We ♥ Tiong Bahru
Urban Sketchers Singapore
Singapore: Epigram Books, 2012
ISBN: 9789810736255

The Urban Sketchers Singapore are an informal group of artists who draw the places they visit, capturing—on location—what they see from direct observation. In this first book in the Our Neighbourhoods series, the artists sketch the well-loved places in Tiong Bahrus, one of the most famous neighbourhoods in Singapore.

See our artists’ interpretations of the well known two-storey Tiong Bahru market; the old walk-up apartments in the conservation areas in the lovely neighbourhood, juxtaposed with the spanking new skyscrapers; and other nostalgic areas and buildings.

We ♥ Toa Payoh
Urban Sketchers Singapore
Singapore: Epigram Books, 2012
ISBN: 9789810736231

The Urban Sketchers Singapore are an informal group of artists who draw the places they visit, capturing—on location—what they see from direct observation. In this first book in the Our Neighbourhoods series, the artists sketch the well-loved places in Toa Payoh, one of the first satellite neighbourhoods in Singapore.

Pore over the pages in this time capsule of a book to admire sketches of the famous Shuang Lin Monastery; the well loved Toa Payoh Garden; or the grand old dame that is the Toa Payoh Sports Hall and Swimming Complex. Or reminisce over the smaller nooks and crannies that come in the form of the old-timer Bugs Bunny barber shop, the long-time Lee Nam Kee chicken rice shop, and the bird singing corner at Lorong 4.

Simply the Best!: The ieat*ishoot*ipost Guide to Singapore's Hawker Food
Dr. Leslie Tay
Singapore: Epigram Books, 2012
ISBN: 9789810737801

From Bedok to Beo Crescent, Jalan Sultan to Joo Chiat, celebrity food blogger Dr. Leslie Tay and his merry band of ieat foodies have spread out across the island in search of the most drool-worthy hawker food Singapore has to offer.

Their quest for hawker food paradise, plus Dr. Tay’s stunning food photographs, is documented in this blogbuster, capturing more than half a decade’s worth of eating, shooting and posting. This is Singapore’s ultimate insider’s guide to hawker food—the only one you’ll ever need or want!

Zubir Said: The Composer of Majulah Singapura
Rohana Zubir
Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2012
ISBN: 9789814311816

Zubir Said is best known as the composer of Majulah Singapura, the national anthem of Singapore, Semoga Bahagia, the Singapore school anthem, and Melayu Raya. Born into a religious and humble family in Sumatra where music was considered haram, at 21 he set out to seek his fortune in Singapore. This book, which includes numerous photographs, documents, musical scores and articles, as well as a CD of a selection of Zubir Said's compositions, vividly reveals one of Singapore's leading composers as family man, friend, composer and mentor. It also accords Zubir Said his rightful place in the history of Singapore.

The Undone Years
Shamini Flint
Singapore: Heliconia Press, 2012
ISBN: 9789810720612

On a rubber plantation in Malaya, on the eve of the Second World War, three teenagers enjoy their last summer of freedom and innocence. Matthew is the son of the English planter who runs the estate and his best friend, Rajan, is the son of his father’s clerk – but despite their parents’ disapproval of their friendship, they feel like equals. When beautiful, strong-willed Mei Ling arrives, both boys’ heads are turned. But before any romance can blossom, the Japanese invade.

Against a backdrop of the fall of Singapore, the communist insurgency and the eventual Japanese surrender, The Undone Years is a very humanstory of love and betrayal in a time of war.

Little Flower: Singapore Wild Flowers Up Close: Through the Lens of Jon Boon
Jon Boon
Singapore: Secondmouse Books, 2012
ISBN: 9789810726409

When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses? Whether you are a botany enthusiast or someone who simply appreciates the beauty of our local flora, this book lets you get close and personal with 70 of Singapore blooms. Each flower is photographically captured in its natural environment, mainly in the heartlands.

Keeping the content simple and factual, with details carefully captured, Little Flower: Singapore Wild Flowers Up Close is the only pictorial book on local flowers of its kind and provides a picture-rich reference.

Floating on a Malayan Breeze: Travels in Singapore and Malaysia
Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh
Singapore: NUS Press, 2012
ISBN: 9789971696474

What happens when a country splits apart? Forty-seven years ago, Singapore separated from Malaysia. Since then, the two countries have developed along their own paths. Malaysia has given preference to the majority of Malay Muslims - the bumiputera, or sons of the soil. Singapore, meanwhile, has tried to build a meritocracy - ostensibly color-blind, yet more encouraging perhaps to some Singaporeans than to others. How have these policies affected ordinary people? How do these two divergent nations and their peoples now see each other and the world around them?

Seeking answers to these questions, two Singaporeans set off to cycle around Peninsular Malaysia, armed with a tent, two pairs of clothes and a daily budget of three US dollars each. They spent 30 days on the road, cycling through every Malaysian state, and chatting with hundreds of Malaysians. Not satisfied, they then went on to interview many more people in Malaysia and Singapore. What they found are two countries that have developed economically but are still struggling to find their souls. Despite the historical and cultural links, the invisible political line has increasingly become a powerful force for mistrust and misunderstanding.

Voices Clear and True: New Singapore Plays Volume I
Huzir Sulaiman, Lucas Ho, & Laremy Lee (eds.)
Singapore: Checkpoint Theatre, 2012
ISBN: 9789810724139

This is the first volume in a series of play collections published by Checkpoint Theatre that showcase the exciting work of a new generation of Singapore playwrights. Published as part of Checkpoint Theatre’s 10th anniversary celebrations, these plays are evidence of the burgeoning renaissance in Singapore playwriting.

This collection of eight critically-acclaimed plays features the work of up-and-coming playwrights Christine Chong, Kenneth Chong, Lucas Ho, Dan Koh, Cheryl Lee, Laremy Lee, Faith Ng and Shiv Tandan. All the plays were written under the mentorship of Huzir Sulaiman and have been produced by Singapore theatre companies. The collection includes wo(men) by Faith Ng and The Good, the Bad, and the Sholay by Shiv Tandan, which were both nominated for Best Original Script in the Straits Times Life! Theatre Awards in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

The plays are by turns lyrical and hilarious, and are marked by their intellectual rigour, emotional honesty, and refined technique. Checkpoint Theatre is committed to nurturing the next generation of Singapore theatre practitioners, and these plays serve both as a record of powerful new work and as a valuable resource for students and makers of theatre everywhere.