to Felicia Low and Adan Jimenez, writers of the award winning Sherlock Sam series (Epigram Books) about writing Sherlock Sam together, local books with strong characters, the differences between Middle Grade and Young Adult books, a new series coming from Felicia and Adan, Felicia’s work with Difference Engine, graphic novels and comics, and what’s next for Singapore’s greatest kid detective, Sherlock ...
Presenter Devika Misra, and writer, Jon Gresham, talk to Sunaina Suri, Editor of Our Own Voices, A Collection of Singaporean Mental Health Journeys (Marshall Cavendish 2024) about the treatment of mental health in Singapore, the stigma around mental health, the need for community support, the importance of talking about mental health issues, how to write about mental health and the importance of each of us not being and not feelin...
Presenter Devika Misra, and writer, Tracey Morton, talk to William Phuan, Executive Director of the Singapore Book Council about creativity, teaching creative writing, self-censorship, cities of literature, multilingual writing traditions in Southeast Asia, ebooks and digital readers, children reading, the Singapore Literature Prize, recognition of translators and publishing in Singapore.
Links
Presenter Devika Misra, and writer, T.A. Morton, talk to Jon about his debut dystopian novel, Gus: The Life & Opinions of the Last Raffles’ Banded Langur, nature’s response to the world we have created, the role of the novel, social media, talking animals, the local and the universal, laughter, Grand Theft Auto set in Singapore with raging monkeys, and wildness in literature.
Books mentioned
The Asian Bookshelf discusses Vrushali Junnarkar’s Epigram Books Fiction Prize Winning debut novel The Campbell Gardens Ladies’ Swimming Class (Epigram Books 2023).
Presenter Devika Misra, and writers, T.A. Morton and Jon Gresham, explore Vrushali’s prize winning debut novel, its characters, themes and concerns, exploration of class, racism and female agency, and exposure of bias and prejudice.
Books mentioned
The Asian Bookshelf talks to independent bookshop owner, Alex Chua of Book Bar.
Books mentioned
Yeoh Jo-Ann, Impractical Uses of Cake (Epigram Books 2019)
Fish Eats Lion (Math Paper Press 2012). See also Fish Eats Lion Redux (Epigram Books 2022)
Coast, Ed. Daren Shiau & Wei Fern (Math Paper Press 2011)
From the Belly of the Cat, Ed. Stephanie Ye (Math Paper Press 2013)
Other links
Book Bar on Instagram
The Asian Bookshelf discusses Elaine Chiew’s The Light Between Us (Neem Tree Press 2024).
Presenter Devika Misra, and writer, Jon Gresham, talk to Elaine about her debut novel, The Light Between Us,the power and artifice of images, photography in the early twentieth century compared to now, writing different time periods and a non-western centered novel, and her path to publication.
Books mentioned
Elaine Chiew, The Light Between Us...
The Asian Bookshelf discusses Melissa De Silva’s Singapore Literature Prize Winning book ‘Others’ Is Not a Race: Being Eurasian in Singapore and Malaysia (Monsoon Books 2023).
Presenter Devika Misra, and writers, T.A. Morton and Jon Gresham, explore what they love about the book, the Creative Non Fiction form, identity and privilege, and how community status and roles change over time.
Books mentioned
Melissa de Silva, ‘Others’ Is N...
Check out a sneak peek of our first four episodes, featuring authors Melissa De Silva and Elaine Chiew.
The Asian Bookshelf, home to words and voices from Asia today.
The Asian Bookshelf is a fortnightly podcast hosted by acclaimed writers T.A. Morton, Jon Gresham and Presenter Devika Misra.
It explores Southeast Asian fiction and nonfiction books. We discuss what works for readers and why; movie and streaming potential, emerging trends, and spotlights key industry figures.
This show is for the discerning reader keen to take a deeper dive into the region’s exciting stories and emerging voices.
Wel...
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