Kasan Goh casts off literary inheritance of dad Goh Poh Seng in debut novel on squatting in London
Singaporean author Kasan Goh has released his debut novel, 'Billy, Seetoh & Co', which draws on his experiences as a student squatter in 1980s London. The book explores themes of family legacy, political turbulence, and the author's personal journey to establish his own literary identity.
Why it matters
The novel provides a unique cultural perspective on the immigrant experience and the challenges of living in the shadow of a prominent literary family.
Kasan Goh’s debut novel – titled Billy, Seetoh & Co – took 30 years to gestate.
Listen Summarise Kasan Goh's debut novel – Billy, Seetoh & Co – took 30 years to write, drawing from his life squatting in London and Chinese classic Dreams Of The Red Chamber. The novel reflects Goh's personal struggles, his family's history and the turbulent 1980s, including political events like the Tiananmen Square protests. Goh overcomes fears of comparison to his late father, Goh Poh Seng, to establish a unique voice. AI generated
SINGAPORE – United Kingdom-based Singapore author Kasan Goh is a little bashful when asked how long he took to write his debut novel, Billy, Seetoh & Co, a drifting, Cubist portrait of student squatters in London based partially on his life.
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