(Sommadhi Introduction)
Throughout the course of history, countless books have been burnt and destroyed simply because of beliefs, politics, or to appease the needs of the ruling class in certain historical periods. For some books, only their titles remain, for some more unfortunate, even their titles are lost, irretrievable for the rest of time.
However, in our present world, book burnings, as perpetrated in the past, are not allowed to happen as easily. Production of books has become an industry which seems to carry on ceaselessly. Still, there exist not a few books which have been left behind, forgotten in the cracks of time. Some books never managed to reach their readers by themselves, and whatever the reason may be, this is a tragedy which still happens even in societies in which the culture of reading is firmly established.
‘Unreachability’ or ‘unavailability’ thus are equivalent to ‘non-existence.’
Hence, ‘Literature in Parentheses,’ a collection of books from Sommadhi Publishing House, was born in order to act as a bridge, connecting readers to literary works which seem to be ‘non-existent’ or ‘unrecognized.’
In the same way, ‘texts’ in ‘parentheses’ are read as if they could be skimmed over without affecting the text’s meaning, or left as words which the reader is not required to read. When in fact these texts inside the parentheses compliment and give clarity to those outside them, while also reveal hidden implications.
‘Literature in Parentheses’ is a collection of translated works which we have selected from significant authors from various parts of the world, published each with an afterword by contemporary authors who have been inspired by each respective work.
Lastly, if these literature in parentheses somehow succeed in creating an impact, or providing their readers with a recognition…
Please consider this piece of introduction as simply another text in parentheses.
Sommadhi Publishing House
