Support Our Local Authors!

Can Malaysians write? Are there any good, local Christian authors out there? 2 books that I purchased at MPH recently say ‘Yes’! Most of my experiences in local Christian literature have mainly come from SU publications and Kairos magazines. I have yet to read any of Rev. Hwa Yung’s or Tan Soo Inn’s books though. But when I picked up these 2 books (also by Kairos publications), I was impressed!

‘Poems by the Wayside’ is a collection of poems by four modern Malaysian poets. It’s difficult to appreciate some of the contemporary poetical structures, but these people really are talented. Some of the poems, with their distinctive local flavor of bamboo shoots, monsoon rains, and Malacca town, transport the reader back in time to meet some childhood recollections. It’s got quality paper and printing too! Not to mention the nice rustic cover design.

On the other hand, ‘Can Two Walk Together’, an autobiography by Tony and Teresa Lim, impressed me with its wit and humor. The book gives a very transparent picture of various issues that Christians in Malaysia come face to face with, while revealing some of the cute moments the couple have together. I haven’t finished it yet, but the first chapter was enough to make me want to continue reading. I highly recommend this one! Agnes liked it so much she bought two more copies for her friends! And the great thing about these local books: they’re cheap (compared to those other cutthroat priced imported Christian books)! And, of course, they’re much more relevant to us Malaysians!