The field of the great, Marlai Choophinit, 1954
This vivid chronicle of an upcountry district in the heart of Siam is told through the rise of Ruen, an aspiring timber trader who leads the small community of Khlong Suan Mark in its fight against nature and against man at the turn of the last century (1890-1909). Epidemics, fires, floods, famine and banditry forge a common will to survive and prosper despite all odds. Children are born and die. Families flee and return. Under the lure of money, simple men break their word, until they know better. Freedom and friendship are the guiding principles in Ruen’s fighting world. He marries Sutjai, beds her best friend Jampa, and worships Lamiat, the wife of his worst enemy. This epic social fresco and ode to human endeavour and wilfulness, written in lush, swift prose, will take you through a wide sweep of emotions.