Synopsis:

Often an unnoticed caress on our faces, winds are voiceless and formless. How do we interpret them? What mysteries can we find in the whispers of winds? From a Dutch occupied Java where a witch was murdered, a dog who desires to be a Muslim, to a day in which all sense of music is lost, the mundane is aflame with the uncanny.

In these stories, Fairoz Ahmad invites you to take a closer look at ordinary objects, as they take on a life of their own and spin gossamer threads. This book is a celebration of the little charms and enchantments of our universes amidst struggles and eventual helplessness.

There will be a reading followed by a conversation with the author. Tickets are free, but booking is essential. To request a sign language interpreter or if you have other access needs, please contact us. We would love to have you with us!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Fairoz Ahmad is the co-founder of the award-winning social enterprise, Chapter W. The organisation works at the intersection of women, technology and social impact. For his work with the community, he was awarded the National University of Singapore's Outstanding Young Alumni award. He also lectures in sociology and community development at Temasek Polytechnic. Fairoz recently graduated from the University of Oxford with a Master of Public Policy (Distinction) under the Chevening-Oxford scholarship.

"Interpreter of Winds" is a reflection of his experiences and observations growing up Muslim in a world too busy, too distracted, to understand one another, and his belief that the magic, wonder and richness of one's history and culture, together with their quirks and eccentricities, could help narrow this gap in understanding.

ABOUT THE HOST:
Dr Nazry Bahrawi is senior lecturer at Singapore University of Technology and Design, specialising in the study of Muslim texts and thoughts along the Indian Ocean. He is an associate editor of 'Critical Muslim' and a co-founder of the Bras Basah Open, a collective for discussing critical theory and philosophy in Singapore. He has translated two Malay literary works into English, while his op-ed commentaries have appeared in Al Jazeera, The Guardian, South China Morning Post and Today.