Of Whales and Dinosaurs: The Story of Singapore's Natural History Museum
Kevin Y.L. Tan
Singapore: NUS Press, 2015
ISBN: 9789971698553

This is the story of Southeast Asia's natural history collections. Officially established in 1878, the previous Raffles Museum -- the oldest in the region -- has one of the largest collections of Southeast Asian animals.

With the opening of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum at the National University of Singapore in 2015, the original Raffles Museum was 'reincarnated' and the loop on its remarkable 127-year history has closed. Beneath the sleek exterior of the modern museum building lies a saga of titanic struggles and changes. That the collections survived at all -- through the multiple challenges of the nineteenth century, the disruption of World War Two, and its potential disintegration in the face of Singapore's modernization -- is nothing short of miraculous.

This book is not only an institutional history of the museum but also tells the story of the frustrations, commitment and courage of the numerous individuals who battled officialdom, innovated endlessly and overcame the odds to protect Singapore's natural history heritage.

Liveability in Singapore: Social and Behavioural issues
David Chan
Singapore: World Scientific, 2015
ISBN: 9789814667876

Cities and countries around the world are focused on enhancing their living conditions through ways that go beyond the brick and mortar of urban planning. Just like in other highly-urbanised cities, life and living in Singapore is highly dependent on many other dimensions such as health, access to various services, social interactions, inter-group relations and community bonds. Social and behavioural factors will need to be incorporated when designing and implementing policies and interventions to enhance liveability.

This invaluable book, based on the proceedings at the Behavioural Sciences Institute Conference 2014, documents an exchange of ideas among practitioners, academics and public intellectuals on liveability in Singapore. The book is organized into four parts. Part I provides an overview of liveability issues. Part II examines liveability from the perspectives of health and urban planning. Part III analyses the relationships linking quality of life to social class and social services. Part IV addresses specific questions on liveability in terms of public transport, cost of living, government's public communications, role of free market values in town planning, civil society, citizen well-being and whether there is a psychological gulf between government and people.

This book will provide the reader valuable perspectives, an increased understanding of issues related to the liveability in Singapore and many potential applications to reflect on.

Can Singapore Survive?
Kishore Mahbubani
Singapore: Straits Times Press, 2015
ISBN: 9789814342971

This book poses the question that Singaporeans must wrestle with: can we survive as an independent city-state? Kishore Mahbubani believes that Singaporeans must always ask the question because constant reflection and self-examination should be a part of the core DNA of all Singaporeans. His goal in this book is to create and enhance this culture of reflection among all Singaporeans. He gives three answers in this book: Yes, No & Maybe. With these answers, he attempts to sketch three different scenarios for Singapore's future.

There is logic behind this, as we cannot predict the future. We can, however, prepare for the future by telling stories about what the future could be like.

Besides his substantive introduction, this book offers some of Kishore's best essays on Singapore, taken from his Think-Tank and Opinion columns in The Straits Times, as well as contributions to Guardian News, The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, Davos World Economic Forum's Forum News Daily, and the "Innovations for Successful Societies" Oral History Project of Princeton University.

We ♥ Chinatown
Urban Sketchers Singapore
Singapore: Wee Editions, 2015
ISBN: 9789810778231

Established by the colonial government, southwest of the Singapore River, to cater to Singapore's Chinese-majority immigrant population, Chinatown is today a bustling destination, much like its counterparts around the world. Designated a conservation area by the Urban Redevelopment Authority in 1989, the neighbourhood is still referred to as "Niu Che Shui" -- literally "ox-cart water", a reference to how the area received its water supply -- by some.

The pre-war shophouses that once housed coolies, opium dens and letter-writers are now occupied by a mix of old and new: restaurants, souvenir shops, spas, bars and boutiques. The food stalls on Smith Street pay homage to hawkers of the past, and early malls like People's Park Complex have gone new age with rooftop gardens.

Reflecting Singapore's multi-ethnic nature, Chinatown also interestingly houses the country's oldest Hindu temple, and the prominent Jamae Mosque. We ♥ Chinatown offers a glimpse into this vibrant neighbourhood, as seen through the eyes of the talented artists from Urban Sketchers Singapore.

"Original Sin"?: Revising the Revisionist Critique of the 1963 Operation Coldstore in Singapore
Kumar Ramakrishna
Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2015
ISBN: 9789814620437

"Revisionist" or "alternative" historians have increasingly questioned elements of the Singapore Story -- the master narrative of the nation's political and socioeconomic development since its founding by the British in 1819. Much criticism focuses especially on one defining episode of the Story: the internal security dragnet mounted on 2 February 1963 against Communist United Front elements on the island, known to posterity as Operation Coldstore. The revisionists claim that Coldstore was mounted for political rather than security reasons and actually destroyed a legitimate Progressive Left opposition personalized by the charismatic figure of Lim Chin Siong -- rather than a dangerous Communist network as the conventional wisdom holds. Relying on both declassified and some previously unseen classified sources, this book challenges revisionist claims, reiterating the historic importance of Coldstore in helping pave the way for Singapore's remarkable journey from Third World status to First in a single generation.

Arts Hats in Renaissance City: Reflections & Aspirations of Arts Personalities
Renee Lee (ed.)
Singapore: World Scientific, 2015
ISBN: 9789814630771

Arts Hats in Renaissance City is an anthology of the personal reflections and aspirations of four generations in the new creative ecostructure in Singapore -- from those who help formulate policies to that of the individual artists, who have helped develop and build an exciting arts and culture scene from scratch and into a viable economic model. As evidenced by the professions in this anthology, the scope of work within the arts and culture sector is diverse, from backgrounds such as history, communications, management, economics, law, science, arts, psychology and entertainment.

Beyond theory, the anthology offers an authentic voice of real and lived experiences of the go-to people, their personal role in heritage development, and their thoughts and insights on our, albeit developing, arts scene since independence.

Tan Lark Sye: Advocator and Founder of Nanyang University
Ong Meng Chu, Lim Hoon Yong, & Ng Lai Yang (eds.)
Singapore: World Scientific, 2015
ISBN: 9789814641494 / 9789814644754

This book records Mr Tan Lark Sye's remarkable contribution to the founding of Nanyang University. Mr Tan Lark Sye was born in Jimei, Fujian Province, China in 1887 and passed away in 1972. He was a leading rubber industrialist in Southeast Asia of his time. He was also an activist and believed in the value of education. As Chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the 1950s, he fought for citizenship for Chinese people in Singapore, and for the Chinese language to be one of Singapore's official languages.

Mr Tan's most outstanding contribution, however, was the initiating of the founding of Nanyang University in 1953. He donated SGD 5 million, which was a colossus amount at the time, to its building fund, as well as 523 acres of land for its campus on behalf of the Hokkien Huay Kuan.

This collection of essays is based on a Chinese book published in 1997 to commemorate Mr Tan Lark Sye's centenary birthday by Nanyang University Alumni Association of Hong Kong. It collects essays by outstanding Nanyang graduates and speeches by Mr Tan. It elaborates on how Mr Tan advocated to establish the Nanyang University against various difficulties. It tells legendary life stories of Mr Tan. The book is well-illustrated with many precious pictures of Mr Tan and his family members. It is a must-read for those interested in the history of Nanyang University and the legendary life of Mr Tan.

50 Years of Social Issues in Singapore
David Chan (ed.)
Singapore: World Scientific, 2015
ISBN: 9789814632607 / 9789814632614

The social context of Singapore is changing rapidly, and understanding how people think, feel and behave in various situations has become a key driver of effectiveness in addressing social issues. 50 Years of Social Issues in Singapore provides a comprehensive review and examination of various social issues at multiple levels of analysis including the individual, group and society.

This invaluable book adopts a translational approach to social issues in Singapore by explicitly bridging intellectual and practical perspectives. Contributed by a distinguished team of authors, the chapters examine the critical ideas underlying public debates of social issues and their policy and practical implications.

The book is organized into three parts. Part I examines issues of population and social fundamentals in Singapore such as ageing, marriage, urban planning, healthcare and racial and religious harmony. Part II analyses Singapore's social progress through issues of inclusivity such as social mobility, developing communities and marginal groups that deserve more attention. Part III focuses on core principles and social processes related to social justice, doing good, social media and approaches to understanding and addressing social issues in Singapore.

Most importantly, the chapters in this book clearly identify many of the critical, unresolved and emerging questions on various social issues that will guide the next generation of public discussion and policy deliberations on what matter in Singapore.

Through the Lens of Lee Kip Lin: Photographs of Singapore 1965-1995
Lai Chee Kien
Singapore: National Library Board & Editions Didier Millet, 2015
ISBN: 9789814610087

In 2009 the family of the late Lee Kip Lin donated to the National Library Board of Singapore over 14,500 slides and negatives of modern Singapore that he had taken, among other items of historical merit such as maps, rare photographs and prints, and books. Over three decades from 1965 to 1995, Lee captured the many landscapes and buildings that would eventually disappear from the island and its shores. Close to 500 photographs have been reproduced in this book to showcase the exuberance and eloquence of the different built forms -- in an era when time and space in Singapore was more accommodating.

Rainforest in a City
Chua Ee Kiam
Singapore: National Parks Board, 2015
ISBN: 9789810917128

Rainforest in a City is yet another collaboration between National Parks Board (NParks) and Dr Chua Ee Kiam. The book highlights the natural heritage found in the nature reserves of Bukit Timah and the Central Catchment. While urban growth may be inevitable with an increase in population numbers, it is vital nonetheless to balance development with the conservation of our native biodiversity. It is a role all of us have to play to ensure the long-term survival of our precious rainforests in our city.

This book includes more than 400 images taken within Singapore's rainforests over the three-year span of the project. Readers will be taken into the deep recesses of these forests, to observe their inhabitants at various stages of their life cycles -- both in the day and in the night. Through the book, readers will be inducted into the world of these little-known Singaporeans that are thriving in our midst. Included in this book, too, are exclusive interviews with researchers and scientists who have made significant contributions to our conservation vision.