Blog Archive

Monday 1 July 2019

New Arrivals at The Penang Bookshelf in July 2019

New Arrivals at The Penang Bookshelf

in

July 2019

(Last Updated 31-7-19)


This is a list of new arrivals advertised at The Penang Bookshelf for this month. Please note: -

  • Each book advertised below includes a brief description of its contents and condition as well as the price in Malaysian Ringgit. If you want a fuller description of a used book's condition, to look at the scanned contents page, if any, and or to find out the price in USD, please click on the link in blue for the relevant book. 
  • If you click on a link after the current month and find nothing, the book's been sold.  
  • Of course, if you want to buy anything you see here, you can either do so from the site or contact me at penangbookshelf@gmail.com. 
  • This page will be updated constantly until the end of the month.
  • The prices shown here hold good for at least this month, but for out of print books, the prices may change in subsequent months.
  • All prices include free postage to anywhere in Malaysia.

Malaysia & Singapore - Arts, Cinema, Dance & Drama

Living Crafts of Malaysia - Mubin Sheppard   SOLD


Mak Yong: World Heritage Theatre - Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof   RM110


Traditionally mak yong (mak yung) is a form of dance and acting which was mainly practiced in Kelantan, formerly  part of Thailand's Patani Province. As a result of the author's submissions, mak yong was designated by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Mankind in 2005. Unfortunately it is a tradition that is in steady decline following the banning of its public performance in its native Kelantan because it is deemed by the Government there to be "unsuitable for a Muslim audience." This is at least the third book of the author published on the subject and the most lavishly illustrated with both black and white and colour photographs. 134 pages. New Hardback. First Edition


Malaysian Cinema, Asian Film: Border Crossings and National Cultures - William van der Heide   RM90

The book is based on research carried out by the author in 1994 which was followed up in 2001. In the course of his research, he attempted to disentangle the various cinematic influences on the country, how it affected films produced in Malaysia and what messages the effect of those influences gave about the Malaysian cinema going public and their preferences. One early discovery was that Malaysian cinema, demonstrating cross cultural interactions, hardly existed, 301 pages with a filmography, bibliography and index. Good Paperback. First Edition.



Malaysia & Singapore - Biography & Memoirs

A Life Twice Lived: A Memoir - Stephen Yong   RM100


The autobiography of a prominent Sarawak politician tracing his life from the Brooke era, through the Japanese occupation and on to the formation of the Malaysian federation. He was both a Deputy Chief Minister of Sarawak and a Federal Minister. 182 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. New Paperback First Edition







Memories of a Malaccan: The Life and Times of Lim Keng Watt (1909-96) - Audrey Lim  RM70


In piecing together her father's biography, the author was fortunate in that he was a great hoarder of photographs and documents which recorded important moments in his busy life. He followed a career as a teacher, but managed to be a member of the Straits Settlements Volunteer Force, a badminton, player, sportsman, musician and drama enthusiast as well. New Paperback. First Edition. 175 pages with many black and white and colour photographs.





My Side of History - Chin Peng   RM90


The recollections of the most durable Communist leader during World War II and the following guerrilla campaign against the British and then the Malayan Governments. This book was written during his exile in Thailand following the eventual surrender of his followers in 1989. 527 pages. Very Good Paperback. Reprint. Originally published in 2003.






Song at Twilight - Chan King Nui  RM150


The author, a daughter of a well known and successful businessman, Chan Wing, recounts her early life in Thailand, Malaysia and India and her encounters with many who would later become important people in the corporate and political world.  119 pages. Very Good Paperback. First Edition.






Borneo

A History of Sabah - FG Whelan   RM80


A school text book covering Sabah's history from prehistoric times until its accession to the Federation of Malaysia. Good Paperback. First Edition. 306 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.








Borneo Spiders: A Photographic Field Guide - Joseph KH Koh & Nicky Bay  RM250


Despite this book's misleading title - a two kilo book hardly qualifies as a 'field guide' - it can claim to be the most comprehensive and up to date book on the spiders to be found in the Bornean rain forests. The authors have used macro photography, increasing the life size of minute creatures, to document and illustrate over 540 species of spiders to be found in Sabah and Sarawak. New Paperback. First Edition. 

Datuk Stephen Kalong Ningkan (First Chief Minister of Sarawak) - Ho Ah Chon   RM120


Sarawak became independent from the United Kingdom in 1963. Ho Ah Chon has here produced a compilation of newspaper articles and black and white photographs from the state's first three years of independence  centred around the activities of the Sarawak's first Chief Minister. First Edition Paperback Very Good 311 pages.







Giant Caves of Borneo - Mike Meredith & Others   RM120

Three British cavers provide a photographic and climbing guide to the caves of Mulu in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Meredith had been employed by the Government of Sarawak as a Development Officer for the caves. 142 pages with many colour photographs. Near Fine Hard Back in a Very Good Dust Jacket. First edition. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.






The Folk Lore of Borneo - Leonard Henslowe    RM200


A collection of  seven folk stories all of which, according to the compiler, “have the Oriental touch of legendary mysticism.” With eight pen and ink drawings by Gwen Yarrow Very Good Paperback. First Edition.  48 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. 








The Politics of Belonging: Political Change in Sabah and Sarawak - Margaret Roff    RM150


The current Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak gained their independence from Britain a few years after the remaining states of the federation and without anything like the political upheavals that had been experienced on the peninsula. In this book, the author checks in to see how the two states have managed to adapt to the new experience of politics after a decade of being part of Malaysia. 202 pages. Very Good Hardback. First Edition. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. 






Malaysia & Singapore - Business, Economics & Labour

Industrialising Malaysia: Policy, Performance, Prospects - K. S. Jomo (ed)   RM60


A group of economists from both inside and outside Malaysia review the progress of industrialisation since independence in 1957. 354 pages with many figures and tables, a statistical appendix, a bibliography of unpublished official sources and an index. Good Hardback. First Edition. 









Malaysia & Singapore - Chinese Community & Culture

Unmistakably Chinese, Genuinely Malaysian - Rita Sim   RM80


An interesting piece of research into the complexity of the Chinese community in Malaysia. The author, a senior media personality, demonstrates how the community is far from homogeneous particularly because education plays an important part in an individual's outlook    She argues that advertisers might be more effective, when targeting Malaysian Chinese, if they took more notice of the differences within the community. First Edition. New Paperback. 85 pages.



Malaysia & Singapore - Cinema, Dance & Drama


The book is based on the author's research amongst Penang's Malay community about ten years before publication. She examines the performance and role in the community of Boria, a form of community entertainment comprising of a mixture of comic drama and dance. Through interviews with both performers and the audience, the author brings out the vitality of the art form as well as its challenges in being taken over as part of a 'national culture.' The book also contains various plots of the drama elements as well as lyrics in both Malay and English. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 165 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.



Malaysia & Singapore - Cooking & Food

YWCA Cookery Book of Malaya    RM160


As one might expect from an organisation representing the busy mems of Malaya in the 1950s, this is a no nonsense cookery book packed with lots of tips and tried recipes for the tropics. The book is in English except for a chapter on Methods of Cooking where there is a Malay translation as well. Most of the recipes are Western ones, but there are also chapters of Chinese, Indian, Indonesian and Malay dishes. Good Board Book. Eighth Edition 254 pages with an index. For further details, please see the scanned contents page




Malaysia & Singapore - Fiction

Lethal Lesson and Other Stories - Adeline Lee Zhia Ern   RM80


The first and possibly the last collection of short stories from a teenage Malaysian author. The book's main claim to fame was that it was abruptly withdrawn from bookshops when it was discovered that one of the stories had been plagarised.  So it could be said to be a collector's item. 175 pages. Very Good First Edition Paperback. 








Malay Boy - Clive Dalton   RM150


One in a series of children's adventure stories featuring a multi racial group of boys and their escapades in Malaya. In this tale Kitchie escapes from his Uncle Hassan's home to find his friends, from whom he has been parted. 120 pages. Very Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket. Reprint. Originally published in 1961.








Terjebak - Abdullah Hussain  RM200

Although Abdullah Hussain eventually settled down as a writer a senior member of the Malaysian publishing house, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, he led a fairly colourful life before then. Although he was born in Kedah and started off life as a store assistant, he managed to fit in being a Japanese spy, a police superintendent and freedom fighter in Indonesia, some more spells in various commercial enterprises in Malaysia and Thailand, a magazine editor and much else before then. This novel is part of a trilogy, which mix thrills, humour and tragedy and is based on his varied and exciting experiences. The book is written in Malay. 380 pages. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 


Malaysia & Singapore - Health & Medicine

Di Antara Dasar dan Kesan: Hubungan Ekonomi, Penduduk dan Penyakit Di Tanah Melayu Di Bawah Pentadbiran British - Badriyah Haji Salleh & Others    RM60


A collection of essays on health and tin mining during British colonial rule. New Paperback. First Edition. 253 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.









Malaysia & Singapore - History

The Land of the Sultans An Illustrated History of Malaysia - Ruud. Spruit   RM60


A sketch of Malaysian history suitable as an introduction with many mainly black and white photos. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. Very Good Paperback First Edition 










Malaysia & Singapore - History (20th Century)

British Colonial Rule and the Resistance of the Malay Peasantry - D. M. Nonini   RM200


When one reads the works of British scholars of the imperial period describing the history and culture of the Malay community, one does not often gain the impression that the Malay peasantry were anything other than happy with their lot. However during the post independence period much scholarship has sought to bring to light what could be termed as "the people's  history" of colonial rule. This work is a significant contribution to that body of scholarship gathering in all the threads of such scholarship so as to gain new insights. 237 pages with chapters on The Precolonial Period, The Emergence of Capitalism 1874 - 1920: Colonial State Expansion and the Peasant Village Community, The Emergence of Capitalism 1874-1920: Peasant Resistance, State Power and Rubber Cultivation, Colonial Capitalism Triumphant, Vicissitudes of Domination: The Japanese Occupation and the Postwar Years & Changes in Malay Villages 1945-1957. There are also Notes, a Bibliography, an Index, a map and three sets of tables New Paperback

How Malaya is Governed - SM Middlebrook & AW Pinnick   RM500


 An interesting little booklet of 177 pages explaining to school children of Standard VIII and above how the colonial system in Malaya worked "to encourage all young Malayans to take a more definite interest in matters which concern them as future citizens."  Chapters include 1 - Malaya and the Malayans, 2 - Malaya's Rulers, their Ministers and Advisers, 3 - Malaya's Law-Makers, 4 - The District Officer in the Malay States, 5 - Municipalities - Town Boards and Rural Boards 6 - The Judges and the Law Courts - Liberty and Justice, 7 - The Police, 8 - The Departments at Work, 9 - The Chinese Protectorate, 10 - The Labour Department and its Work for the Indian Labourers, 11 - The Co-operative Societies and the Department which Controls Them, 12 - The Duties of Government & 13 - Links with the Empire. The book is illustrated with 38 black and white photographs. Very Good Hardback. First Edition

Johor


Fascinated by the Southeast Asian politics, the author was particularly interested in the political perceptions and activities of villagers in Southeast Asia. In this book, he examined the patterns of political involvement in a Malay village, Sungai Raya and focused on the villagers' political awareness, key sources of political information, opinions of the major parties and federal government and participation in national politics.  150 pages with glossary, bibliography, index, maps and some black and white photos Very Good Paperback. First Edition. Signed by the Author 



The Kingdom of Johor, 1641-1728: Economic and Political Developments - Leonard Y Andaya   RM500


The state of Johor really came into its own after the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese, when it became the most powerful state in the peninsula. With the help of Dutch East India Company and Malay records, Andaya traces the history of this period from Johor's glory days before the assassination of Sultan Mahmud Syah, through the turmoil that followed, up to the Bugis and Minangkabau interventions that introduced a whole new power structure. 394 pages For further details, please see the scanned contents page.  Good Hardback First Edition.





Malaysia & Singapore - Journalism

The Straits Times Annual for 1954   RM600


British Malaya's leading newspaper's annual review of life in the colony where, despite the ongoing 'Emergency' the country has managed to find time to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's coronation in the previous year . With numerous black and white and colour photos, 132 pages of  which 100 are articles by well known writers of the time. The remainder are advertisements.  Please see photo of the contents page for a list of the chapters.Very Good Magazine 






Malaysia & Singapore - Language & Linguistics

Mai Belajar Bertutur Loghat Hokkien Pulau Pinang - Tan Choon Hoe  RM80


A short guide to enable Malay speakers to learn the main Chinese dialect spoken in Penang with grammar, vocabulary, common phrases and some samples of conversation. 152 pages. New Paperback. First Edition









Malaysia & Singapore - Magic & Popular Religion

An Analysis of Malay Magic - Kirk Michael Endicott   RM140


This work is not based on the author's own field work, but is rather a review of the literature on Malay magic at the time of publication in order to determine the common patterns and basic philosophy of magic practice on the peninsula. He draws mainly on Skeat's Malay Magic and other earlier and later reports of procedures and beliefs in this area. 188 pages with a bibliography and index. For further details, please see the scanned contents page Near Fine Paperback. Reprint Originally published in 1971






Studies in Religion, Folk-lore, & Custom in British North Borneo and the Malay Peninsula - IHN Evans   RM220


A collection of previously published and unpublished articles by one of the leading anthropologists and ethnographers of North Borneo and Malaya in the first part of the 20th century. The papers are based on his researches while working in North Borneo as an administrator and then later as curator of Malaya's first museum in Taiping. 299 pages.Good Hardback Reprint Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. 








Malaysia & Singapore - Malay Community & Culture

Malay Society: Transformation & Democratisation - Khoo Kay Kim   RM100


A collection of essays by the historian, Khoo Kay Kim, tracing the manner in which Malay society dealt with the changes experienced as a result of increased interaction with the world beyond the Straits of Melaka. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. 312 pages New Paperback Reprint. This book was originally published in 1991.






Wives and Midwives: Childbirth and Nutrition in Rural Malaysia - Carol Laderman  RM60


This interesting study was carried out by the author in the area of Mercham in Terengganu to establish how a traditional Malay society coped with childbirth and much that went before and after. She chose this state because it has been more cut off from outside influences than many other states particularly because she was interested to  discover also how this society was benefiting from Western medicine, if at all. 267 pages whose contents include 1 - An Introduction to the Problem and the People, 2 - Food: Belief and Behaviour, 3 - The Malay Humoral System and the Concept of BISA, 4 - Conception and Pregnancy, 5 - Government Midwife and Traditional Midwife, 6 - Giving Birth in a Malay Village, 7 - The Postpartum Period & 8 - Conceptions and Preconceptions. There are also appendices on Edible Wild Plants, Incantations in Malay, Fish and Dietary Analyses, Notes, a Bibliography and an Index. Very Good Paperback Reprint

Melaka

See Historical Malacca in One Day - Marcus Scott-Ross   RM80


The author wrote several histories of Melaka and at least one biography of notable people of the city. In this book he condenses his knowledge to provide instructions for a city tour in a day. 26 pages with a fold out map and some black and white photographs . Very Good Paperback Revised edition. 










Malaysia & Singapore - Minorities

The Armenians of Singapore: A Short History - Nadia H Wright   RM70


Although the community never seemed to have numbered more than one hundred at any time, the Armenian community in Singapore appear to have made a far greater impact than any other community, proportionate to their size, than any other community on the island. Their significant legacies include the founding of Singapore's best known hotel and widest read newspaper and the creation of the orchid hybrid, the Vanda Miss Joaquim, Singapore's national flower. In this book the author brings to life this busy community during their almost 200 year presence in Singapore. 128 pages with more than 150 black and white and colour photographs and maps. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. New Hardback. First Edition.



Malaysia & Singapore - Nature & Wildlife

A Naturalist's Guide to the Birds of Fraser's Hill and the Highlands of Peninsular Malaysia - Geoffrey Davison & Others    RM70


A pocket sized photographic guide to 273 bird species most commonly seen in Malaysia's highlands. The identifying features, distribution, habits and habitats of these species are also included together with a complete checklist of birds to be found on Fraser's Hill and in the Cameron and Genting Highlands. New Paperback, First Edition. 176 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.






A Naturalist's Guide To Butterflies of Malaysia: Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Southern Thailand - Laurence Kirton    RM70


A pocket sized photographic guide to 280 butterfly species in the area together with descriptions of a further 190 species. The identifying features, distribution, subspecies, habits and habitats of these species are also included together with a complete classification of the butterfly genera of the region. New Paperback, Reprint. 176 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.






Cocks - Ernest Goh  RM60


Following on from his successful Fish Book, Goh now concentrates on photographing cocks, particularly those of the Malaysian breed of Ayam Serama, reputedly the smallest breed of chickens in the world. They are now mainly bred as domestic pets. The book is mainly a photographic essay with a short introduction. New Hardback in a New Dust Jacket. First Edition. 86 pages with many colour plates.






Common Malayan Butterflies - R Morrell   RM100


A handy guide with 20 colour plates and information on butterfly habits and distribution. Very Good Hardback. Reprint 64 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. Originally published in 1960








Frontiers of Fear - Peter Boomgaard   RM180


Boomgaard traces the relationship between tigers and their human neighbours during the 350 year colonial period of the Malay Peninsula and Indonesian archipelago. He not only unearths accounts of encounters between both, but also examines the myths attributed to tigers during this period. 306 pages. Like New Hardback in a like New Dust Jacket  First Edition.






The Birds of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, and Penang - A G Glenister   RM120


This guide contains details of all the known species in the Malaysian/Thailand peninsula when the book was originally issued in 1951. Not only does it contain simple identification help in the text but also coloured plates of most of the species and line drawings of the remainder. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. 291  pages.  Good Paperback  Reprint.





The Larger Fungi of Borneo - David Pegler    RM300



An introduction to one of the more fleeting aspects of jungle life, fleshy fungi that are poorly documented because often they are short-lived and may not be spotted again by the fungi enthusiast. Pegler introduces the reader to the some of the more common varieties to be found in Borneo with the tantalising prospect that the reader may well find other varieties as yet unknown to science. Fine Paperback First Edition. 95 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.





Tropical Horticulture & Gardening - Francis SP Ng   RM120


A comprehensive handbook for gardening in the tropics by a Malaysian plant expert with more than forty years of experience. About a thousand species are illustrated in colour with information on propagation and care. The book has been described in one international review as 'the best and most complete treatment of tropical gardening in Southeast Asia ever written.' 361 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. New Paperback. Second Printing. Originally published in 2010






Malaysia - Orang Asli/Indigenous Peoples

The Pagan Races of the Malay Peninsula (2 Vols) Skeat & Blagden   RM350


This 1966 facsimile reprint of the original 1906 edition probably is still able to claim to be the most comprehensive review of Orang Asli, or aborigine people, in Peninsula Malaysia that has been written. The work comprehensively brings together the writings of other mainly European writers supplemented by the field work of the authors, two of the most experienced ethnographers of their time. The whole work is broken down into four parts I - Race, II - Manners and Customs, III - Religion & IV - Language. The second volume ends with more than 250 pages of a comparative vocabulary of aboriginal dialects. 724 and 855 pages with numerous black and white photographs Good Hardbacks Second Printing

Penang

Nature Trails of Seberang Prai - Rexy Prakash Chacko   RM50


This book is refreshing in many ways: not only does it exhort both residents of and visitors to Penang to sample the state's rich wildlife, but also demonstrates there is much more to Penang than its food and quaint buildings that earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. This pocket sized guide has fifteen walks - some suitable for a stroll, others for the committed hiker - in what remains of the greenery in the island's hinterland in what was formerly known as Province Wellesley. 120 pages with many colour photographs and maps. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. New Paperback First Edition



Streets of George Town Penang - Khoo Su Nin   RM130


This fourth edition edition of probably Penang's best selling guide books  was written by one of the island's best known scholar activists whose campaigning was partly responsible for the island's capital, George Town, being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The highly readable, but well researched text is backed up by colour photographs and maps of one of the more vibrant  multicultural city centres in Asia which comes to life in this 190 page book.           Like New Paperback. Fourth Edition   





Malaysia & Singapore - Peranakan/Straits Chinese

A Peranakan Legacy - Peter HL Wee   RM150


This is probably the best comprehensive, but handy, introduction to Straits Chinese culture on the market. The book doesn't strive to be academic, trying rather to focus mainly on the day to day lifestyle enjoyed by the Peranakans and the domestic items they used. The book consists mainly of excellently produced colour pictures, but there's also just enough text on hand to give you the basics about this vibrant hybrid culture. The author is the President of the Peranakan Association of Singapore. 280 pages. Chapters include Introduction: Who Were The Peranakans?, Weddings, Daily Life, Household, Leisure & Festivals. There is also a glossary, an index of artifacts and suggestions for further reading. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket 

Malaysia & Singapore - Photography

Photographing Malaysia - Tan Thye Siew & Jimmy Tan Eng Hin    RM320


This book brings together the black and white photographic heritage of two of Malaysia's top photographers just before and after independence in 1957. While Tan Thye Siew concentrates on George Town, Penang before 'development' took root, Jimmy Tan takes us the length and breadth of the country capturing both the proud and decaying bits of the old as well as the beginnings of the exciting and, sometimes, confusing new Malaysia. The 190 pages of black and white photographs are prefaced by a general introduction by Neil Khor and a chapter on technical information by Jimmy Tan.   Near Fine Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket . First Malaysia Edition For further details, please see the scanned contents page.  


Malaysia & Singapore - Poetry

More Than a Pantun: Understanding Malay Verse - Katherine Sim   RM100


Katherine Sim is best known for her illustrations of Malayan life in water colour and prose. Here she demonstrates that she was captivated by the country's literature too as she introduces the reader to the Malay pantun. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details.This book was originally published as 'Flowers of the Sun, in 1957 90 pages. Very Good Paperback. Reprint.





Malaysia & Singapore - Politics

Challenging Times - Tunku Andul Rahman   RM120


Besides being the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman was also Chairman of the Star newspaper, then based in Penang, after leaving politics. He used the paper to write frequent columns, sometimes so critical of the Government that the newspaper was banned for a time. This book is a collection of some of those articles and is divided into the following parts - I - Rulers, II - Contemporary Politics, III - Islam, IV - Profiles, V - Reminiscences. 240 pages. New Paperback Reprint




British Policy and Malay Politics During the Malayan Union Experiment 1942-1948 - AJ Stockwell   RM80


The progress towards independence in Malaya following the end of World War II was far from smooth. Although the most visible and disruptive events during the period were as a result of the Communist insurgency, there was a fair amount of turmoil in the domestic political scene as well. In this book, Stockwell recounts the efforts of the British to foist a Malayan Union, concocted by the British with little consultation during the war, on the Malayan people. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 206 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. 



Malaysia Tradition, Modernity, and Islam - R.S. Milne; Diane K. Mauzy   RM60


The authors, with twenty years research experience in Malaysia, give a review of the country thirty years after independence. After a short historical introduction they assess the ethnic, class and cultural make up of the county, its political institutions and processes, economy and foreign policy. 201 pages with a bibliography and index. Good Hardback




 


Political Awakening - Tunku Abdul Rahman   RM70

A series of reflections by Malaysia's first prime minister on the moves towards, and the gaining and consolidation of Malaysia's independence. In this book he lays a special emphasis on the role of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in the process. He also looks forward to UMNO's future. New Paperback Reprint 131 pages with an index and some black and white photos.







Malaysian Politics - Gordon Paul Means   RM120


A book with a detailed account of the political evolution of modern Malaysia after Second World War until publication. 483 pages including bibliography and index. Very Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket  Second Edition For further details, please see the scanned contents page.












Malaysia & Singapore - Sports

The Malay Art of Self-Defense: Silat Seni Gayong - Sheikh Shamsuddin   RM150


Silat, a Malay martial art, widely practiced since at least the seventh century, was generally suppressed by British, Dutch and Portuguese colonists and so has only recently seen a revival. This book is one of the few written in English to detail the practice of one particular branch of silat, i.e. gayong. The 247 page book which has numerous black and white photographs demonstrating the art has, amongst others chapters on Silat, its meaning and history; Gayong, its meaning and history, Gayong customs; Gayong Philosophy; Gayong Forms & Curriculum; Kebatinan - Spirituality; The Distinction of the Keris in Silat; Gayong Techniques; Training Centre Rules; Gayong from an American Perspective and a section on Hang Tuah, thought to be one of the earliest practitioners. New Paperback First Edition 


Malaysia & Singapore - The 'Emergency'

The Jungle Beat: Fighting Terrorists in Malaya - Roy Follows    RM80


The author became the youngest ever commander of a fort and platoon operating deep within territory controlled by the communist insurgents during the Malayan 'Emergency.' Here he gives his 'no holds barred' account of life in a jungle where wild animals, ants, relentless rain and an unfamiliar environment also did little to make his assignment easy. 208 pages Very Good Paperback Second Edition 






Malaysia & Singapore - World War II


Faces of Courage - Sybil Kathigasu, Chin Peng, Norma Miraflor & Ian Ward  RM70


Sybil Kathigasu was perhaps the most famous icon of resistance to the Japanese occupation of Malaya. Her reputation was no doubt helped by the fact that she was swept up by the British propaganda machine, shipped off to the UK to be treated for her horrendous injuries from Japanese torture and awarded the George Medal before she died from those injuries. This book incorporates her famous personal account, No Dram of Mercy, the account of Chin Peng, the guerilla leader who worked closely with her, and "Exploring the Legend' by Norma Miraflor & Ian Ward, looking at why Sybil Kathigasu's work was so important. 239 pages including some black and white photographs which have not been previously published. 

Jungle Soldier: The True Story of Freddy Spencer Chapman - Brian Moynahan   RM60


Freddy Spencer Chapman is best known through is memoir, The Jungle is Neutral, which recounts how he spent most of the war in Malaya behind Japanese lines, during two years of which he had no contact with British forces. This biography not only covers that period, but also his country childhood in England, adventurous early adult life on Alpine, Polar and Himalayan Expeditions and his final years managing educational institutions in Germany, South Africa and the UK. 338 pages with a bibliography and an index. Very Good Hard Back First Edition in a Near Fine Dust Jacket. 



Post-Mortem on Malaya - Virginia Thompson   SOLD


Asia
A Gentleman's Word: The Legacy of Subhas Chandra Bose in Southeast Asia - Nilanjana Sengupta   RM70


This book explores a neglected side of the story of Subhas Chandra Bose, an important Indian nationalist who linked up with the Japanese during World War II. That alliance brought him to Singapore in 1943 to provide inspiration to his Indian National Army, made up mainly of ex-members of the British Indian Army. Sengupta argues that, amongst other things, his presence in the area gave new inspiration to Indians which translated into increased political and union activity in the years following the war's end. 260 pages with some black and white photographs, a bibliography and an index. Very Good First Edition



A Naturalist's Guide to the Snakes of South-East Asia - Indraneil Das    RM70


A useful pocket guide illustrated with colour photographs of 245 snake species found in the region together with information on identifying features, distribution, habits and habitat as well as an up to date checklist. New Paperback. Second Edition 176 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.








Border Crossings: Moving Between Languages & Cultural Frameworks - Lee Su Kim & Others (Eds)   RM120


A collection of eight articles exploring the places where different languages and cultures impinge upon each other and adapt to the new circumstances. There are seven research based papers, specifically looking at experiences in Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore and one personal memoir of a Malaysian author. 224 pages. New Paperback. First Edition.






China's Footprints in Southeast Asia - Maria Serena I Diokno & Others (eds)   RM110


The contributors to this book look at a selection of countries in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and the Philippines, as well as the area more generally to determine the effect of China's growing influence in the region. Through a mixture of trade and cultural interactions, China's recent ventures have had both positive and negative effects. 249 pages with an index. New Paperback. First Edition. 





Mangroves: The Forgotten Forest Between Land and Sea - Michael Mastaller    RM200


As Ivan Polunin points out in his preface, mangroves are not comfortable places. They are some of the most humid environments in the world, which makes them an easy target for those wishing to clear them away in the interests of 'development.' In this book Mastaller, a marine ecologist and fisheries biologist, explains the vital importance of mangroves to the world's ecosystem by taking the reader on a tour of the variety of life that still manages to thrive in this 'forgotten forest.'  New Hardback in a New Dust Jacket. 200 pages with many colour photographs




The Asean Charter: A Commentary - Walter Woon   RM130



Forty years after the founding of The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the group brought into force the ASEAN Charter in order to give the body a legal status and institutional framework.  In this book one of the negotiators, who helped draft the charter, explains how the document came into being, its purpose and how it relates to diplomatic practice. In an area where political whim, national interest or military power, still hold sway much of the document still remains aspirational. The publication of this book may well hasten a greater readiness to implement the charter's provisions. 295 pages



The East India Company and the Natural World - Vinita Damodaran & Others (eds)   RM280


British colonialism in the East was initiated by the privately owned East India Company. While most accounts of the Company deal with its trade, conquests and settlements, the contributors to this book concentrate on the Company's impact on the environment in the countries they visited. Many employees were meticulous in recording the weather, soils, flora and fauna and much else that is invaluable to modern scientists. New Hardback. First Edition. 297 pages with a few black and white plates, tables, a bibliography and an index




The Forgotten Sentinels: The Sepoys of Malaya, Singapore & South-East Asia - N Nedumaran   RM200


When the British moved out from India to start to colonise parts of Southeast and East Asia, they relied mainly on Indian soldiers, sepoys, to acquire and secure their conquests. Yet, as the history of the expansion of empire has mainly been written by white men, there are very few accounts of what these sepoys achieved, where they went and what their lives were like. This book seeks to remedy that by brining to life the history of these men doing their masters' bidding thousands of miles from home from the establishment of a British East India Company outpost in Penang up until the outbreak of the First World War. The author is a military historian who has devoted several years to researching this subject. With a foreword by Field Marshal Sir John Chapple, Near Fine Paperback. First Edition. Signed by the Author. 337 pages with a bibliography, index and a few black and white and colour photographs.


Cambodia

When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge - Chanrithy Him  RM50


An award winning account of a child growing up in the Khmer Rouge death camps. New Paperback. 330 pages.










China

Beyond Taijiquan: Supremacy of the Tai-Chi Mind - Wong Choon Ching   RM120


In story form, the author explains the condition of  mind necessary for the effective practice of Taijiquan, also known as Tai Chi. In this way the practitioner acquires the all important Jing power, which adds weight and meaning to the graceful moves of the art. 265 pages including many line drawing explaining the movements. Near Fine Paperback. First Edition







Chinese Herbal Legends - 50 Stories for Understanding Chinese Herbs - Zhu Zhongbao  RM100



Over the centuries, generations of Chinese doctors and teachers have told stories about medicinal herbs to better explain their properties and uses. This is a collection of stories about 50 important Chinese medicinal herbs, which will help any student or practitioner to more fully experience the impact of medicinal herbs in daily Chinese life. New Paperback 247 pages









India

Bhagavadgita - S Radhakrishnan  RM50


A translation from Sanskrit into English of the important Hindu religious classic by one of the most notable 20th century Indian scholars. The sacred text is interspersed with commentary Good Hardback. Reprint. Originally published in 1948. 388 pages with a few colour plates, a bibliography and an index








Indonesia

A Journey Among the Peoples of Central Borneo in Word and Picture - H.F. Tillema   RM380


This is the first English translation of Tillema's monumental work 'Apo-Kajan: Een Filmreis naar en door Centraal-Borneo' first published in 1938. It is a photographic essay of his visit to The Apo Kayan, a remote forested area in East Kalimantan, adjoining the Malaysian border. The purpose of the visit between 1931 and 1933 was to document the lives of the Kenyah and Kayan peoples there before before their lives changed for ever. 251 pages. Very Good Paperback Reprint. For further details, please see the scanned contents page



Volcanoes of Indonesia: Creators and Destroyers - Carl-Bernd Kaehling, Andrew Wight & Chris Smith   RM300


The collaboration of a photographer, an author and a poet seeks to demonstrtae that Indonesia's terrifying volcanoes do not only wreak havoc and misery on their neighbours, but also provide them with some of the most fertile agricultural land in the world. Kaehling's collection of photoographs taken during his twenty-five years of exploring is augmented by Wright's and Smith's retelling of the mountain's myth and folklore. New Hardback in a Similar dust jacket. Revised Edition. 144 pages





Thailand

Oleh2 Dari Bangkok - Md Yusof Mustafa   RM130


A guide book to Bangkok in the Malay Language. 84 pages including some black and white photographs and some helpful phrases. Second Printing. Good Paperback.

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