Tash Aw talks about his schooldays to Suzieana Uda Nagu in the Learning Curve supplement* of the New Sunday Times.This Bangsar boy went to La Salle Primary School, PJ and loved it. Got caned in Standard 3 (age 10) for not bringing his exercise book to class, and once got chewing gum in his hair. Great facts to add to our store of Tash ephemera.
Nice quote:
I felt that telling people "I am a writer" sounded ridiculous. Even now, when people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them "I write books" because telling them "I am a writer" sounds so grand.* Funny that all literary stories end up in the education or the news sections, isn't it?! Could someone give the People section editor a polite nudge ...
12 comments:
Seems to me a lot of Malaysian kids grew up with chewing gum in their hair at least once. I remember two of my cousin sisters were playing at the bus stop, waiting for the schoolbus and slapping chewed gum on each other's faces when one of them bowed her head and got the gum slapped in her hair instead. No school that day as both of them were marched home, one to get a scolding and the other to have the gum washed out of her hair. Apparently, turpentine (or kerosene) was good for such things, and if it didn't work, the bit of hair with gum got snipped off.
Gosh, what a memory. I started laughing out loud as I was typing the above.
It's like what MT wrote at the end of Tom Sawyer.. I'm still myself, so why is it after I'm famous people quote me ? all my life I've been saying the same things, but all of a sudden it's like "X said this.." and "X said that.." but before I was known no one cared what I said. But I still said the same things.
Actually he doesn't need to do much for a living now does he ? same as you, enough to survive on for several lifetimes, what else is there to do that hasn't been done already ?
and this is what pisses me off abodut you anon. how the fuck do you know what i'm surviving on? you might be very surprised if you knew.
Anon, It's very cowardly of you to attack Sharon (and other writers) in that way and not leave your name.
i know who this anon is, animah by the tone of the comment. he's fine most of the time but every so often just feels he has to have a go ... perhaps out of some sort of envy. (of what exactly i dunno)
He's also attacking Tash, who obviously does not know who he is. Perhaps you should unmask this coward so that you discourage him and others who dare not own up to their statements. It's about ownership and accountability.
Anon, you sound sooooo bitter and jealous! Each person's perceived success has had to come at a price that only the 'successful' person knows about.
I'm not attacking anyone, I'm stating a fact (two facts actually.) Okay, let's take book sales.
"His first novel, The Harmony Silk Factory, was published in 2005 to rave reviews, and was reportedly sold to the publishers for over £500,000."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tash_Aw
And yes, I AM jealous as a matter of fact. I have a right to be jealous right ? this a free country, and the blow owner is very against censorship (as can be seen from the anti-censorship posts that crop up every now and then) so I can say that here.
She knows who I am. And she's not denying the fact. If you think I'm wrong you can sue me. Bib knows who I am. If she chooses to initiate any legal action she knows where to find me. But I stand by what I say, and I always have.
But now I'm curious, why is that an attack ? I'm not accusing anyone of any crime.
That should be the "blog" owner, not the "blow" owner :P
dear anon, i don't propose to sue you or censor you, but i did want to blow my top at you. don't make assumptions about me (which actually aren't true, but that's beside the point). it's most hurtful!
That's odd.. I thought being able to afford to live several lifetimes was a good thing ? is it a cultural thing where that's not a good thing ? I'm envious and I'm not going to censor myself either. Good assumptions are not a good thing ? that's something I realize here. In some countries, if you say so-and-so must be able to live several lifetimes, you're offering a compliment, and so-and-so should feel flattered. But over here, if you say that, some people are offended because .. well I don't know why but it's been hinted to me that it's not a compliment. I never knew why.
Why is that ?
PS. As for the assumption, it's not an assumption. It can be easily proven that if you wanted to live several lifetimes, you could :D
I feel like D. H. Lawrence sometimes, I say things, and people are always going "my goodness !" and I never know why.
No ! Mr Lawrence
-----------------
No, Mr Lawrence, it's not like that!
I don't mind telling you
I know a thing or two about love,
perhaps more than you do.
And what I know is that you make it
too nice, too beautiful.
It's not like that, you know; you fake it.
It's really rather dull.
- D. H. Lawrence
Post a Comment