Saw it at Borders, and seeing how much I was enjoying Malaysia, I thought this book might be the perfect accompaniment. I was right and then some. These three short novels follow teacher-administrator Victor Crabbe through three separate jobs and locales in Malaysia (known then as Malaya) from 1955 through 1957, following the transition from British rule to Malaysian independence. Burgess gives a detailed and scathing view of people of all ethnicities in Malaysia, and expresses his hopes and fears for the brand-new nation. Oh, and the ending is just great and out of left field and gut-wrenching. Marvelous and funny book, never dry or overly historical. A bit of a challenge with its multilingual glossary (Malay, Chinese, Tamil, Urdu, and other assorted languages), but that’s a challenge I’ll dig any day. Before this book, the only Burgess I had ever read was A Clockwork Orange. I will certainly read some more.

This was one of the most influential books of my adult life.
It was with inital reluctance that I allowed myself to feel compassion for Nabby Adams, the protagonist (of sorts), but in no time I was completely sucked in and engaged in his world. This book is not only good fiction, it really appealed to the armchair traveler in me.

A real insiders look at Malaya and the gradual spoliation of Western influence in the stifling heat of the jungle, colonial residences, kampongs and kedais.

In some parts very vivid, with an impressive diversity of characters, stories mingling together from all racial backgrounds that stretch all around the Anglosphere and Asia (Urdu, US, Europeans, Chinese, Tamils, Malays all are in Malaya), all with a hefty dose of irony which I did not feel was mean.

It reminded me a lot of Bouvier in some parts, but more grimed with alcohol, next to straight-jacketed religious mores and expatriate social theatre revolving around mysterious Education positions which the author himself occupied at the time.

I found its interest started to wane for me in the third book, as I read the first two aware I should be doing other things.

A book club selection, I have read book one of this trilogy. Not sure if I am interested enough to read the last two. One thing I can say is that it is the first book in a long time to challenge my vocabulary. I did appreciate that. But I minded that the book was emotionally cold--many characters, but no one to hook onto as a someone that one really cares about.

As an expat in Malaysia, these books are spot on in their commentary and characters. While really nailing the Malaysian experience, these books are about so much more underneath the surface: post colonialism, idealism and its inevitable decline, aging, dashed hopes and dreams, politics, the relationships between foreigners and ethnicities. The books really function all together, and not within their separate parts. Yes, they are not perfect — there is a lot of ebb and flow in the narration. But even that captures the state of being in Malaysia.

i’m only saving this because I like the cover

The last days of Colonial Malaysia... Wonderful.

How odd is it that a foreigner describes my country more wholly and better than any Malaysian writer I've read? It may boil down to my not having read enough local authors, but I think it is because racial prejudices and connotations still run so deep and is ingrained in the Federal Constitution that fear of censorship, backlash and prison now stop us Malaysians from writing about our not so beloved country as is.



Like Lim Cheng Po, many of us scorn our mother tongues and put on unfamiliar accents, not knowing that this means refusal to understand the (now more than) three main cultures in Malaysia. Even I as a Eurasian will not be able to describe Malaysia so fully and objectively as Burgess, because I too will be self-censoring myself so as not to offend.



A beautiful work that has shown that nothing, NOTHING has changed since we gained independence, except maybe increased cynicism and hate for our nation. Its sad and so true (even the comedic scenes).

Overall impression: This triology took me a while to get into. The style didn't make sense to me at first - the writing feels melodramatic, as if I'm watching an old black and white 1950's movie. And the author doesn't give context - just drops the reader in and out of a number of different scenes and conversations. Eventually they come together and the story starts to flow. Some reviews say the books are comic but to me the characters are sort of depressing. I am glad to have read this trilogy though. It gave me a sense of colonial Malaysia and the many cultures represented there at a specific time in history. And the writing is brilliant - I think there's a lot more there than I could see on first reading. It's one I will go back to.

Reaction to individual books as I read them.

Part 1 Time for a Tiger : At first I expected this book to be about Malaysia. The backdrop is Malaysia but the real focus of the book is the 4 main characters: Crabbe, his wife Fenella, Nabby Adams, and Alladad Khan. The characters themselves did not engage me, nor did their boring activity. The times there was any significant action it was almost glossed over. Others say this book is funny but I didn't get that at all. I did enjoy the glimpses of 1950's Malaysia and its many cultures.
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Part 2 The Enemy in the Blanket: I liked this novel better than the first. It was set in a more remote part of Malaysia as the English were losing their influence and Malaysian independence was coming. Each of the main English characters: Crabbe, Rupert Hardmann, and the Talbots are trying to find their way in a place that is no longer hospitable to them. Their personal lives slowly spin out of control. The other characters provide the cultural backdrop - and the story of how cultures, lives, and ideals rub against each other in ways that don't quite fit.
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Part 3 Beds in the East: I feel like the style of this book finally clicked for me. I realized I was getting lost because most books set up the scenes and give you setting and background. Things came together for me by the end. The end of the story and the end of the English colonial era. I also liked the characters in this novel better - they seemed more real, not just charicatures. Still, I realize the charicature had a purpose. Each character symbolizing something about the different peoples there at the time.

tre romanzi con un personaggio ricorrente- victor crabbe, prima insegnante e poi funzionario ministeriale- ambientati in una malesia umida e sensuale, sospesa tra colonialismo e indipendenza. quel che si ritrova è la sgradevolezza dei personaggi, tutti in preda a passioni disturbanti e il senso di torrida decadenza e immobilità tropicale- nelle tre storie disturbanti in cui sono impossibili lieto fine e redenzione. molto interessanti i passaggi sulla vita matrimoniale tra victor e fenella- in cui il paese diventa metafora dell'incomunicabilità- e quelli sulla difficile convivenza tra le etnie e i tentativi di integrazione tra culture diverse. fascinoso, soprattutto perché letto proprio durante un viaggio in malesia.

I have read this book intently. My goal is to understand some things about Malaysian culture and history, It is an adjunct to reading other non fiction material. It is written with the post colonial period of Malaysia in mind from the British perspective, of course. Although my copy of the book shows copyright 1964, the pieces of the trilogy are written between 1956-1959.

I enjoyed the characters, setting, language and plot. The plot feels a bit down as it depicts the decline of the British. It sort of reminds me of many novels that depict apparent culturnal decline and the shift of history. As we know today, the historical shift depicted, post World War II, is actually not sad, but a wonderful new period for the people of Malaysia to engage in modern self government.

I expect to travel to Malaysia and am continuing to look for materials to enhance this experience.

"The Long Day Wanes: A Malayan Trilogy" by Anthony Burgess is a masterful piece of literature that effortlessly blends comedy, tragedy, history, and culture into a riveting narrative that is as enlightening as it is entertaining. It's a novel—or rather, a trilogy of novels—that truly deserves the five-star rating I'm giving it.

Burgess, best known for his dystopian novel "A Clockwork Orange", showcases a different facet of his literary genius in this work. Set in post-World War II Malaya during the last days of British colonial rule, "The Long Day Wanes" follows the experiences of Victor Crabbe, an English school headmaster, navigating the tumultuous socio-political landscape of the time.

The trilogy, composed of "Time for a Tiger", "The Enemy in the Blanket", and "Beds in the East", offers readers an unflinching look at the colonial legacy, the clash of cultures, and the struggle for identity in a rapidly changing world. Yet, even as it grapples with weighty themes, Burgess's writing maintains a light touch, infusing the narrative with a sense of humor that is often as sharp as it is amusing.

Burgess's prose is rich and evocative, capturing the lushness of the Malayan landscape and the distinct rhythms of its languages and dialects. His characters are deftly drawn and deeply human, from the idealistic, somewhat naive Crabbe, to the diverse cast of locals and expatriates each grappling with their own dilemmas and desires.

But perhaps what makes "The Long Day Wanes" truly exceptional is its insight into a period and place that is often overlooked in English literature. Burgess, who spent several years in Malaya as a teacher, brings a level of authenticity and understanding to the narrative that makes the trilogy not just a work of fiction, but also a valuable historical document.

In conclusion, "The Long Day Wanes: A Malayan Trilogy" is a testament to Burgess's versatility and talent as a writer. It's a compelling, thought-provoking, and thoroughly enjoyable read that offers a unique glimpse into a fascinating chapter of history. For these reasons, it has earned a well-deserved place in my list of five-star books.