What do you think?
Rate this book
Kampung Boy
Kampung Boy: Yesterday and Today
These cartoons by Malaysian cartoonist Lat return to the Kampung Boy setting of his famous autobiographical collection to compare kampung life as he knew it growing up with the modern kampung life of the eighties and nineties.
- GenresComicsGraphic Novels
148 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
6 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 16, 2017
Loved it and have lots to say about it. First, the similarities between everything in his old life back in the Kampung, the yesterday, in rural Malaysia, and all that I have seen in rural Bangladesh, when I was young myself (which was just a few years ago, so the similarity I am talking about is one between different times, different eras, but still very alive in living memories of two living human beings, much apart in age, but not too far apart from each other in geographical terms. Malaysia and Bangladesh are not too far apart). Its uncanny how similar the games he describes are, starting with the wheel on a stick, then the marbles, the tops, the hand-fishing and even the games the girls played are so familiar. There were some I havent seen, but they sprang from and belonged within the same spirit ( and its possible an actual country boy from Bangladesh have seen,- and played them)
What affected me then is how much things have changed in Malaysia and how much things have changed here. The times they are all gone by there, have been going since a long time ago and I have seen them, but which left Bangladesh only recently, if it has left her completely yet tonight -its here in some places still I feel sure, though the change is now taking a decisive hold. Which only goes to show how far ahead in the time-development curve Malaysia is to Bangladesh (ahead of Bangladesh in terms of development quite literally and in terms of time- what can I call it now but literally?) This is the main source of the sort of dichotomy of emotions this book caused me- One, a very strong emotion for my childhood all gone by and another, that Malaysia has left these times behind so long before Bangladesh, that Bangladesh is so behind its slightly-southern neighbour. We know its two different countries with two different realities, the parallels that can be drawn between the two may be enormous but the scarcity of population and abundance of resources in Malaysia and the exact opposite here does amount to a lot, if not makes it the only respective realities that really matter.…And so this dilemma of strong emotions, Bangladesh's sorrows and sorrows of days past.
But interestingly I have not played, participated or have personal relations to most of the games and other things described. I grew up in cities and artificial government neighborhoods,- But my father was very much a boy from these villages even a longer time ago, and my grandparents has always lived there. I visited them with my family every year and saw all this personally. That is the source of the little personal conncetion I have with villages, and with this book. I tried my hand a few times at few of these too, though didnt do very well naturally. Never could catch a fish with my hands.
So this is a genuine surprise how personally, how closely and intimately I connected with the pictures. And I who connect with nothing. Which is what makes this book great, even without the personal attachments which I didnt have with the contents, it spoke to the depths of me with the universal language of milnimalist pictures of an universal childhood, transcending any particualr, and allowing candid celebration of an universal nostalgia for lost time, for lost days, invoking an universal look-back with joy and melancholy at times passed and past, oh so past- left behind, in childhood. With what everyone can relate: being a child, young and without care, when everything was a sport and everything was fun , friends were easy and company was free, of being together and playing together all the while, then going to school to be all together in the morning. And how personally I relate to the last page of Yesterday and Today, studying with the light in the night dimmer than the one I have in the night these nights, with my sibling doing the same close by, and ma and baba carrying on with their work in the kitchen, in the back rooms. Such a particular book of Malaysia, of South East Asia, which invites comparisons with South Asia, such similarities although the language sounds so different, we call fish- Mach and they Ikan, sounds so dissimilar to the ears, oh but the similarities!- And not just to South Asians. Such a particular book of Malaysia but so extraordinarily universal!
What affected me then is how much things have changed in Malaysia and how much things have changed here. The times they are all gone by there, have been going since a long time ago and I have seen them, but which left Bangladesh only recently, if it has left her completely yet tonight -its here in some places still I feel sure, though the change is now taking a decisive hold. Which only goes to show how far ahead in the time-development curve Malaysia is to Bangladesh (ahead of Bangladesh in terms of development quite literally and in terms of time- what can I call it now but literally?) This is the main source of the sort of dichotomy of emotions this book caused me- One, a very strong emotion for my childhood all gone by and another, that Malaysia has left these times behind so long before Bangladesh, that Bangladesh is so behind its slightly-southern neighbour. We know its two different countries with two different realities, the parallels that can be drawn between the two may be enormous but the scarcity of population and abundance of resources in Malaysia and the exact opposite here does amount to a lot, if not makes it the only respective realities that really matter.…And so this dilemma of strong emotions, Bangladesh's sorrows and sorrows of days past.
But interestingly I have not played, participated or have personal relations to most of the games and other things described. I grew up in cities and artificial government neighborhoods,- But my father was very much a boy from these villages even a longer time ago, and my grandparents has always lived there. I visited them with my family every year and saw all this personally. That is the source of the little personal conncetion I have with villages, and with this book. I tried my hand a few times at few of these too, though didnt do very well naturally. Never could catch a fish with my hands.
So this is a genuine surprise how personally, how closely and intimately I connected with the pictures. And I who connect with nothing. Which is what makes this book great, even without the personal attachments which I didnt have with the contents, it spoke to the depths of me with the universal language of milnimalist pictures of an universal childhood, transcending any particualr, and allowing candid celebration of an universal nostalgia for lost time, for lost days, invoking an universal look-back with joy and melancholy at times passed and past, oh so past- left behind, in childhood. With what everyone can relate: being a child, young and without care, when everything was a sport and everything was fun , friends were easy and company was free, of being together and playing together all the while, then going to school to be all together in the morning. And how personally I relate to the last page of Yesterday and Today, studying with the light in the night dimmer than the one I have in the night these nights, with my sibling doing the same close by, and ma and baba carrying on with their work in the kitchen, in the back rooms. Such a particular book of Malaysia, of South East Asia, which invites comparisons with South Asia, such similarities although the language sounds so different, we call fish- Mach and they Ikan, sounds so dissimilar to the ears, oh but the similarities!- And not just to South Asians. Such a particular book of Malaysia but so extraordinarily universal!
January 10, 2019
Kenangan zaman kanak-kanak pelukis (Lat) memang mengujakan dan sebahagian besarnya saya turut alami! Membaca komik ini mengingatkan saya kepada nostalgia yang membahagiakan.
December 24, 2024
Kampung Boy: Yesterday and Today simple illustrations and humorous storytelling as Lat shares his childhood experiences in a rural Malaysian village. The book highlights the joys and challenges of village life, reflecting traditional customs, family values, and the beauty of nature while also addressing the changes brought by modern life. Lat’s relatable characters and their everyday adventures make the story both entertaining and nostalgic. This graphic is a read that offers insights into Malaysian culture and the importance of community, making it a wonderful choice for readers of all ages.
August 6, 2018
this book gave me a wake up call. I learnt a few things from it. one of it is to never take anything for granted. It shows the differences from 80s and now culture, and believe me there are different. I already love 60s-90s era so its a win for me
May 24, 2021
I enjoyed the brief poignancy of peeking into the past. It gave me a feeling of subtle nostalgia, though I guess the full weight of it does not hit me because of where I live and how old I am.
The most interesting thing is that we are peeking twice. We are looking back to when Lat grew up, his childhood and rural life. However, on another level, we are also looking back to the 1990s, when the comic was written. The few frames of Lat's "present" are exciting in a different way. They made it all the more engaging.
I wish there was more time that I could spend in that world, listening to Lat write about the games he played and the days he spent. Definitely felt some nostalgia. I think there are parallels between life across places. The last page really got me. "We were not really in a hurry to grow up. We took our time."
The most interesting thing is that we are peeking twice. We are looking back to when Lat grew up, his childhood and rural life. However, on another level, we are also looking back to the 1990s, when the comic was written. The few frames of Lat's "present" are exciting in a different way. They made it all the more engaging.
I wish there was more time that I could spend in that world, listening to Lat write about the games he played and the days he spent. Definitely felt some nostalgia. I think there are parallels between life across places. The last page really got me. "We were not really in a hurry to grow up. We took our time."
February 28, 2019
This book will takes you back to your childhood memories. Even though the author and me were not in the same generation, but part of the stories will absolutely take you to your childhood memories for most of Malaysian especially who lived in Kampung (village). Recommended for light reading and I'm glad that I bought this book and really enjoyed it.
June 20, 2020
Growing up as malay in rural areas when I was kid, I could definitely see myself in this book. It feels nostalgic and warm when I remember one of those days. We are not rich as we are poor, but it could never have stop us kids from having fun and never feel lesser than any other kids who grow up in city environment before. I miss those days, where we got excited over small little things.
April 12, 2014
4.5 stars
It's great to have a guy like Lat in the local art-scene. His drawings are gorgeous and detailed. I like this because it's a look into some of the past childhoods of other Malaysians. It's a nice memorial to the fading lifestyle and culture of Malaysia.
I love that ending.
This is a product of the local art-scene that must most definitely be preserved for posterity.
(Take this over Cheeming Boey - I'm serious.)
It's great to have a guy like Lat in the local art-scene. His drawings are gorgeous and detailed. I like this because it's a look into some of the past childhoods of other Malaysians. It's a nice memorial to the fading lifestyle and culture of Malaysia.
I love that ending.
This is a product of the local art-scene that must most definitely be preserved for posterity.
(Take this over Cheeming Boey - I'm serious.)
February 5, 2012
I find the drawings mesmerizing. I read this back in primary school and I remember how I kept asking my mother about the kampung games Lat featured in this book (comic?). I know we have cameras to document our lives now but wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone could draw their lives the way Lat does for future reference? :)
April 29, 2008
membuat rindu suasana kampung halaman......gak percaya baca aja....
January 30, 2013
not as good as the first book but still fun to read.
November 19, 2014
Love this! Now I know how bedak sejuk and tikar mengkuang are made haha.
August 23, 2016
LAT mengimbau aktiviti dan permainan kanak2 pada masa beliau kecik. Most of the games, saya mainnnn. Seronoknya!
October 16, 2019
So nostalgic! Of course I couldn't relate to all of Dato' Lat's experiences as a child living in the kampung, I am after all a city girl through and through, but some of the traditional games he has documented are games that I am very sure my friends and I weren't alien to when we were children! Also, I quite like how the present are coloured pages as opposed to the past, which are printed in black and white. Vusually, I think this further highlights not only the differences between generations, but as with time, coloured pages are common in modern day life as opposed to the past, when printed books were a novelty, what more books with coloured pages. All in all, this was a quick read (I finished it within an hour) but is sure to be a reread in years to come!
June 13, 2022
Gorgeous, as usual. Fleshes Mat’s story out nicely with plenty of info about nostalgic games. Hate to sound old but playing with marbles and conkers is pretty rad and it’s disappointing that kids don’t get the chance now. You’d think they only want interactive Lego and iPhones but take a kid for a hike and pretty soon they’ve bonded with a big stick they’ve found like it’s their long-lost twin. I think these traits are inherent in humans, and can’t be lost within a generation. Therefore, I will be disposing of the iPad and giving my son a bag of chestnuts to replace them 😂
May 13, 2020
This bool illustrates the way kids enjoy themselves before technology. It is full with entertaining and historical input. How the malay folks house looks like. How kids back then enjoyed their youth. This is not a mere illustrations, this is a historical book
January 25, 2023
Reminiscing
August 2, 2022
Loved the last page showing how much life had changed for Lat.
November 8, 2016
the good ol days!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews