The Politician & Other Stories

The Politician and other Stories by Khamsing Srinawk

Translated by Dommern Garden, introduced by Herbert P. Phillips

This edition of The Politician and Other Stories contains seventeen short stories, five more than the previous edition, all written by contemporary Thai writer Khamsing Srinawk, selected as the National Artist in Literature in 1992. In contrast to the literature of social protest which portrays characters as stereotyped victims of social oppression, Khamsing’s characters are rich and variegated, sparkling with individuality. These entertaining stories form a window through which to glimpse the unpretentious yet heroic lives of rural Thai villagers in the second half of the twentieth century.

Khamsing Srinawk (pseud. Lao Khamhawn) was born in 1930 and grew up in Northeast Thailand. He entered the Faculty of Economics, Thammasat University, and also studied journalism at Chulalongkorn University. His varied experience as peasant, farmer, journalist, forest ranger, research assistant, and traveling sewing machine salesman provides rich material for his stories.

With sarcastic humor and a unique writing style, [Khamsing] cleverly makes his readers aware of the social problems faced by the rural poor.” National Culture Commission

“Khamsing Srinawk… is widely acknowledged as Thailand’s most accomplished short-story writer.” ProfessorHerbert P. Philips, Modern Thai Literature

Paperback
Chiang Mai 2001
Silkworm Books
156 pages
ISBN 9789747551518

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