Writing a Nation Essays on Malaysian Literature

Editors: Muhammad A.Quayum, Nor Faridah Abdul Manaf
Publisher: IIUM Press
ISBN: 9789833855940
Weight: 0.4kg
Pages: 306pp
Year: 2009
Price: RM50

This book provides a collection of essays on literature in three different languages in Malaysia: Malay, Chinese, and English. There are essays that investigate Malay writers and works from different periods, and several that examine writers and works in English. There is one essay that interrogates the "Mahua" literary critics. The themes explored in the chapters range from gender, ethnicity, religion, language, and identity to nationalism and transnationalism. However, the majority of the essays address, in one way or another, the issue of Malaysian nationalism and how Malaysia should form its national identity. With its inclusive approach, the book is likely to set a new direction in Malaysia's literary criticism and create a better sense of unity among the writers. Readers, as well as researchers, will find the book a rich source of information on Malaysian literature, history, and culture.