Like many people, I find that memory leads to memory. We can remember a lot, if we give ourselves the time and space to try.
By the time Songkran, Thailand's new year based on the Buddhist calendar, arrives in April, the temperatures in the Southeast Asian country are soaring. The sky is typically blue and spotless, so reprieve under the shade of a passing cloud is non-existent while the humidity is as thick as a fleece blanket. One way to cool off is in the country-wide water fights that take place during the annual celebrations (this year from 13-15 April), which include water guns, buckets and coloured powder smeared onto the face like war paint. Another way to celebrate and cool off is to eat khao chae.
Khao chae (soaked rice) is an icy, seasonal treat that marks the beginning of summer in Thailand. The history of the dish can be traced back hundreds of years to the Mon people, an ethnic group that originated throughout Myanmar and Thailand and integrated into what was then Siamese society in the 16th Century.
An element of the ironic or comic is often present in this collection, but some of the strongest work is represented by poignant passages that reach an emotional high. Much of this is due to McBrearty’s superb prose style, his capacity through language to go straight to the heart.
In her quest for the whole truth, Nadia Mahjouri weaves a poignant dual narrative with converging storylines. Her debut novel, Half Truth, invites readers to navigate the complexities of womanhood through the parallel journeys of Zahra and Khadija, two women in search of one man. The book captures the beautifully chaotic essence of their experiences.