The Claire Tham Collection
Claire Tham
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2010
ISBN: 9789814302838

Well-known in Singapore's literary circles, Claire Tham brings together twenty-one short stories from three classic collections, each reflecting her prowess as a storyteller whose deft hands mould stories to articulate her signature themes of rebellion and non-conformity. Lauded for her technical innovation of style and form in prose, these stories play with the presentation of time and space in the progression of narratives, creating multi-layered possibilities to keep readers entranced till the very last page.

The Makers and Keepers of Singapore History
Loh Kah Seng and Liew Kai Khiun (eds.)
Singapore: Singapore Heritage Society and Ethos Books, 2010
ISBN: 9789810863579

In exploring the past, researchers labour in the present: to locate the archival document which is located somewhere behind a gate with its keeper; or to find that elusive participant who will throw light on a gap in our knowledge, and convince them to speak. The Makers and Keepers of Singapore History meditates on this relationship between past and present in a developmental city-state. It discusses how researchers seek to gain entry to archives and memories, in endeavours which crucially shape the imagination of Singapore as a nation and the identity of its people as citizens.

In Lieu of Ideology: An Intellectual Biography of Goh Keng Swee
Ooi Kee Beng
Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2010
ISBN: 9789814311304

Born in Malacca in 1918, Dr Goh Keng Swee reached maturity at a time when European colonialism was breathing its last. By the time he became self-governing Singapore's first Minister of Finance in 1959, he had made a name for himself as the colony's foremost social scientist, having carried out groundbreaking surveys on urban poverty and housing. He immediately initiated pioneering projects that laid the ground for the island's economic success. When Singapore separated from Malaysia in 1965, Dr Goh immediately took charge of building an army from scratch.

His contributions to the infrastructure of Singapore in the fields of Finance, Defence, Education are well recorded. What is less understood was the man's legendary practical sense. This work avoids reliance on secondary accounts and concentrates strongly on Dr Goh's own words to comprehend his potent and proactive powers of reasoning, and in the process captures the history of Singapore as well.

Public Administration Singapore Style
Jon S.T. Quah
Singapore: Talisman, 2010
ISBN: 9789810853556

Singapore was ranked first for the competence of its public officials from 1999 to 2002 by the Global Competitiveness Report. While research has been done on various aspects of public administration in Singapore, there is to date no comprehensive study of the Singapore Civil Service and the statutory boards and their contribution to the attainment of national development goals. The aim of this book is to rectify this gap in the literature by providing a detailed study of public administration. The book's main conclusion is that the nature and success of public administration in Singapore results from the combined influence of Singapore's context and the various policies introduced by the People's Action Party (PAP) government since it assumed office in June 1959, over 50 years ago.

This book will be of interest to those who are contemplating a career in the Singapore Civil Service or one of the many statutory boards, as well as scholars, practitioners, and students interested in drawing lessons from the Singapore experience.

The Natural Heritage of Singapore (3rd ed.)
Hugh T.W. Tan, L.M. Chou, Darren C.J. Yeo, and Peter K.L. Ng
Singapore: Pearson Education South Asia, 2010
ISBN: 9789810684372

The Natural Heritage of Singapore (Third Edition) provides the comprehensive basis to understanding the natural history of Singapore. To fully appreciate and protect nature, we must learn about its past and present in order to secure its future and benefit from the great value it holds. With the threat of global climate change, biodiversity loss and other environmental problems, Singapore's natural heritage is receiving greater attention from the government, public, and scientists. Singaporeans are becoming more aware that conserving nature and a green environment is important for their well-being, and with various environmental issues being highlighted, developing and changing continually, the publication of this update is necessary.

We Are One: The People's Association Journey, 1960-2010
Jimmy Yap
Singapore: Straits Times Press, 2010
ISBN: 9789814266215

"The People's Association was created in 1960 amidst the turmoil of racial and political strife. It had a singular focus: to help forge social cohesion and racial harmony. This it has done very well. Half a century on, Singapore is a stable, prosperous cosmopolitan city, home to people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. Today, that mission remains as relevant as ever.

This book recounts the story of the People's Association for the past 50 years. PA has contributed significantly to the Singapore story. In the 1960s, it played a major role in fighting the communists and helping to repair ethnic tensions following race riots. Community Centre Management Committees maintained the CC as a secular space, open to all. Institutions such as the Citizens' Consultative Committee helped Singapore's urbanisation programmes succeed. In the late 1970s, new housing estates mushroomed around Singapore, and Residents' Committees brought strangers together to build a sense of community. In the late 1990s, the Community Development Councils were formed to address a growing income divide. These different institutions, in their own way, have helped to knit Singaporeans together."
(from Foreword by Lim Boon Heng)

Skimming
Claire Tham
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2010
ISBN: 9789814302845

Wai Keong and Li have the perfect relationship - familiar, proper, safe. Until David steps in, overturning their carefully ordered worlds.

With searing honesty, multiple award winner Claire Tham renders an uncommon love story from the three characters' points of view, pitting polished surfaces against painful depths, the comfort zone against alien space and the surrender to duty against the seduction of desire. Up close, the distinctions are no longer clear...