Stories from Siru Kambam

Kisah dari Siru Kambam (2013) is a compilation of 20 Bahasa Malaysia short stories about the people from a small village in Taiping, Perak. “Siru Kambam” is a Tamil term which translates to “kampung kecil” in Bahasa Malaysia and “small village” in English. So, the official translation for the title of this book would be Stories from Siru Kambam.

These stories were written by Uthaya Sankar SB and published in various newspapers, magazines and books between 1992 and 2012. Most of the stories take place in Siru Kambam itself while a few happen elsewhere but centers around main characters from Siru Kambam.

All the short stories in this compilation have been re-edited by 20 people for this new publication. Read more about this book – HERE – in Bahasa Malaysia. For a review in English, read Zedeck Siew's "Imaginary Homelands: Kisah dari Siru Kambam" (Kakiseni, 15 April 2013) and TamilSelvan Ramis' "Siru Kambam: The Malaysian Village" (The Malay Mail Online, 3 July 2013).

Who should own – and read – Kisah dari Siru Kambam (Stories from Siru Kambam)?

1. Women. There are special stories about them in this Bahasa Malaysia collection.

2. Politicians. Those clowns inspired quite a number of stories here!

3. Racists. They might learn a thing or two about living in harmony.

4. Teenagers. Since they’ll become adults some day.

5. Parents. Set an example so your children would also read books.

6. Taipingites. Well, go figure.

7. Malaysian Indians. Unless there is already another collection of Bahasa Malaysia short stories about Malaysian Indians.

8. Students. These stories will never make it into the Komsas text!

9. Haters. Well, you’ll have 20 more reasons to hate me.

10. Lovers. Self-explanatory.

11. Clowns. You need a good laugh too.

12. Foreigners. Some day you might get a blue IC by post. Go figure.

[BUY THIS BOOK BEFORE IT GOES OUT OF PRINT]