Patriotism in Pages: Celebrating Homegrown Stories | Parveena Yousuf
by @zp0904
We all love stories, don’t we? That’s precisely why we enjoy watching movies, listening to music, or getting lost in books. Stories carry us to different worlds. It makes us laugh, cry, or see life through someone’s eyes. But there is something special in reading. A quiet magic in turning pages, feeling the story unfold slowly under your fingertips. Think about the last book you picked up. How often do we reach for the novels written by authors right here at home? Why do they sometimes go unnoticed? What makes these stories special? Perhaps, this Malaysia Day, it’s time for us to find out.
Lost in the clouds
Even though Malaysia is home to many talented writers, their stories often don’t get the popularity and recognition they deserve. We are so used to reaching for international bestsellers, as most of us get recommendations by scrolling through BookTok, Bookstagram, or listening to what other famous Booktubers are reading on YouTube. Additionally, bookstores are dominated by international books, drawing our attention with the familiar names and trending titles, only sometimes dedicating a small section to our homegrown works, ultimately making it easier to overlook the equally thrilling tales. Or maybe we just don’t hear about them enough, or assume the best English novels come from somewhere far, far away. Yet, tucked among those shelves are Malaysian novels full of voices and settings that are close to home, that capture the little things we recognise in our own lives. Funny how the things closest to us can be the easiest to overlook, right?
Even though Malaysia is home to many talented writers, their stories often don’t get the popularity and recognition they deserve. We are so used to reaching for international bestsellers, as most of us get recommendations by scrolling through BookTok, Bookstagram, or listening to what other famous Booktubers are reading on YouTube. Additionally, bookstores are dominated by international books, drawing our attention with the familiar names and trending titles, only sometimes dedicating a small section to our homegrown works, ultimately making it easier to overlook the equally thrilling tales. Or maybe we just don’t hear about them enough, or assume the best English novels come from somewhere far, far away. Yet, tucked among those shelves are Malaysian novels full of voices and settings that are close to home, that capture the little things we recognise in our own lives. Funny how the things closest to us can be the easiest to overlook, right?
Why we should see beyond the clouds
There’s always something special about stories that come from home. They carry the little details we recognise: the food we’ve grown up with, the way our streets sound on a rainy evening, the unspoken habits that feel so familiar. Reading them can feel like sitting down with an old friend who understands us in ways others don’t. At the same time, these books also open our eyes to perspectives we might never have thought about, because every writer adds their own shade, their own voice, to the picture of what it means to live here. Supporting these stories means supporting a growing literary community—one that deserves to be seen and celebrated just as much as the international names we admire. And if we don’t uplift them, who will? By picking up even one of these books, by talking about them, by sharing them, we make space for more stories to bloom, and more voices to shine through the clouds.
Our own sky
So, if you’re wondering where to even start with local reads, let me spill a few titles that I’ve been obsessed with from my own little stack! These are the books that clung to me for lots of reasons. One made me laugh at 12 a.m., another painted Malaysia so vividly I swore I lived in that timeline in my mind, and a few just refused to leave my head, no matter how many other stories I read after.
- Duet Me Not by Lilian Li — A sweet, chaotic, and tender story that reminded me how funny and heart-thumping local romance can be. It felt like a K-drama, but with characters who felt so close to home.
- 912 Batu Road by Viji Krishnamoorthy — A historical tale that doesn’t just tell you about the past, but makes you feel it, with all the fear, hope, and resilience of wartime Malaya.
- Bane of Widuri by Nadiah Zakaria — Atmospheric and haunting, this one swept me into a world of myth, mystery, and the kind of eerie beauty you can only find in Southeast Asian storytelling.
- If Only You Remember by Norhafsah Hamid — Gentle, heartfelt, and reflective. A book that whispers rather than shouts, reminding us about memory, faith, and the quiet weight of relationships.
- Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf — Whimsical and magical, yet bittersweet. It’s the kind of story that makes you look at childhood myths and local folktales with new wonder.
So, maybe the next time you come across the bookshelf with our local novels in the bookstore, pause for a second. Pick one, flip through the pages, and see if the voice feels familiar. Sometimes you’ll find stories that surprise you, and sometimes they’ll feel like home. Supporting these books doesn’t have to be grand. It could be as simple as sharing a title with a friend, carrying it with you on the bus, or reading it while commuting. Who knows? The story that stays with you the longest might just be the one written closest to home, and perhaps, this Malaysia Day is the perfect time to begin!
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