Episode 173 Notes and Links to Rachel Heng’s Work
On Episode 173 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Rachel Heng, and the two discuss, among other things, her love of reading and her early relationships with the written word and multilingualism, her research and the family stories concerning Singapore’s transformation and its history of ethnic diversity and kampong culture, the book’s “complications” concerning the ways in which “The Great Reclamation” played in on micro- and macro levels for the people of Singapore, her beautiful portrayals of change, grief, and guilt, and her inspirations for writing the book.
Rachel Heng is the author of the novels The Great Reclamation (Riverhead, 2023) and Suicide Club (Henry Holt, 2018), which has been translated into ten languages worldwide and won the Gladstone Library Writer-In-Residence Award. Rachel's short fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, McSweeney's Quarterly, One Story, Kenyon Review, and has been recognized by anthologies including Best American Short Stories, The Pushcart Prize, Best Small Fictions and Best New Singaporean Short Stories. She was recently longlisted for the 2021 Sunday Times Short Story Award, “the world’s richest and most prestigious prize for a single short story.” Her non-fiction has been listed among Best American Essays’ Notable Essays and published in Al Jazeera, Guernica, BOMB Magazine, The Rumpus and elsewhere. She has received fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts, Vermont Studio Center, Sewanee Writers' Conference, Fine Arts Work Center and the National Arts Council of Singapore. Rachel received her MFA in Fiction and Playwriting from the Michener Center for Writers, UT Austin, and her BA in Comparative Literature & Society from Columbia University.
Buy The Great Reclamation
Rachel Heng's Webpage
Rachel Speaks about The Great Reclamation on NPR’s Weekend Edition with Scott Simon
Oprah Daily Cover Reveal and Article about The Great Reclamation
At about 7:50, Rachel discusses her mindset and emotions as her book tour begins with a March 28 event with Kirstin Chen and the book is published on March 28
At about 8:55, Pete asks about Rachel’s early relationship with the written word and multilingualism; Rachel talks about a heavy diet of British writers in school in Singapore and her route to becoming a writer
At about 12:40, Rachel discusses seeds for the book and research done for the book, including how the book came from a “curiosity to revisit that time” often referenced by older family members
At about 14:35, Rachel speaks to the ethnic makeup of Singapore, and how British colonialism affected Singapore’s ethnic history
At about 16:40, Pete reads the book’s epigraph and Rachel explains its connection to themes from the book, including Singapore’s look to the future
At about 19:10, The two characterize the Lee family
At about 20:25, Pete cites the wonderful opening line of the book and asks Rachel about the meanings and personal significance of the kampong
At about 23:55, Rachel expands upon ideas of the “kampong spirit” and the communal “national fabric” of Singapore for the duration of the book and now
At about 25:40, Pete wonders if there any connection between recent pushes toward MAGA and her book’s subject matter
At about 26:50, Pete and Rachel discuss Uncle’s character and sympathies for him
At about 27:25, The two lay out early events in the book with Ah Boon and family locating ethereal islands and Rachel gives background on how POV and a key throughline inspired the beginning of the book
At about 30:00, Pete talks about the slow inevitability of change in the book and asks Rachel about Pa’s parenting style
At about 31:40, Rachel gives background on Siok Mei, her family life, and what draws her and Ah Boon to each other
At about 33:55, Pete highlights the powerful and beautiful flashbacks in the book
At about 34:45, Pete cites Rachel’s skill with recognizable yet dynamic characters
At about 35:15, Pete quotes from the book to provide background on Ma and her marriage to Pa
At about 35:50, Pete and Rachel discuss the significance of the Japanese occupation in 1942 and its aftereffects
At about 38:30, Pete describes an important decision that Pa and Uncle are faced with during the Japanese occupation
At about 39:25, Pete and Rachel discuss “The Disappearing Years” and the post-war attitude exhibited by Ah Boon and Singaporeans
At about 42:15, The two discuss student protests that came about when Siok Mei and Ah Boon reacted to the real-life controversial case involving Nadra
At about 44:30, Rachel talks about the “Gah Men” and the ways in which they acted and were perceived by the public
At about 46:45, Natalie is discussed as representative of the government, especially with regard to diction like “greater good,” and Rachel describes parts of Singaporean history as “complicated” and “an interesting case study”
At about 50:20, Rachel talks about the environmental effects of The Great Reclamation
At about 51:25, Class division is described as a book theme through an anecdote from Natalie
At about 52:30, Pete quotes government officials from the book and ideas of “greater good”
At about 53:00, Pete compliments Rachel’s depictions of grief and she speaks to inspirations for these depictions
At about 54:40, Rachel explains a quote of hers regarding her perspective in writing this book while living in the US
You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode.
Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl
Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!
NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast
This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.
The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.
Please tune in for Episode 174, another episode dropping today, March 28, celebrating pub day for Allegra Hyde.
Allegra Hyde is a recipient of three Pushcart Prizes and author of ELEUTHERIA, named a "Best Book of 2022" by The New Yorker. She’s also the author of the story collection, OF THIS NEW WORLD, which won the John Simmons Short Fiction Award, and her second story collection, THE LAST CATASTROPHE, is her new one.
The episode will go live around noon on March 28.
Episode 194 with Ruth Madievsky, Brilliant Tactician of Plot, Humor, and Nuanced Profundity, and the Writer
Episode 193 with Ethan Chatagnier, Author of Singer Distance, and Standout Worldbuilder and Character Artist
Episode 192 with Donovan X. Ramsey, Author of When Crack Was King: A People’s History of a Misunderstood Era and Master Craftsman of a Historical Book that Shines Through Personal Stories
Episode 191 with Sarah Fawn Montgomery, Possessor of a Poetic Sensibility, Chronicler of Nature, the Psyche, and Love’s Many Iterations, and Author of Halfway from Home: Essays
Episode 190 with Ellen Birkett Morris, Renaissance Woman: Teacher, Dramatist, Prose Writer, and Author of the Precise, Affecting, and Chill-Inducing Lost Girls
Episode 189 with Andrés Reséndez, Researcher on The Spanish Conquest and Author of the Award-Winning and Rigorously-Researched The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America
Episode 188 with Kavita Das, Writer and Editor of Craft and Conscience: How to Write about Social Issues, and Reflective and Thoughtful Chronicler of Important and Compelling Stories
Episode 187 with V Castro, Author of The Haunting of Alejandra, Two-Time Bram Stoker Nominee, and Creator of Scary and Real Worlds and Characters That Resonate
Episode 186 with Stephanie Feldman, Author of Saturnalia, Master Worldbuilder, and Crafter of Intriguing and Engrossing Satire and Allegory
Episode 185 with Toni Ann Johnson, Renaissance Woman, Master Storyteller in Film and on the Page, and Author of the Award-Winning Light Skin Gone to Waste
Episode 184 with Robert Ottone, Bram Stocker-Nominated Creator of Worlds Familiar and Scary, Master of Allegory and Pure Terror, and The Author of The Vile Thing We Created
Episode 183 with Eli Cranor, Master of Dialogue, Suspense, and Profundity, and Author of Edgar Award-Nominated Don’t Know Tough and its Followup, the Standout Ozark Dogs
Episode 182 with Talia Lakshmi Kolluri, Gifted Storyteller, Stellar Translator of Animals’ Inner Lives, and Master of Thoughtful Prose
Episode 181 with Ramona Reeves, Author of It Falls Gently All Around, Keen Observer of the Banal and the Dramatic, and Skilled Craftswoman of the Space Between Scenes and Characters
Episode 180 with Jennifer Dawn Carlson, Thorough and Thoughtful Researcher, Sociologist, and Interviewer, and Author of Merchants of the Right: Gun Sellers and the Crisis of American Democracy
Episode 179 with Sarah Cypher, Skilled and Thorough and Thoughtful Chronicler of The Long Reaches of History, Identity, and ,What Constitutes Home
Episode 178 with Stephen Buoro, Master Craftsman of Satire, Humor, Mathematics, Philosophy Merging in His Instant Classic, The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa
Episode 177 with Laura Warrell, Skilled Chronicler of Art and Connection and Aging, and Author of Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm, PEN/Faulkner Finalist
Episode 176 with Raegen Pietrucha: Skillful Wordsmith, Image Painter, Ardent Activist for Survivors of Sexual Violence and Writer of The Powerful Head of a Gorgon Poetry Collection
Episode 175 with Jordan Harper, Renowned TV Writer, Primo Crime and Noir Writer, Chronicler of Moral Ambiguity, and Writer of the Exciting, Profound, Stunningly-Good Everybody Knows
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Lit Society: Books and Drama
Ex Libris
Write The Book: Conversations on Craft
Black Beauty
The Federalist Papers
Fresh Air
Myths and Legends