Aristotle first wrote about it over twenty-three hundred years ago and his words still ring true today: desire is a motivating force in our lives that, when all-consuming, can even define our reason for existence. In this volume of short stories, Tan Kheng Yeang explores the many faces of desire through the thoughts and actions of his characters. A young man struggles to find the meaning of life. A bored woman risks all to run away with a stranger for the possibility of a more exciting life. By fulfilling one simple wish, an impoverished beggar strives to gain dignity and equality in the eyes of his fellow man. A businessman resorts to skullduggery to regain his clientele from a competitor. A youth is determined to attain wealth by whatever means necessary. But as all of the characters are about to discover in one way or another, life often takes unexpected and ironic twists when fate intervenes. Motivating Forces shares twenty short tales that reveal the journeys, struggles, and exploits of its characters as they attempt to find their way in a complicated, unforgiving world.