Nine years ago, Pongsorn Bhumiwat, maths whizz and history aficionado, penned his first novel Lamnam Hok Piphob (Chronicle Of Six Earths), a science fiction book with characters inspired by Ramayana.
Pongsorn won the 2006 Young Thai Artist Award for his first book. But after that first flush of success he chose to start an IT company and spend time writing blogs on ancient mythology and travel. He is also a war news junkie, and last year released second novel Payak Tamil Sin Chard (The Tamil Tigers’ Downfall), which is based on the ethnic civil war in Sri Lanka.
Pongsorn spoke with Life about his passion for historical literature.
— Anchalee Kongrut
What is your current bedside reading?
Hikayat Panji Semirang, the original Indonesian version of I-Nao, which is classical Thai literature. I found this surprisingly hilarious, and the plot, which revolves around the myth and gods of Java, is good. At the same time, the story is so preposterous; you have to suspend reason and simply laugh with it.
Which books influence you as a writer?
Most Chinese history books by Lao Chuan Hua, the pen name of Suksan Vivekmetakorn. Two particular books from his plethora of works on Chinese history I find highly readable are Kanthi Sing Chamrood Tarng Manusa Vittaya (Eunuch: Anthropology’s Defective Goods) and Gang Chin Sing Sokrok Thang Prawad Sard (Corrupt Elites In Chinese History). Both books might not be academic masterpieces, but they are highly readable and keep you curious, fascinated and want to learn more about history.
Ever felt let down by popular books?
I cannot think of any. Each book has its own selling point and if we do not like it, it is because we might not be a target reader. The book might not necessarily be awful, it is just not for you. Having said that, romantic comedy books are definitely not for me!
Your favourite books?
Sam Kok (the Thai translation of Romance Of The Three Kingdoms). When I was a child my mother usually read classic literature or traditional mythologies to me at bedtime. Most of these tales represent the fight between good and evil, good guy versus bad guy and characters are black and white. Needless to say, I was on the good guy side, and wished those villains to be dead. But my naivety came to an end after my mother read me Sam Kok. I asked her whether Lao Pi (a major protagonist) was the hero of the story, and she said no. So I told her Jo Cho must be a villain, but her answer was no again. Then she told me that there were not exactly good guys and bad guys in the book. Her answer was so obscure for a young boy and I only understood the book fully when I read it later as an adult. In this book, each character has both good and evil in them. Each of them just tries to cope with happiness and misery in their lives.
Books or e-books?
I enjoy both. But e-books depend on various mediums such as your laptop, iPad, mobile phone or other electronic reading gadget while normal books do not need any energy source. You can read them anywhere, without worrying about the battery.
