Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbaugh. W. Somerset Mom was an English writer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. And this guy was popular, you know, churning out short stories for big bucks, the kind of career that doesn't really exist for writers these days.

Anyway, he spent some time traveling in Malaysia back when it was under the

British Empire, and this is the jumping off point for Tan Tuan Ang's novel, The House of Doors.

And while it takes place in the rich and diverse island of Penang, Tan Tuan Eng focuses mostly on the

point of view of the British characters. There's a part in this interview where NPR's R. Shapiro

asks him about it,

and, well, you know how there's always these debates about whose story gets told and how certain

identities are centered? I think he gives one of the most succinct and clear-eyed answers on the

issue that I've heard in a while. In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from

daily life.

Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors.

On our new show, Sources and Methods.

NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people,

helping you understand why distant events matter here at home.

Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

The author, Tantuan Ang, writes historical fiction set in Malaysia, the country where he was

raised. His newest novel, The House of Doors, revolves around a famous British author who spent

time traveling in the region. The short story writer W. Somerset

Maum, known to his friends, as Willie. The House of Doors has already made the long list

for this year's Booker Prize, and Tantuan Ang is here to talk with us about it. Welcome to

all things considered. Hello there. It's very good to be here to talk to you all. This is the

second novel that you have said on the island of

...