High Browse Online

HB Squad Alert . general + snippets
(Ed’s note: As Singapore celebrates its 43rd national day, it might be useful to reflect on our history and heritage, the unique places and memories that are stamped on our national DNA. Surely, Geylang Serai must rank as one of those places. For readers interested in engaging in a discussion […]

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At the start of the new year, we bid farewell to another great figure of 20th century history, Sir Edmund Hillary, the modest, self-effacing man who was the first to scale Mount Everest in May 1953, and thereafter devoted a large part of his life to helping his beloved Nepalese through his charity trust, […]

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NON-FICTION . reviews
The recent publication of a biography of Dr Goh Keng Swee, has re-focused attention on the distinguished career of one of modern Singapore’s founding fathers. Both the Straits TImes and Business Times published a flurry of articles on the life and achievements of one of the key architects of Singapore’s economy and […]

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HAPPENIN’ . programmes + events
Nope, it ain’t Slim Shady, but Neil Humphreys! (otherwise known as Singapore’s Fav Ang Moh). A popular columnist and bestselling author of 3 books about our little island, Neil had immigrated to Australia in 2006 and is now back to launch his omnibus. So, instead of lugging 3 books around, you […]

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WHO’S READING WHAT . reader’s recommendations

Singapore : Mohamed Ismail A.G., 2005.
Call No.: SING 158.1 MOH
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How many locally-written books can claim to have a foreword written by the Singapore President S R Nathan? I suspect not too many. You Can Fly is one of them. It is a motivational book written by […]

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WHO’S READING WHAT . reader’s recommendations

Singapore : Marshall Cavendish Editions, c2006.
Call No.: SING 959.57 HUM
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It has been ages since I last enjoyed a Singaporean book that has not been overly preoccupied with forging a National Identity worthy of a supposed Singapore Literary Canon, a common issue when a country’s literature is […]

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QUIRKY THEMES: Not Just for Tourists. book reviews

One for the Road and Other Stories: Recollections of Singapore & Malaya
Julian Davison
Singapore: Topographica, 2001
Call No.: SING 959.57 DAV [HIS]
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Julian Davison is an angmoh who spent his childhood years in Singapore back in the days when she was still part of British Malaya. Chock-full […]

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QUIRKY THEMES: Not Just for Tourists. book reviews

Singapore’s 100 Historic Places
National Heritage Board
Singapore : Archipelago Press in association with National Heritage Board, c2002
Call No.: SING 959.57 SIN -[HIS]
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Can you name 20 historic places in Singapore? Er, having trouble? Well, that’s one good reason to read Singapore’s 100 Historic Places then.
Written by […]

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NON-FICTION . Singapore
[HBeditor: Struck By Lightning was published a few months ago - we managed to land an email interview with Peh Shing Huei, one of the writers of the book.)

Singapore: SNP Editions, c2006
Call No.: SING 959.5705 STR
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HBeditor: Hiya, how’s the response to the book so far?
It’s been good. We […]

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FRESH INK . selected new arrivals

Singapore: SNP Reference, c2006.
Call No.: SING 299.51 CHA
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If you are monolingual English-ed like me, Singapore’s Chinese folk religion is largely a closed, unreadable book. You may assemble small disjointed paragraphs, but you cannot get any real sense of the culture. What you get is a fragmented, […]

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