The Right Mistakes: My Life as a Singapore Gangster
Foo Yin Tung
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish International, 2011
ISBN: 9789814302951

"Today I am 22 years of age. I used to be a person who was working in the complex streets of Geylang and the black market. I was a gangster in three different criminal organizations. Robbery, assault, peddling drugs, extortion... At the end of everything I have done in the underworld, I have never brought goodness to anyone around me. People who know me and those who don't, I have never given them something pleasant to smile about."

As a child, Foo Yin Tung seemed to have a particular affinity for trouble. Despite his best intentions, his actions and decisions always seemed to land him on the wrong side of the law. Without the support of a loving family, Yin Tung was drifting and furthermore, angry - and he didn't know why. With his father in jail and his mother working tirelessly to provide for her only child, Yin Tung was left to his own to make sense of his world and fend for himself. The death of his beloved grandmother and constant teasing by peers over the absence of his father drove him to fill the void in his world with friends who gave him the support he never had, the security he never knew and worth he never felt. But this came with a price, and with eyes wide open, Yin Tung fell headlong into a secret, illegal world, where bravery and loyalty were valued above all. But eventually Yin Tung had to come face to face with the reality of his world and into confrontation with all that he had been running from.

With piercing honesty and brazen boldness of youth, Yin Tung recounts his experiences of being in a gang, his brushes with law and examines the events that brought him there. What made him who he is today? Was it his own choices, or the choices of others? And does he have the agency to decide what he will become? More than just a shocking story of a boy losing his way, The Right Mistakes is about a boy trying to make sense of his life and change it for the better.

The Adventures of the Mad Chinaman
Dick Lee
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish International, 2010
ISBN: 9789814328418

Written in an unpretentious style that is characteristic of Dick Lee and narrated in the first person, this book recounts the author's many escapades, adventures, trials and triumphs. It also provides a candid picture of his life, while showcasing the colourful facets of the Peranakan culture he was born into. The rebel-songwriter relives his varied career and traces the highs and lows of show business.

Contract Smart: Understanding Contract Law in Singapore
Tan Soon Meng
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Business, 2010
ISBN: 9789812618849

Whether it is an agreement between companies or a simple purchase of groceries from your local supermarket, contracts form a huge part of our daily lives. With its focus on the practical business aspects of contracts, Contract Smart is the ultimate guide for anyone who needs to understand Singapore contract law and make better contractual decisions.

Come Into My World: 31 Stories of Autism in Singapore
Brenda Tan
Singapore: Brenda Tan, 2010
ISBN: 9789810876364

My son's education costs me ten thousand dollars a month...
Nobody told me having children would be this difficult...
All three of my children have autism...
Doctors thought I was mentally retarded...

Many voices come together to form this collection of true autism stories in Singapore. This book was written not only to support the autism community. It aims, more than anything else, for the public to understand autism better so that our world would become a better place for autistic individuals and their family members.

Choi! Touchwood!: A Walk Through Singapore's Chinatown, a Journey in Chinese Traditions, Superstitions, Myths and Taboos
Liew Jie Ni and Jesvin Yeo (eds.)
Singapore: Basheer Graphic Books, 2010
ISBN: 9789810867102

Why are there bat motifs in a Chinese temple?

How is it you'll hardly find a cactus in a Chinese home?

Why are red dates and melon seeds must-haves at a Chinese wedding?

For many Singaporean Chinese, these are just some of the traditions, myths and taboos that shape daily life.

This book takes you on a whirlwind journey into the world of superstition at the heart of Singapore's Chinatown, complete with tips, trivia and a running commentary. Also, inside come with a pocket-sized guidebook that is your handy companion as you traverse the streets of Chinatown.

Chinatown Memories
Geraldene Lowe-Ismail
Singapore: Talisman Publishing, 2011
ISBN: 9789810861100

Chinatown Memories is both a memoir and a narrative guide to the vibrant spirit of a bygone Singapore.

Geraldene Lowe-Ismail is the much loved "walking treasure" and heritage pioneer in Singapore. Blessed with a rich trove of stories and personal knowledge stretching over 50 years Geraldene delivers a unique insight to the glory and past of one of South East Asia's truly original Chinatowns.

With Geraldene and her beloved Amah as your guide, Chinatown Memories will take you through the nooks and crannies, myths and legends of a Chinatown still there in spirit if sadly altered by the march of development and progress.

The reader will discover a rich heritage of personalities and landmarks all beautifully brought to life by her long time collaborator, the renowned watercolourist Derek Corke.

Geraldene has dedicated this new publication of her classic book to all those, past and present, who have helped keep the Chinatown spirit alive - something she has dedicated her life to accomplish.

The Complete Eh, Goondu!
Sylvia Toh Paik Choo
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2011
ISBN: 9789814328456

The Complete Eh, Goondu! brings together two of Singapore's best-selling humour titles Eh, Goondu! and Lagi Goondu!

Eh, Goondu! published in 1982 was the original book on Singlish. A compilation of local patois (English and vernacular dialects and languages), it was the first to put in print Singlish words that previously were only spoken.

Eh, Goondu! sparked national debate among Ministers, academics and the public. Eventually, it was accepted that Singlish was part of the Singaporean way of life.

Operation Matador: World War II: Britain's Attempt to Foil the Japanese Invasion of Malaya and Singapore
Ong Chit Chung
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, Editions, 2011
ISBN: 9789814328470

Operation Matador was the code-name for Britain's plan to defend Singapore during World War II.

When Singapore fell to the Japanese in February 1942, Churchill called it the "largest capitulation in British history." Till today, the myth persists that this was due to the British forces' being caught off-guard, with their guns facing the wrong direction, towards the sea.

In fact, the question of the landward defence of Singapore and Malaya was first raised as early as 1918, eventually taking the form of Operation Matador, the elaborate preparations for which amply demonstrate that the British fully expected the Japanese to attack Singapore from the rear, and had formulated a plan to stop the Japanese at the Kra Isthmus. Yet, when the Japanese forces landed, they found Malaya and Singapore defended by an emasculated fleet, obsolescent aircraft, inadequate artillery and no tanks.

In this classic volume, the author presents a gripping account of the events behind the scenes that delayed and effectively prevented the launch of Operation Matador.

The End of Char Kway Teow and Other Hawker Mysteries
Leslie Tay
Singapore: Epigram Books, 2010
ISBN: 9789810865153

Award-winning food blogger Dr. Leslie Tay's insatiable appetite for the best of the best hawker food in Singapore has unearthed much more than where to eat what. Come share a table with him as he peels away myths and reveals insights into our culinary heritage.

Like why is chwee kueh called chwee kueh? Or if "tariking" the tea makes any difference to its taste? Why should popiah be eaten whole? What came first, white or black carrot cake? How does Cantonese fish soup turn milky when no milk is added? What makes a majestic dum biryani? Where to find handmade ngoh hiang? And what is the handle on Singapore's red-hot chilli crab?

You'll find all the answers to these mysteries and to why these may well be the last days of char kway teow in the book. It is also an indispensable insider's guide to hawker food and includes Leslie's top picks.

Colony, Nation, and Globalisation: Not at Home in Singaporean and Malaysian Literature
Eddie Tay
Singapore: NUS Press, 2010
ISBN: 9789971695439

The literature of Malaysia and Singapore, the multicultural epicentre of Asia, offers a rich body of source material for appreciating the intellectual heritage of colonial and postcolonial Southeast Asia. Focusing on themes of home and belonging, Eddie Tay illuminates many aspects of identity anxiety experienced in the region, and helps construct a dialogue between postcolonial theory and the Anglophone literatures of Singapore and Malaysia. A chronologically ordered selection of texts is examined, including Swettenham, Bird, Maugham, Burgess, and Thumboo. This genealogy of works includes colonial travel writings and sketches as well as contemporary diasporic novels by Malaysian and Singapore-born authors based outside their countries of origin. The premise is that home is a physical space as well as a symbolic terrain invested with social, political and cultural meanings. As discussions of politics and history augment close readings of literary works, the book should appeal not only to scholars of literature, but also to scholars of Southeast Asian politics and history.

Economic Diplomacy: Essays and Reflections by Singapore's Negotiators
C.L. Lim and Margaret Liang (eds.)
Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, 2011
ISBN: 9789814324632

Singapore, a small Southeast Asian country with limited resources, transformed itself from a trading post to a successful, cosmopolitan nation with one of the most impressive growth rates in the world. Less well known, however, has been its role in regional and global trade negotiations. This book is a collection of sixteen essays written by a group of diplomats, policy-makers, and professors who became involved in international economic affairs, notably in GATT/WTO, regional and bilateral free trade negotiations. Here, they reveal their thoughts about the world economy and trading system, reflect on their experiences, and explain how they promoted national interests while advancing the global trade agenda. This book will appeal not only to professional diplomats, but to anyone interested in how international economic diplomacy works and Singapore's role and perspective as an open trading nation.

The 2nd Decade: Nation Building in Progress 1975-1985: An Exhibition Catalogue
Gloria Chan, et al (ed.)
Singapore: National Archives of Singapore, 2010
ISBN: 9789810848583

In 1975, Singapore arrived at an enviable position after enjoying peace and rapid economic growth during its first decade of independence. Much had been done to put in place policies, systems and infrastructure to propel this new country from a time of uncertainty to a period of self-assured sovereignty. Yet fresh challenges abound for then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his cabinet, as Singapore braced itself for another decade of nation building.

As with its precursor, 10 Years That Shaped A Nation, The 2nd Decade: Nation Building in Progress 1975-1985 is organised into thematic sections (defence/internal security, foreign relations, economy, health & the environment, housing, sports & culture and education) chronicling the challenges and triumphs of the years between 1975 and 1985, which presented both obstacles and opportunities for a young and evolving nation.

The Singapore Shophouse, 1819-1942
Julian Davison
Singapore: Talisman, 2010
ISBN: 9789810597160

The Singapore shophouse is an architectural gem - a particular building form that is unique to the island. This book traces its development from rudimentary shop below, house above, through various incarnations - Chinese Baroque, Neoclassical, Jubilee-style, Edwardian, Rococo, Modern - all the while commenting on the various influences that fuelled its evolution. Each individual feature of the shophouse is examined, as is its change from rudimentary out-of-China structure to sophisticated dwelling house. Numerous examples of shophouse interiors today complete the odyssey - showcasing shophouse as temple, clan house, home, boutique hotel, shop, coffeeshop and more, we see how these heritage buildings continue to be relevant in the era of the skyscraper and shopping mall. Enlivened by colourful, deatiled photography by Luca Invernizzi Tettoni and informative, lively texts by Julian Davison, this book will appeal to architect and lay person alike.

The Theatre and the State in Singapore: Orthodoxy and Resistance
Terence Chong
London: Routledge, 2010
ISBN: 9780415584487

This book provides a comprehensive examination of the contemporary English-language theatre field in Singapore. It describes Singapore theatre as a politically dynamic field that is often a site for struggle and resistance against state orthodoxy, and how the cultural policies of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) have shaped Singapore theatre. The book traces such cultural policies and their impact from the early 1960s, and shows how the PAP used theatre – and arts and culture more widely – as a key part of its nation building programme.

Terence Chong argues that this diverse theatre community not only comes into regular conflict with the state, but often collaborates with it - depending on the rewards at stake, not to mention the assortment of intra-communal conflicts as different practitioners and groups vie for the same resources. It goes on to explore how new forms of theatre, especially English-language avant garde theatre, represented resistance to such government cultural control; how the government often exerts its power ‘behind-the-scenes’ to preserve its moral legitimacy; and conversely how middle class theatre practitioners’ resistance to state power is strongly influenced by class and cultural capital.

Based on extensive original research including interviews with theatre directors and other theatre professionals, the book provides a wealth of information on theatre in Singapore overall, and not just on theatre-state relations.

Singapore Stories: Language, Class, and the Chinese of Singapore, 1945-2000
Ernest Koh
New York: Cambria Press, 2010
ISBN: 9781604976779

This book examines the socioeconomic effects of English literacy among the Chinese of Singapore between 1945 and 2000. Through the use of oral history, it demonstrates how English literacy as a life chance has played a key role in shaping the class structures that exist among the Chinese in Singapore today.

Taking on the perspective of ordinary Chinese Singaporeans, this book bridges a considerable gap in the existing literature by providing a historical account that surveys the experiences of everyday life in Singapore through reminiscences provided by the citizenry. In doing so, it presents an account that more accurately reflects the nation’s nuanced past through defining eras in Singapore’s post-war history.

The history of Singapore has been widely conflated with the history of its economic success. From its heyday as a nexus of trade during the imperial era to the modern city state that boasts high living standards for most of its citizens, the history of Singapore is commonly viewed through the lens of the ruling elite. Published in two volumes in 1998 and 2000, Lee Kuan Yew’s memoirs The Singapore Story epitomizes this top-down definitive narrative of the nation’s past. The history of post-war Singapore has largely been reduced to a series of decisions made by the nation’s leaders. Few existing studies explore the role and experiences of the ordinary person in Singapore’s postwar history. There are none that do this through ethnography, oral history, and collective biography.

Miss Seetoh in the World
Catherine Lim
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2011
ISBN: 9789814328364

Miss Maria Seetoh, a teacher of English and Literature in St Peter's Secondary School in Singapore, sees herself as a 'simple soul who only wants to be a good and happy person', and has a dream to write stories about 'simple, ordinary people going about their daily lives'. However, God/Providence/Fate/Chance, etc. decrees otherwise. She is thrown into the tumult of a disastrous marriage that begins as strangely as it ends, a teaching career that ends with her abrupt resignation. Most of all, she is caught in a political event as shocking in its causes as in its consequences.

Set against the backdrop of modern-day Singapore, a hugely successful city-state grappling with changes and challenges that could corrode the very soul, the novel ultimately examines, with wit, wry irony and warm understanding, the unchanging quandaries of the human condition, when love and sex, religion and politics, tradition and modernity, can all come together in an unruly mix, to show human nature at its most depressing and its most inspiring.

English in Singapore: Modernity and Management
Lisa Lim, Anne Pakir, and Lionel Wee (eds.)
Singapore: NUS Press, 2010
ISBN: 9789971695361

English in Singapore provides an up-to-date, detailed and comprehensive investigation into the various issues surrounding the sociolinguistics of English in Singapore. Rather than attempting to cover the usual topics in an overview of a variety of English in a particular country, the essays in this volume are important for identifying some of the most significant issues pertaining to the state and status of English in Singapore in modern times, and for doing so in a treatment that involves a critical evaluation of work in the field and new and thought-provoking angles for reviewing such issues in the context of Singapore in the twenty-first century. The contributions address the historical trajectory of English (past, present and possible future), its position in relation to language policy and multiculturalism, the relationship between the standard and colloquial varieties, and how English can and should be taught. This book is thus essential reading for scholars and students concerned with how the dynamics of the English language are played out and managed in a modern society such as Singapore. It will also interest readers who have a more general interest in Asian studies, the sociology of language, and World Englishes.

Singapore Family Favourites: A Selection of Delicious Home Grown Recipes From Singaporean Families
Newport, NSW: Big Sky Publishing, 2010
ISBN: 9780980814033

Great food is at the heart of the Singaporean lifestyle. It's the bond that brings friends and families together. Everyday around Singapore, people from diverse backgrounds and cultural origins get together to cook their families' favourite recipes and experience the pleasure and enjoyment cooking brings.

The Family Favourites cookbook brings to you a collection of delicious, simple to prepare recipes from the many talented families who entered the 2010 FairPrice Family Cook Off competition and TV series and the recipes created on the show.

While essentially a simple, everyday cookbook, Family Favourites brings great recipes to life with a rice family tradition. Accompanying each recipe are family photographs, entertaining and inspiring family stories and the dishes that each of the families passionately create.

Deadly Secrets: The Singapore Raids, 1942-45
Lynette Ramsay Silver
Binda, NSW: Sally Milner Publishing, 2010
ISBN: 9781863514101

In February 1942, when Australian Bill Reynolds escaped from beleaguered Singapore in a battered Japanese fishing boat, he had no idea that his nondescript vessel would be the catalyst for Operation Jaywick, one of the most daring missions undertaken behind enemy lines in World War II. Using Reynolds' boat, now renamed Krait, a small band of intrepid men attacked enemy shipping in Singapore Harbour - an action that would have far reaching and tragic repercussions on the people of Singapore. The following year, members of the same team embarked upon a second and far more ambitious raid, Operation Rimau. Although this mission was partially successful, every member of the party was killed.

In telling the story of both these raids, author Lynette Silver reveals a number of deadly secrets, and gives an insight into the world of covert operations, partly through the eyes of Denis Emerson-Elliott, a British secret service agent closely associated with both missions. She also lays to rest a number of myths which have arisen in the sicty-five years since the Singapore raids took place. A sobering aspect of many of the special operations carried out by Australian forces during World War II is that many fine men who volunteered for hazardous service died while carrying out missions that were politically, rather than militarily, motivated. Even more sobering is the fact that on the Australian army's post-war assessment, many of these operations, including Jaywick and Rimau, achieved nothing but death, misery and suffering.

The Passionate Islanders: A Factual Story, Singapore at War 1941-42
Ralph Modder
Singapore: Horizon Books, 2010
ISBN: 9789810870379

The Passionate Islanders is based on factual events and situations about the light and darker sides of life in Singapore during British colonial rule as well as before and during the Japanese invasion of Malaya in December 1941 and Singapore in February 1942.

Singapore was the prime target for Japanese bombers, causing heavy casualties among the civilian population. Hotels and schools became casualty stations while private vehicles substituted for ambulances.

In a spirited effort to relieve the grave crisis, civilians of various races bravely helped in rescues and fire-fighting with make-shift equipment, also providing first-aid, food and temporary shelter for the hundreds of homeless.

This indomitable Singapore Spirit was seen after the Japanese invasion on 8 February 1942, when poorly-armed and hastily-trained Chinese volunteers of Dalforce fought fierce hand-to-hand battles in the north, west and northwest. In the southwest, units of the 1st and 2nd battalions of the Malay Regiment heroically held up the advance of the Japanese 18th Division in the battle of Opium Hill on 13-14 February. Singapore surrendered on 15 February.

Wang Gungwu: Junzi, Scholar-Gentleman: In Conversation with Asad-Ul Iqbal Latif
Wang Gungwu, Asad-Ul Iqbal Latif (interviewer)
Singapore: ISEAS Publishing, 2010
ISBN: 9789814311526

This book of interviews with Professor Wang Gungwu, published to felicitate him on his 80th birthday in 2010, seeks to convey to a general audience something of the life, times and thoughts of a leading historian, Southeast Asianist, Sinologist and public intellectual. The interviews flesh out Professor Wang's views on being Chinese in Malaya; his experience of living and working in Malaysia, Singapore and Australia; the Vietnam War; Hong Kong and its return to China; the rise of China; Taiwan's, Japan's and India's place in the emerging scheme of things; and the United States in an age of terrorism and war. The book includes an interview with his wife, Mrs Margaret Wang, on their life together for half a century. Two interviews by scholars on Professor Wang's work are also included, as are his curriculum vitae and a select bibliography of his works.

What comes across in this book is how Professor Wang was buffeted by feral times and hostile worlds but responded to them as a left-liberal humanist who refused to cut ideological corners. this book records his response to tumultuous times on hindsight, but with a keen sense of having lived through the times of which he speaks.

Socially Responsible & Sustainable: Company Perspectives and Experiences
Evelyn S. Wong (ed.)
Singapore: Straits Times Press, 2011
ISBN: 9789814266734

The debate for or against corporate social responsibility (CSR) is over. Global trends show that the move to embed CSR within the organisation's core values, policies and practices are gaining acceptance and momentum.

This book looks at the CSR practices of 10 enterprises that have helped to distinguish themselves in the market for consumers, employees, investors, and in the community as socially responsible corporate citizens. They are local and foreign companies in Singapore, including publicly-listed companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with business in the following industries: manufacturing, hospitality, public transportation, energy, property development and management, and agri-business.

This book also tracks the continuing journey of the 10 enterprises featured in a 2009 Singapore Compact publication, CSR for Sustainability and Success.

These company experiences show that, although their priorities and strategies may be different, they all leverage on their business strengths to achieve the same goal - to contribute to sustainable development and the well-being of their stakeholders and society as a shared responsibility.

Dynamics of the Singapore Success Story: Insights by Ngiam Tong Dow

Ngiam Tong Dow

Singapore: Cengage Learning Asia, 2011

ISBN: 9789814336079

Singapore's success story has been widely read. How and why this transformation came about, however, has seldom been publicly analyzed and articulated. Very few insiders with firsthand experience have chosen to illuminate the fundamental public policies guiding Singapore's social and economic growth. Yet it is this aspect of the Singapore story that most intrigues outside observers.

Based on his rich, firty-year experience as a senior Singapore civil servant, Ngiam Tong Dow manages to present a clear picture in this book of Singapore's  path toward success. It is a collection of his speeches, interviews, and articles delivered and written between 2004 and 2010. According to Ngiam, what lies behind Singapore's spectacular achievements from 1959 onward is the island nation's relentless pursuit of knowledge as the critical lever for development. Singapore is the forerunner of knowledge-based economies emerging in this new millennium.

Collected Plays Two: The Asian Boys Trilogy: Dreamplay / Landmarks / Happy Endings
Alfian Sa'at
Singapore: Ethos Books & W!LD RICE Ltd, 2010
ISBN: 9789810870416

Alfian Sa'at's The Asian Boys Trilogy is a fascinating, insightful tour through the lives and loves of the gay community in Singapore. In the campy and carnivalesque Dreamplay, history is turned upside-down as a goddess travels through time to 'save gay men from themselves'. In Landmarks, geography takes centrestage, as eight short plays explore the spaces that have been claimed, colonised, and trespassed by those at the margins of the mainstream. In Happy Endings, the playwright's adaptation of the novel Peculiar Chris evolves into a meditation on the relationship between life and literature. With clear-eyed compassion and eloquent outrage, this collection of plays charts the coming-of-age of a community finding its voice.

GASPP: A Gay Anthology of Singapore Poetry and Prose
Ng Yi-Sheng, Dominic Chua, Irene Oh, & Jasmine Seah (eds.)
Singapore: The Literary Centre, 2010
ISBN: 9789810868086

GASPP is Singapore's first anthology of writers who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and otherwise queer. It's the combined work of 35 authors, translators and editors, who've contributed poetry, short fiction, memoirs, essays and experimental writing in English, Mandarin and Malay.

Between these covers, you'll meet a loving couple struck by HIV, a lesbian lawyer confronted by her past, a voyeur in a New York library, an alarmed government censor, and a bomoh with a magic formula that keeps gay men faithful.

Romantic, sensual, funny and bizarre, these works are a testament to the range of voices that constitute queer literature in Singapore today. Featured writers include Johann S. Lee, Ovidia Yu, Alfian Sa'at, Ng Yi-Sheng and Adrianna Tan.

I Married a Barbarian: The Heart-Warming, True Story of a British Lad and a Chinese Lass
Dennis Bloodworth and Liang Ching Ping
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2010
ISBN: 9789814302869

What happens when a proud Chinese woman meets a Western foreign correspondent? In their individual styles, Dennis and Ping tell a gripping tale in two voices of how love transcends geography, culture and daily tribulations. Out of 42 years of marriage and against their domestic war of civilisations comes this heartwarming story of growing affection, insights and understanding.

The Sacrifice of Singapore: Churchill's Biggest Blunder
Michael Arnold
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2010
ISBN: 9789814302944

The fate of Singapore was sealed long before the Japanese attack in December 1941. The blame lay with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who refused to listen to warnings from military advisors to reinforce defences in Singapore/Malaya, convinced the Japanese would never dare to attack a 'white power'. Obsessed with beating German General Erwin Rommel, he poured into the Middle East massive resources that should have gone to the Far East. However, when inevitably Singapore fell to the Japanese in February 1942, Churchill attempted to deflect criticism by accusing the defenders there of spineless capitulation.

Recently released information from the Office of Naval Intelligence in Washington reveals that United States President Franklin Roosevelt not only knew of the impending attack on Pearl Harbour but actually instigated it. Although Roosevelt promised a shield of B-17 aircraft for Singapore from Manila, General Douglas MacArthur in the Philippines had been told to do nothing until after the Japanese attacks there and at Pearl Harbour so that the United States could claim an unprovoked assault that would allow them to declare war on Japan.

This book provides an account of events during World War II as they unfolded in Malaya, Singapore and elsewhere in the world prior to the Japanese attack, as well as a detailed study of the troops on the ground attacking and defending Singapore.

Our Homes: 50 Years of Housing a Nation
Warren Fernandez
Singapore: Straits Times Press & Housing Development Board, 2010
ISBN: 9789814266741

From a distance, the blocks of Housing Board flats that dot the island all round Singapore appear to have sprung up from the ground, a seemingly inevitable product of the city-state's rapid economic development over the past decades.

But the story of how these flats and new towns rose gradually over the past five decades is anything but straightforward.

Indeed, faced with a chronic housing shortage and burgeoning slums around the city, many harboured doubts that the new Housing and Development Board was up to the task of tackling the fledgeling state's problems when it was launched on 1 February 1960.

A massive fire soon afterwards in Bukit Ho Swee, which left scores homeless, added to HDB's challenge to build simple, affordable homes - and quickly.

Policies designed to help families pay for their flats and become home owners made all the difference, as did rules which ensured that the estates were ethnically and socially integrated. Right from the start, HDB strived to foster communities, conscious of the need to give the people homes, not just houses.

Our Homes: 50 Years of Housing a Nation traces this story. It is based on first-hand interviews with many of the key players over the years, from policy makers to political leaders, including new interviews with three past and present prime ministers of Singapore as well as HDB residents themselves. It highlights the unique aspects of HDB living, such as void decks, hawker centres, courtyards in the sky and bamboo-pole holders to hang out the washing to dry.

The book's conclusion also looks ahead to ponder the future of the HDB, posing the question: What next for public housing?

Both those who have lived in HDB estates, or marvelled from a distance at how these array of blocks came to be, will find this book a revealing account of just what it took for a young nation with a determined people to build a common home.

From Within the Marrow
Yong Shu Hoong
Singapore: firstfruits, 2010
ISBN: 9789810860332

Time, passing, can be nothing more than a single straight line, But Yong Shu Hoong's fourth collection of poems laces the notion of time elapsed and memories gained with nostalgia, humour and a renewed curiosity at things made strange by distance.

Secrets of the Little Red Cow: Insights to SME Branding & Growth
Luke Lim, A.S. Louken
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Business, 2010
ISBN: 9789814276115

With their vast experience working with Singapore SMEs - some of which have grown into award-winning and regional brands - A.S. Louken, a brand growth consultancy, delve into what brands should do to survive and thrive in today's fiercely competitive marketplace.

From the basic tenets of brand building to how brands should protect their assets, and the steps they should take to capture a slice of the international market, Secrets of the Little Red Cow will take readers through some of A.S. Louken's amazing journeys.

Written in a lively, succinct, easy-to-read style, and filled with interesting case studies, this book is a refreshing alternative with its strong focus on local rather than global brands. It gets right to the heart of key concerns and challenges of SME growth, the lessons and heartaches along the way, and the ultimate joy of success.

The Tiger and the Trojan Horse
Dennis Bloodworth
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2011
ISBN: 9789814328265

'Some mug had to do it,' said Lee Kuan yew, explaining what appeared to be an act of pure folly - the decision of a politically puny group of young nationalists to take on the powerful communist movement in a crucial struggle for Singapore.

In the first phase, the antagonists became partners, for while the nationalists were obliged to ride the communist tiger to gain the support of the masses, the outlawed communists saw their group as the Trojan Horse through which they could capture constitutional power in a key British colony. The ultimate aim of the ambitious 'moderates', led by Lee Kuan Yew, was to rid Singapore of both colonialists and communists, in that order. And they succeeded.

This is no academic study, and the often bizarre inside story of that duel between ill matched adversaries - the People's Action Party and the Communist United Front - is brought startlingly to life in an account full of irony and paradox, strange encounters, bloody riots, and brutal assassinations. Dennis Bloodworth takes us into the half-world of the communist underground, with its elaborate tradecraft and secret rendezvous in a vivid tale of ruthlessness matched against ruthlessness - seen from both sides and told with cool impartiality.

Secrets of the Battlebox
Romen Bose
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2011
ISBN: 9789814328548

The Battlebox, Britain's Command HQ in the Malayan Campaign during the Second World War, lies beneath Singapore's Fort Canning. After the war, it was sealed off and forgotten until the late 1990s.

Secrets of the Battlebox provides an understanding of the Battlebox: its history, uses and final role in the Malayan Campaign. It seeks to address the gap in knowledge in one of the most crucial aspects of the Second World War in Malaya and Singapore, i.e. the role of the command headquarters in the campaign.

Syonan: My Story: The Japanese Occupation of Singapore
Mamoru Shinozaki
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2011
ISBN: 9789814328524

Syonan My Story is the biography of Mamoru Shinozaki. Born in Japan in February 1908, he became a journalist after graduating from Meiji University. He later joined the Japanese Foreign Ministry and was sent to Berlin as a press attaché in 1936. In October 1938, he was posted to Singapore. While in Singapore, the British convicted and jailed him as a Japanese spy. During the Japanese Occupation, he risked his life to save thousands of locals from being arrested and detained by the military police through his liberal issue of personal safety passes and the creation of safe havens. During the war crimes trial for the Sook Ching Massacre, he was a key witness for the prosecution. Mr Shinozaki passed away in the early 1990s.

The First Chief: Wee Chong Jin: A Judicial Portrait
John Koh
Singapore: Academy Publishing, 2010
ISBN: 9789810856304

"This book assesses Chong Jin's achievements in building up a highly respected judiciary amidst a tumultuous social and political environment that made it necessary for him to take a safe road that would preserve the Judiciary's independence in dispensing justice to all equally and impartially. As the author says, Chong Jin was a wise judge, and 'As the Chief Justice, he steered the Judiciary through the turbulence and his era laid the foundation for the rule of law of modern Singapore'.
...
This is a book which all members of the Bar, especially the present generation of lawyers, should read to get the flavour of the public persona of Chong Jin. He had sought, by example and precept, to uphold the dignity of his office, the integrity of the Judiciary in administering justice, and the rule of law throughout his long years of service as Chief Justice. Readers can judge for themselves whether he has succeeded and left a legacy worthy of remembrance by the Bench and the Bar."
- Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong

Singapore From Temasek to the 21st Century: Reinventing the Global City
Karl Hack, Jean-Louis Margolin, & Karine Delaye (eds.)
Singapore: NUS Press, 2010
ISBN: 9789971695156

Once a centre for international trade and finance, Singapore is now a "global city". Singapore from Temasek to the 21st Century: Reinventing the Global City examines its evolution from trading port to city-state, showing how Singapore has repeatedly reinvented itself by creating or re-asserting qualities that helped attract capital, talent and trade. In the 14th century, the island's prosperity rested on regulating the regional carrying trade passing through the Straits of Melaka. In 1819, after a long period of decline, the British East India Company revived the island's fortunes by making Singapore a "free" port, and trade sustained the city until the Japanese occupation and the postwar collapse of colonial rule. After independence, Singapore resumed its role as a major centre for trade and finance, but added facilities to make the island a regional centre for manufacturing. More recently, it has transformed its population into an educated and highly-skilled workforce, and has made the island an education hub that is a magnet for research and development in fields such as biotechnology.

Singapore's dramatic, centuries-long struggle defies description as a sequentially unfolding narrative, or merely as the story of a nation. In this volume, a group of international scholars examines the history of Singapore as a series of discontinuous and varied attempts by a shifting array of local and foreign elites to optimise advantages arising from the island's strategic location and overcome its lack of natural resources. Part I sets the scene by considering different ways of looking at the island's long-term history and evaluating Singapore as a global city. Part II provides a series of snapshots of Singapore between the 14th and 21st centuries, positioning the island as a major node in regional and world history, and evaluating the local political and social structures that have underpinned the city's ability to function as a major urban centre and ensured its long-term survival.

A Cancer Vaccine That Transformed Singapore and the World: The Battle Against Hepatitis B
Gabriel Oon Chong Jin & Karen Kwek
Singapore: Straits Times Press, 2011
ISBN: 9789814266598

Hepatitis B is one of the world's most influential killer diseases - even more contagious than HIV. Today the hep B virus afflicts more than 360 million people worldwide. Between 1983 and 1985, select groups of Singaporeans took part in clinical trials - undertaken by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - of a revolutionary vaccine against hepatitis B. In Singapore, 1 October 2010 marks the 25th anniversary of the implementation of the National Hepatitis B Vaccination Programme, aimed at eradicating the infectious liver disease from all newborns in the country. The success of this programme led, ten years later, to a gathering of world experts in Singapore to endorse the hepatitis B vaccine as a safe and effective preventive of a disease now recognised as one of the major causes of primary liver cancer in the world.

This book tells the full story of Singapore's groundbreaking hep B vaccination programme - including the medical research, entrepreneurial spirit and political foresight that drove it - and commemorates the work of a handful of pioneers who had the audacity to challenge the conventions of their time and, in so doing, transform national and world history.

Reaching for Stones: Collected Poems (1963-2009)
Chandran Nair
Singapore: Ethos Books, 2010
ISBN: 9789810867171

Chandran Nair's poetry has been described as impressing with its "versatility and hard brilliance of style" as well as providing an important study of how growing up in Singapore with an English education and Chinese, Indian and Malay influences shape points of view in poetry in English. The poems reveal a real and not "a revolving man" in the words of one reviewer, while another feels that the poems succeed not merely through technical competence but also because "he writes with feeling. It is his feelings that we see most of the time, a kaleidoscope of changing emotions and events through which Mr Nair stands unchanged, unyielding and uncompromised."

The 101 poems in this collection represent two volumes of poetry, Once the Horsemen and Other Poems (1972) and After the Hard Hours, This Rain (1975)as well as poems since published in journals and anthologies in many countries and not collected into book form. They provide an interesting glimpse into the post-colonial literature in English of Singapore and Malaysia.

Bioethics in Singapore: The Ethical Microcosm
John M. Elliott, W. Calvin Ho, Sylvia S.N. Lim (eds.)
Singapore: World Scientific, 2010
ISBN: 9789814327114

This book provides an analysis of the ways in which the Bioethics Advisory Committee (BAC) has established an ethical framework for biomedical research in Singapore, following the launch of the Biomedical Sciences Initiative by the Singapore Government. The editors and authors have an intimate knowledge of the working of the BAC, and the focus of the book includes the ways in which international forces have influenced the form and substance of bioethics in Singapore. Together, the authors offer a comparative account of the institutionalisation of biomedical research ethics in Singapore, considered in the wider context of international regulatory efforts. The book reviews the work of the BAC by placing it within the broader cultural, social and political discourses that have emerged in relation to the life sciences since the turn of the 21st century. This book is not primarily intended to be a retrospect or an appraisal of the contribution of the BAC, though this is one aspect of it. Rather, the main intention is to make a substantive contribution to the rapidly emerging field of bioethics. Ethical discussions in the book include consideration of stem cell research and cloning, genetics and research with human participants, and focus on likely future developments as well as the past.

Many of the contributors of the book have been personally involved in this work, and hence they write with an authoritative first-hand knowledge that scholars in bioethics and public policy may appreciate. As indicated above, the book also explains the way in which ethics and science - international and local - have interacted in a policy setting. Scholars and policy makers may find the Singaporean experience to be a valuable resource, as the approach has been to make the ethical governance of research in Singapore consistent with international best practice while observing the requirements of a properly localised application of universally accepted principles. In addition, at least three chapters (the first three chapters in particular) are accessible to the lay reader interested in the development of bioethics and biomedical sciences, both inside and outside Singapore, from 2000 (the year in which the BAC was established). Both scholars and interested lay readers are therefore likely to find this publication a valuable reference.

Cheong Soo Pieng: Visions of Southeast Asia
Yeo Wei Wei (ed.)
Singapore: The National Art Gallery, 2010
ISBN: 9789810864224

Cheong Soo Pieng was a pioneer artist who created visually fresh pictures of Southeast Asia's landscapes and people. By marrying the artistic traditions of the East and West, he broke new ground in the way the tropics were portrayed. From painting to sculpture and mixed media, Cheong Soo Pieng's works single him out as the most versatile and experimental artist of his generation.

This book is the first of its kind on Cheong Soo Pieng. Never before have his key works been so comprehensively and beautifully reproduced in book form. Through 199 illustrations - old photographs, hitherto unpublished sketches - and 94 colour plates, the artist's dedication to his craft is brought to life. Cheong Soo Pieng: Visions of Southeast Asia is a testament to his legacy.

Three Burgees: A History of The Republic of Singapore Yacht Club
Peter Dunlop
Singapore: Republic of Singapore Yacht Club, 2010
ISBN: 9789814266635

The story of yachting in Singapore is as long as that of the country's modern history and is intertwined with that of Singapore's founders, governors, administrators and businessmen.

The Republic of Singapore Yacht Club and its members have been involved in every aspect of the development and administration of sea sports, from the Olympic Games in Rome, the formation of SingaporeSailing, to the international Singapore Staits Regatta.

Three Burgees is a lavishly illustrated book with extracts from Singapore's first newspaper, yacht racing engravings from the 1860s and sepia-toned photographs of the 1920s, to the colours and contrasts of the yachts of today.

Landmarks: 50 Years of Real Estate Development
Tan Su Yen
Singapore: Far East Organization, 2010
ISBN: 9789810850029

Far East Organization, together with its Hong Kong-based sister company Sino Group, is one of Asia's largest real estate groups. Far East Organization and Sino Group have a combined annual turnover of US$5.5 billion, total assets valued at over US$40 billion and more than 13,000 employees in the region and beyond.

Far East Organization is the largest private property developer in Singapore. Its operations span the full spectrum of the real estate market, covering the residential, hospitality, commercial, retail and industrial sectors. It is also the largest corporate housing landlord in Singapore and one of the largest owner-operators of hotels. The Organization comprises privately-held development and investment companies, as well as two public-listed companies, Orchard Parade Holdings Limited and Yeo Hiap Seng Limited.

Far East Organization is the only developer in the world to have won five internationally acclaimed FIABCI Prix d'Excellence Awards, underscoring its unique achievements in the international real estate arena.

Singapore's Heritage: Through Places of Historical Interest (revised and updated ed.)
Dhoraisingam S. Samuel
Singapore: Dhoraisingam S. Samuel, 2010
ISBN: 9789810866518

Singapore Heritage: Through Places of Historical Interest is a useful collection of history and stories behind the places of historical interest in Singapore. Many of the historical places are iconic landmarks which are an integral part of our collective history and rich culture.

As Singapore progresses, it is important for us to understand our heritage so that we can better appreciate the strides that we have made. The ethnic and cultural diversity of the places of interest in this book reflects how our forefathers came from other parts of the world and built Singapore into what it is today. It also represents how diverse communities were able to live harmoniously and this contributed to Singapore's peace and social harmony, which in turn provided the strong foundation of our economic growth.

Tales of Old Singapore: The Glorious Past of Asia's Greatest Emporium
Iain Manley
Hong Kong: Earnshaw Books, 2010

ISBN: 9789881866738

The popular "Tales" series sets sail for the Lion City. Old Singapore was an eclectic trade emporium, where an ethnically and culturally diverse populace coalesced, and sometimes clashed, under the aegis of Britain's Empire. It was a fascinating world filled with traders of all nations, bands of cut-throat pirates, murderers running amuck and the occasional man-eating tiger. Using a patchwork of words and images from Singapore's residents and visitors of yesteryear, author Iain Manley brings old Singapore's colourful colonial past back to life with striking clarity.

20 Under 45: The Next Generation
Wong Yuun Chii (curator)
Singapore: Urban Redevelopment Authority, 2010
ISBN: 9789810838607

The "20 Under 45: The Next Generation" is an initiative of the Architecture & Urban Design Excellence (AUDE) programme of the URA.

It presents the works of the selected young Singaporeans architects under the age of 45. The architects are selected, based on their dossier of works, by a panel of assessors drawn from the architectural profession, the professional board, the real estate industry and institutions of higher learning.

More than a collection of excellent buildings, the selection of the architects is based on their overall achievement in architectural design, ideas and leadership. The works also collectively highlight the state of architectural culture and discourse in Singapore.

This initiative is a second instalment of the very successful inaugural event in 2004.

If We Dream Too Long
Goh Poh Seng
Singapore: NUS Press, 2010
ISBN: 9789971694456

Widely regarded as the first Singapore novel, If We Dream Too Long explores the dilemmas and challenges faced by its hero, Kwang Meng, as he navigates the difficult transitional period between youthful aspirations and the external demands of society and family. Shy and sensitive, he feels detached from mainstream life and is unable to identify with the values that animate his friends. Kwang Meng takes refuge in dreams of exotic faraway places, and imagines merging himself with the sea, which he loves. Yet amidst this uncertainty, the reader feels that all is not lost, that the young dreamer will eventually find his way. Kwang Meng's experiences reflect the author's fascination with the question of self amidst the dreariness and aimlessness of an increasingly urbanised and materialistic Asian society. The book also provides a fascinating portrait of Singapore as it was in the 1960s, a landscape and society that have undergone many changes but remain faintly visible in modern Singapore.

Since its first publication in 1972, If We Dream Too Long has moved and delighted generations of readers. This much-loved novel has been used as a text in university literature courses in Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, and has been translated into Tagalog and Russian.

An Essential Guide to Singlish (Expanded Edition)
Samantha Hanna (ed.)
Singapore: Gartbooks, 2003
ISBN: 9789810861094

Singlish is one of the most entertaining of all the Asian Englishes and ought to be practiced by anyone visiting Singapore. Even a little knowledge of the language will help visitors to better understand local culture and learning to speak a few words or phrases can enhance the experience of dining out, shopping, and even getting about town. With hilarious illustrations by award-winning cartoonist, Miel, this book provides useful tips for bargaining, and a special section on shopping. There are also chapters about food, festivals and customs, and other insights that may coax readers into some very funny moments indeed.

An Introduction to Singapore's Constitution (revised ed.)
Kevin Y.L. Tan
Singapore: Talisman Publishing, 2011
ISBN: 9789810864569

Law is one of the most jargon-filled and least-understood of disciplines, and among its sub-branches, constitutional law is considered one of the most difficult and arcane. Yet, the Constitution affects every one of us in ways we seldom contemplate.

In this volume, the reader is quickly introduced to the basic concepts of constitutionalism, such as the separation of powers, the rule of law and the principle of judicial review. In twelve succinct chapters, this book covers the basic structure of government in Singapore as well as the fundamental liberties protected under the Constitution.

Written with a minimum of fuss and jargon, this book provides the high-school student and interested layperson with a compact and accessible guide to Singapore's Constitution. A comprehensive reading list, glossary and list of cases cited is included for those interested in a more in-depth exploration of this topic.

The Devil to Pay
Walter Woon
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2010
ISBN: 9789814302661

Set in the period just before the Fall of Singapore, this story - the second in the trilogy - unfolds in a time of great uncertainty as news of an impending Japanese invasion looms. Dennis Chiang returns as the young and eager lawyer at d'Almeida's law firm. But little does he know that his life would soon become a lot more exciting - and dangerous.

Roped in by the British Special Branch as an undercover operative to weed out Japanese agents subverting and undermining the morale of an Indian Army garrison sent to defend Malaya, Chiang finds himself going from criminal lawyer in a courtroom to an adept and rugged spy in the jungles of Malaya. This fast-paced and absorbing tale of adventure and espionage will get you hooked from the get-go.

The Advocate's Devil
Walter Woon
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2010
ISBN: 9789814302654

Dennis Chiang is a stranger in his homeland. Just returned to the Straits Settlements after spending half his life in England, the young lawyer is thrown into the swirling brew that is colonial society in 1930s Singapore. It is a society of tuans and towkays, of Babas and babus, where race is everything and even love cannot be wholly colour-blind.

As he juggles his career and personal responsibilities, Chiang encounters a life full of courtroom dramas, cultural prejudices and even communist intrigue. And never far away is his mentor, the unflappable d'Almeida. In public d'Almeida is a calm, efficient lawyer, but he possesses a shrewd investigative streak and uses unorthodox methods that result in his young protege being caught up in a succession of captivating adventures.

Welcome to the world of The Advocate's Devil, a humorous, fast-moving tale set against the backdrop of colonial Singapore and the Straits Settlements - a world that Dennis Chiang soon finds is full of excitement, disillusionment and danger.

Road to Recovery: Singapore's Journey Through the Global Crisis
Sanchita Basu Das
Singapore: ISEAS Publishing, 2010
ISBN: 9789814311052

Singapore has been one of the nations severely affected by the 2008-09 global financial and economic crisis. The city state came under pressure through the financial, trade, and confidence channels. To counter these shocks, Singapore policymakers undertook unprecedented monetary and fiscal policy measures. They subsequently charted a revival strategy that would help the country emerge stronger after the crisis. These all-encompassing policies together with the global economic recovery in 2009 helped the city state bounce back faster and stronger than many other regional economies. This book provides an insight into the events that occurred during the crisis ad Singapore's successful navigation to economic recovery.