{"product_id":"behind-the-painting-1","title":"Behind the Painting","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSIBURAPHA\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eTranslated by\u003cstrong\u003e DAVID SMYTH\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBehind the Painting tells the unforgettable story of Nopphon, a Thai student in Japan, whose quiet life is upended when he meets Mom Ratchawong Kirati-elegant, older, and already bound by marriage. What begins as admiration deepens into a connection neither of them can fully express, building toward a love that is as intense as it is impossible. As their paths diverge, Nopphon is left to confront feelings he cannot ignore-and a reality he cannot change. \u003cbr\u003eSet against the shifting world of 1930s Thailand, the novel captures the tension between tradition and change: the fading pride of the aristocracy, the rise of a more practical new elite, and a society where emotions are often hidden behind duty and expectation. For young readers, it speaks directly to the confusion of first love, the pressure to conform, and the quiet heartbreak of growing up. These deeply Thai experiences unfold alongside universal themes —the fear of aging, the weight of missed chances, and the fragile, unpredictable nature of love. \u003cbr\u003eThis volume pairs his most celebrated novel with three powerful short stories— \"Those Kind of People,\" \"Lend Us a Hand,\" and \"The Awakening\" —offering a moving portrait of those left behind in a rapidly changing world. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSIBURAPHA \u003c\/strong\u003e(Kulap Saipradit, 1905-1974). Journalist, novelist, and public intellectual, Siburapha was twice imprisoned for his political convictions and later lived in exile in China. Revered today as a UNESCO Writer of the Year (2003), he is widely regarded as the conscience of modern Thai literature. DAVID SMYTH. A leading scholar of Thai literature, \u003cstrong\u003eDavid Smyth\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of a biography of Siburapha and has played a central role in bringing modern Thai fiction to international readers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e 9786162152283\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize \u003c\/strong\u003e13x19.5 cm.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003epage\u003c\/strong\u003e 136 pages\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"DAVID SMYTH","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48029959848110,"sku":null,"price":490.0,"currency_code":"THB","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0499\/9329\/files\/Behind_the_Painting_PB_130x195_Page_2.jpg?v=1782721439","url":"https:\/\/silkwormbooks.com\/products\/behind-the-painting-1","provider":"Silkworm Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}