New Arrivals at The Penang Bookshelf in September 2019

New Arrivals at The Penang Bookshelf

in

September 2019

(Last Updated 30-9-19)

• 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. 
• Orders for Singapore also shipped free, where the order weighs more than 3 kg. Other orders from selected customers in Singapore will also be shipped free, by a refund of the shipping charge. 

Malaysia & Singapore - Anthropology & Sociology

Cultural Contestations: Meditating Identities in a Changing Malaysian Society - Zawawi Ibrahim (Editor)   RM300

A collection of essays examining how identities in Malaysia, whether they be geographic, social, racial or otherwise have been and are being shaped by political, economic and other forces as the country develops into a post colonial polity. Near Fine Hardback in a Fine Dust Jacket.  First Edition. 204 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.

Malaysia & Singapore - Architecture

The Malay House - Lim Jee Yuan   SOLD

It's often a complaint of Western visitors to tropical climates that so many buildings appear run down and dirty. Few realise that one of the reasons for this is because the buildings they see are attempts to replicate Western architecture in a climate to which it isn't suited. In this work Lim shows us what Malaysian imitators of Western architectural styles have lost, i.e. a system of housing designed for comfort in Malaysia's environment through the experience of many centuries. 152 pages. Chapters include - 1. Introduction, 2 - The Malaysian Background, 3 - The Houseform, 4 - Design and Layout, 5 - Beutiful Malay Houses, 6 - Adapting to the Climate, 7 - In Harmony with the People's Way of Life, 8 - The Compound and the Kampong, 9 - Building the Malay House, 10 - Extending the House: The Addition System, 11 -Changes, Threats and Constraints & 12 - The Future of the Malay House. There are also copious illustrations, a glossary and a bibliography. Very Good Paperback. First Edition 

Malaysia & Singapore - Armed Forces & Policing

Aristocracy of Armed Talent: The Military Elite in Singapore - Ling Wei Chan   RM160

This is probably the most detailed study of the senior ranks of the Singapore armed forces to date. Based on interviews with 28 senior officers, the author attempts to discover what, if anything makes them so special, what motivates them, how the role of such flag officers is changing and what they expect to do after retirement. As the title suggests, the analysis is generally uncritical of a group sometimes described elsewhere as 'paper generals.'  New Paperback. First Edition 495 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.

Malaysia & Singapore - Arts & Crafts

Living Crafts of Malaysia - Mubin Sheppard  RM130

Although Sheppard was principally a colonial civil servant with responsibilities in public relations, he will probably be best remembered for his contribution to the conservation of and research into traditional Malaysian culture. This book is focused on ten traditional crafts and the crafts men and women responsible for producing such artifacts. 118 pages with many black and white photographs. Very Good First Edition Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket For further details, please see the scanned contents page.




Place.Labour.Capital. - Uta Meta Bauer & Anca Ruioiu (eds)  RM140

This book chronicles through prose, poetry and images the story of of the first three years of the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore. The purpose of the centre is to develop art that is connected to and, therefore hopefully, relevant to the community hosting the artist. It is hoped that the record will be a valuable guide to others seeking to building contemporary art institutions elsewhere. 456 pages with a wealth of illustrations. New Hardback. First Edition. 




Retrospective: A Historiographical Aesthetic in Contemporary Singapore and Malaysia - June Yap   RM100

Sometimes the publisher's blurb says it all - "Retrospective is both an attribution and an analysis of a historiographical aesthetic within contemporary art practice. It considers that, by their method and in their assembly, these artworks perform more than a representation of a historical past. Instead, they confront history and its production, laying bare the nature and designs of the historical project via their aesthetic project" Gulp!. 355 pages. with a bibliography and some black and white plates of the art works discussed. New Paperback. First Edition 

Malaysia & Singapore - Biography & Memoirs

Heroes of Malaya - Ann & Cyril Parkinson   RM120

A collection of short biographies of significant characters from Malayan history written for school children. Very Good Paperback Reprint. Originally published in 1956. 125 pages including a dozen line drawings. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.




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Hussein Onn: A Tryst with Destiny - John Victor Morais   RM250

A biography of Malaysia's third Prime Minister, written during his term in office. The author was an indefatigable recorder of the deeds of the great and the good, having written several political biographies and compiled the country's Who's Who for several years. Hussein Onn was known as someone who did not seek the limelight, preferring behind the scenes diplomacy. He was the son of the founder of UMNO, the leading Malay party in the country since independence, and like his father and his two predecessors had a reputation for stressing national unity with little recourse to racially divisive policies.Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket. First Edition  224 pages with an index.


Karpal Singh, The Tiger of Jelutong: The Full Biography - Tim Donoghue  RM60

Within a year of the publication of the first edition of this biography of Malaysia's most prominent lawyer-politician, he was killed in a road accident. He had already avoided death on Malaysia's roads once in 2005, since when he had been confined to a wheel chair. This did not prevent him continuing to act in both high profile and lesser reported cases of significance or in joining in the opposition parties' successes in the 2013 election. This biography gets a man who, despite being larger than life, was also an advocate and defender for every Malaysian seeking justce and change. 349 pages including an index and several black and white photographs.


Merdeka & Much More: The Reminiscences of a Raffles Professor - KG Tregonning  RM60

In his nearly fifteen years at the centre of the Department of History at the University of Singapore, Tregonning was a spur to a revival of historiography in the Southeast Asian region. In this anecdotal collection of reminiscences he reveals something of the excitement of a time of change. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. New Paperback 108 pages.






My Life in Sarawak - Margaret Brooke, The Ranee of Sarawak    RM120

Frank Swettenham's preface, which opens with the words 'It is well for the Malay races of Sarawak that they should find an advocate in their Ranee, for she loves them,' shows him at his insightful and patronising best. The Ranee then proceeds to match him in imperiousness with her opening words - 'Everyone has heard of Rajah Brooke. He was my husband's uncle, and this is how he became ruler of Sarawak.' She became Ranee about forty years before this book was written and gave up the position on her husband's death shortly after the book was published. So this biography gives the reader a rare insight into life behind the scenes in the anomaly that was the Sarawak of the Brookes. 320 pages with a map on the inside front cover and a front end paper, 27 black and white plates and an index. Originally published in 1913. Very Good Paperback. Reprint 

Natrah: In the Name of Love - Fatini Yaacob  RM80

The retelling of the story of Maria Hertog, originally born into a Dutch family in the Netherlands East Indies, but who ended up with Malay foster parents during the Japanese occupation and was renamed Nadrah and brought up in a Malay Muslim household. After the war her biological parents traced her to her foster parents' home in Terengannu, Malaya. Court battles and riots ensued and Maria was eventually returned to her parents, who returned with her to the Netherlands. The whole episode became a cause celebre in the conflict between Christianity and Islam and colonisers and the colonised. It is unlikely that this book is a dispassionate account of the affair. Very Good Paperback. First English Language Edition. 397 pages with a bibliography and index.

Planter's Tales: A Plantation Manager's Stories - Mahbob Abdullah  RM120

A slightly different look at life as a plantation manager from a very experienced Malaysian planter, rather than a European one. The author cut his teeth on plantations in Malaysia, but then ventured further afield to the Solomon Islands and Africa. Here he commits to the printed page a selection of sixty stories about his adventures. 299 pages. Near Fine Paperback First Edition







Rafidah Aziz: Sans Malice - Zhou Mei   RM150

A biography of one of Malaysia's best known female politicians who held ministerial posts for more than twenty years as a member of the United Malay National Organisation (UMNO) until 2008. She resurfaced as an opponent of UMNO ten years later, was sacked from the party and was one of the principal campaigners that unseated the UMNO led government in 2018. The biography is by a friend and former fellow lecturer at the University of Malaya. Very Good First Edition Hardback. 132 pages. 

Reminiscence of a Roving Scholar; Science, Humanities and Joseph Needham - Ho Peng Yoke   RM220

This is the autobiography of Ho Peng Yoke, a Chinese Malaysian, who was born in the Kinta Valley and eventually became the Director of the Needham Research Institute, a Cambridge University centre for research into the history of science, technology and medicine in East Asia. His academic career began in Malaysia and continued in Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong and England. Ho Peng Yoke worked in collaboration with Joseph Needham of Cambridge over different periods spanning half a century in the monumental series Science and Civilization in China. 240 pages New Hardback,




Sunset of the Empire in Malaya: A New Zealander's Life in the Colonial Education Service - TK Taylor   RM150

These are the memoirs of a New Zealand educator who was in Malaya from 1946 to 1960. He started as a master in Taiping, was headmaster at schools in Klang and Johor, before ending up as Senior Education Officer for Selangor. His account, although rich in anecdotes, betrays a genuine concern for establishing an educational system fit for a newly independent Malaya. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket. First Edition. 164 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. 





The Chersonese with The Gilding Off - Emily Innes   RM170

Originally published two years after Isabella Bird's The Golden Khersonese in 1885, this book portrays life in late 19th century Malaya through the eyes of a wife of a minor colonial official who lived in the country for nearly six years. By contrast, Bird flitted in and out of the country meeting only sultans and senior officials. Innes lived in a remote settlement chaffing at the pettiness of expatriate life, but managing to record with some accuracy and humour the life she experienced. With an introduction by Khoo Kay Kim. A facsimile reprint. 250 pages. Near Fine Paperback



The Door Marked Malaya - Oliver Crawford   RM150

The experiences of a young British officer sent out to Malaya during the 'Emergency.' While being mainly a memoir of his experience just after leaving university, the author sets this within a context of the changing post World War II world and its uncertainties. Very Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket. First Edition. 237 pages

Good Hardback First Edition  RM80





The Memoirs of Rashid Maidin: From Armed Struggle to Peace  RM120

This is a translation from the original Malay of the autobiography of one of the more unusual members of Communist Party of Malaya. Unlike the majority of the party's members, who were of Chinese origin, Maidin was a Malay. He rose to a reasonably senior position, being one of the party's representatives who attended peace talks to end the Malayan 'Emergency.'  Near Fine Paperback. First English Language Edition. 121 pages with 36 black and white photographs and an index. 

The Memoirs of Shamsiah Fakeh : From AWAS to 10th Regiment - Shamsiah Fakeh  RM50

The unusual story of a revolutionary Malay woman who joined the Communist Party of Malaya and was an active member of one of their guerrilla regiments. After the defeat of the guerrilla movement, she and her husband fled to China and were only allowed to return to Malaysia in 1991 where she lived out the last year of her life. This book was banned by the Malaysian authorities when originally published. New Paperback. First English Edition 122 pages with an index and black and white photographs. 

Tun Sardon Jubir: His Life and Times - Cecilia Tan   RM120

The author, better known for her cookery book, Penang Nyonya Cooking here remembers one of Malaysia's unsung post-Merdeka politicians. He was both a central Government minister and Governor of Penang. 111 pages. Near Fine Paperback. First Edition  Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. 

Borneo

A Dream of Freedom - The Early Sarawak Chinese – Paul Yong   RM100

The story of a Chinese community who migrated from West Kalimantan to settle in Sarawak under the rule of James Brooke. Led by Liu Shan Bang, a group of  miners almost managed to assassinate Brooke and caused havoc around Kuching for several days before the revolt was crushed. 112 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. Very Good Paperback. Second Edition 






Amazing Rainforest of Borneo - Huang Yi-Feng   RM100

The Taiwanese author set off on a madcap journey nearly twenty years ago to Borneo, "a big island located in the South China Sea," to pursue his love of wild places. He fell in love with what he found there and has been a frequent visitor ever since. In this book he records what he found in the hope of encouraging others to follow in his footsteps both for the enjoyment, but also to advocate for the preservation of "the gene treasury which is the most precious asset we can preserve for our future generations." New Hardback. Reprint.  247 pages.




An Introduction to the Traditional Costumes of Sabah - Rita Lasimbang and Stella Moo-Tan (eds)    RM170

One of the ways in which traditional societies the world over have and do distinguish themselves from neighbours and others is through the form of dress unique to that society. Sabah, a part of Malaysian Borneo, is no different. Here the contributors, by text and illustration outlines the traditional wear of seven groups within the state. Near Fine Paperback. First Edition. 115 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.






Beyond Romance: Fieldwork in Sarawak - Kelvin Egay & Hew Cheng Sin (eds)  RM50

A collection of experiences of anthropologists, historians and sociologists recounting the joys and frustrations of actually carrying out the necessary field work on which their academic work is based. The contributors are both from Malaysia and elsewhere their subjects are not only the indigenous peoples of the state, but other communities as well. 181 pages.  New Paperback 







Sabah Society Journal Vol III No 1 April 1966  RM80

57 pages. with several black and white plates Very Good Paperback. First Edition. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.










Sabah Society Journal Vol VI No 3 1977-78   RM80

53 pages. with several black and white plates Very Good Paperback. First Edition. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.

Malaysia & Singapore - Business, Economics & Labour

Crisis and Recovery in Malaysia: The Role of Capital Controls - Premachandra Athukoralge   RM100

An analysis of the effectiveness of capital controls in Malaysia at the time of the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the lessons to be learned for other economies. 159 pages with a bibliography and index. Near Fine Paperback. Reprint. Signed by the Author.








Mahathir Mohamad: A Visionary & His Vision of Malaysia's K-Economy - Ng Tieh Chuan (ed)  RM70

A collection of Mahathir Mohamad's speeches on the economy with an uncritical commentary by David N Abdulai. Very Good Paperback. Second Printing. 245 pages.









Malaysia's New Economic Policy - Ahmad Idriss  RM120

Some twenty years after the implementation of the Government's New Economic Policy, designed to promote Malaysia's Malay population, economically, the author examines how the programme has fared. He concentrates particularly on how the policy has galvanised the country's urbanisation and what effect that has had on those left behind in rural communities. 212 pages. Very Good First Edition Hardback. 







Problems of the Malayan Economy - Lim Tay Boh (ed)   RM140

The booklet consists of transcripts of a series of talks given on Radio Malaya to introduce listeners to the workings of the country's economy and to encourage further study. Contributors, including Ungku Abdul Aziz, TH Silcock, Charles Gamba, the editor and others, were drawn from the University of Malaya's staff at the time. 102 pages.Very Good Paperback. Second Edition






The Commerce in Rubber The First 250 Years - Austin Coates   SOLD

This is probably one of the most comprehensive modern accounts of the trade in rubber, from its 'discovery' in South America to the explosion of planting and producing activity in Asia, particularly in Malaya and the Dutch East Indies. The history ends in the mid 1980s  with the early struggles to maintain rubber's place in the market against new synthetic versions of the product. The book was commissioned by the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce Rubber Association because Southeast Asia has been at the centre of rubber production since the 19th century. 380 pages with a bibliography, an index and 68 illustrations. Near Fine Hardback in a Near Fine Dust Jacket First Edition

Malaysia & Singapore - Cinema, Dance, Drama & Music

Cosmopolitan Intimacies: Malay Film Music of the Independence Era - Adil Johan  RM80

Few would argue that the heyday of Malay film music was in the 1950s and 1960s as pop culture began to filter in from the West to meet an increasingly confident national culture emerging after years of colonial rule. The result was not a clash, but, surprisingly, a fusion which produced a whole new culture of its own. In this book a prominent ethnomusicologist has produced the first in depth study of the phenomenon. 387 pages with a glossary, bibliography, music scores and an index. New Paperback 

Malaysia & Singapore - Constitution, Law & Legal Systems

Judicial Misconduct - Peter Alderidge Williams  RM120

In 1988 Tun Salleh Abbas, the Lord President of Malaysia's Supreme Court, was dismissed by the Government provoking an outcry both within the country and overseas. In this book a Queen's Counsel goes back over the facts with the help of interviews with Dr. Mahathir, the Prime Minister, Abbas' successor as Lord President and others involved in the furor in an attempt to conclusively explain what happened. 272 pages with an index. Very Good Hardback in a Near Fine Dust Jacket

Malaysia & Singapore - Fiction

At the Court of Pelesu and Other Malayan Stories - Hugh Clifford  RM80

A collection of the stories of Hugh Clifford, one of the more prolific writers amongst 19th century British colonial officers in Malaya. This selection has been made by the noted academic William Roff who has also written and introduction. Very Good Paperback. Reprint 225 pages.








Crimson Sun Over Borneo - Hugh Hickling   RM60

Hickling wrote this novel in an attempt to find out what motivates us to cruelty. His main subject here is a fictionalised Japanese officer responsible for atrocities during war time Borneo. The story follows a group of survivors of the Japanese invasion through the jungles of Borneo and how they coped both before and after coming up against a Japanese platoon. 304 pages. New Paperback. First Edition 






Medal for Malaya - David Tipton   RM80

A bawdy comic novel about a young British man's experiences during the Malayan 'Emergency'. Near Fine Paperback. First edition. 189 pages.










Of Comb, Powder & Rouge - Joo Kim Yeap   RM150

This novel illustrates the plight of Chinese women in the period between 1928 and 1959. It follows the life of Bebe a woman trapped by the prejudices which were not only threatened generally by increasing Westernisation and particularly by the upheavals of the War, the 'Emergency' and then independence. Near Fine Paperback. First Edition 498 pages.

Malaysia & Singapore - Gender

Matriarchy in the Malay Peninsula and Neighbouring Countries - G de Moubray   RM230

This book is the result of research mainly carried out in the then small state of Rembau, which is now part of Negeri Sembilan. He also carried out research in other parts of Negeri Sembilan and the Naning district of Melaka, where women also played a more dominant role in society than in other parts of the peninsula. This arose mainly as a result of Minangkabau influence. Good Hardback. First Edition.  292 pages with appendices, two maps and an index.  

Malaysia & Singapore - Geography & Guide Books

A Geography of the Malay Peninsula and Surrounding Countries in Three Parts – Part 1 Malay Peninsula, Borneo - AM Skinner (ed)   SOLD

Skinner, who was Vice President of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society at the time of publication, implies in his preface that this was the first, or one of the first, geographies produced for schools in the Straits Settlements. This first part covers what is present day Malaysia, but also includes Singapore and present day Indonesia. A search of World Cat does not reveal that any further parts were published. 89 pages with a coloured map of the peninsula and two other coloured maps of the 'Asiatic Archipelago' laid in, but these last two appear to have been detached from another book.  Fair First Edition Paperback..



Handbook of British Malaya - SL German   RM150

The forerunner of the Federation of Malaya Annual reports this is the work of 1930s spin doctors demonstrating the triumphs of British administration in prewar Malaya. With lots of statistics and black and white photos as well as informative text. 201 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. Good Hardback 

Malaysia & Singapore - Health & Medicine

Danger Foods: A CAP Guide to The Hidden Hazards in Food - Consumers' Association Of Penang   RM50

A guide to healthy eating. This book does not only cover toxic foods that can cause immediate serious illness, but also the unhealthy ingredients in convenience food. There are also sections on dangerous 'health' remedies and on how to be a food detective. New Paperback 307 pages.








Traditional Malay Medicinal Plants - Muhamad Zakaria & Mustafa Ali Mohd   RM50

An exhaustive study of traditional Malay medicine.With black and white and colour photos and line drawings Very Good Paperback. First Edition 171 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details.

Malaysia & Singapore - History

Malaya - JM Gullick   RM100

Gullick, one of the most prolific 20th century writers in English on Malaysian History and culture, introduces the reader to the country's history from the time of the Malacca Sultanate through to the country's independence. 244 pages with a fold out map. Very Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket For further details, please see the scanned contents page.

Malaysia & Singapore History (Pre-Islamic)

Desultory Remarks on the Ancient History of the Malay Peninsula - Paul Wheatley   RM350

A review by Paul Wheatley, the noted 1960s historian on pre-Islamic Malaya, on the state of research into the subject together with suggestions for further areas of research. 42 pages. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 

Malaysia & Singapore - History (19th Century)

The Malay States 1877-1895: Political Change and Social Policy - Philip Loh  RM160

Rather than dealing with British officials' activities on the ground that led to establishing the Federated Malay States in 1985, the author provides a background of the the ideas that drove the main actors. Governor Weld, Hugh Low, Clifford and Swettenham feature prominently. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. 233 pages with two fold out maps Good Hardback First Edition

Malaysia & Singapore - History (20th Century)

Federation of Malaya Annual Report 1950   RM250

This appears to be the second annual report of the Federation of Malaya which was established in 1948, consisting of nine Malay states together with Melaka and Penang. The report is in two parts, the first covering activities of various Government departments, followed by a short description of the country's history, weights and measures used, newspapers and periodicals then current and a suggested reading list. 225 pages with about 20 black and white plates and various tables. Good First Edition Hardback 




Federation of Malaya Annual Report 1955    SOLD

The Federation of Malaya was established in 1948, consisting of nine Malay states together with Melaka and Penang. The report is in two parts, the first covering activities of various Government departments, followed by a short description of the country's history, the Government structure, weights and measures used, newspapers and periodicals then current and a suggested reading list. 479 pages with about 20 black and white plates and various tables. Very Good First Edition Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket 

Johor

Johor 300 Early Postcards - Cheah Jin Seng   RM120

The author, Cheah Jin Seng while pursuing a distinguished medical career, has also found time to collect stamps and post cards so that he has become one of the foremost authorities in these fields in Singapore and Malaysia. In this book, his sixth published collection, Professor Cheah provides us with an eclectic historical record of the state of Johor in the early days of photography . New Softback. First Edition 191 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.  

Malaysia & Singapore - Journalism

The Straits Times Annual of 1961   RM400

The annual of the premier newspaper of Malaya and Singapore in the 1960s where a selection of authoritative figures contributed well illustrated articles about the country, its culture and peoples. 80 pages with colour and black and white photographs and 36 additional pages of advertisements. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. Good Paperback. First Edition







The Straits Times Annual for 1969 - Eric Jennings (ed)  RM450

Despite Malaysia and Singapore no longer being one country. this edition of the Straits Times annual still has a fair amount of articles about life in Singapore's Northern neighbour. Naturally the highlight in this edition is the celebration of 150 years since the establishing of a British trading post  in Singapore. 148 pages with a good selection of colour photographs and advertisements. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. Very Good Paperback. First Edition 

Kedah

The Peasant Robbers of Kedah, 1900-1929: Cheah Boon Kheng   RM60

When originally published in 1988 this book was considered a major contribution to the still scantily documented history of the working class in colonial Malaya. Relying on British records and local sources, Cheah brings to life this lawless period on the borders of British Malaya and Siam. Although The British considered the area 'one of the most lawless and insecure districts,' many contemporaries also saw the robbers as heroes offering a challenge to foreign rule. 162 pages with a glossary, bibliography and index. New Paperback Reprint 

Malaysia & Singapore - Language & Linguistics

An Unabridged Malay-English Dictionary - RO Winstedt    RM100

The standard work of its time in the Rumi script before the spelling changes. Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket 359 pages.

Malaysia & Singapore - Malay Community & Culture

Income Sharing Among Malay Peasants: A Study of Land Tenure and Rice Production - Akimi Fujimoto   RM230

The work is based on research carried out in four villages in Province Wellesley and Kelantan. The author looks at how land tenure works, the economic aspects of rice production arising from the research and policy implications of the findings on potential Malaysian land reform. Very Good Paperback 290 pages with a glossary, bibliography and index.







Malay Poisons and Charm Cures - John D Gimlette   RM70

This is a reprint of the 1929 revised and enlarged edition of Gimlette's classic work, which was based on his 18 years' experience as a doctor in the Malay States. Despite the possibly negative connotations of the title, the book was written for the benefit of the medical profession as an encouragement to carry out research into the efficacy, if any, of the potions and practices of traditional bomoh/pawang, medicine men. New Paperback.   301 pages with appendices on charms used, poisonous plants and Kelantan poisons and an index.

Malaysia & Singapore - Nature & Wildlife

21 Common Birds of Borneo Town and Village - Tom Harrisson   RM120

The purpose of the pamphlet is to introduce beginners to bird watching in Borneo to what can easily be seen in settled areas, rather than in the jungle. Each bird's habits and likely habitat are described. This was probably an off print from the Sabah Society Journal 13 pages. Good Paperback. Reprint 







Biogeographical Evolution of the Malay Archipelago - T Whitmore (ed)   RM200

A collection of essays presented at a Symposium held at the Third International Congress of Systematic and Evolutionary Biology outlining the prehistory of the Archipelago as deduced from plant and geographical research at the time. Good Hardback. First Edition 147 pages with an index and some black and white plates.








Poisonous Plants of Malaysia - A. Salam Abdullah   RM300

This book claims to be one of the first in depth studies of poisonous plants in Malaysia. While the author points out that although many plants are poisonous to touch, they generally should not be eradicated as they have other important uses, such as providing shade and other products. There is also information on how to deal with cases of poisoning. Near Fine Hardback in a Near Fine Dust Jacket. Reprint. The book was originally published in 1990. 68 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page




Rain Forest Collectors and Traders - FL Dunn    RM60

This book is a detailed study of Malaysian rain forest over a period of 10 years starting from May 1962. The author discusses Malayan rain forest,  prehistory archaeology, methodology, geographical heterogeneity and diversity, biotic and non-biotic resources, ethnoecology and lastly forest product collection and trade.Near Fine Paperback.Reprint 151 pages with list of tables and figures







The Snakes of Malaya - MWF Tweedie  RM200

At the time of writing a total of 127 snake species had been identified as living on the Malay Peninsula and Singapore. Tweedie, who was director of the Raffles Museum at he time of publication, noted that very little research on the country's snake population had been done so far and hoped that this book would stimulate further interest. Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket. First Edition. 139 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page

Malaysia - Orang Asli/Indigenous Peoples

My Friends the Savages - Captain G. B. Cerruti   RM70

Cerruti was a 19th century traveller and adventurer who ended up in Malaya, where he stayed for 16 years amongst the Sakai and was appointed Superintendent of the Perak Sakais. This is his account of time with the Sakai people. Very Good Paperback.  Reprint. There is a bit of Originally published in 1906. 228 pages with several black and white plates 






Temiar Jungle - John Slimming   RM130

In this  176-page book the author recounts his travels by raft, boat and on foot through a hilly jungle areas of Kelantan. He gained a thorough knowledge of the area as an Assistant Protector of Aborigines for the Malayan Government. His concern about the disappearing lifestyle of the three main aborigine tribes,  the Jakun, Senoi and Negritos are evident  Very Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket. Reprint

Pahang

From Inderapura to Darul Makmur:A Deconstructive History of Pahang - Farish Noor   RM150

An unusual and provocative history of the Malaysian state that does not take for granted traditional histories that start in the 15th century with the advent of a Malay sultanate. Noor makes cogent arguments for a more holistic approach to both the state's and the nation's history. 273 pages with appendices, references, a few black and white photos and an index. New Paperback. Second Edition.

Penang

Penang Postcard Collection 1899-1930s - Nasution & Wade   RM200

Khoo Salma Nasution, the well know Penang historian and activist, and Malcolm Wade, arguably the king of Malaya post card collectors, make a perfect pairing to present the largest ever collection (over 700) of postcards of prewar Penang ever assembled. In a time when even ordinary cameras were possessions of the privileged, the postcard was the most common method of photographically recording both the picturesque and the commonplace in daily life. This massive collection of black and white and colour (hand-painted) photographs is matched by Khoo Salma's informative text. Very Good Hardback. Second edition. 304 pages. 

Perak

A Heart-Rending Blood-Bath: Recorded Malaysia's First Case of Ethnic Genocide   RM50

An account of the turbulent post World War II period in Malaya as it affected a community in the state of Perak. Generally the Chinese community were targeted during the Japanese occupation because this community organised the most persistent opposition to the occupation. In the period between the Japanese surrender and re-establishment of British control, both the Chinese and Malay community attacked each other in various parts of the country. This particular account of that period is well researched from documents and accounts of survivors with maps and black and white photographs. New Paperback 102 pages.

Malaysia & Singapore - Peranakan/Straits Chinese

The Straits Chinese House: Domestic Life and Traditions - Peter Lee & J. Chen   RM100

From the seventeenth century onwards Chinese immigrants have made Nanyang, Southeast Asia, their home. Before the nineteenth century most of the new settlers married into existing communities creating a distinct culture, known to day as the Peranakan or Straits Chinese tradition. In this book we get at least a visual representation of what that culture produced with a wide range of historic photographs with explanatory text. Peter Lee is the Curator of the Peranakan Museum in Singapore. 123 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. New Paperback Reprint 

Malaysia & Singapore - Photography

Photographing Malaysia - Tan Thye Siew & Jimmy Tan Eng Hin   RM400

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 - Politics

Abdullah Administration: Abdullah Ahmad Badawi & His Government from Sun Tzu's Perspective - Khoo Kheng-Hor  RM80

This is a study of Abdullah Badawi's first one hundred days as Malaysia's prime minister through the lens of the works of Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese strategist. The book was written at a time when there were high hopes for the administration with a new face after decades of governance by Mahathir Mohamad. Khoo also makes recommendations, based on insights from Sun Tzu, as to what the Government's future strategy should be. New Paperback First Edition. 169 pages with an index.





Comet in Our Sky - Poh Soo Kai (ed)   RM60

Singapore's political firmament is crowded with stars who could have lit up to the island state's history, but were snuffed out by detention and harassment before they could do so. One of the brightest was probably Lim Chin Siong, who with Lee Kuan Yew, was one of the founders of  the People's Action Party, but he spent more time in detention than representing his constituents This book is an assessment of his life by many who were inspired by him. xxix and 209 pages with some black and white and colour plates and an index. New Paperback. Second Edition 




Daim Speaks His Mind - Daim bin Zainuddin  RM70

A collection of speeches by one of Malaysia's more outstanding finance ministers. His heyday was in the 1990s, when he has been credited with boosting Malaysian economic growth. As with many old colleagues of Mahathir, he has also played an important role in helping fix the country's ills following the 2018 general elections. The topics covered by the speeches include Malaysia, ASEAN/Asia, the Commonwealth and the Muslim World. New Hardback in a New Dust Jacket. First Edition. 150 pages with an index 




Globalisation and the New Realities: Selected Speeches of Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia   RM100

In many ways Pelanduk Publications acted as a propaganda arm of the Malaysian Government during Mahathir Mohamad's first period in office as prime minister. For example, this book was published on behalf of the prime minister's office. This selection of Mahathir's speeches highlights the crusade for which he was probably best known internationally - a challenger to economic and cultural globalisation, or Westernisation by another name. Near Fine Paperback. First Edition. 236 pages with an index.

Mathathir: The Secret of the Malaysian Success - Hajrudin Somun  RM120

Unusually this pean of praise of Mahathir Mohamad's first period as prime minister is not written by a Malaysian but by a former ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Malaysia. He argues that the economic and social policies of the prime minister could and should be emulated elsewhere. New Paperback Reprint. Originally published in 2003. 275 pages with an index. 

Malaysia and Singapore - Race Relations

May 13: Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969-Kua Kia Soong  RM60

The banning of a book or, as in this case, the threat of banning can never be bad for sales. As a result one of the most important works on Malaysian post-independence history has been republished. The significance of the book is that through use of British documents, declassified under the 30 year rule, the author has been able to overturn the myth that the riots were spontaeous. Instead the author postulates that they were the result of darker political manoeuverings within the governing party. 152 pages. The Chapters include - 1 - The Alliance Racial Formula, 2 - The 1969 General Elections, 3 - Record of The Riots, 4 - Foreign Assessments of The Regime Change, 5 - The New Malay Ruling Class. There are also notes and a selected bibliography. New paperback. Reprint 

Malaysia & Singapore - Religion

Malaysia & the Islamic World - Abdul Razak Baginda (ed)  RM130

The editor is perhaps best known as a confidante of the disgraced former Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak, who has written a foreword to this book. At the time of editing this book, Baginda ran a Malaysian think tank, and so the articles explore ways in which Malaysia has formed and developed relationships with other Islamic countries in Asia and the Middle East, particularly through its membership of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, of which Malaysia had been chairman in 2003. 268 pages with an index. New Hardback in a New Dust Jacket. First Edition.  



Surat Sambiang - Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge   RM280

Indigenous tribes in both North Borneo and Sarawak were a fertile ground for Christian missionaries during the British colonial period. This is a Christian prayer book in the Sea Dayak/Iban language. 457 pages. Very Good Hardback. First Edition. 

Sultans & Royalty

Malayan Orders and Decorations - EH O' Toole & Mubin Sheppard  RM300

This book demonstrates that men like dressing up too! At the time of the formation of the Federation of Malaya only three of the Malayan states, Johor, Kedah and Kelantan, had had established orders and decorations. However by the time this book was published, just over a decade later, every state had jumped on the bandwagon. In this book the authors painstakingly take the reader through the variety of orders and decorations available in the country and also include the sultanate of Brunei. 145 pages with many black and white and colour illustrations. Very Good Hardback. First Edition.

Malaysia & Singapore - Transport

Malayan Railway 1885-1985 Locomotive Centennial - Haji Shamsuddin  SOLD

The author, with over forty years' experience on railways, has gathered together a significant amount of detail about the development of locomotive use in the first one hundred years of Malayan Railways.  Please see scanned photos for a list of the chapters. 86 pages with several colour and black and white plates, tables and other technical information For further details, please see the scanned contents page.  Near Fine Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket.

Malaysia & Singapore - World War II

Baba Nonnie Goes to War: The Memoirs of a Singapore Volunteer on the Thai-Burma Railway - Ron Mitchell   RM100

A non nonsense account of the experience of a young British lad, from a family settled in Singapore, who joined the Singapore Volunteer Corps shortly before the Japanese invasion and then spent the rest of the war as a prisoner under the Japanese. The account is unusual because it is not over dramatised and is from someone who was brought up in the country and so was more familiar with his surroundings than most of his fellow captives. 182 pages including an appendix listing his fellow prisoners who left for Thailand in October 1942. Near Fine Paperback. First Edition. 




Eleven Months in Malaya - R.W. Holder   RM80

A witty account of being part of the British Military Administration trying to sort out what had happened and was happening to Malaya and its citizens in the immediate aftermath of the Japanese occupation. An exercise in living by the seat of one's pants!. 154 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. Like New Hardback in a Like New Dust Jacket. First Edition 






Playing for Malaya: A Eurasian Family in the Pacific War - Rebecca Kenneison   RM60

After the death of her father, the author discovers for the first time that he was Eurasian, a descendant of European and Asian ancestors, who were not considered British by one colonial power, but treated as if they were by the Japanese colonial force that kicked the British out of Malaya. Kenneison then sets out to discover what happened to her  ancestors trapped in Malaya during the war.  275 pages including notes and index. New Paperback 





The Civil Defence of Malaya - George Maxwell (compiler)   RM200

This is not an account of the British military operations during the Japanese invasion of Malaya from 1941 to 1942, but rather an account of the role played by organised civil defence at the time. From 1940 onwards it was compulsory for all British males in the colony to be part of the force, while anyone else was welcome to volunteer. The narrative is based on the accounts of civilians who managed to escape the conflict before the fall of Singapore. 127 pages with a fold out map. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. Good Hardback in a Fair Dust Jacket. 

Asia

A New Deal for Asia - Mahathir Mohamad   M50

This book is Mahathir Mohamad's recipe for revitalising Asia after the financial crisis at the end of the twentieth century. He appeals for a united front to challenge some of the fundamentals of globalisation. Near Fine Paperback. First Edition. 








Future Cities Laboratory: Indicia 01 -0 Stephen Cairns & Devasiri Tunas (eds)  RM80

The editors have gathered together a group of contributors to highlight the ways in which future cities are being and will be designed in a more sustainable way. The contributions stem from the work of the Future Cities Laboratory, based in Singapore, a city at the centre of Asia, the world's most populous and rapidly urbanising continent. New First Edition Paperback. 230 pages. with various colour photographs and plans





Reflections on Asia - Mahathir Mohamad   RM100

A collection of Mahathir Mohamad's speeches on how Asia could recover from the Asian economic crisis of 1997. This book was originally published in Japanese. Very Good Paperback First English Language Edition 152 pages with an index 








Southeast Asian Anthropologies: National Traditions and Transnational Practices - Eric C Thompson & Vineeta Sinha (eds)   RM120

The contributors to this volume chart how anthropology, which was introduced to Southeast Asia, by visiting academics,has gradually become transformed by the experience of anthropologists from the region into practices that are more grounded in the communities and cultures that are being studied. The book firstly looks at the development of research traditions in the past, then at the opportunities and challenges for regional academics to make their own imprint on their work and ends with a look at the local, regional and international connections built up through this new practice. New Paperback. First Edition. 333 pages with an index. 



Southeast Asian Languages and Literatures A Bibliographic Guide to Burmese, Cambodian, Indonesian, Javanese, Malay, Minangkakau, Thai, and Vietnamese - E. Ulrich Kratz (ed)  RM140

A comprehensive bibliography of the main Southeast Asian languages and literatures. The contributors are academics at London universities specialising in the various fields covered in the book. The book concludes with a bibliography of Southeast Asian literature translated into other languages. Very Good Hardback. First Edition. 455 pages 








Wanderlust: The Amazing Ida Pfeiffer, The First Female Tourist - John van Whye  RM90

This is the extraordinary story of Ida Laura Pfeiffer, an Austrian mid 19th century traveller, who was the first women to circle the globe alone and then did it once more! She was also the world's first budget traveller and wrote up her amazing exploits to fund further travel. 316 pages. New Paperback.

China

A Modern Interpretation of The Ancient Chinese I Ching: Consulting the Coins - Peter Hazel   RM100

A modern guide to this ancient Chinese text. It is hoped that the author's new translation of the treatise's tenets will make them more relevant to the modern practitioner. As New Paperback. First Edition. 147 pages.









The Art of Lion Dance - Joey Yap   RM120

An unusually detailed account of the history of the Chinese lion dance tracing its evolution from a celebratory ritual to the competitive sport that it is in some parts of the world today. By going into the detailed methodology of the dance's performance, Yap also brings out both the external message that is intended to be conveyed as well as the internal spiritual discipline that the dance inculcates in the performers. 264 pages with many colour photographs and other illustrations. New First Edition. Paperback. 




The Chinese Art of Exercise for a Healthy and Long Life - Dahong Zhou  RM60

Rather than focus on one method of Chinese traditional exercise, the author focuses on a wide variety of traditions, many of which are not well known outside China. The exercises are suitable for all ages and for different levels of fitness. Each exercise is illustrated with at least one line drawing. Very Good Paperback. Reprint 207 pages with an index. 







The Chinese Art of Walking - Walking Kung - Medicinal Exercise That was Once a Carefully Guarded Secret in China - Sheng Kung Yung   RM130

A straightforward explanation of the walking aspects of the Chinese exercise practice of Chi Kung, that has various mental, physical and spiritual benefits. The book lays particular emphasis on how women can use these exercises. New Paperback. First Edition. 132 pages with many illustrative black and white photographs. 

Indonesia

Through The Malay Archipelago - Emily Richings   RM70

A reprint of Richings' account of her travels mainly through the Dutch East Indies at the beginning the 20th century. Like most Europeans of her time, she was a committed colonialist, leading one contemporary reviewer to wonder whether " the blessings of Dutch rule are realised by the natives quite as fully as they seem to be by our author." She also visits Penang. New Paperback. Reprint. 143 pages  

The Philippines

Rock Solid: How the Philippines Won Its Maritime Case Against China - Marites Danguilan Vitug   RM100

As editor-at-large of the internationally famous Filipino news web site, Rappler, Vitug is well qualified to produce this very readable account of how the Philippines took on China to enforce its rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. She outlines the history of the part of the South China Sea claimed by China, the main actors in the case and the case itself. 315 page with a bibliography and index. New Paperback. First edition.

Sri Lanka

Checkpoint, Temple, Church and Mosque, A Collaborative Ethnography of War and Peace - Jonathan Spencer, Jonathan Goodhand, Shahul Hasbullah & Others   RM50

A group of academics, mainly visitors to Sri Lanka in the course of its civil conflict, examine the role played by religion in the East of the country, one of the two main war zones. Their fieldwork demonstrates how religion, while often a healing factor, can also be the spark that leads to violence. 183 pages For further details, please see the scanned contents page. New Paperback. First Edition

Xtras

Small is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered - EF Schumacher  RM50

Schumacher's classic work proposing human-scale, decentralised and appropriate technologies. Fair Paperback. 293 pages.