Book Talk of The Editor by Jennifer Lindsay
November 19 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Event background
On 19 November 2026 at 5.30–7.00 pm, SEA Junction invites you to dive into the world of Lady Sophia Raffles, the woman behind one of the most influential accounts of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, an important figure in Southeast Asian history, especially in the maritime countries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Join us for a conversation with the author on the making of The Editor, a new novel by Monsoon Book, which utilizes historical pieces and anecdotes. The discussion will also explore whose voices are remembered in history, and the important role women have played in recording and shaping the past.
Set across the Southeast Asia landscape from Sumatra, Java, Penang and Singapore to London, this historical novel follows Sophia’s journey from a grieving widow to a woman who preserved the legacy of one of the most important figures in colonial Southeast Asia beyond as the “Founder of Singapore”.
The story takes place after the sudden death of Sir Thomas in 1826. Left widowed and in debt, Sophia took on the daunting task of writing and publishing an account of his life and public service at a time when women were rarely given the opportunity to write or publish. Her “Memoir of the Life and Public Service of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles”, published in 1830, came at enormous personal and financial cost, but later became an important source for accounts of Raffles.
The book talk will see Jennifer Lindsay (Author) in interaction with Trasvin Jittidecharak (Silkworm Books) marking its launch in Thailand.
The event will be held in English and will be livestreamed on SEA-Junction Facebook Page.
Speakers’ Bios
Jennifer Lindsay is an award-winning translator, essayist, columnist and occasional academic who has spent around thirty years living in Indonesia as student, researcher, diplomat and cultural officer. Her academic writing focuses on Indonesian cultural history, performing arts, language and translation. She has translated many literary works from Indonesian into English, including writing by Goenawan Mohamad, Leila Chudori, Linus Suryadi and Ashadi Siregar. From 2012-18 she wrote her own column about the Indonesian language in the English edition of the Indonesian journal Tempo. She also directed a documentary film about Indonesia’s cultural missions abroad during the Soekarno period. An Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Culture, History and Language at the Australian National University, she now divides her time between Indonesia and Australia. The Editor is her first work of fiction. Website: Jennifer-lindsay.com
Trasvin Jittidecharak from Chiang Mai, Thailand is the founder of Silkworm Books (since 1991), a general, independent publisher of English-language books on Thailand and Southeast Asia that she is still running today. She continued to have a prominent role in the printing and publishing space in Thailand and Southeast Asia via various organizations such as Mekong Press (2005), which later to become Mekong Press Foundation in 2008, to support publishing activities in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and establish a network of publishers in the region. Most recently, she held the position of Secretary-General of the ASEAN Book Publishers Association, 2020-21.
For more information, please email: info@seajunction.org or phone/wa: +66970024140
NB: The event is free, donations are welcome to support SEA Junction activities.
Organizers
SEA Junction, established under the Thai non-profit organization Foundation for Southeast Asia Studies (ForSEA), aims to foster understanding and appreciation of Southeast Asia in all its socio-cultural dimensions, from arts and lifestyles to economy and development. Conveniently located at Room 407-8 of the Bangkok Arts and Culture Center or BACC (across MBK, BTS National Stadium), SEA Junction facilitates public access to knowledge resources and exchanges among students, practitioners and Southeast Asia lovers. More information at http://seajunction.org/.
The JFK Foundation in Thailand was founded by H.E. Dr. Thanat Khoman, the former Ambassador to the United States, with the purpose of commemorating President Kennedy’s principles through education, public service, and good governance that benefits mankind in Thailand, the United States, and ASEAN, now and in the future. For more information, please visit https://jfkth-foundation.com/index.php/en/
