From fiction to children's books to short stories, here are our picks of Malaysian (or Malaysia-inspired) books published throughout the year... just in time for holiday gifting!
In the age of artificial intelligence, keeping up the practice of reading has never been more important – books can stretch our imaginations, take readers to worlds beyond what we know and offer different perspectives, as well as give us a much-needed break from doom-scrolling through social media.
So what better gift this holiday season than a book?
Here’s a list of titles released this year that have either been written by Malaysians, or offer unique insights into Malaysia to help you in your book-hunting.
Fiction
In Tash Aw’s lush epic The South, young wallflower Jay spends the school holidays with his family at a run-down farm in Johor. There, amid the sweltering heat and the emerging cracks in the relationships between multiple family members, Jay finds himself finally coming into his own.
The South is the first in Aw’s planned quartet of novels spanning decades, following Jay and his family as they experience both personal and global changes.
Many of the comedic beats in 'Behind Frenemy Lines' came directly from Cho's 11 years of experience as a lawyer in London.
If you’re looking for something more light-hearted, Zen Cho’s Behind Frenemy Lines is a cheeky rom-com about lawyers Kriya Rajasekar and Charles Goh, who go from awkward acquaintances to surprise office mates and inadvertently end up in a fake-dating scenario. While they discover they have a lot more in common than expected, a moral quandary leaves them wondering where they stand.
Producer SW Jaafar, known for the 2017 cult horror flick Aku Haus Darah Mu (I Thirst For Your Blood), released her debut novel The Shaman’s Circle, which got its inspiration when she was working on a macabre travel show.
In the book, power-hungry shamans from across South-East Asia gather every 100 years to make a dark bargain with a jinn. One of the shamans, Minah, promised to sacrifice someone she loves, triggering a thrilling, cross-border story that plays out as the shamans try to outsmart one another.
Poems and short stories
In The Mirror: New And Selected Poems Of Wong Phui Nam is the perfect tribute to late poet Wong Phui Nam’s (1935-2022) legacy. Not only does it feature a selection of his poems, both previously published and published for the first time, it also includes a biography and several of his critical essays to help readers get a true sense of the man behind the pen. A must-read for lovers of Malaysian poetry.
'In The Mirror' editors Brandon Liew and Daryl Lim Wei Jie want readers to see how Wong 'genuinely cared about his craft and about younger writers'.
If you’re eager to dig deeper into local literature, look no further than An Ordinary Tale About Women And Other Stories by Fatimah Busu. Originally written in Bahasa Malaysia, translator Pauline Fan has helped bring the Kelantanese writer’s works to English language audiences with this new collection of her short stories.
Known for her bold choices in subject matter and idiosyncratic style, Fatimah’s short stories offer an insight into the inner contradictions of Malay society, particularly the realities of women and men in rural Malaysia grappling with the forces of tradition and modernity.
Children’s books
Enjoy a good story while supporting a good cause with The Foundling, notable children’s rights advocate Datuk Dr Hartini Zainudin’s debut children’s book. Proceeds from the book’s sale go to Madhya’s Gift, an emergency and critical healthcare fund for children in need under Yayasan Chow Kit.
Published by local children’s book publisher OyezBooks and illustrated by Malaysian artist Ranerrim, The Foundling is a story of hope and perseverance, showing us what’s possible when we offer a helping hand to those in need. You can find the book at the Duke Museum of Picture Books at GMBB, Kuala Lumpur.
'Part of the reason we wanted to create an illustrated children’s book was to encourage art appreciation, especially Malaysian art,' says Joseph.
Hoping to spark an interest in art among the young kids in your life? Pick up a copy of Ilham Gallery’s Let’s Look At Art, a picture book beautifully illustrated by artist Lisa Goh in honour of the gallery’s 10th anniversary.
Written by gallery director Rahel Joseph, the book takes you behind the scenes to show how artists and art galleries work together to organise an exhibition, and even offers tips on how to engage with art. Snap up your copy at the Ilham Gallery Gift Shop.
A common root
Let’s not forget books written about Malaysia by those with deep ties to the country. Fierceland by Australia-born Omar Musa is one such book – set in Sabah, the story meanders between the past and present, memory and reality, much like the state’s rivers that snakes through its thick rainforests. Omar takes readers on a fraught journey of shared trauma, sibling bonds, and an undeniable connection to the land we call home.
In 'Foreign Fruit', the orange is more than just a fruit – it emerges as a symbol, a metaphor, and a guide.
Born to a Chinese-Malaysian and Irish household, writer Katie Goh has always felt herself at odds with the culture and politics around her. In Foreign Fruit – which is equal parts memoir and history lessons – Goh’s curiosity about the orange turns into a voyage of self-discovery, as she traces the fruit’s origins in China to how it’s become globally ubiquitous.
As she peels back the history of the fruit, Goh – now based in Scotland – ties it to her own family’s history, tracing it back to Longyan, China and Malaysia in meditative reflections of identity and belonging.
