BookTalk with Harriet Sobol: The Gift of Rain (2007) by Tan Twan Eng

BookTalk introduces readers to a carefully chosen, provocative selection of novels for reading and informal discussion, considering the author’s writing techniques and the character’s personal journeys. Readings include translations of books from other countries and cultures in the search for fictions that illuminate the lives and understanding of those from all across the globe.

This class focuses on The Gift of Rain (2007) by Tan Twan Eng. Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, Malaysian writer Eng's debut novel is set in Penang in 1939. The story recounts a developing friendship between the sixteen-year old protagonist of mixed Chinese-English heritage and a Japanese diplomat who teaches the young man about Japanese culture and the discipline of aikido. The savage Japanese invasion of Malaya at the inception of World War II and the revelation that his Japanese mentor is a spy tests the young man's loyalties to family, friendship, and country.