Readers and Books

Some famous writers in Singapore

2009-04-30T08:01:00.000-07:00

Singapore can boast of some famous books and also excellent writers. The people in Singapore love books and that is the reason why these writers are flourishing day by day. Some of the famous writers and their books are mentioned below.

Augustine Goh Sin Tub was a promising writer. He started his career writing in Malay language. He fully concentrated in writing after his retirement. He wrote more than a dozen books. These were of short stories and other classic work. He penned many works on his own personal history. So we can call these partly fiction and partly non-fiction. One Singapore was an excellent work with two sequels One Singapore 2 and One Singapore 3. These books have fans among the different classes of Singapore society. These books are well acclaimed and are really worth reading.

Su-Chen Christine Lim always gave prominence to gender issues. In the year 1993 she wrote a novel named Fistful of Colours. This was awarded the first Singapore Literature Prize. Some of her other novels take the relationship between the Chinese immigrants and the Malays in colonial Malaya. The issue of land was also included.

Clare Tham and Ovidia Yu were younger writers. They were famous for writing short stories. Stella Kon, famous playwright published her less prominent science-fiction novel Eston in the year 1995. Philip Jeyaretnam was another promising one. He published his first novel after Abraham published Promise in 1995. His first two books namely First Loves in 1987 and Raffles Place Ragtime in 1988 were bestsellers in Singapore.

Kelvin Tan was a musician as well as a playwright. He regularly published his works namely All Broken Up and Dancing in 1992 and the Nethe(r);R in 2001. The name of Colin Cheong should be mentioned as most contemporary authors of Singapore. He also bagged the Singapore Literature Prize in the year 1996 for his excellent works.

Poetry in Singapore

2009-04-27T02:02:00.000-07:00

Singaporean literature is the collection of literary works by the people of Singapore. Four languages prevail in Singapore and these are Malay, Chinese, English and Tamil. Singaporean literary works are the true features of Singaporean culture and heritage. Some of the Singaporean writers such as Kuo Pao Kun and Tan Swie Hian have written in different i.e. more than one languages. The poetry of Singapore is also very famous. In Singapore writing in English literature started in the colonial era. Nobody knows about the first published literature in English in Singapore. Evidences are there which reveals that it started in 1830s or before. In Singapore the first prominent poetry work in English is most probably F.M.S.R. This was a pastiche of T. S. Eliot published in London in the year of 1935. This came just before Wang Gungwu’s Pulse in 1950.

New wave in writing has emerged in 1965. This incident was led by Arthur Yap, Edwin Thumboo, Goh Poh Seng, Robert Yeo, Chandran Nair and Chandran Nair. Poetry is the chief mode of expression. The words of each line express a lot which you can never utter by words. In Singapore you can find most of the English works are poetry. In the year 1990 poetry in Singapore saw a new era. Several talented poets were born in that tenure, who are in active writing and also popular internationally. In late 1990s, some local small presses such as Ethos Books and Firstfruits started promoting the works of this new wave of poets. Yong Shu Hoong, Boey Kim Cheng, Cyril Wong, Alfian bin Sa’at, Alvin Pang, Felix Cheong are some of them. All of their works were rich with political, cosmopolitan and transnational thoughts. Extremely focused individualized and self questioning, these were some of the other criteria. You can get a clear picture of Singaporean society, life and culture after reading all these poems. Sometimes the poems also dealt with some sensational issues such as relationship between man and woman.

Famous book stores in Singapore

2009-04-21T11:09:00.000-07:00

Singaporeans love to read books. Many local writers have written some wonderful books on Singapore history as well as culture, heritage, literature, food, etc. In this country people buy books and also read books. The names of some of the book stores are listed below:

Plaza book shop: This book store is located at Bukit Timah Road at the Coronation Plaza in Singapore. This is an independent boutique bookshop present in the affluent district of Bukit Timah. The shop is surrounded by top schools and friendly, well-informed residents. The local as well as outsiders are situated a nearby locations. The customers of this company get to read from an incredible collection of books.

Explora Learning Co. Ptd Ltd: This book shop is located at 5 Shenton Way in Singapore. If you are looking for some special needs resources or toys or books you can go to this shop. There are also some books available such as learning events for therapists, parents and teachers.

Books Galore: Books Galore is located at 14 Scotts Road. This is a bookstore with books for sale or rent. You can have the facility to buy second hand books at cheap and unbelievable prices. Different types of books are present in the store such as fiction or novels, children books and comics, on-fiction i.e. inspirational, self-help, general IQ, motivational, travel, etc, fashion and some imported magazines and also others.

Select Books: The location of this store is 19 Tanglin Road at Tanglin Shopping Centre.
This is a premier bookshop in Singapore that is famous for titles on Southeast Asia. A bi-monthly booklist is also available by email which you can subscribe from this shop.

Borders Books and Music: This specific book store is located at Wheelock Place at Orchard Road in Singapore. Borders.com is more than just a leading collection of music, books, and video. Resource is very good. You can search for a specific title or collection of titles by an artist or author in Borders.com. you can find the title or author by keyword or ISBN if you don’t know the name.

Some of the books on architecture and culture in Singapore

2009-04-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

Singapore is a culturally sound country. People from different corners of the city come to enjoy their vacation here. The residents of Singapore are always happy about the vivacity of their own country. There are different books on Singapore. I can assure you after reading of which you can get a clear knowledge of the place. In this pose I’ll discuss about some books on culture and architecture of Singapore.

Singapore: Architecture of a Global City is written by Powell, Robert. The book is published by Archipelago Press in the year 2000. This is a striking and classic book of architecture in Singapore. The contents are divided by areas of the island. These are the Central Business District, Marina Centre and the Civic District and others. Both public buildings and private houses are illustrated as well.

Singapore English in a Nutshell: an Alphabetical Description of its Features is a book written by Brown, Adam. This book is published by Federal Publications in the year 1999. If you are unable to make sense of Singapore English or its vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation just follow this book. This accessible book will guide you along. An invaluable introduction to the characteristics and quirks of Singapore English is provided in the pretext of this book.

Latent Images: Film in Singapore is a book written by Uhde, Jan & Yvonne Ng Uhde. This book is published by Oxford University Press in collaboration with Ngee Ann Polytechnic. An interesting study of the rapidly increasing film industry in Singapore is clearly depicted in this book. It also traces the early days of local film production to the current revival of interest in film making. The non-profit enterprises, roles of cinema companies, film organizations and the government are also outlined and documented in this important book. As a whole you can get a clear picture of Singapore film industry after reading this book.

Food on books!! Wow…

2009-04-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

There are some exotic delicacies in Singaporean food. Some of the books are there in which you can get the recipes of these foods. You can also try at home and give surprises to your hubby and kids. After all, all of us believe that family is family. Some of the names are randomly selected and listed below:

A Singapore Family Cookbook is a lovely book on Singaporean food. This book is written by Violet Oon and published by PEN International in the year 1998. In this book a renowned Singaporean journalist and gourmet cook presents clearly written and attractively illustrated Singapore food. The recipes are hundred percent tried and true. More or less 100 well-loved Singapore dishes are there, out of which many are from nonya or Straits Chinese cuisine.

Raffles Hotel Cookbook is a cook book published by Raffles Hotel in the year 2003. This book mainly discuss bout the dishes that are in the hotel menu. If you’ve enjoyed the charm of Raffles Hotel, you’d possibly want to put down your hands on a copy of this book. It not only tells the hotel’s history through accounts and examples but also shares the secrets behind dishes popular with visitors over the years.

Shiok! Exciting Tropical Asian Flavors is written by Tan, Terry and Christopher Tan. This book is published by Periplus Editions. Terry and Christopher Tan make this book sound and very easy. You will get the low-down and how-to in whipping up many popular Singapore dishes, drawn from the Chinese, Indonesian, Indian, Malaysian, and Straits Chinese traditions. Each recipe is accompanied by a color picture and that makes the book very attractive.

Mad about Food; (Mis) Adventure in the Kitchen is written by Tan, Sylvia. This is published by Times Books International. In this second edition of her 1997 best-selling cookbook, she offers not only local recipes but also some anecdotes that can turn your cooking into an enjoyable experience. I am really scared of cooking and this book really attracted me for its easy recipes.

Natural books on Singapore

2009-04-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

There are some interesting books on nature published in Singapore. Some of the names are given below:

A Guide to Growing Native Plants of Singapore is written by Tan, Hugh T. W. & T. Morgany and is published by Singapore Science Centre in the year 2001. In this tidy and well-researched book some of the more striking and fascinating native Singapore plants are highlighted. Plant descriptions are there for every single plant that that provide details on biology, cultivation characteristics, and appearance. You will definitely find the glossary and index very useful.

Natural History of Singapore is written by Johnson, D. S and is published by United Kingdom: Tynron Press. In high-urbanized Singapore we often forget that it’s a home to a colorful variety of tropical plant and also animal life. This book serves as an introduction to the common flora and fauna of Singapore. This also provides brief descriptions and line drawings to help you distinguish the many different species.

Trees of Our Garden City: a Guide to the Common Trees of Singapore is a famous book on nature in Singapore. This book is edited by Tee, Swee Ping & Wee Meu Lynn. The publisher of this book is National Parks Board. Singapore is well-known for its unique image as a Garden City. This book will guide you as an eye-opener on how this status has been achieved and maintained over the years. Most of the widely planted trees and palms are featured in this book which is accompanied by scientific information, color photographs and advice on cultivation as well.

Chek Jawa: Discovering Singapore’s Biodiversity is written by Chua, Ee Kiam and is published by Simply Green. This book is a biological treasure lies unexplored in the low tidal flats off Chek Jawa on the island of Pulau Ubin. It is one of Singapore’s remaining pockets of immaculate nature and home to a vivacious diversity of aquatic life.

Some interesting books on Singapore

2009-04-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

You can read some interesting books published from Singapore. Most of them are very informative and also concerning. Some of the names are mentioned below:

Singapore: Facts and Pictures 2000 is a book published by Ministry of Information and the Arts in 2000. This book provides a brief and micro view of the interesting details of Singapore. The book also contains trivia information which you would otherwise not find in other publications. The full score and lyrics of Singapore’s national anthem can be found here. The book also contains the nation’s income tax scheme and some details on the tallest building in Singapore.

Fun 4 Kids in Singapore is written by Karen J. Renner and published by Times Editions in 2003. This is a fun book for parents who are tired of hearing their kids complain for a long time as there’s nothing to do in Singapore. Renner tries to introduce you to a host of children’s activities and interests. This is a comprehensive and focused guide whose user-friendly layout enables you to access information as early as possible.

Journey through Singapore: A Pictorial Guide to the Lion City is a book by Yeo, Nicolette. The publisher is Times Editions. The attraction of this book lies in the rich and colorful photographs and also informative insets. This brand new, reader-friendly volume takes a panoramic look at Singapore. It also contains the country’s buildings, monuments, terrain, population and ways of life. You will surely get an wide idea about the country after reading this book.

Postmodern Singapore is edited by Lim, William S. W. Select Publishing is the publisher. The book discusses about some serious topics such as postmodern Singapore experience. The contributors in this volume look for answers in the country’s architecture, culture, writing and some performances. The historical and geographical conditions of Singapore are vividly discussed in this book.

Literature, books and Singapore

2009-04-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

Some of the good books on literature are there which is mentioned below. You can have a look. I am sure you won’t be bored with them.

No Other City: the Ethos Anthology of Urban Poetry is edited by Pang, Alvin and Aaron Lee. The publisher of the book is Ethos Books. This collected works brings together a rich spectrum of poetic voices and also visions at work in today’s Singapore. The write-ups are collected from established names such as Arthur Yap and Lee Tzu Pheng to younger poets like Alfian Sa’at and Felix Cheong. All of them have one thing in common. They have known the city for most of their lives so it can be said that their sense of identity is deeply entangled with the urban scene.

Fistful of Colors is written by Suchen, Christine Lim and published by SNP Editions. This book won the prestigious Singapore Literature Prize award. This is a graceful, multifaceted reflection of what it means to be Singaporean. This book described the story of a single day in the life of a young teacher struggling to define herself as a person and an artist. Lim manages to interlace the past as well as present into a compelling story.

The Merlion and the Hibiscus: Contemporary Short Stories from Singapore and Malaysia is edited by Kirpal Singh, Dipika, Mukherjee, and M. Quayum. The publisher is Penguin Books. This is a book of the compilation of nineteen short stories by writers from Singapore and Malaysia. These were written over the last fifty years that reveal the major changes of the period. Many of the authors are widely known. The narratives highlight the multifariousness and interwoven complexity of city or small-town life in this region. The stories are really memorable. The name of the authors includes Gopal Baratham, Catherine Lim, and Simon Tay.