Silverfish's 14th birthday and public talk by Sean Matthews

Silverfish Books will be celebrating its birthday on June 26, 2013. Yes, it was fourteen years ago that we first opened shop in Desa Seri Hartamas. We made a lot of friends, offended some, published over 50 books, organised two International Literary Festivals and many readings and book launches, had a few battles, won some, lost some, still fighting others, and we had hope we made a small dent in the Malaysian literary world, and we believe we have. (The presence of so many indie publishers both in Malay and English is a testimony of sorts. We hope more will join the wagon.)

We are organising our fourteenth birthday party on Saturday June 29, 2013 at 5.30 pm, and on our invitation list will include all our authors including Antares, Chua Kok Yee, Dina Zaman, Shih Li Kow, Farish Noor, Ganese Jaganathan, Huzir Sulaiman, Isa Kamari, Iskandar Albakri, Matthew Thomas, Rozlan Mohd Noor, Rumaizah Abu Bakar,  and Salleh ben Joned, and several of our former editors.

Special guest and speaker for the evening will be Dr Sean Matthews, the Head of the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, Faculty of Arts, University of Nottingham, Malaysian Campus. His areas of expertise are Twentieth century and contemporary literature and theory; cultural studies, internationalization and transnational higher education. Sean Matthews teaches at all levels of the International Communications Studies programmes, specialising in cultural theory and intellectual history. He directed the 2007 D.H. Lawrence International Conference, 'Return to Eastwood', and co-curated the exhibition 'Lawrence Among the Women' at the Weston Gallery.

Dr Sean Matthews will talk about DH Lawrence at Silverfish Books on June 29, 2013 at 5.30 pm as part of our 14th Anniversary celebrations and 100 years of Sons and Lovers.

In May 1913, a 27-year-old DH Lawrence received an advance copy of his third novel and wrote to his literary advisor and editor Edward Garnett expressing his pride in it: “Sons and Lovers has just come – I am fearfully proud of it. I reckon it is quite a great book. I shall not write quite in that style any more. It’s the end of my youthful period.” The enduring appeal of the celebrated Nottinghamshire author’s most autobiographical novel is to be marked by Dr Sean Matthews' talk at Silverfish Books on 29th July 2013, 100 years after its first UK publication.

This is an open invitation to all friends of Silverfish Books who have supported and nurtured us to adolescence. Well have food, drinks and balloons!

(RSVP: Tel: 22822837, or email phekchin@silverfishbooks.com -- we only need to know numbers.)

Silverfish Public Talk by Jothiratnam

Topic: What Darwin did
Time and place: 5.00-7.00pm, Saturday, May 25, 2013, at Silverfish Books, 28-1, Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03- 228448 37

Who's Jothi?

A quick visit to the website, Jothi's World, will indicate a man inordinately curious about all manner of things, and has been trying to understand the way the world works, in all its myriad facets, works, as well as to convey his understanding of this to all and sundry for most of his life. Originally trained as a scientist, he has explored the world of knowledge widely, and has tertiary-level academic qualifications in a variety of different fields, ranging from the hard sciences, through the social and behavioural sciences, to the humanities. He's studied, lived, and worked in several countries, and as a result speaks several languages.

As a college professor, he has taught a range of subjects (from mathematics & the hard sciences, through the soft sciences, to the humanities). He has worked (in no particular order) as a professional photographer, a DJ, a bartender, a research scientist, a wildlife biologist, a clinical psychotherapist, a theatre lighting-designer, and a musician. In addition, he part-owns a chain of bars and restaurants, and manages a variety of industrial investments. He has serious professional and personal interests in physics, chemistry, biology, palaeontology, geology (especially tectonics & vulcanism), evolutionary theory, ecology & conservation, astronomy, cosmology, particle physics, string theory, number theory, bio-mechanics, engineering & technology, neuropsychology, cognition, critical & scientific thinking, the sociology, history & philosophy of science, history, political theory, political-economics and literature. He enjoys extreme sports, and flies, sails, and rides both motor-cycles as well as horses, camels & elephants.

All things told, Jothi Ratnam is an incredible person, a wonderful gentle human and Malaysian. We have chosen What Darwin did as first his public talk at Silverfish Books. (We certainly hope to have more, if he's willing.)

Darwin wrote: ‘From my early youth I have had the strongest desire to understand and explain whatever I observed - that is to group all facts under some general laws ...’ One Hundred and fifty years after the Voyage of the Beagle we're still reeling from its aftershocks. Let's here what Jothi has to say.

When Silverfish Books was established in 1999, a keystone of our vision was to raise the level of intellectual debate in the country. The talk by Terrence Gomez on April 22 the first in a series of monthly events we hope to organise for people who are curious, who want to know a little more. Jothi Ratnam is our second speaker.

We have organised many author events at Silverfish Books. This present endeavour will be a series of talks by people who read widely, and who know stuff. Topics could cover literature, art, philosophy, political theory (not political), history, science, economic theory -- generally anything that contributes to knowledge and points the lay public in the right direction. Suggestions for speakers and topics are welcomed.

You may wish to bring a bottle of red (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, whatever) to share with your friends. Water (both mineral and sugared) will be on the house. We will organise tea, as well. (Would anyone likes to volunteer cookies?)

Children's Book Week

Update on Children's Book Week, 11-18 May 2013 at Silverfish Books, 28-1 Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-228 448 37

Children's Book Week is here again. Selected Malaysian children's books will be available at special promotional prices throughout the week. There will be storytelling and activity sessions for children on Saturday, 11th May and 18th May, in addition to meetings with children's book writers and illustrators. And lots of balloons will be given away! The Children's Book Week is organised by Yusof Gajah Lingard Literary Agency and Oyez!Books for Children, with the support of Silverfish Books.

Saturday, 11th May 2013;  3-5pm
Make your own picture book - for parents and children.
With the help of an instructor, guide your child to make his/her own picture book. Your children will learn how to build different parts of a book and they get to take home their work. All material will be provided by the organisers. Limited to 8 children. This is a joint activity for children and parents. All children must be accompanied by their parent/s. (This session is now closed as we are fully subscribed.)

Author appearance
Author and illustrator Emila Yusof will be at Silverfish Books to talk about her work as an illustrator and her new books.

Saturday, 18th May 2013; 3-5pm
Storytelling with Linda Tan on two of Mama Tok's books.
Award-winning Malaysian storyteller, Mama Tok, has published two books, The Greedy Eagle and Nyam-Nyam Nyit. The story telling (in English) will be followed by a drawing and colouring activity. (This session is now closed as we are fully booked.)

Author appearance
Author and illustrator Yusof Gajah will be at Silverfish Books to talk about his new book, Dill the Little Elephant.

Malaysia's 13th General Elections: Policies, Institutions and Social Change

INVITATION

Talk by Prof. Dr. Edmund Terence Gomez of Department of Administrative Studies and Politics, Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya.

Topic: "Malaysia's 13th General Elections: Policies, Institutions and Social Change"
Address: Silverfish Books, 28-1 Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur.
Date and time: 5.00pm to 7.00pm, Saturday, April 20, 2013.

Edmund Terence Gomez specializes in state-market relations and the linkages between ethnicity, politics and capital development. He received a doctorate in Development Studies from the University of Malaya in 1993. He is Professor of Political Economy at the Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, which he joined as a lecturer in 1994, and where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on developmental state and social change, Malaysia's political economy, and state, business and ethnicity in Southeast Asia.

The G13 election buzz has been going on for  months (or should that be years) and the date has been finally announced, May 5, 2013. Many discussions take place daily, everywhere in the country, mostly from positions of total ignorance based on prejudice, hype, soothsayer predictions and speculation. This will be a non-partisan talk by a world renowned expert (not by one between inverted commas) who has written and spoken extensively about Malaysian politics and the economy for two decades.

When Silverfish Books was established in 1999, a keystone of our vision was to raise the level of intellectual debate in the country, which was, as it is today, dismal. This talk by Terrence Gomez is the first in a series of monthly events we hope to organise at Silverfish Books for people who like to think.

So far, at Silverfish Books, we have only organised author events. We feel it would be good to have a series of talks by people who read widely, and who know stuff. Topics could cover literature, art, philosophy, political theory (not political), history, science, economic theory -- generally anything that contributes to knowledge and points the lay public in the right direction for further enlightenment (or merely to look clever).

If you like your spirits a little elevated during the talk, you may wish to bring a bottle of red (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, whatever) to share with friends, but if you prefer to remain firmly grounded, water (both mineral and sugared) will be on the house. We can organise tea, too. (Would anyone likes to volunteer cookies?)

Admission is free, but do RSVP by email to info@silverfishbooks.com by Thursday, April 18, because we can only accommodate about 50. (Feel free to pass on this email to friends you think might be interested -- contrary to popular belief, we do hot have everyone's email.)

Children's Book Week 11-18 May 2013

Children's Book Week is here again at Silverfish Books, 28-1  Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru, 59100KL. Selected Malaysian children's books will be available at special promotional prices throughout the week. There will be story telling and activity sessions for children on Saturday 11th May and 18th May, in addition to meetings with children's book writers and illustrators. And lots of balloons will be given away! The Children's Book Week is organised by Yusof Gajah Lingard Literary Agency and Oyez!Books for Children, with the support of Silverfish Books.

Saturday 11th May 2013;  3-5pm
Make your own picture book - for parents and children.
With the help of an instructor, guide your child to make his/her own picture book. Your children will learn how to build different parts of a book and they get to take home their work. All material will be provided by the organisers. Limited to 8 children. This is a joint activity for children and parents. All children must be accompanied by their parent/s. Participation is FREE. Suitable for children 5-12 years. To reserve your place, contact lindalingard@gmail.com or sms 012-3320937.

Author appearance
Author and illustrator Emila Yusof will be at Silverfish Books to talk about her new book, My Mother's Kitchen.


Saturday 18th May 2013; 3-5pm
Storytelling with Mama Tok
Award-winning Malaysian storyteller, Mama Tok, will tell stories from her books; The Greedy Eagle and Nyam-Nyam Nyit. This will be followed by a drawing and colouring activity. All materials will be provided and participation is FREE. Limited to 10 children. Suitable for children 4-12 years. To reserve your place, contact  lindalingard@gmail.com  or sms 012-3320937.

Author appearance
Author and illustrator Yusof Gajah will be at Silverfish Books to talk about his new book, Sang Mongtel or Tiny the Elephant.

Malaysian illustrators resource centre

Please visit the 100++ Malaysian Illustrators website sponsored by Kota Buku to see how it works.

If you are an illustrator who has done work for books, magazines, animation, games, walls and others, you can get listed on the 100++ Malaysian Illustrators site: www.100plus-malaysianillustrators.com to increase your profile.

Please send the following to lindalingard@yahoo.com
1. your photo (face must be shown)
2. your bio: current and past projects; education profile; interests and others
3. Awards received
4. Exhibition participation
5. Publications (please give title and year)
6. Your website
7. Your Facebook link
8. 3-5 illustrations in soft copy, or allow us to select from your Facebook/DA/website page