Bookstore

By the author of the international bestseller Evening Is The Whole Day, this novel set in Malaysia will appeal to readers of Arundhati Roy and Kiran Desai

In what was once a Scottish tea planter's mansion in the highlands of Peninsular Malaysia, all religions are one and race is unheard of. That is, until the occupants of what is now known as the Muhibbah Centre for World Peace are joined by Salmah, a Malay Muslim woman. "All are welcome here," they are reminded by their spiritual leader, Cyril Dragon, who is ignoring news of the changing political climate with its increasing religious intolerance. He is still trying to forget May 13, 1969, when ethnic tensions boiled over into bloodshed. Tale of the Dreamer's Son guides us from that fateful incident in Malaysian history to the present day. Throughout, Samarasan's polyphonic, rambunctious prose brilliantly navigates the tug-of-war between ideals and reality.

Tale of the Dreamer's Son

ContentsAnnunciation xPART 1Cinta Pandangan PertamaBatchmatesThe Sad Tale of Salmah MajidForecastPresentationOf Namesakes and LineagesToiletsThe Lucky Ones Are Dead or MadHome LifePART 2Wise Men SayPersuasionThe Whole TruthStar BoyNew Reading MatterSpineFrittersThe Unwilling ConfidantThe Prize StudentsThe Worried FatherTrailTeacher TrainingStargazersA Tentative AllianceReza's QuestionsFamily WalkOrange SquashAll's FairTracksuitVegetable LorryNeela Experiments with TruthA Mother's WarningsForetellingsDescentOperation LalangPART 3LatifahJust Say It(Re)EducationAsylum ApplicationSelf-DiscoveriesThe Knotty Problem of the Non-Mahram FreehairsReversionThe Minister Lets Fly at a Press ConferenceChickenFood FairIt SeemsThe Anointed OneBorn-AgainsNight TerrorsCanteen BrawlGlow in the DarkChipped MugAs Good as NewWhich Boy Won't Be GladFive TimesMorning NewsTowards a General TheoryChanging PlacesAdidas Duffel BagThe Open WindowThe End of HopePledgeBaby PhotoSacrificeBrief History of My Teaching CareerPART 4George Cubinar TriesStrayCome BackCast-OffThree Boys and a DogAnnabelle the BeautifulThe Van of IniquityBungalowMorningThe Waning HoneymoonParalysisDriveGo-BetweenUltimatumLooseSacrificing George CubinarExpulsionThe BusybodyRecognitionEighty-ThreeAftershockReconnaissanceDistractionSpurnedSalmah UnleashedThe Secretest SecretSatayTurned TablesConfrontationToolshedThe Lost BoysUnpardonableBliss is but Bliss, and Breath but BreathPolitical BackgroundGlossary