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From the Southeast Asia Program at Cornell University, the Gatty Lecture Rewind Podcast features interviews and conversations with scholars and researchers working in and around Southeast Asia, all of whom have been invited to give a Gatty Lecture at Cornell University. Conversations cover the history, politics, economics, literature, art, and cultures of the region. Podcast topics cover the many nations and peoples of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and Timor-Leste. For more information on the Southeast Asia Program at Cornell University, visit our website. Music provided by 14 Strings and the Cornell Gamelan Ensemble.

Feb 2, 2023

On this week's episode, Francine sits down with author Sunisa Manning to unpack her debut novel A Good True Thai (link) which is a historical fiction set in Thailand during the 1970s student radicalization and revolution. Her book was a finalist for the 2020 Epigram Books Fiction Prize for Southeast Asian writers. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation on censorship in Thailand, Sunisa's mixed-race experiences, and her struggles in resolving her Thai and American identity!

Lightning Round: 03:10

Research and lecture summary: 05:38

Advice for researchers and recommendations: 33:30

Manning's Top Recommendations:

  • Buru Quartet by Pramoedya Ananta Toer (link)
  • How to Read Now: Essays by Elaine Castillo (link)

 

The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here