Voices From Asia

Modern Thai Fiction about Women: This anthology focuses on the lives of Thai women during the twentieth century as they are reflected in short stories and novels. In the main, it is intended for the nonspecialist, although I hope that readers with an interest in Thai literature will be glad to find translations of works they may not have had the time or opportunity to read before.

Kepner's selection shows the many ways fiction has mirrored the lives of Thai women over the twentieth century. The spectrum is broad, encompassing the young and the old, the rural and the cosmopolitan, the privileged and the poor. Some writers address previously unacceptable themes: female sexuality, spousal abuse, gender oppression. Others display a scintillating sense of humor. They touch on many themes--injustice, the heartlessness of society, loneliness, the difficult choices that life presents. Susan Kepner's lyrical, faithful translations preserve the tenor and resonances of these voices, many of which will be heard for the first time by English-speaking readers.