Vol 1 (ISBN 9789834359614) was launched in February 2008 in Kuala Lumpur. edited by Amir Muhammad and featured six writers. They are, in order of appearance in the book:
- Brian Yap's The Trouble with Malaysia, an election-era critique.
- Aminuddin Mahmud's Branding -Mamak Style, business tips from popular eateries.
- Burhan Baki's Yes We Must Move On: Theoretical Notes on Various Things Malaysian, a post-structuralist reading of local icons and conduct.
- Saharil Hasrin Sanin's Teroris Bahasa (in Malay) about the evolution and political neglect of language.
- Amir Muhammad's Unwelcome Words, a mini-dictionary of words not found in the official lexicon.
- Sonia Randhawa's A Manifesto for Independence: Fifty Years to Merdeka?, a prescription for the future that is inspired by anarchism.
The cover features a detail from a painting by Ahmad Fuad Osman.
A book trailer was posted on Youtube in conjunction with the launch, with the sound of firecrackers inspired by the launch-date's proximity to Chinese New Year.
It was listed as one of the 10 bestsellers for local English non-fiction for 2008 in Malaysia.
Read more about this topic: New Malaysian Essays