Friday, October 03, 2008

We're Doing Something Right!

(Malaysian literature is) going through a period of growth at the moment, thanks not only to writers but also to those working in the background: organisers of monthly book readings in the city, poetry performances, and creative writing classes. Many of these people run these events for the love of it. There are more platforms now for a writer’s work to be seen, heard, read and, consequently, they have spurred more people to write, to create. ... I also feel that there’s a generation of younger people who no longer feel they must enter the traditional professions of their parents: doctors, lawyers, accountants, engineers. Credit should also be given to these parents, who are strong and brave enough to allow their children the space and freedom to be writers, film-makers, playwrights, dancers.
Tan Twan Eng talks about Malaysia's developing writing community, his influences, Anwar Ibrahim, and much else in this interview with Paul Mozar of the Far Eastern Economic Review.

(Above the Serbian translation ...)

Postscript :

Another interview - this time from the WaterBridge Review (a journal of Pacific Rim literature) which gives more insight into the man behind the author.

8 comments:

KayKay said...

The writer's responses are refreshingly candid, without any attempt to sugar-coat his answers with politically-correct soundbites.
And am still chuckling over "And please, no more of that “I have orangeapplemangococacolaicecream” style of writing! "
Right on, brudder!
Although if I meet Twan Eng, I will ask him why he didn't mention that "other" great influence (I think) that led to his taking up Aikido...a certain pony-tailed action film star of the late '80s/early '90s:-)

Rob said...

Thanks for the link, Sharon - would never have thought to look in that place for such an article. Really interesting- isn't Malaysian fiction at an exciting point at the moment?

Anonymous said...

Hi Kay Kay,

Yeah, I should have mentioned Jonathan Livingston Seagal :-)

:-)
Twan Eng

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful interview! We are surely, but slowly, doing something right!

Anonymous said...

Great interview! I very much enjoyed reading it. Thanks for posting it here, Sharon, and congrats to Twan Eng!

-- Preeta

Anonymous said...

Thanks Preeta!

:-)))

- Twan Eng

Anonymous said...

"If I had a choice and lots of money.."

This from a guy who must be worth 10 million at least.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 1.30 p.m. :

I really wish I AM worth even a fraction of a fraction of 10 million!

10 million? Zimbabwean dollars maybe! :-)

- Tan Twan Eng