Regrettable Things That Happened Yesterday

by Jennani Durai, Ng Yi-Sheng (Introduction)

Shortlisted for the 2018 Singapore Literature Prize for Fiction

“The stories in this gorgeous collection are complex yet clear, heartbreaking yet hopeful, sharp-witted yet compassionate. Jennani Durai is an exciting new voice in literature, a writer to watch!” –Tayari Jones, multi-award-winning author of An American Marriage

A teenager discovers his grandfather's secret identity only after his death. A young immigrant to 1940s Singapore is convinced the end-times are nigh. A man is tasked with bringing the corpse of his estranged brother home from Phuket. A reporter is torn between doing her a job and respecting her friend’s privacy.

From obituaries and job ads to crime reports and horoscopes, Regrettable Things That Happened Yesterday is a collection of ten short stories connected by the motif of newspapers, and the unexpected ways they end up affecting our lives.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Asia, Contemporary

184 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2017

About the author

Jennani Durai is the author of Regrettable Things That Happened Yesterday (Epigram Books, 2017), which was shortlisted for the Singapore Literature Prize for Fiction in 2018. She is a former journalist, a VONA/Voices Fellow for 2016 and a co-author of the official commemorative book of Singapore's 50th birthday, Living The Singapore Story (2015). Her fiction has appeared in Hayden's Ferry Review, Eastern Heathens and Best New Singaporean Short Stories (Vol 2). She lives in Guatemala with her husband.

Reviews

[aqilahreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

regrettable things that happened yesterday is a collection of ten short stories connected by the motif of newspapers and the unexpected ways they end up affection our lives.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. as someone whom is not really into short stories, this really blew my mind! i thoroughly enjoyed each and every of the stories & that rarely happens as i always find that my interest in reading short stories is always not consistent - there will be some stories that i dont enjoy, which will lose my interest in reading it further. i really love stories like never have i ever & body on board. very simple yet something that tugged at my heartstrings. im so glad that this was recommended by a friend, else, i wouldnt have known that this book even existed!

[Xueting · Rating 4 out of 5]

The nine short stories in this collection look at secrets, pretense, betrayals, and how they affect our identity and relationships. Most of the main characters are diasporic Indians living in Singapore, Malaysia, the United States, and others, and the experience of being in between cultures and a minority race is also highlighted here. I really like Jennani Durai’s conversational writing style and voice—it’s not like the style I have encountered most short stories. The stories here are all engaging and I love the humour and wit. Some read like YA fiction, which made me realise most short stories out there are in the style of adult literary fiction. I love how Durai brings us close to the main characters through an empathetic and intimate voice, such that both major and seemingly minor things are given rather equal weight as events that alter the characters’ lives in unexpected ways.

[Natalie Wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started and finishing reading Regrettable Things That Happened Yesterday today and it is SO GOOD - funny and poignant with clever turns of phrases and sharp insights on the cruelty of schoolyard fights and the pettiness of adult politics. Also written by Tamil Indian writer and the subtleties of being a minority in Singapore are intertwined with these characters. Please please read.

[wx · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a short stories person cuz it always feels like a series of very abrupt entrances and exits into various plot points BUT this was the first time a book made me feel invested and like the closure was enough for me?? I loved the stories (the first and last were my favourites!!) and how the theme of newspapers was woven into each one. Each story felt so intentionally developed and the writing was so easy to read yet so clean and engaging. Support singlit!!!

[EH Ong · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and enjoyable collection of short stories which I breezed through in a few hours and found myself longing for more when I was done. I enjoyed almost all the stories but if I had to pick a favourite, it would be the title story Regrettable Things, about a journalist forced to interview a friend on a family tragedy - a story I found both funny and poignant all at once. Coming a close second would be PG13, which had me chuckling at the author's ability to build so much tension and suspense on a seemingly trivial situation involving secondary school girl-clique-dynamics, and which brought back memories of my own school days. While reading both stories I found myself rooting for the protagonists, sharing their anxiety on the moral dilemmas they faced, and laughing at the author's touches of dry humour in depicting the absurdities of everyday life situations.

[ns510 · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I close my eyes and allow myself to think about it all for a few seconds: Anita’s baby, my arm in a sling, Prakash’s body in Phuket, and how much I wish we could all start over.”

This was a nice collection of interesting short stories featuring the Indian ethnic minority in Singapore, but also where they have travelled to other parts of the world. As with a lot of story collections, I liked some stories better than others. Interesting insights into a variety of everyday dynamics between the characters and the wider population around them.

[Veronica Eberlein · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a charming selection of short stories! I got anxious, laughed, and enjoyed every part!

[Sadie-Jane Huff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most stories were good... one or two were meh.
Still a valiant effort for her first book

[Roberta]

Very charming collection of short stories.

[gldysng · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is a gem! each story was filled with so much wit and humour. loved it!

[Bavani Pillai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the candor and wit with which the stories were told! They definitely resonated, especially being a minority Singaporean - it was such a treat reading a piece of literature that I could personally connect with. Liked that the themes did not focus on the minority experience as one that was disempowering, but rather highlighted the interplay of human emotions with nuances within the Indian culture. How refreshing:)

[mm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am an avid reader of short stories and Singapore literature and was looking forward to this collection. & I was a little disappointed, even as I started. Perhaps, given the excellent reviews and glowing blurbs by authors I respect and enjoy, gave me higher expectations than I should have had.
It did build up better after the first story and there were some gems, but it still wasn't what I expected. I wanted more. Maybe I am wrong?
A huge plus – having the Singapore Indian minority experience introduced to the Singapore canon by a talented young writer whom I think has far more to share with us.
I am looking forward to reading more by Jennani Durai, especially if it is of the Singapore experience.

[Tish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Verdict: 3.5 stars


----- STORIES ----

Funeral Gifts: 4 stars

Inexplicably: 4 stars

Yours Truly, Vimala: 3.5 stars

Never Have I Ever: 3 stars

Body on Board: 3 stars

Revelation to Amala Rose: 3.5 stars

The Employee’s Guide to Transporting Customers to Mexico: 4.5 stars

PG-13: 3.5 stars

Tenali Raman Redux: 3 stars

Regrettable Things: 3.5 stars

[Jayashree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Regrettable Things That Happened Yesterday by Jennani Durai

Now, it has been sometime since I dove into a collection of short stories and I admit to having been completely unprepared for my initial reactions/ [unfair] expectation – which ranged from “ hmm, that character was not fleshed out properly” & “well, that was short!” [ yes I know!total noob thing to think]. But as I read further, I realised how very unfair I was being – and that I was missing out on the ESSENCE of short stories. [In my opinion at least,] Short stories are not meant to be completely fleshed out - you meet the characters just as you would meet someone on the train, or a plane and you don’t know everything about them – there is no backstory, there is no chosen one (🤣), there is no “world building”. There is just the present – the words and thoughts as presented to you right at that moment. It is short because it is MEANT to be short [ believe you me, this is something I had to tell myself as I finished reading the first 3 stories🙈]

But despite operating under these misconceptions, I completely adored the 1st story – Funeral Gifts. Perhaps it reminded me of Rajnikanth movies [Indian Actor/ movie] or perhaps it’s because I love secret identity tropes. The grandmother’s struggle to accept the “gift”[ not what you think] was soo believable and the ending..sighs - easy to choke up if you visualise it unfolding before your eyes.

TBH, there were some stories that I couldn’t really resonate with [ Yours Truly, Vimala & Inexplicably]. But once I hit Revalation of Amala Rose, I was HOOKED!I found myself laughing out loud at Amala’s panic, flabbergasted at shenanigans at Guacamolay!, strangely impressed with Char in PG-13, hit with a sense of familiarity with Tenali and feeling Jessica’s shame and discomfort in Regretable Things [also, what an ending!!]

All in all, I really liked Jennani’s writing and hope to read more from her . I would give this book a 3.75 stars.

[Daniela Melo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so sad when I finished this book. I enjoyed so much reading each story and the way they made me feel that I wish there were more of them. For me, the stories felt very relatable. Although most of the stories and characters are set around South East Asian life, which is very far from the state of Texas where I currently reside, I felt connected to the characters and their difficulties. There are many topics explored in the book but immigration, identity, and race are some of the ones that resonated the most with me. As an immigrant myself, I was to able to relate to the adventures, hardships, and obstacles that come with moving to another country, it didn't matter that I am not of Indian descent or an immigrant in Singapur, the stories presented in this book are universal.
Some stories, like "funeral gift" and "bodyguard" made me reflect on the unique hardships of immigration and dead. Although the stories are fictional they made me feel and realize that some of my own fears are not only my own but that there is an entire community of people in the world that struggle with life across countries, basically after reading those two stories I felt I was not alone or crazy. Other stories were inspirational like "Yours Truly, Vimala" were a teenage girl works really hard to get better at her craft and accomplish her dreams.
It was truly a delight to read this book and I wish more people in similar immigrant circumstances could get their hands on it and enjoy it.

[Ziqin Ng · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book largely on a whim at library@orchard, mainly because I had just returned a whole stack of books but had found nothing else to take home in exchange, and just didn't want to return home empty handed.

The stories in this collection are centred on the Singaporean Tamil experience (though I didn't realise this properly until I started reading the first story) but I don't feel that this impacted my understanding or enjoyment of the stories even though I'm not ethnically Indian. The themes and situations such as the cliques in 'PG-13', the narrator's relationship with his estranged brother in 'Body on Board', Ria's amusing experience waitressing in a Mexican restaurant were highly relatable and readers who want to read this but are hesitant to because they fear not being able to understand the context need not worry.

The stories are clever and amusing and each narrator has his/her own unique voice despite all coming from the consciousness of the same author, something which I found remarkable!

Favourite story: The Employee's Guide to Transporting Customers to Mexico

Five stars:
- Body on Board
- The Employee's Guide to Transporting Customers to Mexico
- Tenali Raman Redux

Four stars:
- Inexplicably
- Regrettable Things
- PG-13

Three stars:
- Funeral Gifts
- Yours Truly, Vimala
- Never Have I Ever

Two stars:
- Revelation to Amala Rose

[mardhiyah :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love local short stories so much :) never have i ever read a whole book in 3 hours hehehehe the witty quips so synonymous with sg lit accompanied by the strong messages that almost always revolve around family will always be comforting to me. plus i loved looking out for the recurring newspaper motif in every story, which lends more meaning to the role which such a medium of communication plays in our lives, be it as important as providing us employment or offering latest film listings. i hope jennani durai publishes more books, her storytelling is not cut short by the brevity of each narrative's length!!! what i'll always be in awe of is the ability of short story writers to come up with such elaborate and ridiculous situations to put their characters into, such that the reader's attention is constantly piqued.

[d]

1. funeral gifts: very interesting and thought provoking
2. inexplicably: a bit short though i guess that's the point. i guess i do wonder more about arun's perspective, this story left me wanting more
3. yours truly vimala: hm not my favourite, didn't really stand out to me
4. never have u ever: hm... interesting, a bit stressful , but felt there was more to it
5. body on board: somewhat interesting but could be more interesting 😂
6. revelation to amala rose: lol kinda funny
7. the employee's guide to transporting customers to mexico: a bit short but somewhat interesting
8. pg13: hmmmmm interesting
9. tenali raman redux: interesting
10. regrettable things: i loved this!

(no rating because i read this over the span of 3 months so enjoy my extremely useless reviews that i wrote in my notes app after finishing each short story)

[Graham Stoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I could not put this book down! Jennani Durai is an incredible writer. Each one of these stories are unique but they all share the quality of being able to immediately grab your attention, wrap you up and transport the reader to the very place where the plot is unfolding before your eyes. Some of these stories will make you laugh and some will bring you to the verge of tears. My personal favorites were The Employees Guide to Transporting Customers to Mexico, Never Have I Ever (both were absolutely hilarious), PG13 (STRESSFUL AND TERRIFYING BUT SO SO GOOD) Tenali Raman Redux (heroic) and of course Regrettable Things. Do yourself a favor and buy this book outright. It's one I will revisit often myself and with each of my children whenever I am afforded the chance.

[Jilljill Gom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect understated humour but nearly all the short stories delivered it in one way or another that I had a few good chortles when reading. The stories are really short, leaving me wanting more but they were all so well-written!

My favourite story was the Mexican Restaurant where it felt like I was watching an unhinged episode of The Office. Other faves include PG-13's childish clique antics which brought me back to my school days and Funeral Gifts where the narrator can't stop accidentally spouting the wrong things to his conservative grandmother.

I definitely want to reread this a few times!

[Prasatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark humour, irreverence and heart is abundant in Jennani Durai's collection of short stories. I could relate to them, if not through experience, at least in spirit, in a way that I had never been able to before. As a Singaporean Tamil, she brings her lived experiences to bear in a way, that does not alienate, but at the same time, infuses her stories and characters with authenticity. For once, I feel like I read something that speaks to a specific part of me that has not been addressed before, at least in the works of writers who write in English.

[Shacolate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent collection of short stories. As always with a collection like this, some stories are stronger than others.Author has a really easygoing way of writing which makes this immensely readable. While I liked that the link between the stories were subtle I appreciate that some folks may dislike it for that reason.

Overall I enjoyed the short glimpses of the Singaporean South Asian experience that this book conveyed. Not sure I will remember the stories next year but am happy to have read them today

[Yong Xiang · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. very conversational and simple style, which lent itself well to the stories with more inventive or lighthearted premises, like "Funeral Gifts" or "The Employee's Guide to Transporting Customers to Mexico". the author can be very funny at times and i laughed out loud during both of the aforementioned stories. i appreciate the stories that are more poignant in nature ("Body on Board", "Regrettable Things") but don't think they were all that emotionally impactful. an enjoyable and easily readable local collection.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

READ THIS BOOK. Each story in it draws you in, with incredibly convincing voices for an assortment of very different characters. It deals in some heavy topics, but does so in a way that does not leave you feeling hopeless or defeated and brings in humor and a witty sense of observation about the world. The characters' struggles with identity, family and culture feel relatable to a wide range of audiences and are yet unique and poignant. Can't wait to see more of Durai's writing :)

[Kamya Somasundaram · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS! It made me smile, it made me tear up, it made me laugh, it made me grip the book in tense suspense and most of all, it rekindled memories of my childhood and home. Jens writing style is so fresh and new- I’ve never come across anything like that. I was particularly impressed with her subtle, yet powerful sense of humour. All I have to say is, I can’t wait for the next book!

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always knew jen had a good and strong creative skill but it’s the first time I have read what she’s written and it has the power to create nostalgia , made me laugh out loud and appreciate all the “ordinary “ things that happen to us daily .
I loved the short stories and I look forward to more from this incredible new author

[Judith Huang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully crafted stories with a wry sense of humour. The title story, about the ethics of being a journalist, is the stand out story but there really wasn’t a weak link in the whole collection. Durai’s observational skills, whether it’s of secondary school girl clique dynamics or ethnically ambiguous pseudo authentic hipster restaurants, are on point. More!!

[Shelved by Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

a beautiful collection of indian-centric stories, with a tinge of pain and regret in every short story. each story left me empathising with the characters, some leaving me with more of a heart ache than the rest. the author manages to flesh out her characters well despite it being the short story and each story ends off on a wistful note. an easy read yet a bittersweet one too :')

[Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start to my year reading this book. Some of the stories were surprising. Some of them left me wanting more and some of them were just like "whaaaaat".

Anyhoo, Jennani seems to be a very promising writer and hope to read more of her work in the future

[Pri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite short short stories. Loved them. Neither the writing nor the stories were extraordinary but they were very calming. Not much insightful but very breezy. The kind of writing you wish to read when you don’t want to use your brain much but still spend time doing something you don’t regret later.