The Understory

The lovable, yarnspinning monk Luang Paw Tien, now in his nineties, is the last person in his village to bear witness to the power and plenitude of the jungle before agrarian and then capitalist life took over his community. Nightly, he entertains the children of his village with tales from his younger years: his long pilgrimage to India, his mother's dreams of a more stable life through agriculture, his proud huntsman father who resisted those dreams, and his love, who led him to pursue those dreams all over again. Sangsuk's novel is a celebration of the oral tradition of storytelling and, above all else, a testament to the power of stories to entertain.

Saneh Sangsuk is an award-winning Thai author who wrote White Shadow (2001) and the short story Venom (2001). In 2008, he received the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) Medal from the French Ministry of Culture for his remarkable contributions to literature. His works have been translated into seven different languages including English, German, French and Spanish. His book White Shadow is considered one of the best 20 novels in Thailand. Currently, he lives in Phetchaburi, Thailand.

Mui Poopoksakul is a lawyer-turned-translator with a special interest in contemporary Thai literature. She was awarded a PEN/Heim Translation Fund grant for her translation of Saneh Sangsuk's The Understory. Mui's other translations include three story collections: The Sad Part Was and Moving Parts, both by Prabda Yoon, and Arid Dreams by Duanwad Pimwana. She is also the translator of Pimwana's novel Bright and has contributed widely to literary journals since she began her translation career. A native of Bangkok who spent two decades in the U.S., she now lives in Berlin, Germany.