Writing Singapore: An Historical Anthology of Singapore LiteratureAngelia Poon, Philip Holden, Shirley Lim The first comprehensive historical anthology of English-language writing from Singapore, this volume covers more than a century of literary production in a variety of genres. It provides readers in Singapore with an easy point of access to compelling narratives and poems, some of which have been forgotten or are difficult to obtain. For readers outside Singapore, it introduces a neglected but important range of works that represent the historical and contemporary imaginaries and realities of one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities. Uniquely in Southeast Asia, the importance of the English language continued to grow in Singapore after independence. The country's English-language literature documents and reflects on the possibilities and tensions brought about by Singapore's rapid economic transformation and changing society. Because of Singapore's small size and the lack of international reach of many of its publishers, most of this literature has received relatively little international exposure, in contrast to writing in English from the Caribbean, West Africa, or South Asia. Within Singapore itself, a number of major works have gone out of print. This pioneering anthology places key texts in a historical narrative allowing them to be read, studied, critiqued, and treasured. «This historical anthology will prove to be an important, authoritative and dependable resource for researchers, students and teachers of Singaporean literature as well as Southeast Asian literatures for many years to come...» - Eddie Tay, Chinese University of Hong Kong |
Contents
Literature in English in Singapore before 1965 | 5 |
From Sejarah Melayu | 15 |
Isabella Bird | 23 |
Copyright | |
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Ah Hoon Ah Teck Alfian Sa'at asked brother called Captain Whalley Catherine Lim China coffin colonial colour cultural dark daughter door Edwin Thumboo ELLEN Emily English eyes face fat virgin father feel felt friends girl Goh Poh Seng GRACE hand head heard Jamilah Kheong knew Kwang Meng laughed leave LESLEY light living look Malay Malaya Malaysia married Miguel Miss de Silva Miss Ponniah mother National never night Palembang Pause Peng Chong poems poetry political Radha Raffles Scorpion Orchid seemed ship short stories Singapore Literature Singapore Literature Prize Singaporean Singlish smile stood Straits Chinese Suchen Christine Lim talk tell things thought tiger told Towkay trees turned uncle University of Malaya voice waiting walked watching wife woman women writing Yati young