The First Five: A New Collection of Southeast Asian Writing

This anthology of poetry and prose marks another milestone in the literary tradition of Southeast Asia and cooperation among its publishing community. There were five founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1967—Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand—and the year 2017 celebrates the 50th anniversary of the establishment of this regional grouping. The publishers believe that the literature of Southeast Asia is a rich mine of creativity and that the peoples of this region should be invited to share their stories and poems with one another. These two genres are more readily accessible to readers who wish to take a quick dip into the literatures of their neighbors. And the English language, being the de facto lingua franca for all of us, has been chosen for the same reason. Treat yourself to these stories and poems, some translated from the original tongue, and all no less enjoyable!