This were stories of Jaffna Tamils in colonial Malaya which spanned schoolboy exploits, family strategies under the Japanese Occupation of Malaya in WThis were stories of Jaffna Tamils in colonial Malaya which spanned schoolboy exploits, family strategies under the Japanese Occupation of Malaya in WW2, the challenge of immigrants and the opportunities from Independence, through the changing aspirations and roles of women which emerge under duress with modernisation.
It's a lovely arrangement of short stories, set amidst some reminiscent practices which I could relate to - it was sweet to read the consistent practises in colonial Malaya which are gradually fading with a increasing options in a diversified economy – just think Cuticura powder and papadam kept in Cream Cracker tins! But you must be used to short stories as not everything you want will be played out.
The stories do also share their limits of their time, a lifetime away from the present. Shanmughalingam is light-hearted and empathetic throughout and some serious themes emerge in the latter half, but not without a glimmer of hope. I can see why he is well loved by the literary community, half of whom he thanks!
This is the sort of writing to glimpse into during a busy period as it transports you quickly and effortlessly to an alternate world. This as an NLB ebook read on Libby....more
This is a little bit of treasure from the diaries of Edwin and Mary Brown written for their daughter, of their experiences during the the 1915 Sepoy MThis is a little bit of treasure from the diaries of Edwin and Mary Brown written for their daughter, of their experiences during the the 1915 Sepoy Mutiny or the Mutiny of the 5th Light Infantry, or as the book is titled, the Singapore Mutiny. Edwin Brown sounds like a decent, enthusiastic and adventurous man in his time, who he tips his hat to the rapid and assertive action by Admiral Jerram and Colonel Brownlow (who ignored more meek orders), who diffused the mutiny by taking decisive action amidst a host of pretenders.
In a foreword (there are three), Historian Brian Farrell reflects on the value of this light, short eyewitness account which was surely a revelation of the grand bluff of Singapore as a British fortress. This significance of this first mid-February Chinese New Year chaos is explained in other books, but read this first to envision the fight in the Alexandra - Pasir Panjang area.
A valuable entry which was resurfaced after Wold War II and published in 2015 by Monsoon Books....more
Singapore's pioneer generation diplomat and academic Maurice Baker wrote this short book for young readers to get a glimpse of his pre-war life. His lSingapore's pioneer generation diplomat and academic Maurice Baker wrote this short book for young readers to get a glimpse of his pre-war life. His light account covers life growing up and at school in the 1920's and 30's at ACS Ipoh and at Raffles College in the 1940's and ends with the Fall of Singapore. Older readers will enjoy the personal account of this kindly man, as one more piece of a tapestry describing the joys and trials of life in that dramatically changing time. It is an easily read book which I shall recommend to my students.
His relaxed childhood included living in Mentakab town, which did not have a school at the time, so he had a gap year exploring his surroundings even further – there was nothing nature deficit about this boy! Losing his brother after painful years of epilepsy in absence of suitable treatment reveals the grim vulnerabilities of the time.
His education at a missionary school was clearly the privilege of a very few boys in the peninsular, where a thrice weekly tutorial was "two students at a time facing the lecturer for an hour, answering probing questions on our essays". Such a good training! Relatively few girls were in school pre-war although that would change dramatically in a few decades.
Young boys of privilege growing up in the 1920's and 1930's were in complete acceptance of their life in the British Empire. The limits of their status would clearly be felt in adulthood but that lesson was more dramatically experienced by the Fall of Singapore. That it was a life changing event is clear.
As a volunteer corporal of the Raffles College Medical Auxiliary Service, his unit of six men including Lee Kwan Yew helped victims of bombings. Maurice first illustrates British failure through the lack of public air raid shelters or early warnings against the first Japanese bombings which saw the unnecessary deaths of thousands of civilians. In the fiery days under Japanese attack, he would witness the dramatic proclamation by Lee Kuan Yew of the impending fall of the British Empire.
His story ends a little abruptly, with his journey to his family home at Cameron Highlands. Even in that journey, he illustrates the protection afforded by his English-Tamil complexion in alertly passing off as a Malay when challenged by a Japanese sentry outside the Cathay building. The forested surroundings of his home would protect his family from interference by Japanese patrols as guerrillas could be active. During the occupation, his English father was interned in Changi prison and Sime Road camp.
Inspired by his teachers, Maurice became a teacher and academic against the advice of his peers and same teachers who urged the top debater read law. His political activism is beyond the scope of this book but some degree of it will be found in The Accidental Diplomat: The Autobiography Of Maurice Baker (2014), available in print only. Maurice Baker passed away in 2017.
Veronica Li writes clearly and enjoyably for her mum, Flora Li, an enterprising and strategic lady who grows up in Hong Kong but ultimately settles inVeronica Li writes clearly and enjoyably for her mum, Flora Li, an enterprising and strategic lady who grows up in Hong Kong but ultimately settles in the US.
She shares a frank account (1921 - 1967) as dictated to her of Flora Li’s struggles through the challenges of the loss of a parent, poverty, TB, war, displacement both physically and mentally, undiagnosed mental health issues, and emigration, against a background of tumultuous times.
She would uproot herself to live in Chungking, Bangkok, Shanghai, Nangking, Taiwan, and a return to Hong Kong before emigrating to the US in 1967 to secure her children’s education. It’s not just about money, but peace of mind and a happy home.
Of greatest interest to me was her flee to Chungking after the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong. You will see that she was lucky to have had friends and family who got her past critical times in her life, and a network of friends and contacts she had maintained and knew how to tap. Not everyone would have the tenacity or smarts to survive as she did. A story worth reading!...more
Selina Siak has penned an engaging story of the life of a fiesta Nonya matriarch, inspired by stories of her great grandmother. Such an enjoyable readSelina Siak has penned an engaging story of the life of a fiesta Nonya matriarch, inspired by stories of her great grandmother. Such an enjoyable read which I started on over a late dinner and I finished it in a few hours. Kudos to her first writing project which took her a year, crowd sourcing the experiences of her relatives, and then a year of edits.
Chye Soon moves to Penang in her youth (1890’s) and settles in a fast-growing Ipoh town after marriage, and the story ends at the start of WW2. It is a period of very fast change and the Nonya has to adapt. Denied formal education, she applies her capability to cooking, running a business and a family and household.
The second book is written in the voice of her daughter in law and chronicles the war years – “When the future comes too soon”. That will be the next book I read, for sure!
P. s. If you enjoy this, you must try Christine Lim Suchen’s “A bit of earth”....more
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