Jumpit Rak Jak Maddalena (A Kiss From Maddalena)

Published on February 25, 2008

Flowing against the mercilessness of World War II, Christopher Castellani's beautifully told love story focuses on a couple caught in its midst. It seems like a cliche: a beautiful girl falling in love with an ordinary boy who doesn't deserve her. But Castellani has his readers pulling for both of them all along.

In the small village of Santa Cecelia in 1943, 17-year-old Vito Leone falls in love with lovely Maddalena. He doesn't have her good looks, nor a good name or money, but he's passionate. Vito builds a bike out of old parts and offers all the local girls free rides in exchange for a kiss. Of course, Maddalena is the primary target.

Love blossoms, but they have to struggle, not only with the war but with family and social strictures. After the war Maddalena has to make a choice - her family wants her to marry a rich man.

Castellani, a young Italian immigrant to America, has captured the beauty of the Italian village from his childhood memories and stories his parents told him.

Translator Rangsima Tansakul fell in love with the novel on first reading and has done a great job of conveying the descriptions and emotions, adding cultural explanations in the footnotes.

Songkhram Nang Fah (The Air Hostess War)

Written by Airky

Published by Blue Bell Press

Available at all bookstores, Bt135

This is the original version - uncut and uncensored - of a beautiful flight attendant's life story of misery that was initially posted on Pantip.com. It drew thousands of hits and soon caught the eye of publishers and TV producers.

The book is now in its fourth printing, and the TV drama series is a hit.

Based on a factual story, "Songkhram Nan Fah" was originally titled "Ruangjing Phan Comp" ("True Tales from the Computer"). It offers a protagonist raised and educated in elite settings who isn't always an angel.

Once in the working world, she gets pregnant and marries a man who's a womaniser and demands that she be submissive. But she only gets stronger and, when they split up, mounts a successful fight for the custody of her children.

Airky has inherited a lot from her late grandfather - renowned author Por Intapalit. This may be her first novel, but she's recounted 15 years of her life like a pro, using accessible language but cleverly setting out the plot.

If you like the TV series, the book allows for a more in-depth look at the characters. They don't punch, slap and sleep with each other all the time, as television suggests. Rin isn't a saint, but neither is Ning a devil - a lot of the soap has been washed away.

Adding to the interest are the many titbits that most people don't know about the airline industry.