Malay Sketches
Alfian Sa'at
Singapore: Ethos Books, 2012
ISBN: 9789810718015

Malay Sketches is a collection of stories that borrows its name from a book of anecdotes by colonial governor Frank Swettenham. In Alfian Sa'at's hands, these sketches are re-imagined as flash fictions that record the lives of a spectrum of vivid and unforgettable characters. With precise and penetrating prose, Malay Sketches offers the reader profound and radical insights into the realities of life as an ethnic minority in Singapore.

Red Star Over Malaya: Resistance and Social Conflict During and After the Japanese Occupation of Malaya, 1941-46 [4th ed]
Cheah Boon Kheng
Singapore: NUS Press, 2012
ISBN: 9789971695088

Red Star Over Malaya describes inter-racial relations between Malays and Chinese during the final stages of the Japanese Occupation and its aftermath. In 1941, none of the three major races of Malaya - Malays, Chinese, and Indians - regarded themselves as "Malayans" with a common identity. When the Occupation forcibly cut them off from China, Chinese residents began to look inwards towards Malaya and stake political claims, leading inevitably to a political contest with the Malays. As the country advanced towards nationhood and self-government, there was tension between traditional loyalties to the Malay rulers and the states, or to ancestral homelands elsewhere, and the need to cultivate an enduring loyalty to Malaya on the part of those who would make their home there in future.

When Japanese forces withdrew from the countryside, the Chinese guerillas of the communist-led resistance movement, the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA), emerged from the jungle and took control of many smaller towns and villages. When the British Military Administration sought to regain control of these liberated areas, the ensuing conflict set the tone for future political conflicts and marked a crucial stage in the history of Malaya. Red Star Over Malaya draws on extensive archival research to provide a riveting account of the way the Japanese Occupation reshaped colonial Malaya, and of the tension-filled months that followed Japan's surrender. The book is fundamental to an understanding of social and political developments in Malaysia during the second half of the 20th century.

Gateway to Old School Games [Asian edition]
Asiapac Editorial
Singapore: Asiapac Books, 2012
ISBN: 9789812296146

Chapteh, congkak, hopscotch and five stones... Do these names ring a bell? This book takes you back in time to the 1950s and 1960s for some old school games that children used to play before the age of iPads, Nintendo and the Internet. None of the games mentioned in this book are electronic, yet they have provided many hours of fun and entertainment for the kids of yesterday.

Read on to find out which games have been played for more than 5,000 years, and the origins of certain toys we have taken for granted. Hark back to a simpler era when fun was about maximising a child's imagination and creativity, and discover new ways of having fun!

Whether you are a child, parent or simply someone who is nostalgic about the good old days at kampungs, this book is meant for you!

Did You Know?: Jacob Ballas
Edmund Lim W.K.
Singapore: Pearson, 2012
9789810611576

The story of Jacob Ballas is one of rags to riches. Born into a poor Jewish family, the young Jacob had to learn that success can only be achieved by hard work and determination. Persevering through poverty, World War II and other challenging times, Jacob Ballas became one of the most illustrious stockbrokers in Singapore. However, despite his new-found wealth, he never forgot his roots, nor did he lose his compassion and generosity. Find out how Jacob Ballas overcame the many obstacles in his life to become one of Singapore's most inspiring philanthropists!

Did You Know?: Sir Stamford Raffles
Vera Edwards
Singapore: Pearson, 2012
ISBN: 9789810619824

You have probably heard of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern-day Singapore, but who was he before he became one of Singapore's icons? And what became of him after he founded Singapore?

Born in the late 18th century, to a family that was too poor to send him to school, Raffles had to work hard to succeed in life. Discover the ambition and passion that drove this man to rise above his humble beginnings to become the Governor-General of Bencoolen, and eventually, the founder of Singapore!

Did You Know?: Professor Chao Tzee Cheng
Brenda Tan
Singapore: Pearson, 2012
ISBN: 9789810619817

Professor Chao Tzee Cheng was Singapore's foremost forensic pathologist for more than 30 years. He helped the police in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and even West Africa to solve many murder cases.

His passion for solving crimes was driven by his strong sense of justice. Find out how he became the best forensic pathologist in Singapore and how he solved some of the most shocking crimes in South East Asia!

Did You Know?: Brother Joseph McNally
Mary Strang
Singapore: Pearson, 2012
ISBN: 9789810621179

Brother Joseph McNally was an Irishman by birth, but became a Singaporean by choice. A missionary with the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Brother Joseph came to Singapore as a teacher. A great man and an even better teacher, Brother Joseph touched many lives in the years that he lived here. An artist at heart, he made many contributions to further the importance of art in Singapore, and we have him to thank for founding the LASALLE College of the Arts. Get to know this gentle but passionate man who dedicated his life to serving the people of Singapore!

A Guide to 21st Century Singapore Architecture
Patrick Bingham-Hall
Singapore: Pesaro Publishing, 2012
ISBN: 9789814428002

Singapore has been the location for a spectacular amount of architectural activity over the last decade, and is now acknowledged as one of the world's architectural hotspots. The rate of construction has not been slowed by the economic downturn that hit so many other global cities, and many of the world's best architects are now working in Singapore. At the heart of a momentous geo-political swing to Asia, the city currently occupies a unique position at the forefront of global change, and the extraordinary range of new architecture reflects this new 21st century reality.

Our Gurkhas: Singapore Through Their Eyes
Zakaria Zainal
Singapore: Wee Editions, 2012
ISBN: 9789810730260

Gurkhas. The word evokes images of an elite force dedicated to protect and serve. Loyal and impartial, these men from Nepal have undergirded the security of Singapore through turbulent times—like the Indonesian Confrontation, Hock Lee Bus Riots and Maria Hertogh Riots—as well as stood guard over historic events, like the first General Election of Singapore in 1959.

Through this poignant anthology of portraits and anecdotes, experience first-hand accounts of key milestones in Singapore’s history, and marvel at the contribution of the silent sentinels who have dedicated their lives to this nation.

Studying Singapore's Past: C.M. Turnbull and the History of Modern Singapore
Nicholas Tarling (ed.)
Singapore: NUS Press, 2012
ISBN: 9789971696467

C.M. (Mary) Turnbull’s contributions to historical writing on Singapore extended from her 1962 thesis, published in 1972 as The Straits Settlements, 1826-67: Indian presidency to crown colony, to her magisterial history of Singapore, first published in 1977 and re-issued in 2009 in an updated edition as A History of Modern Singapore, 1819-2006. Her approach to history involved detailed work with documents and published materials, with a particular focus on political and economic history. One contributor to the present volume described the book as an “exercise in endowing a modern ‘nation-state’ with a coherent past that should explain the present.’

As styles in history evolved, younger scholars including some of her former students and colleagues began exploring new approaches to historical research that drew on non-English-language source material and asked fresh questions of the sources. Mary enjoyed controversy and expected debate, and had a deep interest in these accounts, which were in many ways a natural progression from her own publications even when they raised questions about her interpretations and conclusions.

Studying Singapore’s Past had its origins in a conference organized to discuss her work. The volume includes ten contributions, some from long-established scholars of Singapore’s history, others from a new generation of researchers. Their work offers an evaluation of established understandings of Singapore’s history, and gives an indication of new directions that researchers are exploring. In publishing the book, the editor not only pays tribute to a distinguished historian but also makes a contribution to the historiography of Singapore and to ongoing debates about Singapore’s past.