Bike Republic: The Essential Guide to Cycling in Singapore
Azhar Yusof
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2012
ISBN: 9789814328463

Written in an informative, yet simple-to-digest format, Bike Republic: The Essential Guide to Cycling in Singapore is a practical handbook for amateur cyclists who wish to take the sport to the next level but are not sure where to begin. This handy guide covers the key aspects of riding - from what type of cycling to pick up and how to choose an appropriate bike, to key safety must-knows and useful training tips on getting bike-fit and how to care for your bike.

The Prosecutor
Glenn Knight
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2012
ISBN: 9789814302333

Glenn Knight was Singapore’s first Director of Commercial Affairs and Deputy Public Prosecutor until his illustrious career of public service came to an abrupt end. This book covers both the personal and professional landscape of this former top crime buster and high-flier, and details the highly publicised cases he handled including the Adrian Lim murders, and the Pan-El and JB Jeyaretnam cases. It also describes his learning experience working with major legal personalities like Mr TT Rajah, AG Tan Boon Teik, Singapore’s first Chief Justice Wee Chong Jin, Justice FA Chua, Justice Choor Singh and Mr David Marshall.

Return to a Sexy Island: Notes From a New Singapore
Neil Humphreys
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2012
ISBN: 9789814382670

Singapore got sexy and Neil Humphreys got jealous. After five years chasing echidnas and platypuses in Australia, Neil returns to Singapore to see if the rumours were true. Like an old girlfriend getting a lusty makeover, the island transformed while he was away - throwing up casinos and theme parks; building bridges, linking forests, encouraging Singaporeans to work, rest and play (preferably at a casino, but not for free); and even giving the political opposition more power than ever before. With Humphreys characteristic wit, Return to a Sexy Island provides an insightful account of new Singapore - its best bits, its ugly bits and, most important of all, what it's really like to pee in the world's best toilet.

Perpetual Spring: Singapore's Gardens by the Bay
Koh Buck Song
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2012
ISBN: 9789812618474

Gardens have always been central to Singapore's identity and global positioning. Now, a fresh era has blossomed with Gardens by the Bay. Since the 1960s, this young nation has cultivated its international reputation as a "Garden City", a city-state adorned by gardens as a high priority in urban planning. In the 21st century, a paradigm shift is being carefully nurtured - as Singapore becomes a "City in a Garden", where the whole country is one big garden, and urban development is fully integrated and immersed amidst greenery and floral. The primary icon of this groundbreaking model is Gardens by the Bay. Plants from little corners of the globe and sustainable technology at the cutting-edge are brought together and harnessed. The fruits of these efforts include botanical landmarks such as the Vertical verdure of the Supertrees and two cooled conservatories introducing "perpetual spring" to this equatorial isle. This commemorative volume tells the story of the seeding of Gardens by the Bay, from the germination of the concept to first flowering and harvest with the official opening in 2012.

Why Not?: The Story of Courts
Terry O'Connor
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2012
ISBN: 9789814328722

Why Not? tells the story of Terry O'Connor and how he brought a household name to Singapore. The book gives a fascinating insight into the history of Courts (a general goods store set up in Canterbury, England in 1850), its subsequent expansion into Southeast Asia, and its transformation from a furniture retailer to a purveyor of electronic goods. Along the way, the author relates his personal journey (from trainee buyer in an electronics store in the UK to CEO of Courts Asia) and gives thoughtful insights into doing business in Singapore.

This is Business!: My Life as a Singapore Gangster II
Foo Yin Tung
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2012
ISBN: 9789814382021

Away from prying eyes, in hidden alleys and on invisible streets lies an underworld, privy only to those who know where to find it. A world built on trust, loyalty, blood and fueled by money and power.

Foo Yin Tung has worked hard to get to where he is. He now oversees his gang's online gambling and casinos and has a plan to expand his territory; a plan that will not only see him recognized by his chief, but also rid him of a rival gang.

But blood begets blood and Yin Tung soon finds himself embroiled in the middle of a war - a war for territory, for pride, and to protect the ones he loves. Immerse yourself in this compelling, gritty and honest account of one man's life in the underbelly of Singapore.

In the Mood for Cheongsam: A Social History, 1920s - Present
Lee Chor Lin & Chung May Khuen
Singapore: Editions Didier Millet, 2012
ISBN: 9789814260923

Spanning almost a century, this book examines the origins and development of the cheongsam in the social context of Singapore since its introduction from Shanghai, China, in the 1920s to the present day.

The cheongsam, a one-piece Chinese ladies' dress, was the epitome of Chinese identity and feminine beauty during the middle decades of the 20th century. Initially seen as a symbol of a trendy, new, Republican China, shorn of the shackles of the imperial system, the cheongsam soon adopted intellectual overtones, and was favoured by the sophisticated and society's elite at elaborate social functions. When it was abandoned following the success of the Communist Party in China, the cheongsam survived in Singapore as the garment of choice for independent, educated women. Over the years it has risen and fallen in popularity and been revived and re-interpreted for new generations by designers such as Tan Sheau Yun and Priscilla Shunmugan.

Containing extensive archival photographs and showcasing the collection of the National Museum of Singapore (NMS), this book goes beyond a mere study of the garment itself, but places it in context as a symbol of a people and emblem of its times, as well as the role it played in Singapore's social scene. The book will interest both serious social historians and amateur enthusiasts alike.

Mimi Fan
Lim Chor Pee
Singapore: Epigram Books, 2012
ISBN: 9789810714598

The swinging 1960s. A nightclub in Singapore. A one night stand that turns into true love. Or not? In Mimi Fan, Singapore playwright Lim Chor Pee weaves together a haunting tale about love, escapism and broken hearts searching for healing. Through the story of a teenage bar girl, Mimi Fan, whose destiny clashes with Chan Fei-Loong, an English-educated overseas Singaporean who has returned home to work, Lim brings to the fore some undeniable and searing truths: true love requires courage, it can be painful, and it can haunt you, despite your best efforts to ignore it.

Written by Singapore's pioneer playwright Lim Chor Pee in 1962, Mimi Fan is considered Singapore's first English-language play written by a local. It was first staged by the Experimental Theatre Club in 1962 and then restaged by Theatreworks in 1990.

Model Citizens
Haresh Sharma
Singapore: Epigram Books, 2012
ISBN: 9789810714611

A man stabs an MP at a Meet the People Session. But this is not their story. It is the story of the man's girlfriend, an Indonesian maid who wants to get married and become a Singapore citizen. It is the story of the MP's wife, who tries to cope with her husband's injury and the media spotlight. It is the story of the maid's employer, who is also struggling with her own tragedy. These three women may mean nothing to each other, but they need one another to survive. The maid, the employer, and the MP's wife. Are they model citizens?

Written by veteran Singaporean playwright Haresh Sharma, Model Citizens won Best Director (Alvin Tan) and Best Actress (Siti Khalijah Zainal) at the 2011 The Straits Times Life! Theatre Awards.

Fear of Writing
Tan Tarn How
Singapore: Epigram Books, 2012
ISBN: 9789810714529

The maestro of political plays is back and his latest offering in a decade, Fear of Writing, is a groundbreaking commentary on the political pulse of Singapore today.

In Fear of Writing, a playwright struggles with writer's block, a director and producer bemoan their failure to get a government licence to stage their play, and a father writes to his daughter overseas. Seemingly disparate elements are woven together, while the line between art, performance and reality begin to blur dramatically as the play reaches its chilling conclusion.

Fear of Writing is a play that will haunt you while compelling you to decide where you stand on the issues of control and censorship.