New Arrivals at The Penang Bookshelf
in
April 2020
(Last Updated 30-4-20)
Biography of the Early Malay Doctors 1900-1957 Malaya and Singapore - Faridah Abdul Rashid RM80
This is quite an amazing feat of research into the lives of the few Malay doctors who qualified to practice Western Medicine in Malaya and Singapore before independence. The most famous of them all, for his political rather than medical achievements, Mahathir Mohamad, as well as the first Muslim female doctor in the country are also included. Each biography contains a wealth of information about each subject and many black and white photographs. Near Fine. Paperback. First Edition. 964 pages with a bibliography and an index.
Children of a Bus Conductor: Musings of Growing Up in Old Malacca - Ong Puay Hoon RM50
A collection of twenty short stories recounting what it was like to grow up as a member of a working class Chinese family in Malacca in the mid twentieth century. The stories not only tell of family incidents, but give an insight into children's activities, traditional customs and the atmosphere of the city at the time. New Paperback. First Edition 144 pages.
Glimpses into Life in Malayan Lands - John Turnbull Thomson RM180
Thomson was first a private surveyor in Malaya for three years and then a Government surveyor in Singapore for a further twelve years until 1853. This book, originally published in 1864, is his account of his adventures while in Malaya, where he was often the only non-official European and was able to form strong friendships in the Malay community. This involvement made him often more sympathetic than his fellow countrymen to the plight of Malays trying to come to terms with the new British presence. Very Good Paperback. Reprint. 332 pages.
Footprints in the Sands of Time: Rasammah Bhupalan, A Life of Purpose - Aruna Gopinath RM200
This is the biography of one of Malaysia's more remarkable women, who started her life as an activist at the age of 16. That was when she heard Subhas Chandler Bose's call at a rally in Ipoh for Indians in Malaya to rise up and rid the country of the British. After serving in the Indian National Army Rani of Jhansi Regiment during World War II she founded the Women Teachers Union to fight for equal pay with their male colleagues. She later went on to co-found the National Council of Women's Organisations. New Hardback in a New Dust Jacket. First Edition. 507 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
John Russell 1855-1930 : A Tale of Early Days in the Malay States - Peter Clague RM100
Russell, a printer with the prestigious London Illustrated News, was tempted by an offer from the British Government's Crown Agent to set up peninsula Malaya's first printing press in 1890. The result was the publication of the Selangor Journal, the State's first newspaper. Clague recounts Russell's life which gives interesting glimpses of some of the more colourful characters of the time as well as insights into how British entrepreneurship fitted into the developing colonial grip on the country. The book was published by one of Russell's descendants, who allowed the author access to family material. Very Good Paperback First Edition 215 pages. The book also has some black and white photographs of the time and a skeleton index.
Letters to Home: Young Malaysians Write Back! - Ooi Kok Hin & Others (eds) RM50
A collection of letters written to friends and relatives by young Malaysians studying abroad. A mixture of discovery, excitement, hope and disappointment. New Paperback. Reprint. Originally published in 2016. 234 pages.
Malayan Spymaster - Boris Hembry RM50
This is an eventful and thoughtful memoir of a young planter, sent out to Malaya in 1930, who through force of circumstance became an effective support for the resitance in Japanese occupied Malaya and then worked against the Communist guerillas in the 'Emergency' that led up to the country's independence. He left the country in 1955 as Malaya gained 'its rightful independence' and wrote this memoir for his family while in retirement. The book has been edited for publication by his son. Very Good Paperback First Edition 424 pages.
One for the Road (An English Boyhood in Singapore & Malaya) - Julian Davison RM50
A collection of stories, many of them autobiographical, about growing up in the newly independent Malaya and Singapore. Davison was born a year before independence and so experienced the slow loosening of colonial habits in favour of the new. Very Good Paperback. Revised Edition. 225 pages with some black and white photographs.
Planting Tales of Joy and Sorrow - Roger Anton (ed) RM250
A collection of often humourous anecdotes compiled by John Kyrle Money about life on the plantations in Malaysia. Although many of the tales centre on the life of Europeans on the estates, there is also a fair sprinkling of stories from the lives of those who did the hard work. Very Good Hardback. First Edition 64 pages with a few photographs and many illustrations. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
Tales Of The Malayan Coast - Rounsevelle Wildman RM140
Wildman was a US Diplomat based in Singapore at the end of the 19th century when he wrote this book, mainly a collection of reminiscences of his time there and in the state of Johore. While his style of account is fairly simplistic, there are nevertheless insights into both colonial and kampong life that could cause the reader to reflect on what has or hasn't changed in the last 100 years. 347 pages Good Hardback. First Edition
The Golden Chersonese - Isabella Bird RM60
Bird was anything but a casual visitor when she reached Malaya in 1879. She was a tough and experienced traveller in many parts of the world. She therefore had enough of a keen eye for the Malayans, their colonial masters and the environment to produce one of the more evocative accounts of the country in the late 19th century. Good Paperback. Reprint. 384 pages with an index, fold out maps of Perak and the peninsula and appendices of letters written by by Hugh Low and Frank Swettenham. Like New Hardback in a Like New Dust Jacket Reprint Originally published in 1883 368 pages
The authors having traced the early history of the sea trade in and around Sarawak, move on to the story of the company itself. The company was by a group of Chinese traders in 1875, with Rajah Charles Brooke's encouragement, with just one ship bought from the Rajah. The fleet soon expanded as trade between Borneo and the peninsula developed and ended in the late 1960s transforming itself into the travel and tour company it is today. Near Fine Paperback First Edition 166 pages with several black and white photos from the company's archives. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details.
The Diana Adventure - Dorian Ball RM200
This is the dramatic story of the wreck of East India merchant ship Diana off the coast of Melaka in 1817, the siting of the wreck nearly two centuries later and the recovery of her cargo. The author led the recovery expedition and describes the ten years of preparation crowned with eventual success. Near Fine Hardback in a Near Fine Dust Jacket. First Edition. Gift Dedication by the author. 174 pages with bibliography, technical appendices and several maps and colour illustrations.
A catalogue of books relating to Borneo history up to 1960 in the university library at the time of publication. The author, title, date and place of publication, a brief summary of the contents and number of pages are given for each item. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 70 pages with reproductions of some of the line drawing to be found in some of the books in the catalogue.
Borneo People - Malcolm MacDonald RM70
This classic account of the writer's visit to Borneo just around the time of independence includes history, ethnography and anecdote all written in an entertaining style. The book includes 44 black and white illustrations of the country and the people whom the author met. The 424 pages are divided into six parts, i.e. 1 - The Country, 2 - The Land Dayaks, 3 - The Ibans, 4 - The Kayans and Kenyahs, 5 - The Melanaus, Malays and Chinese and 6 - Envoi. Good Hardback First American Edition
Expedition to Borneo - David Macdonald RM70
An account of three young British men's visit to Brunei and Malaysian Borneo in 1972. Their main purpose was to carry out research into the habits of the proboscis monkey and the tarsier, a small leaping primate. New Paperback. Reprint. Originally published in 1982. 256 pages with about dozen black and white plates and some line drawings.
Malay Politics in Sarawak, 1946-1966 - Sanib Said RM50
Originally published in 1985, This is one of the first books that attempts to chart the political emergence of the Malay community between the end of the rule of the Brooke family through to the merging of the state with the Malaysian Union. The community, like many others, was not unanimously enthusiastic about joining the union, although it eventually licked its wounds picked up from internal splits and united in the Parti Bumiputera to accept the new nation state. New Paperback Reprint Originally published in 1985 New Paperback. Reprint. 219 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page
Silimpopon: A Borneo Coal Mine - Ross Ibbotson RM220
Few people realise that Borneo had a highly productive coal mine, supporting a community of 3,000 people in its heyday, for about 30 years from the beginning of the 20th century. Ibbotson, an established Borneo resident, beautifully brings this forgotten part of Sabah's history back to life as a result of extensive research into official and private archives. He has also been able to recover several photogrphs which have never been published before. Recommended for Sabah and mining historians. Near Fine Hardback in a New Dust Jacket Dedication Signed by the Author 199 pages including a bibliography and an index.
Vanishing World The Ibans of Borneo - Leigh Wright, Hedda Morrison & KF Wong RM120
This is principally a photographic record of the Iban of Sarawak, the most numerous and powerful tribe in Sarawak at the time of Brooke rule. As with many similar tribal societies, their way of life is now under threat. So with a hundred full page photographs, 25 of which are in colour, and accompanying text, the authors attempt to capture the main features of Iban life before it disappears. Wright was an academic with ten years' research experience in Borneo, Morrison, was a photographer and writer who had lived in Sarawak for 20 years and Wong, a Sarawakian who, at the time, was the only photographer to have made such an extensive survey of tribal life. further details, Very Good Paperback Reprint. Originally published in 1972 152 pages.For further details please see the scanned contents page
In this book, the principal professional society for the plantation industry in Malaysia looks back over its first 75 years by means of a selection of newspaper cuttings and personal anecdotes from members. Fine Hardback in a Fine Dust Jacket, 310 pages with a few line drawings and black and white photographs
The UP Saga - Susan M Martin RM70
The two main financial arteries of colonial Malaya were the mines and the plantations. In this book the author traces the history of United Plantations from its foundation by a Scandinavian pioneer before the First World War until the present day. Her research was based on well preserved company records and personal accounts of those who took part in and watched the company's development from being rubber planters to concentrating on the oil palm, which remains its main product to this day. Very Good Paperback. Reprint. Originally published in 2003 356 pages. with a bibliography and an index.
The dominant Chinese ethnic group in Borneo are the Hakka, who first settled in what is now the Indonesian part of the island in the 18th century and later migrated to Rajah Brooke's Sarawak. In this book, the author explains the spirit medium tradition and current practices of the descendants of the original settlers, mainly in West Kalimantan, but also amongst their cousins in Sarawak. The main festival for the spirit mediums, Cap Goh Meh, the last night of Chinese New Year, is explained in some detail with many colour photographs. New Paperback. First Edition 160 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
Unmistakably Chinese, Genuinely Malaysian - Rita Sim RM100
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.
Ramli Ibrahim, the subject of this book, is arguably Malaysia's best known dancer. Trained in classical ballet, classical Indian dance and modern dance, he has toured the world and inspired a renewed interest and participation in dance in his home country. This book is a photographic record of his career with an introduction by James Murdoch. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket 160 pages with numerous black and white photographs.
Businesses and governments everywhere rely on a competent arbitration system in order to resolve contractual disputes more efficiently and with greater confidentiality than the resolution procedures of most courts. This book celebrates the relatively short existence, since 1978, of the country's principal arbitration body, which is internationally recognised as an experienced, neutral, efficient and reliable dispute resolution service provider. 151 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details.
A refreshing introduction to the food of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, in a Malaysian cookery book market dominated by Chinese and Malay cuisine. Near Fine Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket. First Edition. 289 pages with numerous colour photographs For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
From the preface "(This book) deals with the many aspects of music and dance in and as environment. The title expresses in a formula the dual existence as being part of and being a part within a whole that determines features and functions of music and dance throughout their history." Go figure! New Paperback. First Edition with a CD-ROM laid in. 282 pages with an index.
The author, a prolific writer on Malaysian social issues, has regualarly updated this major work of his on the survival and flourishing of Chinese language schools in Malaysia. When first published in 1985 this was the first book in English on the Chinese education system in Malaysia and remains a core work in the study of the subject. New Paperback. Revised Edition 194 pages. Contents include 1 - Birth of Chinese Education, 2 - The Struggle Against Colonial Control, 3 - Citizenship and Chinese Education, 4 - The National School Scheme, 5 - Education Policy of the Federation, 6 - The Creation of Independent Schools, 7 - Politics and Chinese Education, 8 - Chinese Education under the NEP, 9 - Merdeka University, 10 - The Chinese Schools in the Eighties, 11 - Chinese Education in the Nineties & 12 Challenges of the New Millenium There are a new preface by Michael Beloff, QC, a bibliography, a few black and white photographs and an index.
Drawing on his experience of covering the Malayan 'Emergency' as a correspondent, Miller, while being far from impartial, brings to life Britain's first experience of a new kind of warfare where military intelligence and building up a decent rapport with civilians were prioritised over absolute reliance on war machinery. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket 220 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details
The Jungle Beat: Fighting Terrorists in Malaya - Roy Follows SOLD
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
The War of the Running Dogs: The Malayan Emergency 1948-1960 - Noel Barber RM50
After the Japanese occupation, war came again to Malaya. To the Chinese-backed guerrillas it was known as ‘The War of the Running Dogs’. This was a term for those who remained loyal to the British in Malaya. The British Government referred it as ‘Malayan Emergency’. The war lasted twelve years and cost thousands of lives. Barber draws on his journalist's expertise to provide a colourful history of the period. Good Paperback Reprint 329 pages including a bibliography and index.
The Endau-Rompin National Park is the second largest such park in peninsular Malaysia. This book documents The Endau-Rompin Heritage and Scientific Expedition 1985/6, described, almost certainly inaccurately, in the introduction as 'the first scientific expedition organised in Malaysia for Malaysians.' Nevertheless it was a major achievement in involving Malaysians in research of their natural environment when new species of plants and animal life were recorded. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket. First Edition 221 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
Fungi, Insects and Spiders of Merbok - Siti Azizah Mohd Nor & Others (eds) RM60
This book was published as a field guide to some 80 species of the fungi, insects and spiders of the Merbok area of Kedah as part of an effort for the mangrove reserve to be granted UNESCO biosphere reserve status. Each of the species is illustrated with a colour photograph and has identification and habitat information. New Paperback. First Edition. 120 pages with an index of species.
Mysterious Caves of Langkawi, Malaysia - Johnny Ong RM200
This the first comprehensive guide to the caves on the island of Langkawi off the West coast of Malaysia. Besides photographs of the caves themselves, the book contains directions as to how to get to each of them. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket. First Edition. 121 pages with many colour photographs For further details, please see the scanned contents page
National Parks of Malaysia (Malayan Nature Journal 3 & 4 of 1971) - Malayan Nature Society RM100
A special double issue of the journal covering Taman Negara, Templer Park, Bako National Park and Kinabalu National Park. There is also a section on conservation and advice for visitors to these parks. Edited by TC Whitmore and others. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 150 Pages with some line drawings and some black and white plates
Plant Life in Malaya - RE Holttum RM120
This is a classic work on plant life of the peninsula compiled by a botanist after 30 years of Malayan experience. The plants listed are mainly common ones that one is more likely to come across. Other than one black and white plate, illustrations are from line drawings.Very Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket. First Edition 254 pages. Chapters include 1.Evergreen Malaya, 2 Roots and Stems: Trees, Palms, Pandans and Tree-Ferns, 3, - Bamboo, Ginger and Orchid, 4 - Yams and Some Other Tubers, 5 - Vegetative Propagation, 6 - Flowers and Hybrids, 7 - Fruits and Seeds, 8 - Bananas, 9 - Grasses, 10 - The Story of the Pigeon Orchid, 11 - Nest-Ferns and Their Neighbours, 12 - Terrestial Ferns, 13 - Climbing Plants, 14 - Prasites and Saprophytes, 15 - Water Plants, 16 - Plants and Ants, 17 - The Malayan Forest and Botantical Equivalents of Malay and English Plant Names. There is also an index.
Poisonous Animals of Malaya - MWF Tweedie RM250
At the time this book was published, Tweedie was Assistant Curator of the Raffles Museum of Singapore. Present day Malaysia is fortunate in that it has few species of poisonous animals compared to many other places in the tropics. Tweedie's purpose in publishing the book was to popularise the identification of this minority so that their more numerous and harmless fellows would not be killed when there was no need to do so. The subject was a fitting one for the author who had a rather handsome snake, Macrocalamus tweediei, named after him, although it is not believed to be poisonous. Good Paperback. First Edition. 90 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page
The Shaping of Malaysia - Amarjit Kaur & Ian Metcalfe (eds) RM200
This is an unusual and interesting study of the factors that contributed to the character of Malaysia at the end of the 20th century because it includes not only an analysis of the country's history, politics and economics, but gives equal weights to environmental factors as well. Besides contributions on the country's mixed culture, political history, economics and society, there are also essays on Malaysia's geology and natural resources, flora, fauna and ecotourism. Near Fine Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket. First Edition. 222 pages with tables, figures, maps and an index.
A novel from one of the Malay literary greats of the 1960s. After being released from a British prison at the end of World War II following accusations of collaborating with the Japanese, he wrote a string of novels with the independence movement as a background theme. This is one of the more popular of them. It is the sixth reprint since the first edition in 1962. Very Good Paperback. 135 pages.
The Malay Schooner - Clive Dalton RM100
This book is an adventure story written for children by Dalton, who had been brought up in Malaya. A group of three boys go in search of their pet monkey who disappears on a mysterious empty schooner that suddenly arrives and then disappears from the island near their home. 124 pages. Gift dedication by the author Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket First Edition
Modern Malaysian Chinese Stories - Ly Singko RM120
In her foreword Han Suyin, the well known novelist, states that she believes this is the first ever collection in English of modern short stories of Malaysian and Singaporean authors. The collection was originally published in 1967. Most of the stories were not written originally in English and were translated by Ly Singko and Leon Comber. The 202 page book contains A Jungle Passage by Tan Kong Peng, The Old Man by Pin Tze, Gone for Ever by Lin Tsan Tien, Return by Miao Hsiou, The General by Wei Yuen, My Violin and Mata Kuching by Chan Chiuan, He Went Mad by Hua Yung Chow, The Trap by Hsiu Hsiu, The Love Nest and The Two Friends by Lee Ju Lin, Lili's Secret by Hwang Hwei, Orang Lari by Yao Tze as well as notes on the authors and a glossary. Very Good Paperback. Reprint
The Prime Minister's Secret - Julian Jayaseela RM60
The first novel of a well known Malaysian activist. A story of passion, power and colour involving a glamorous woman, groomed for politics, and a man whose family have experienced politics' darker side. Near Fine Paperback. First Edition 253 pages.
Cherita Si-Gembang - Nik Maimunah binti Yahya RM120
A collection of short stories from old Malay literature. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 44 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
Hikayat Bayan Budiman atau Cherita Khoja Maimun - RO Winstedt (ed) RM200
This is the Malay version of a work that originated in India and spread to many surrounding countries. It has been circulating in the Malay world since at least the 14th century. This book contains not only Winstedt's scholarly comments on the work, but also an outline in English, the work itself in the Rumi script as well as a reproduction of the Jawi text of the oldest known Malay fragment of the tale. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 228 pages.
Hikayat Chekel Waneng Pati - Baharuddin Zainal (ed) RM200
A popular Malay legend about star crossed lovers who were engaged to each other from childhood, but couldn't get married because their parents were not sufficiently god fearing. It does have a happy ending. The story has been retold in film and was a popular item in Kelantan puppet theatre. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket. First Edition. 240 pages.
The Rama Saga in Malaysia - Alexander Zieseniss RM130
The story of the abduction of Sita, Prince Rama's wife, by the ten headed ogre king of Langka was exported to Southeast Asia as Indian influence spread. In this book Zieseniss looks at the versions that found themselves incorporated into Malay culture by comparing them with Indian, Indonesian and Thai versions. Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket. Reprint. Originally published in 1963, Translated by PW Burch and with a Foreword by C Hooykaas. 202 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
Gimlette, one of the pioneers of Western medicine in the Malayan Peninsula, never lived to see this book published. It was completed by Thomson, his colleague and friend, from notes prepared for the book. One of the many characteristics that distinguished the author from his fellow practitioners was that he had and open heart and an open and enquiring mind. So while he was tending to the needs amongst his patients in remote parts of the country, he also wanted to find out what form of medicine had sustained the Malays and Orang Asli (indigenous people). The book, in dictionary form, provides us with the fascinating results of his research. Very Good Paperback Reprint. Originally published in 1939 . 259 pages
Making and Unmaking the Asylum: Leprosy and Modernity in Singapore and Malaysia - Loh Kah Seng RM120
A moving history of the treatment of leprosy in colonial and post colonial Malaysia and Singapore. Despite the often brutal policies of exclusion from society, the author demonstrates how leprosy sufferers were able to create families, forge relationships and live a sort of life resembling normality. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 151 pages with an index, bibliography and some black and white plates
Sengketa dan Damai - Mansor Abdullah RM130
A marriage guidance handbook 1960s style. The author wrote several counselling books at the time. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 163 pages.
The Way Home: The World of Former Leprosy Patients and Their Dependants RM60
Leprosy or Hansen's Disease is now curable, although it was not always so. As in many other parts of the world, British colonial officials enforced a strict separation of leprosy sufferers from the rest of the community in settlements. In this book two journalists team up to tell the story of one such settlement at Sungai Buloh on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. The authors gained the trust of the residents so as to be able to bring to light the plight of those who are still isolated and their descendants. Near Fine Paperback First Edition 291 pages.
In his preface the author wisely points out that the official histories of the country, whether written before or after independence, are the equivalents of histories of other countries, i.e. they're written by the colonialists, elites or victors. He interestingly highlights the deficiencies of these histories and proceeds to give his very readable 'people's history.' The book's main achievement is to highlight the contributions to the nationalist movement of Malay groups, whose efforts are generally unknown or underreported. New Paperback. First English Language Edition. 194 pages with an index.
The Malay Peninsula: A Record of British Progress in the Middle East - Arnold Wright & Thomas H Reid RM350
Wright seemed to make his living advertising 'the permanent planting of the Union Jack' in various parts of the world. This book, originally published in 1912, is in many ways a follow up to his better known Twentieth Century Impressions of British Malaya, published at the turn of the century. The authors record the country's recent history and the advances made by British power in 'converting this No-Man's-Land of a few decades since into the home of one of the most thriving and contented communities owning the British sway.' The book has nothing to do to with what is today known as 'The Middle East.' Good Hardback. First American Edition. 360 pages with the remnants of a fold out map, 51 black and white plates and an index.
This book is interesting as it's written by a US academic specialising in Southeast Asian affairs in the immediate aftermath of the Japanese conquest of Malaya. She doesn't seek to examine the campaign that led to the collapse of British colonial rule, but rather to look principally at British political preparedness. Through a detailed analysis of the methodology of decades of British colonial intervention in Malaya she argues that the British failure in Malaya was the result of the way the British attempted to rule the country and their attitude to its inhabitants. 323 pages including a bibliography and index. The contents include the following chapters - I - Rulers and Subjects, II - The Mosaic of Peoples, III - The Land and Climate, IV - Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, V - Tin Mining and Smelting, VI - Rubber Growing, VII - The Attempt to Industrialise, VIII - Labor, IX - Finances, X - Wartime Trade, XI - Military History, XII - Wartime Controls & XIII - Malay Nationalism and the War. Very Good Hardback First Edition
Report for 1915 on the Federated Malay States - The Colonial Office RM140
A general report on Government and major industrial, trade and agricultural activities in the Federated Malay States in 1915 submitted by the Government to the British Parliament. Very Good paperback. First edition. 25 pages including a fold out chart detailing the financial aspects of tin mining over the previous 27 years. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
The Genesis of Konfrontasi: Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia, 1945-1965 - Greg Poulgrain RM70
The formation of Malaysia got off to a rocky start, not least because neighbouring Indonesia wasn't too happy with the name, which previously was applied to the whole Malay Archipelago, being appropriated by them, but also because of territorial rivalry on the island of Borneo. Konfrontasi, or the Confrontation, i.e. armed warfare between both countries was the result. In this book, the author revises several parts of the story, particularly the extent to which British and US interventions both exacerbated and smoothed the situation. New Paperback. Reprint. 335 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
The Undeclared War - Harold James & Denis Sheil-Small RM50
An account of the military aspects of the 'Konfrontasi' with Indonesia. The book is written from a British viewpoint and is seen as 'Britain's most vital victory since the Second Word War.' 201 pages with an index Good Paperback. Reprint Originally published in 1971.
This book is the Tamil version of the Malaysian Indian Dilemma. Indian Malaysian Indians have usually managed to get the raw end of the deal from the time they arrived in Malaya as indentured, or enslaved, labourers to work on British plantations. After independence they did not fare much better thanks in part to inept representation. (Tamils in Asia arguably have a knack of following leaders with something of a self-destructive streak.) This book tells the Indian story, but this time refreshingly from an Indian point of view. 549 pages including several black and white plates, tables, an index and a bibliography. The book's chapters include 1 - Indians in Malaysia: General Information, 2 - The Arrival of Indians in the Malay Archipelago, 3 - The Early Indian Migrants and Their Struggle for Survival 1786-1940, 4 - The Emergence of the Malayan Indian 1941-1957, 5 - The Status of Indians in Post-Independent Malaya 1970-1990, 6 - The New Economic Policy and the Malaysian Indians 1970-1990, 7 - The National Development policy and the Malaysian Indians 1990-200, 8 - The Urban Indian Quagmire, 9 - The National Vision Plan and The Malaysian Indians 2000-2010, 10- Whither from Here 2010-2020. New Hardback Fourth Edition
Trocki puts forward a new theory about the early history of Singapore, i.e. Raffles didn't start from scratch. For at least a century before his arrival the Sultans of Johore and such of their brother sultans in the archipelago who could wriggle out of Dutch control, had been inviting Chinese capitalists and labourers into their domains to farm opium, gambier and pepper and develop business generally. The Johor sultanate was unique in that it recorded in some detail how these Chinese kongsis, or enterprises, operated. Trocki's work is based on research of these archives. 251 pages with the following chapters 1- Prelude to Singapore 1784-1819, 2 - The Prince of Pirates, 1819-25, 3 - The Temenggong of Singapore, 1825-48, 4 - The Temenggong and the Chinese, 1844-1860, 5 - Abu Bakar takes Command, 1860-73, 6 - Johor and the Maharaja, 1873-84, 7 - Johor in 1885: Prospects & 8 - The Transformation of the Maritime Polity. There is also a glossary, bibliography and index as well as two appendices. Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket
The author, an award winning journalist, pops into various parts of Malaysia and episodes in its history in an effort to understand his homeland's past and wonder about its future. In doing so he intermingles the country's biography with his own. New Hardback in a New Dust Jacket 299 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
As was often the case with British colonial officers, Sir William Edward Maxwell, spread further afield an appreciation of the culture of the country where he worked. Sir William's speciality was the Malay and other Eastern languages. This 22 page pamphlet is a fascinating linguistic discourse as to how Sanskrit words crept into the "Chiri", an incantation made at the installation of sultans and other senior officials of Malay states. New Paperback Reprint
Malay Proverbs - Bidal Melayu - A. W. Hamilton RM140
A collection of about two hundred Malay proverbs that were common in the 1930s together with with English translations. The Malay Rumi script predates the 1972 spelling reforms. Very Good Paperback. Reprint. Originally published in 1937. 85 pages with a vocabulary.
Spoken Malay - Book One - Isidore Dyen RM80
A handbook for colloquial Malay produced for the US armed forces at the end of World War II. Good Paperback. First Edition. 192 pages
An extensive guide to the history and sites of the city of Melaka with several maps and black and white plates. Very Good Paperback. 157 pages with a bibliography.
A promotional brochure for the United States, presumably hoping to help revive the Malayan tin industry after World War II. There are sections explaining what tin is used for both in the home and in fighting Communism as well, a few glitzy statistics and lots of illustrations. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 20 pages.
At the time of this reprint, this account of the Negrito aborigines of Malaysia remained the only description of the people made by someone who had actually lived with them extensively, although the first edition had been published nearly half a century earlier. Schebesta, a theologian, gives an account of the Negrito religion that has seldom been bettered and was the first person to identify distinctly separate groups within the wide 'Negrito' definition that had been employed earlier. The book remains essential reading for those wanting to familiarise themselves with Orang Asli culture in the country. Good. Hardback. Reprint. 288 pages with an introduction by Geoffrey Benjamin. For further details, please see the scanned contents page
Written by two expatriates based in Penang, this book sets out to introduce the reader to the wide range of Malaysian and international food available in Penang. There are a selection of recipes, interviews with chefs and a range of cooking tips. New Paperback. First Edition 144 pages.
Melayu-Muslim Dalam Sejarah George Town - Mahani Musa RM150
A history of the Malay community in George Town, the capital of Penang. The author is a leading Malaysian historian. The book is in Malay. Near Fine Hardback in a Near Fine Dust Jacket. First Edition 230 pages with many black and white and colour photographs and reproductions of documents, a bibliography and an index.
Northern Builders: Memoirs of Chairmen, 1967-2008 - Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Penang Branch) RM150
A collection of memories of past chairmen of this professional body from its funding until 2008. The book gives some background to major construction projects in Penang during this time. New Hardback in a Near Fine Dust Jacket. First Edition. 137 pages with an index.
Penang and Its Region: The Story of an Asian Entrepot RM50
This is not a general history of the island, but rather focuses on the aspect of the island's history the brought it to regional prominence, i.e. its position as the hub of regional and international trade, replacing Malacca in its early days and then giving way to Singapore in the nineteenth century. Four leading academics, Dr Yeoh Seng Guan, a sociologist, Dr Loh Wei Leng, an economics historian, Khoo Salma Nasution, a Penang heritage advocate and academic and Neir Khor, a historian, have come together to edit the following contributions - 1 - Conjectures, Confluences, Contestations: A Perspective on Penang History by Tan Lok Ee, 2 - Penang's Changing Role in the Straits Settlements 1826-1946 by CM Turnbull, 3 - Tanjong, Hilir Perak, Larut and Kinta: The Penang-Perak Nexus in History by Khoo Kay Kim, 4 - Penang's Trade and Shipping in the Imperial Age by Loh Wei Leng, 5 - From regional Entrepot to Malayan Port: Penang's Trade and Trading Communities, 1890-1940 by Chuleeporn Virunha, 6 - Penang to Songkhla, Penang to Patani: Two Roads, Past and Present by Philip King, 7 - Perceptions of Penang: Views form across the Straits by Abdur-Razzaq Lubis, 8 - Migration and Enterprise: The Eu Yan Sang Firm and the Eu Kong-pui Family in Foshan, Penang and Hong Kong by Stephanie Chung Po-Yin, 9 - A Prominent Chinese Towkay from the Periphery: The Choong Family by Wu Xiao An, 10 - Koh Seang Tat and the Asian Opium Farming Business by Carl A Trocki, 11 - Secret Societies and Politics in Colonial Malaya with Special Reference to the Ang Bin Hoey in Penang (1945-1952) by Leong Yee Fong and 12 - Riding the Storms: Radicalisation of the Labour Party of Malaya, Penang Division, 1963-1969 by Tan Kim Hong. Very Good Paperback. First Edition 284 pages with an index
Penang Guide - Paul H Kratoska RM50
This is an unusual Penang guide book since it is written by a well known academic of Southeast Asian history who has decided to give us the benefit of his ten years stay in Penang. Although some details, such as telephone numbers, may no longer be accurate, the book, which may become a collectors' item, contains much that is still relevant as well as much that other guides miss out, e.g. suggested hikes, a food glossary and much more Good Paperback Expanded Revised Edition This 224 page book is illustrated throughout with fine black and white line drawings and illustrations
Penang Through Old Picture Post Cards - Penang Museum RM170
Although there have been more than one collection of postcards of Penang published this century, this collection may well have been the first ever such collection. It was produced in connection with the Festival of Penang in 1986 and contains mainly black and white, but some colour reproductions of early post cards too. Good Paperback. First Edition 128 pages with an index. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
Streets of George Town Penang - Khoo Su Nin RM70
This fourth edition edition of probably Penang's best selling guide book 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. Very Good Paperback. Fourth Edition
The Connection Phuket, Penang, and Adelaide - Ian Morson RM240
Morson's account of the Light family, Francis and his son William, takes us from Phuket, Francis Light's base before taking over Penang, to Adelaide, founded by William. As New Hardback First Edition. 126 pages with some colour photos. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details.
To Heal The Sick: The Story of Healthcare and Doctors in Penang - Ong Hean Teik (ed) RM300
One of the main attractions of Penang in the 21st century is as a centre for medical tourism. In this history of the practice of principally Western medicine from the late 18th century to the present, members of the profession and others bring to life the island's medical history. This revised edition also includes a section on traditional Chinese, Indian and Malay medicine. Near Fine Hardback. Revised Edition. 212 pages with a bibliography, an index and several black and white and colour photographs.
Views from Pulau Pinang: Countering Modern Orientalism and Policy Perspectives - Ahmad Murad Merican, Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk and Mohamed Ghouse Nasuruddin RM50
A collection of previously published articles that set out to challenge what the authors see as stultifying mindsets enveloped in colonisation, modernisation developmentalism, globalisation, nationalism and other forms of 'intellectual captivity.' The authors are all members of The Centre for Policy Research and International Studies at University Sains Malaysia in Penang. New Paperback. First Edition. 103 pages.
This was probably published in the 1920s or 1930s as a complimentary copy for customers of John Little & Co.,General Merchants of London, Singapore, Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh. There is no text, but 37 black and white plates of which 18 are of Singapore, 8 of Kuala Lumpur, 5 of Penang and the remainder of Ipoh,Melaka & Seremban Good Board Book. 28 pages
Jalan Jalan: Images of Malaysia - Hans Hoefer RM70
The beautiful output of ten years travelling to "every accessible corner of Malaysia" by the photographer Hans Hoefer. With text by Peter Hutton. Very Good Hardback First Edition 208 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket
Malaysia In Colour - John Day RM70
A photographic journey through Malaysia accompanied by some well informed text. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket. Reprint. Originally published in 1979. 116 pages.
An annotated text of this romantic poem with a literary commentary. About half the book is taken up with the text of the syair while the other half comprises the commentary. Very Good Paperback First Edition. 102 pages including a bibliography
The Japanese issued very few stamps of their own during their occupation of Malaya, but instead used British stamps which they overprinted in various ways. This booklet lists the various over prints with illustrations and has black and white photographs of the stamps issued. Good Paperback. 20 pages.
Reminiscences of the Straits Settlements Through Postcards - Lee Geok Boi (ed) RM140
This book was published to mark the first ever joint collaboration between National Archives of Malaysia and National Archives of Singapore in staging an exhibition. The exhibition's purpose was to highlight the immediate pre independence history of Malacca, Penang and Singapore, which were jointly known as The Straits Settlements before independence. Around about 100 postcards were chosen from each country's archives, supported by maps, building plans and other documents. Fine Hardback in a Fine Dust Jacket 144 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
Comber, a former member of the British Malayan police turned academic, picks his way sensitively through the events that transformed Malaysian society and politics. The causes and what actually happened are still a matter of controversy today. The author does his best to make sense of it all. Originally published in 1983. Very Good Paperback. Reprint. 134 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details.
13 May 1969: The Darkest Day in Malaysian History - Leon Comber RM150
Comber, a former member of the British Malayan police turned academic, picks his way sensitively through the events that transformed Malaysian society and politics. The causes and what actually happened are still a matter of controversy today. The author does his best to make sense of it all. 134 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. This book was originally published in 1983 as "13 May 1969: A Historical Survey of Sino-Malay Relations" New Paperback Reprint
While there have been many published accounts of the experiences of prisoners of war held by the Japanese on the Malay Peninsula, less has been written about the Commonwealth soldiers held in captivity in Borneo. This book is an account of an Australian's experience there and his escape back to his homeland. On arriving back he was told that he was the first Australian POW to have escaped from a Japanese camp. New Paperback. Reprint. Originally published in 1958.
Jungle Soldier: The True Story of Freddy Spencer Chapman - Brian Moynahan RM50
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. Good Paperback.
The Sacrifice of Singapore: Churchill's Biggest Blunder - Michael Arnold RM50
This account of the fall of Singapore to the Japanese in February 1942 sets the events in a wider context than most others. The author argues that Churchill could have provided more support but was obsessed with defeating Rommel in North Africa, while Roosevelt held back promised air support, thus leaving the city to its fate. Good Paperback. 284 pages with a bibliography
- 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 and to Singapore.
Malaysia & Singapore - Agriculture
The book was written at a time when Sarawak rice growers' yield from their fields was less than the average in Asia. Obviously the author hoped to improve the situation as a result of the instructions in this book. Good First Edition. Paperback. 83 pages with several black and white photographs, diagrams and line drawings. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
Malaysia & Singapore - Architecture
Innovative Architecture of Singapore - Robert Powell RM140
Although Singapore is referred to by some as 'The Air Conditioned Nation," this review of contemporary Singaporean architecture reveals a more nuanced variety in the nation's buildings. The city, like many, is still blighted with assembly line architecture,but this book reveals fresh trends that make use of the community's multicultural traditions and its architects' imagination. The range of projects covered includes religious and civic buildings, conservation projects, domestic architecture, sports facilities, commercial projects and interiors. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket. First Edition. 159 pages.
The Resilience of Tradition: Malay Allusions in Contemporary Architecture - Shireen Jahn Kassim, Norwina Mohd Nawawi & Noor Hanita Abdul Majid RM90
The Resilience of Tradition: Malay Allusions in Contemporary Architecture - Shireen Jahn Kassim, Norwina Mohd Nawawi & Noor Hanita Abdul Majid RM90
It is a fairly common feature in current tropical architecture to abandon traditional climate appropriate forms for structures more suitable for colder climes: wood and ventilation are replaced by concrete and air conditioning. In this book three academics from the fields of sustainable design, vernacular architecture, bioclimactic technology and health planning examine what has been happening in Malaysia. Having established the positive effects of traditional Malay architecture, they survey current attempts in the country and elsewhere in Southeast Asia to incorporate traditional principles into modern buildings. With many colour photographs and some line drawings. New Softback. First Edition 273 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page
Near Fine Copy RM60
Malaysia & Singapore - The Arts & Culture
Bangau: Decorative Guards for Sails and Spars on Malay Fishing Boats - Mubin Sheppard RM100
This is a reprint of an article that first appeared in the Federation Museums Journal by Sheppard, a keen enthusiast for Malay arts and crafts, detailing the craftsmanship in producing 'bangau', a wooden spar and sail guard used for holding fishing boats' sails when they were not in use. On the East coast of the peninsula fishermen took pride in making these bangau into ornamental objects. The article discusses various types from different area and includes line drawings and ten black and white plates. Very Good Paperback. 12 pages.
\\
Beads - Sarawak Museum Occasional Paper No 2 - Heidi Munan RM100
Beads for decoration, religion and currency have been part of Sarawak culture for centuries. In this book the then Honorary Curator of the Sarawak Museum describes historical beadwork, how beads are made, designs used and beads in ritual Near Fine Paperback. First Revised edition. Originally published in 1978. 23 pages with many colour photographs and line drawings and a bibliography.
Infrastructures: Narratives in Malaysian Art, Volume 3 RM70
This book is mainly aimed at cultural policy makers as it takes a conducted tour through the development and current state of the structures that support the Malaysian art scene. The main sections of the book include institutions supporting art, artist initiatives, the art market, art education and writing and publications on Malaysian art at the moment. The volume is a mix of articles, data, maps and the documentation of round table discussions from a wide range of contributors. New Paperback. First Edition 444 pages.
Kebudayaan Sa-Pintas Lalu 2 - Mahmud Ahmad RM130
Short cultural notes on influences and traditions of various cultures in and around Malaysia. Very Good Hardback. First Edition. 192 pages.
Phoenix Rising: Narratives In Nonya Beadwork From The Straits Settlements - Cheah Hwei-Fe'n RM340
As gorgeous as it is, this book is not yet another coffee table book on Nyonya beadwork, the Straits Chinese equivalent of embroidery. Instead, in amidst a sumptuous colour illustrations of the best of such work, Cheah sets the craft within its social context. Amongst other things, she details the influences on styles and the effect of the craft on the position of women within the home and the community generally. .New Paperback The contents of the 384 pages include the following chapters - 1 - Approaching Nyonya Beadwork, 2 - The Changing Shape of Peranakan Society, 3 - Domesticated Daughters, Dutiful Wives: The Social Role of Nyonya Beadwork, 4 - Towards a Chronology of Nyonya Beadwork, 5 - Embroidering Culture: Early Nyonya Beadwork from 1870 to 1900, 6 - Crafting Identities: Tensions and Tradition in Nyonya Beadwork from 1900 to the 1970s, 7 - Tradition and the Peranakan Present and a glossary, bibliography and index.
Retrospective: A Historiographical Aesthetic in Contemporary Singapore and Malaysia - June Yap RM100
\\
Beads - Sarawak Museum Occasional Paper No 2 - Heidi Munan RM100
Infrastructures: Narratives in Malaysian Art, Volume 3 RM70
Kebudayaan Sa-Pintas Lalu 2 - Mahmud Ahmad RM130
Phoenix Rising: Narratives In Nonya Beadwork From The Straits Settlements - Cheah Hwei-Fe'n RM340
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
Biography of the Early Malay Doctors 1900-1957 Malaya and Singapore - Faridah Abdul Rashid RM80
Children of a Bus Conductor: Musings of Growing Up in Old Malacca - Ong Puay Hoon RM50
Glimpses into Life in Malayan Lands - John Turnbull Thomson RM180
Footprints in the Sands of Time: Rasammah Bhupalan, A Life of Purpose - Aruna Gopinath RM200
John Russell 1855-1930 : A Tale of Early Days in the Malay States - Peter Clague RM100
Letters to Home: Young Malaysians Write Back! - Ooi Kok Hin & Others (eds) RM50
Malayan Spymaster - Boris Hembry RM50
One for the Road (An English Boyhood in Singapore & Malaya) - Julian Davison RM50
Planting Tales of Joy and Sorrow - Roger Anton (ed) RM250
Tales Of The Malayan Coast - Rounsevelle Wildman RM140
The Golden Chersonese - Isabella Bird RM60
Malaysia & Singapore - Boats, Fishing & Maritime
Story of the Sarawak Steamship Company - Vincent H. K. Foo & Chai Foh Chin RM100The Diana Adventure - Dorian Ball RM200
Borneo
Borneo in History: A Catalogue of Books in the Borneo Collection of the University Library - Simon Francis RM90Borneo People - Malcolm MacDonald RM70
Expedition to Borneo - David Macdonald RM70
Malay Politics in Sarawak, 1946-1966 - Sanib Said RM50
Silimpopon: A Borneo Coal Mine - Ross Ibbotson RM220
Vanishing World The Ibans of Borneo - Leigh Wright, Hedda Morrison & KF Wong RM120
Malaysia & Singapore - Business, Economics & Labour
Incorporated Society of Planters, 1919-1994: A Miscellany of 75 Years - Khoo Kay Kim & James Bush (eds) RM140
The UP Saga - Susan M Martin RM70
Malaysia & Singapore - Chinese Community & Culture
Of Temple and Tatung Tradition in Singkawang - Elena Chai RM60
Unmistakably Chinese, Genuinely Malaysian - Rita Sim RM100
Malaysia & Singapore - Cinema, Dance, Music & Drama
Ramli! The Heart of the Sutra - Sutra Dance Theatre RM350Malaysia & Singapore - Constitution, Law & Legal Systems
KLRCA: Acknowledging the Past, Building the Future RM120
Malaysia & Singapore - Cooking & Food
Traditional Cuisines of Sabah, Malaysia: A Culinary Heritage - D. Dompok RM150Malaysia & Singapore - Dance, Drama & Music
(Music Λ Dance) Є Environment - Gisa Jähnichen & Chinthaka Meddegoda (Eds) RM80
Malaysia & Singapore - Education
200 Years of Chinese Education in Malaysia : A Protean Saga - Kua Kia Soong RM60
Malaysia & Singapore - The 'Emergency'
Jungle War in Malaya: The Campaign Against Communism, 1948-1960 - Harry Miller RM130
The Jungle Beat: Fighting Terrorists in Malaya - Roy Follows SOLD
The War of the Running Dogs: The Malayan Emergency 1948-1960 - Noel Barber RM50
Malaysia & Singapore - Environment, Nature & Wildlife
Endau Rompin: A Malaysian Heritage - Malayan Nature Society RM90Fungi, Insects and Spiders of Merbok - Siti Azizah Mohd Nor & Others (eds) RM60
Mysterious Caves of Langkawi, Malaysia - Johnny Ong RM200
National Parks of Malaysia (Malayan Nature Journal 3 & 4 of 1971) - Malayan Nature Society RM100
Plant Life in Malaya - RE Holttum RM120
Poisonous Animals of Malaya - MWF Tweedie RM250
The Shaping of Malaysia - Amarjit Kaur & Ian Metcalfe (eds) RM200
Malaysia & Singapore - Fiction
Nur dan Ros - Harun Aminurrashid RM150
The Malay Schooner - Clive Dalton RM100
Modern Malaysian Chinese Stories - Ly Singko RM120
In her foreword Han Suyin, the well known novelist, states that she believes this is the first ever collection in English of modern short stories of Malaysian and Singaporean authors. The collection was originally published in 1967. Most of the stories were not written originally in English and were translated by Ly Singko and Leon Comber. The 202 page book contains A Jungle Passage by Tan Kong Peng, The Old Man by Pin Tze, Gone for Ever by Lin Tsan Tien, Return by Miao Hsiou, The General by Wei Yuen, My Violin and Mata Kuching by Chan Chiuan, He Went Mad by Hua Yung Chow, The Trap by Hsiu Hsiu, The Love Nest and The Two Friends by Lee Ju Lin, Lili's Secret by Hwang Hwei, Orang Lari by Yao Tze as well as notes on the authors and a glossary. Very Good Paperback. Reprint
The Prime Minister's Secret - Julian Jayaseela RM60
Malaysia & Singapore - Folklore
Cherita Si-Gembang - Nik Maimunah binti Yahya RM120
Hikayat Bayan Budiman atau Cherita Khoja Maimun - RO Winstedt (ed) RM200
Hikayat Chekel Waneng Pati - Baharuddin Zainal (ed) RM200
The Rama Saga in Malaysia - Alexander Zieseniss RM130
Malaysia & Singapore - Health, Medicine & Psychology
A Dictionary of Malayan Medicine - John D Gimlette & HW Thomson RM300
Making and Unmaking the Asylum: Leprosy and Modernity in Singapore and Malaysia - Loh Kah Seng RM120
Sengketa dan Damai - Mansor Abdullah RM130
The Way Home: The World of Former Leprosy Patients and Their Dependants RM60
Malaysia & Singapore - History
A People's History of Malaysia, with Emphasis on the Development of Nationalism - Syed Husin Ali RM60
The Malay Peninsula: A Record of British Progress in the Middle East - Arnold Wright & Thomas H Reid RM350
Malaysia & Singapore - History (20th Century)
Post-Mortem on Malaya - Virginia Thompson RM150
Report for 1915 on the Federated Malay States - The Colonial Office RM140
The Genesis of Konfrontasi: Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia, 1945-1965 - Greg Poulgrain RM70
The formation of Malaysia got off to a rocky start, not least because neighbouring Indonesia wasn't too happy with the name, which previously was applied to the whole Malay Archipelago, being appropriated by them, but also because of territorial rivalry on the island of Borneo. Konfrontasi, or the Confrontation, i.e. armed warfare between both countries was the result. In this book, the author revises several parts of the story, particularly the extent to which British and US interventions both exacerbated and smoothed the situation. New Paperback. Reprint. 335 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
The Undeclared War - Harold James & Denis Sheil-Small RM50
Malaysia & Singapore - Indian Community & Culture
மலேசிய இந்தியர்களின் இக்கட்டான ந லை (The Malaysian Indian Dilemma: The Struggles and Agony of the Indian Community in Malaysia) - Janakey Raman Manickam RM200
Johor
Prince of Pirates: The Temenggongs - Carl A Trocki RM80Malaysia & Singapore - Journalism
Peninsula: A Story of Malaysia RM100Malaysia & Singapore - Language & Linguistics
An Account of the Malay "Chiri" William Edward Maxwell RM50Malay Proverbs - Bidal Melayu - A. W. Hamilton RM140
Spoken Malay - Book One - Isidore Dyen RM80
Malaysia & Singapore - Malay Community & Culture
Elite Malay Polygamy: Wives, Wealth and Woes in Malaysia - Miriam Koktvedgaard Zeitzen RM230
While it is an accepted fact that polygamy exists in Malaysia, it is not widespread and is generally more prevalent in rural areas. The author, with more than twenty years of experience in Malaysia and elsewhere researching polygamy and polyandry, concentrates here on wealthy families' experiences and anxieties about the practice. It is difficult to estimate the incidence of polygamy amongst the elite in Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding urban areas because there are no official statistics. What the author found instead was a fair amount of anxiety amongst women that polygamy was a possibility. Because the practice is allowed - and some believe sanctioned by Islam - in Malaysia, wives often worry that their husbands are 'MBAs', Married But Available. New Hardback. First Edition. 277 pages with a bibliography and an index.
The Legacy of the Malay Letter/ Warisan Warkah Melayu - Annabel Teh Gallop RM300
The Legacy of the Malay Letter/ Warisan Warkah Melayu - Annabel Teh Gallop RM300
This really is a beautiful book evoking the courtly style of Malay letter writing that changed little during the period between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries from which the examples in this book are taken. There are 210 colour and 32 black and white illustrations and scholarly transliterations of 100 of the letters. The book is bilingual in English and Malay, contains an essay by E. Ulrich Katz and is far from being just a picture book. 240 pages.Good Hardback First Edition
Melaka
The Illustrated Historical Guide to Malacca - FE Brooks (ed) RM160
Malaysia & Singapore - Mining
There is Plenty of Tin: It Is Important to You - The Malayan Tin Bureau RM200
Malaysia - Orang Asli/Indigenous Peoples
Among the Forest Dwarfs of Malaya - Paul Schebesta RM120Penang
Food Friends' Gourmet Secrets - Penang Passion RM80Melayu-Muslim Dalam Sejarah George Town - Mahani Musa RM150
Northern Builders: Memoirs of Chairmen, 1967-2008 - Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Penang Branch) RM150
Penang and Its Region: The Story of an Asian Entrepot RM50
Penang Guide - Paul H Kratoska RM50
Penang Through Old Picture Post Cards - Penang Museum RM170
Streets of George Town Penang - Khoo Su Nin RM70
The Connection Phuket, Penang, and Adelaide - Ian Morson RM240
To Heal The Sick: The Story of Healthcare and Doctors in Penang - Ong Hean Teik (ed) RM300
Views from Pulau Pinang: Countering Modern Orientalism and Policy Perspectives - Ahmad Murad Merican, Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk and Mohamed Ghouse Nasuruddin RM50
Malaysia & Singapore - Photography
Fine Art Views of Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States - John Little & Co Ltd RM800Jalan Jalan: Images of Malaysia - Hans Hoefer RM70
Malaysia In Colour - John Day RM70
Malaysia & Singapore - Poetry
Sha'er Burong Punggok - Raja Iskandar bin Raja Muhammad Zahid (ed) RM150
Malaysia & Singapore - Politics
Singapore is almost as equally well known for being an 'economic miracle' as for being a state where dissent has historically been drastically circumscribed. Operation Coldstore was, arguably, one of the more ruthless operations to remove dissenters from circulation on charges of communism and subversion. Subsequently the Government's version of events has rarely been allowed to be challenged. This collection of accounts, a mixture of recollections of the ex-detainees and academic critiques of the Government's version of history, seeks to set the record straight. 542 pages including an index and a comprehensive list of detainees imprisoned in Singapore from 1950 to 2013. New Paperback
Malaysia & Singapore - Postal History
Postage Stamps Issued During the Japanese Occupation, March 1942 - August 1945 - Malayan Stamp Company RM170
Reminiscences of the Straits Settlements Through Postcards - Lee Geok Boi (ed) RM140
Malaysia & Singapore - Race Relations
13 May 1969: A Historical Survey of Sino-Malay Relations - Leon Comber RM100
13 May 1969: The Darkest Day in Malaysian History - Leon Comber RM150
Malaysia & Singapore - Religion
I Am Muslim - Dina Zaman RM60
The author, the daughter of a Malaysian diplomat, was mainly brought up outside Malaysia until the age of 15. On returning to the country she set out to discover what being a Muslim meant to her and to her fellow Muslim Malaysians. Because Zaman does not come to discover her faith from a background of traditional teaching, her thoughts can be shocking, even scandalous, but none of that shakes, but rather deepens, her faith. 236 pages. New Paperback Reprint
Islam and the Malay-Indonesian World: Transmission and Responses - Peter Riddell RM100
Riddell argues in his introduction that although much has been written about the arrival of Islam in Indonesia and Malaysia and its development through to the revivalist period of the 1970s and 80s, much of such scholarship in English does not pay very much attention to the religious aspects of Islam .He therefore traces the theological ebbs and flows throughout its history in the region to redress this gap in Islamic scholarship. 349 pages. The contents include the following chapters Islamic Scholarship and Textual Materials, Doctrines and Debates: The Place of Revelation, Exegesis of the Qur'an, Law and Stories, Mystical Belief and Practice, 20th Century Islamic Reformism and Revolution, The 16th and 17th Centuries: Sufis in Conflict, Early Malay Qur'anic Exegetical Activity, The 18th and 19th Centuries: From Sufism to Reform, Malay Islamic Thought (1900-1998), Exegisis in Modern Southeast Asia, Perspectives on Popular Preaching (1983-98).There is also a bibliography and an index. Near Fine Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket Reprint
Kesah2 Sejaraah Di-Timor Tengah - Abdul Jalil Haji Noor (ed) RM130
Islam and the Malay-Indonesian World: Transmission and Responses - Peter Riddell RM100
Kesah2 Sejaraah Di-Timor Tengah - Abdul Jalil Haji Noor (ed) RM130
A collection of eight stories about the beginnings of Islam in the Middle East. Very Good Paperback. First Edition
Terengganu
The experiences of an expatriate teacher of English in Terengganu. Charmingly and amusingly written with reflections on both the joys and incongruities of expatriate life in a Malaysian backwater as well as Malaysian life itself. Very Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket. First Edition. 208 pages illustrated with several line drawings by the author.
Malaysia & Singapore - World War II
Escape from Hell : The Sandakan Story - Walter Wallace RM60
Jungle Soldier: The True Story of Freddy Spencer Chapman - Brian Moynahan RM50
The Sacrifice of Singapore: Churchill's Biggest Blunder - Michael Arnold RM50
Asia
Admiralty Sailing Directions: China Sea Pilot Volume II - Hydrodrapher of the Navy RM130
The British Admiralty guide to The Western and North-Western Coasts of Borneo, the Philippine Islands from Balabac to Cape Bojeador in Luzon and the outlying islands and dangers in the southern and eastern parts of the China Sea. The book contains navigational information, charts and maps and brief information about various ports in the region. Very Good Hardback. Revised Fourth Edition originally published in 1975. 217 pages with some black and white photographs.
Alexander Hamilton A Scottish Sea Captain in Southeast Asia, 1689-1723 - Michael Smithies (ed) RM60
This is an excerpt of fourteen chapters - those relating to Southeast Asia - of Alexander Hamilton's A New Account of the East Indies, originally published in 1727. It is a significant source of information on the area at a time when British merchant ships were only just beginning to sniff about in an area whose foreign trade was dominated by the Dutch and Spanish. Hamilton's an accomplished raconteur which makes his account all the more readable. Very Good Paperback Reprint. 206 pages with accompanying notes by the editor. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
Cruising Guide to Southeast Asia, Vol. 1 South China Sea, Philippines, Gulf of Thailand to Singapore - Stephen Davies & Elaine Morgan RM350
A comprehensive guide for the leisure boating community of what to expect in the area. The book is divided into two main parts, i.e. an exhaustive planning check list with advice and then a cruising guide by country which includes information on society and culture, embassies and consulates, money business hours etc. There are also extensive maps with information on position, approach, dangers and cautions, anchorage etc. Very Good Paperback. First Edition 216 pages with an index and many maps and charts.
Cruising Guide to Southeast Asia, Vol. 2 Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Singapore & The Malacca Strait to Phuket - Stephen Davies & Elaine Morgan RM220
A comprehensive guide for the leisure boating community of what to expect in the area. The book is divided into two main parts, i.e. an exhaustive planning check list with advice and then a cruising guide by country which includes information on society and culture, embassies and consulates, money business hours etc. There are also extensive maps with information on position, approach, dangers and cautions, anchorage etc. Very Good Paperback. First Edition 246 pages with an index and many maps and charts.
Folk Pottery in South-East Asia - Dawn F Rooney RM100
A survey of domestic pottery in Southeast Asia for over 5,000 years up to the time of publication. The author, an art historian, not only covers Chinese and Japanese imported ware, but also the more dominant local production centres. Near Fine Hardback. First Edition. 72 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
Pirates of the Eastern Seas (1618-1723) - Charles Grey RM180
A collection of stories about pirates' activities ranging from the East Coast of Africa to the Malay Archipelago. Good Hardback. First Edition. 336 page with eight black and white illustrations
Riches of the Wild: Land Mammals of South-East Asia - Earl of Cranbrook RM150
At the time of publication, this book was the first book in mammalogy devoted to the Southeast Asian region. The author, a noted naturalist, presents a handy guide in layman's language of the whole range of mammals from elephants to anteaters, rodents and hares. Very Good Hardback. First Edition. 95 pages with black and white and colour plates a check list and a bibliography.
Sejarah Seni-Drama - Tengku Syed Abdulkadir & Zen Rosdy (eds) RM120
A collection essays outlining the history of world drama from Greek times up to the mid 20th century. The book was probably originally published in Indonesia in 1961, so references to Malay drama have an Indonesian focus. Very Good Hardback with a few black and white photographs. 214 pages with both a Malay and English bibliography.
Southeast Asia A Modern History - Nicholas Tarling RM200
Tarling, a noted historian of the area, introduces his readership to the broad sweep of Southeast Asian history up until the end of the 20th century. He combines both a narrative and comparative approach so that local events are set within a broader geographical context. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 555 pages For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
The Dragon Syndicates: The Global Phenomenon of the Triads - Martin Booth RM50
Alexander Hamilton A Scottish Sea Captain in Southeast Asia, 1689-1723 - Michael Smithies (ed) RM60
Cruising Guide to Southeast Asia, Vol. 1 South China Sea, Philippines, Gulf of Thailand to Singapore - Stephen Davies & Elaine Morgan RM350
Cruising Guide to Southeast Asia, Vol. 2 Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Singapore & The Malacca Strait to Phuket - Stephen Davies & Elaine Morgan RM220
Folk Pottery in South-East Asia - Dawn F Rooney RM100
Pirates of the Eastern Seas (1618-1723) - Charles Grey RM180
Riches of the Wild: Land Mammals of South-East Asia - Earl of Cranbrook RM150
Sejarah Seni-Drama - Tengku Syed Abdulkadir & Zen Rosdy (eds) RM120
Southeast Asia A Modern History - Nicholas Tarling RM200
The Dragon Syndicates: The Global Phenomenon of the Triads - Martin Booth RM50
A history of the triads from their origins two thousand years ago to the beginning of the 21st century. The author traces how the triads' interests have evolved from extortion, narcotics and prostitution to computer crime, arms dealing and politics. Good Paperback Reprint 608 pages with a bibliography and index.
Tropical Interludes: European Life and Society in South-East Asia - Graham Saunders (ed) SOLD
A selection of writings of Europeans, administrators, businessmen, missionaries and their dependants about their experiences of life in Southeast Asia in the heyday of empire before the Second World War. The authors include well known names, such as Conrad and Margaret Brooke, and many lesser known contributors. Topics range from Loneliness and A Rubber Planter's Day to Bickering and Backbiting in Sarawak Society and Acquiring a Mistress. A wide ranging and sometimes surprising set of insights about both life away from 'home' and making a new home. Very Good Paperback. First Edition 235 pages
Tropical Rain Forest in South-East Asia - Ken Rubeli RM90
With approximately four hundred photographs taken over a seven year period in the tropical forests of the Malay Peninsula and Borneo, this book is designed to inspire new adventurers to explore this rich habitat. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket 234 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details.
The book has the distinction of being the first novel written in Brunei. The author also composed the Brunei national anthem. The published novel, based on an incident in Brunei history, was shorter its original version because it was censored by the British authorities. Very Good Paperback Second Edition. Originally published in 1951. 81 pages.
Although there have been many books written about tea, works about the importance of the teapot, essential for the best flavour, are less easily found. In this work the author gives us the results of years of experimentation with Wulong tea and Yixing teapots. The book has colour illustrations of his collection of teapots, from the humblest to the more sophisticated, with introductory and accompanying text in both English and Chinese.. The real novelty of the book comes in the latter part of the book when Lim shares the results of years of tests with pots and teas to make a drink that we can savour as well. New Hardback in a New Dust Jacket 154 pages
This is a condensed version of Gandhi's two books, Autobiography and History of Satyagraha in South Africa, which together ran to almost a thousand pages. The books have been abridged by Bharatan Kumarappa. Good Paperback. Reprint. Originally published in 1952. 231 pages.
In their heyday European colonial powers not only used their subjects overseas to fight their battles, but also transported them and carefully selected examples of their culture back to their home countries as exhibits. In this book, the author recounts Dutch efforts to show off their subjects and their produce from what is now Indonesia at the world exhibitions held between 1880 and 1931. She examines how these exhibitions reflected on both the perceived and actual identities of both the organisers and the participants. New Hardback First Edition. 478 pages with a bibliography, a subject index and a name index and several black and white photographs.
Tropical Fruit of Indonesia - Desmond Tate RM130
This book is not only a survey of the most common fruit of Indonesia, but also includes information on recognising good fruit at the market, recipes and information on when each fruit is in season. Near Fine Hardback in a Near Fine Dust Jacket. First Edition. 96 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
A sweeping history of the prejudices about and treatment of leprosy over the last two hundred years. The story is based mainly on the efforts of a whole range of doctors, nurses and missionaries, who, once it was established that the disease was infectious, rather than hereditary, did so much to bring the sufferers into a more understanding society. Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket 420 pages with a bibliography and index.
Cichlids of North & Central America - Donald Conkel RM150
A guide to cichlids of North & Central America by one of the world's leading authorities on the species. With many colour illustrations and information on selection, care, breeding and distribution. Good Hardback 192 pages with an index.
Tropical Interludes: European Life and Society in South-East Asia - Graham Saunders (ed) SOLD
Tropical Rain Forest in South-East Asia - Ken Rubeli RM90
Brunei
Mahkota Yang Berdarah - Yura Halim RM200
China
The Beauty of Chinese Yixing Teapots - Lim Kean Siew RM800
India
Gandhiji's Autobiography (Abridged) - Mahatma Gandhi RM50Indonesia
Colonial Spectacles: The Netherlands And the Dutch East Indies at the World Exhibitions, 1880-1931 - Marieke Bloembergen RM300
Tropical Fruit of Indonesia - Desmond Tate RM130
Xtras
A Disease Apart: Leprosy in the Modern World - Tony Gould RM60
Cichlids of North & Central America - Donald Conkel RM150
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.