Read o'er
the volume of young
Paris' face,
And
find delight writ there with
beauty's pen.
Examine
every married lineament,
And
see how one another lends
content,
And
what obscured in this fair
volume lies
Find
written in the margin of his
eyes.
This
precious book of love, this
unbound lover,
To
beautify him, only lacks a
cover.
The
fish lives in the sea, and
'tis much pride
For
fair without the fair within
to hide.
That
book in many's eyes doth
share the glory
That
in golden clasps locks in
the story.
So
shall you share all that he
doth possess,
By
having him making yourself no
less.
Lady Capulet
talking to Juliet, compares the young lover's face to a most
captivating book and invites her to read in it with delight. Romeo
and Juliet -
William Shakespeare
WRITING:
In
praise of alterity (16 May
2008)
The
Kuala Lumpur Alternative Bookfest earlier this month was a nice
experience. No, seriously. It was small, cozy, friendly and, most of
all, I liked the buzz. There was no fear of it becoming another orgy of
commercial bookselling -- it was not large enough to be noticed by the
'big boys'. With not a textbook in sight, not one workbook, not one
management book, nor one 'teach-others-how-to-live-their-lives' book,
it was a breath of fresh air. Most of the books were Malaysian, in
Malay and in English, though there were some books from Indonesia and
Singapore, which was good given the way our bookshops are overflowing
with imported books. It was nice to see book social groups
participating. There was also a 'free books' booth, a book charity,
apart from indie and self publishers. (Silverfish Books paid for one of
the tables that was used to sell books for charity, and supplied the
books as well.) ...
READ MORE
NEWS: Vote
for the best Booker (16 May
2008)
The first Booker prize was awarded in 1969. The winner that year was Something to Answer For by
PH Newby published by Faber & Faber. There have been 40 winners
since, and it appears that now is the time to pick the best of the
best. Why now? I have absolutely no idea. I thought they would pick the
best of the best, say, after 50 years. (They have picked the best of
the first twenty-five before.)
Anyway, the forty is now down to six with Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children leading
the pack. Personally, I think it is a good list though I have not read
JG Farell whose Seige
of Krishnapur won the prize in 1973. I can live with the
list which also includes JM Coetzee (Disgrace), Peter
Carey (Oscar and Lucinda),
Pat Barker (Ghost Road),
and Nadine Gordimer (The
Conservationist).
READ
MORE
NEWS:
POD
classics (16 May
2008)
Guy
Dammann writes in The
Guardian
about 'the launch on June 2 of a new imprint from Faber & Faber
designed to make available a large number of titles which until now
have been out of print.' I visited the Faber website but there is
nothing about this yet.
The
report says that using
print-on-demand technology to allow print runs between one to fifty
books with the books priced at GBP9.00, and 'will not be stocked in
large quantities by booksellers, but will be available to order through
most major booksellers and the majority of internet-based book
retailers.'
READ
MORE )
NEWS:
Snippets (16 May
2008)
 The
devil roams again
Vanessa Thorpe in an article entitled A new lease of life for the Devil
writes in the Observer that
the stories of Satanism and black magic by Dennis Wheatley are to be
re-released. Television serialization is also being planned.
 Garcia
Marquez writes again
Graham Keeley writes The
Guardian
that Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez is rediscovering his muse
two years after telling the world he was finished with writing. It is
said that the new work, which does not yet have a title and is
described as "a novel of love", should appear before the end of this
year according to a friend, Darlo Arizmendi, head of news at Radio
Caracol in Colombia.
Social
networking site for writers
Rachael Hawkes writes in the Social
Media Portal that HarperCollins UK has released a new
social networking site Authonomy
in private beta. Aspiring authors can upload a minimum of 10,000 words
of their manuscript for feedback and comments.
 Lessing's
Nobel prize 'disaster'
Doris
Lessing, 88, tells BBC Radio 4 that winning the Nobel Prize in 2007 has
been a 'bloody disaster'. She says that she is finding it impossible to
write anymore due to unrelenting media interest since she won the
award.
READ
MORE
NEW
BOOKS:
Debut
fiction (16 May
2008)
Evening
is the Whole Day by
Preeta Samarasan (Estimated Retail Price: RM 59.90) (The
price is an estimate only based on books of similar nature. At the time
of writing the distributor has not brought the books in yet.)
 Set
in Malaysia, this spellbinding and already internationally acclaimed
debut introduces us to the prosperous Rajasekharan family as its
closely guarded secrets are slowly peeled away.
When Chellam,
the family's rubber-plantation-bred servant girl, is dismissed for
unnamed crimes, her banishment is the latest of a series of recent,
precipitous losses that have shaken six-year-old Aasha's life. A few
short weeks before, Aasha's grandmother Paati passed away under
mysterious circumstances and her older sister, Uma, departed for the
Columbia University -- leaving Aasha alone to cope with her mostly
absent father, her bitter mother, and her impertubable older brother.
READ
MORE
EVENTS:
Shirley Lim book
launch and reading (16 May
2008)
 Book
launch and readings by
Shirley Geok-lin Lim
at
Silverfish
Books, 58-1,
Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur (Tel: +603-228 448 37)
on
Saturday, 14th June 2008 at 5.30
pm
Princess
Shawl
Mei
Li inherits a shawl from a grand-aunt she doesn't know, which whisks
her to historical times and places. Before she turns ten in two weeks,
she must rescue the Chinese princess, Li Po, from the barren island
where the wicked bomoh
has
exiled her. Mei Li meets women in Singapore, Cameron Highlands and
Malacca who teaches her about courage, nurturing, trust and skills such
as cooking, nursing, and climbing mountains. With the help of a magic
hairpin, of special rogue and of water that can bring you home, she
succeeds in uniting the Princess with the brave Sultan Mansur.
READ
MORE
STORIES: Tales from the court (16 May
2008)
A new
short story from Mathew Thomas, part of up and coming
collection. His story has appeared in Silverfish New Writing 5. He is
the first Malaysian writer from the Silverfish New Writing series (out
of some 150, and as far as we know) to come out with a bunch of
previously unpublished material for a book. The book should b
e avilable in August.
"Banguuun," ordered the turbaned policeman.
This signaled the entrance
of Tuan Hakim Mohammed Ibdin bin Din, the resident Second Class
Magistrate of Palong Likit, the local arbitrator of issues and
dispenser of justice.
Tuan Hakim Mohammed Ibdin
bin Din was a
short, stout man with a beer belly, although he protested that this was
not due to any intemperate habits but to imbalances in his genes. He
focused at the floor as he entered. The occupants of the court all
arose in unison and bowed to Tuan Hakim who in turn returned the bow
and sat himself. The crowd, then, followed suit.
READ
MORE
Silverfish
Writing Programme (16 May
2008)
The
next intake for this programme will be on the 21st of June 2008. The
classes will be from 10.30am - 12.30pm, and will be limited to eight
(8) participants. Please register early to avoid disappointment.
Registration can be done online (the online payment link has been
restored) or in person at Silverfish Books, 58-1 Jalan Telawi, Bangsar
Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 603-228 448 37
WRITING: Australia-Asia Literary
Award (1 May
2008) READ MORE
NEWS: Why
buy when you can mooch?
(1 May
2008) READ
MORE
NEWS:
Why women like chick lit (1 May
2008)
READ
MORE
NEWS: The obsession with Harry
Potter (1 May
2008) READ
MORE
NEW
BOOKS: Freedom of
Choice (1 May
2008) READ
MORE
EVENTS: The 1st alternative bookfest (16 April
2008) READ
MORE
EVENTS:
Shirley
Lim is back (16 April
2008) READ
MORE
WRITING: Book review by guest writer (16 April
2008). READ MORE
NEWS: Superfast Internet (16 April
2008) READ
MORE
NEWS:
Love
and literature (16 April
2008) READ
MORE )
NEWS: Brick and mortar loosing ground
to e-tailers (16 April
2008) READ
MORE
NEW
BOOKS: Aweks KL (16 April
2008) READ
MORE
EVENTS: The 1st alternative bookfest (16 April
2008) READ
MORE
EVENTS:
Shirley
Lim is back (16 April
2008)
Book launch and readings by
Shirley Geok-lin Lim at Silverfish Books, 58-1 Jalan
Telawi, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, 14th June 2008 at 5.30 pm READ
MORE
WRITING: Does
every book count? (1 April
2008) READ MORE
NEWS:
Where
to now, science fiction? (1 April
2008) READ
MORE )
NEWS: I shot my hero (1 April
2008).
READ
MORE
NEWS: How fast do you read (1 April
2008) READ
MORE
NEW
BOOKS: Iban Textiles (1 April
2008) READ
MORE
EVENTS: The 1st alternative bookfest (1 April
2008)
READ
MORE
WRITING: Let there be
paper (16 March
2008) READ MORE
NEWS: A new way of marketing books (16 March 2008) . READ
MORE (& watch the video)
NEWS: Stereotypical readers (16 March 2008) READ
MORE
NEW
BOOKS: Anthology (16 March 2008)
Silverfish
New Writing 7 edited by Ashraf Jamal & Shanti Moorthy (RM 25.00)
READ
MORE
EVENTS: Anthony
Isoh at Silverfish Books (16 March 2008). READ
MORE
SILVERFISH WRITING PROGRAMME: Next intake (16 March 2008)
REGISTER
|
|
| Links |
Bookshops, publishers,
blogspots, bookclubs, arts and
stuff |
|
|
| apwn |
Asia and Pacific Writers
Network http://www.apwn.net,
is a loose
affiliation of individuals and organizations that are involved in the
writing cultures of these regions. This includes: poets, fiction
writers; storytellers; academics; non-fiction writers; documentary
makers; publishers; editors.
|
 |
British
but have lived in Malaysia for more than 20 years and very much at home
here Sharon Bakar is learning that a mid-life crisis is best faced with
a degree of insanity. http://thebookaholic.blogspot.com/ |
 |
A
book
club based in the Klang Valley. We choose a book for the
month and
then meet up to discuss it at someone’s
house. Most of the
group
members are Malaysians and “local
foreigners� from all
walks of life.
We generally read literary fiction, but are by no means booksnobs.
Email: Sharon <sbakar@streamyx.com> |
 |
Malaysia's leading performing arts
website. If
you want up to date information of what's happening in Kuala Lumpur and
the surroundings there is no better place to go. http://www.kakiseni.com/ |
 |
Formed
in 1987 by our current Artistic Director Alvin Tan, The
Necessary
Stage is a non-profit theatre company with charity status.
Our
mission is to create challenging, indigenous and innovative theatre
that touches the heart and mind. The Necessary Stage has been
identified as one of six Major Arts Companies by the National Arts
Council.
http://www.necessary.org
|
 |
M1 Singapore Fringe
Festival is an annual
festival of theatre, performance arts, film, dance, visual arts, mixed
media, music and forum created and presented by Singaporean and
international artists. Themed differently each year, the Festival aims
to bring the best of contemporary, cutting-edge and socially-engaged
works to the Singapore audience. http://www.singaporefringe.com
|
 |
Monsoon
Books is a
Singapore-based independent publisher dedicated to publishing classic
and contemporary crime, literary and pulp fiction, humour, and creative
nonfiction, with distribution throughout Asia, the United States,
Canada, Australia and New Zealand. http://www.monsoonbooks.com.sg/
|
|
|
About us
Silverfish Books was
established in
1999 as an independant bookshop with a focus on literature, philosophy,
religion and Malaysiana - areas which are either neglected or not
addressed intelligently in the main stream bookstores. Silverfish Books
was established as a bookstore for people who like to read by people
who read. Customers and browsers come to Silverfish Books not only for
the individually selected titles (in a book boutique environment) but
also advice on reading. (Visiting mega bookstores can be intimidating
for the average reader with thousands of books but with nobody to help.
Customers normally end up buying something familiar and their reading -
and their outlook - never grows.) We stock many titles that cannot be
found in any of the mega stores - in fact, not even on Amazon.com! We
avoid 'management' and 'self-help' books (unless they are exceptionally
well written) because we think they are the 'Coca-Cola' of the book
world - useless but addictive. We believe in literature and philosophy,
not instant fixes.
Since 2000 Silverfish Books has also become Malaysia's leading
publisher of Postcolonial and World Literature. The first book,
published in the year 2000, was Silverfish New Writing 1 - an anthology
of short stories from Malaysia, Singapore and beyond. Since then the
Silverfish New Writing series has taken on a life of its own,
attracting postcolonial writers from all over the world.
Silverfish Books is a small press, and we are very proud of that. Every
single book is read thoroughly from cover to cover, and must pass our
stringent criteria before it is accepted. And every book is produced to
the highest standards (albeit in paperback form, due to cost) using
wood free paper.
Silverfish Books - the bookshop
Our
Address
Silverfish Books
67-1 Jalan Telawi Tiga
Bangsar Baru
59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-228 448 37
Fax: +603-228 448 39
Opening hours:
Mon-Friday: 10.00am to 8.00pm
Saturday: 10.00am-6.00pm
Holidays: 10.00am to 6.00pm
Sunday and major holidays: Closed |
|
|
BOOKS,
BOOKS, BOOKS
Silverfish
Books has decided to open an account with Baker & Taylor, the
largest book wholesaler in the world with over 4 million books in its
database. We are primarily interested in American editions, for two
reasons. Firstly, the quality of the UK paperback has become
really
bad -- the paper is bad, the printing is grotty and the binding is
meant to come apart on the second reading. (Maybe, it is a copyright
thing.) Secondly, the US dollar is more friendly.
We were
getting some American books through a Malaysian distributor, but it
didn't take us long to find out how ridiculous the prices were. Though
they were giving it to us at the same price they were selling to other
'mega' bookshops (with a lower discount, of course), we realise that by
bringing it directly we would be able, in some cases, save up to 20%,
and pass the savings onto our customers. Ridiculous you say. Now, add
to that the discount we give our Book Bug customers, and you will
understand what we are saying.
Now if there are
books you have
always wanted to get (and not prepared to pay the absurd courier and
handling charges of Amazon), do come and see us. No need to surrender
an arm or a leg, not even a pint of blood. |
The
date
has been set for the intake of the next
SILVERFISH
WRITITNG PROGRAMME
Saturday 21th
June 2008
Time: 10.30am to 12.30 pm
The
online payment link has
been restored
(click image above)
(Price: RM600.00 for the
ten week
programme)
Contact us at info@silverfishbooks.com
(Click on image above for details of the programme.)
|
Stories
This page was set up
for
Silverfish Writing Programme members to put up their stories for
constructive criticism. But the internet being what it is, it has
attracted participants from all over (including overseas). We will,
however, for the moment confine the stories to those by Malaysians and
about Malaysians. Read all
|
Silverfish
Publications
(Please visit our bookshop for more details. Silverfish Books are
available from
most major bookshops in Malaysia and Singapore. Otherwise you may order
directly from us. Online orders will be delivered free
(for most titles) to addresses in Malaysia and at USD 3.00 (by
registered airmail) to international destinations. Our secure online
payment service is provided and managed by Commerce Payment (this the
name that will appear on your credit card statement, Malaysia's leading
payment gateway.) For bulk order discounts please contact
us.
POLITICS/HISTORY
 Tanah
Tujuh is
what a large number of Orang Asli tribes call our planet. Tanah Tujuh:
Close Encounters with the Temuan Mythos chronicles Antares' initiation
into a fast vanishing aboriginal cosmo-mythology that offers an
alternative view of reality. (Free delivery within Malaysia). Go to bookshop
RM30.00.00 (USD 19.95)
 I am Muslim
is a selfish journey of faith. Dina meets shamans, nationalists,
moderates and gets into all sorts of scrapes, to discover what
Isklmmeans to Muslims in Malaysia. Heartbreaking, angry and downright
funny. (Free delivery
within Malaysia). Go to bookshop RM30.00.00 (USD 19.95)
 A
Malaysian
Journey by Rehman Rashid.This is the 6th reprint of this book. This
book is a virtual Malaysian classic and we have had had so many
queries. We are glad to have it back in print. This book is available
at all major bookshops or online from Silverfish Books. (Free delivery
within Malaysia). Go to bookshop (RM59.90.00
(USD 24.95)
From
Majapahit to Putrajaya
by Farish A Noor.
Washington has
fingered Malaysia as a 'Islamic terrorist hub' several times since
9/11. In this second collection of Farish A Noor's commentaries on
unfolding developments in Malaysia is nothing if not timely with the
current raging debate on the 'clash of civilisations'. (Free delivery
within Malaysia). Go to bookshop (RM40.00)(USD
21.95)
 THE
OTHER
MALAYSIA (Reprint) Author: Farish A Noor
Synopsis: This is a compilation of some of the articles by Farish A
Noor, arguably Malaysia's top public intellectual, that were published
in the online daily Malaysiakini.com. His writings aimed to unearth the
forgotten and marginalized aspects of Malaysian history ... (Free delivery
within Malaysia). Go to bookshop
(RM40.00).(USD 21.95)
Green
is
the Colour by Lloyd
Fernando
Synopsis:
This
reprint of the novel by Lloyd Fernando is about racial and religious
tolerance set against the shadow of the 1969 riots in Kuala Lumpur. A
story of humanity struggling against the cold inhumanity of closed
minds. (Free delivery
within Malaysia). Go to bookshop (RM30.00).(USD 19.95)
PLAYS
8
Plays by Huzir Sulaiman. Synopsis: A
delightful
collection of eight plays by Malaysia's leading dramatist, acclaimed
for his vital, inventive language and darkly humorous insight. This
collection includes Atomic Jaya, The Smell of Language,
Hip-Hopera, Notes on Life and Love and Painting, Election Day, Those
Four Sisters Fernandez, Occupation and Whatever
That Is. (Free delivery
within Malaysia). Go to bookshop
(RM 30.00)(USD 19.95)
POETRY
 Adam's
Dream by Salleh ben Joned
This is Salleh ben Joned's first book of poems since Sajak Sajak Saleh
(or Poems Sacred and Profane) and it is entirely in English. Adam's
Dream is an intensely personal collection of poems, to make you laugh
out loud or cry or to ponder over (Free delivery within Malaysia). Go
to bookshop
RM30.00.00 (USD 19.95)
NOVELS
 The Story
of
Srebrenica
by Isnam Taljic.
Synopsis:
(This book is translated from Bosniak.) Srebrenica, is a small
2000-year-old silver-mining town in Bosnia, known to the Romans as
Argentaria. Between July 12 through July 18, 1995 approximately 13,000
(the figure varies from 8000-13000) Muslim males from young boys to
elderly men, were massacred in one of the worst cases of gendercide in
history. (Free delivery
within Malaysia). Go to bookshop
(RM 30.00) (USD 19.95)
SHORT STORIES
Lovers
and Strangers (Revisited)
Synopsis:
A
collection of short stories set in Malaysia and Singapore. It runs the
gamut of human relationships from matters of faith in a kampong, to
matters of integrity in a bar, to matters of the heart in a colonial
hotel. This is an updated version of the book Lovers and Strangers originally released in
1993. (Free delivery
within Malaysia). Go to bookshop
(RM
30.00) (USD 19.95)
by
Robert Raymer
 The
Wedgwood Ladies Football Club and other stories by
TRR
Raman
Synopsis: The Wedgwood Ladies Football Club and other stories is a
collection of Malaysian short stories - some hilarious, some satirical,
some poignant. This book should appeal to anyone interested is a
liberal dose of Malaysiana. (Free delivery
within Malaysia). Go to bookshop
(RM 30.00) (USD 19.95)
BIOGRAPHIES
Firefly by Bernie Tan
Synopsis:
In
1991, Wings/BBDO was the first Malaysian agency (and only the second
Asian after Japan) to be awarded the Max Lewis Memorial Challenge
Trophy. Mary Bernadette Tan (Bernie) was the brilliant creative mind
behind it. The youngest in a family of four, Bernie was an alcoholic at
14, did heroin at 16, was anorexic at 18 and was sent to the State
Mental Institution at 20. A tragic true story of love (or the lack of
it) and courage. (Free delivery
within Malaysia). Go to bookshop (RM 25.00) (USD 17.95)
 21
Days
by Ganase
Jaganathan
Synopsis:
On
the 1st of May 2000, Major Ganase Jaganathan, who was stationed in
Makeni, Sierra Leone as a United Nations Military Observer, was
kidnapped at gunpoint by Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels. He
and ten other hostages were systematically beaten, bound and clad only
in their underwear, were taken to Matotoka in a commandeered UN
vehicle, where they were joined by nine other hostages. (Free delivery
within Malaysia). Go to bookshop
(RM 30.00) (USD
19.95)
ANTHOLOGIES
(Collection of short stories from mainly Malaysia and Singapore and a
few from beyond. )
 
 
From
left to
right: (Free delivery
within Malaysia).
Go to bookshop
Sillverfish
New Writing 6 (RM
25-00) (USD 17.95)
Sillverfish New Writing 5 (RM
25-00) (USD 17.95)
Sillverfish
New Writing 4
(RM 25-00) (USD 17.95)
Sillverfish New Writing 3
(RM 25-00) (USD 17.95)
Sillverfish New Writing 2
(RM 25-00) (USD 17.95)
Sillverfish New Writing 1 (RM
25-00) (USD 17.95)
 
From
left to right: (Free delivery
within Malaysia).
Go to bookshop
1.
Collateral Damasge (RM 25-00)
(USD
17.95)
2. nineteen: collection of stories by women (RM
20-00)(USD 15.95)
3. 25 Malaysian Short Stories (RM 25-00)
(USD
17.95)
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Services
Click below to find out our
rates for
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Documents and Self Publishing. read more
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Silverfish
New Writing 7 by
Ashraf jamal and Shanti Moorthy (Eds). ... stories cannot merely
renounce the present dilemma and limits, they must also address them
... in this collection, we find ourselves between memories and desire,
the old and the new ... say the editors in the Introduction. 19 stories
from malaysia, Singapore and around the world make up the last edition
of the current Silverfisdh New Writing series. (Free delivery within
Malaysia). Go
to bookshop
RM25.00.00 (USD 17.95) 
News
from Home by
Chua kok Yee, Shih-Li Kow and Rumaizah Abu Bakar. Three writers, thirty
stories. Are they the 'next big thing' in English Writing in Malaysia?
They are the first to be published from the Silverfish Writing
Programme, and News from Home is the first book to carry the Silverfish
Books Malaysian Literature in English sticker. (Free delivery within
Malaysia). Go
to bookshop
RM30.00.00 (USD 19.95)
English
Studies in Asia edited by Araki, Lim, Minami, Yoshihara
(RM 25.00)
58-1 jalan telawi