Subdistrict Headman Dej was reminded of the fish’s grapple with death. Having taken the hook, some leap into the air with grace. Others dive headfirst into the sea, tugging against the rod until their last.
He supposed he was the latter type. Despite his former glory, he wanted nothing but a humble departure.
A collection of short stories by Thailand’s National Artist Seksan Prasertkul. In The Great Ones, Seksan writes of the admirable dignity of ordinary people. A Hmong lady loses her sons in a political movement, a man finds his missing half in a tiger, and an aging subdistrict headman concocts a fatal plan for his legacy. A compelling look at Thailand’s social landscape, with deft prose reminiscent of Hemingway.
“Succeeds in moving readers and urging them to ponder the meaning of humans’ collective experience—a vital feat in the face of today’s problems.”
— Tula Detpalakul, scholar
