Tash Aw's Memoir 'Strangers on a Pier' Explores Migration and Identity in Southeast Asia
Tash Aw's memoir 'Strangers on a Pier: Portrait of a Family' delves into personal and regional histories of migration across Southeast Asia. Originally published in the US in 2016, the book was released by 4th Estate in October 2021, priced at £8.99 for the hardcover. Aw, born in Taipei to Malay parents of Chinese descent, grew up in Kuala Lumpur, navigating multiple languages and cultural identities. The work examines the psychological toll of displacement, including high suicide rates among first-generation migrants and feelings of guilt and estrangement within families. Through family stories and historical observations, Aw addresses the silencing of past traumas like colonization and civil wars in national narratives. The memoir serves as an introspective quest to reconcile fragmented existences shaped by social mobility and sacrifice.
Key facts
- Tash Aw's memoir 'Strangers on a Pier: Portrait of a Family' was published by 4th Estate in October 2021.
- The hardcover edition is priced at £8.99.
- Aw was born in Taipei to Malay parents who were second-generation Chinese migrants.
- He grew up in Kuala Lumpur, using English, Malay, Mandarin, and Cantonese.
- The book explores migration in Southeast Asia and the psychological impacts of displacement.
- It addresses the erasure of historical events like colonization and civil wars in national narratives.
- High suicide rates among first-generation migrants are noted in the memoir.
- The work originated from a US publication in 2016.
Entities
Artists
- Tash Aw
Institutions
- 4th Estate
- ArtReview
Locations
- Taipei
- Kuala Lumpur
- Malay peninsula
- Southern China
- Southeast Asia
- United States