New book explores Malaysian rebel poet's legacy, what makes his work so resonant


The late Salleh Ben Joned’s poetic legacy has grown in stature with a new generation of literary fans discovering his uncompromising works, which celebrated freedom of thought through poetry. In this 1976 photo, Salleh is on a trip to Ireland, travelling in the footsteps of his literary heroes. Photo: Annemarie Bjerre/Salleh Ben Joned Literary Legacy Project

A firebrand. A raconteur. A rebel with a cause. All have been used to describe the late Malaysian poet-writer Salleh Ben Joned (1941-2020).

But what about Salleh Ben Joned, the man who lived as passionately as he loved?

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