New Arrivals at The Penang Bookshelf
in
December 2022
(Last Updated 30-12-2022)
- Each book advertised below includes a brief description of its contents and condition as well as the price in Malaysian Ringgit. If you want a fuller description of a used book's condition, to look at the scanned contents page, if any, and/or to find out the price in USD, please click on the link in blue for the relevant book.
- If you click on a link after the current month and find nothing, the book's been sold.
- Of course, if you want to buy anything you see here, you can either do so from the site or contact me at penangbookshelf@gmail.com.
- This page will be updated constantly until the end of the month.
- The prices shown here hold good for at least this month, but for out of print books, the prices may change in subsequent months.
- All prices include free postage to anywhere in Malaysia.
Malaysia & Singapore - Anthropology & Sociology
Articles include - Introduction by C.A. Gibson-Hill; Reminiscences of the Expedition by the late W.W. Skeat, M.A., leader of the Expedition; A Personal Narrative of the Expedition by Dr. F.F. Laidlaw; Collecting Localities (Appendix 1); The Members of the Expedition (Appendix 2);; Works dealing directly with Material collected in the course of the Expedition (Appendix 3) Published as The Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society's Journal Volume XXVII, Part 4, December, 1953 Good Paperback. First Edition. 174 pages.
Malaysia & Singapore - Biography & Memoirs
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. Near Fine Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket. First Edition. 208 pages illustrated with several line drawings by the author.
Boestamam was best known as one of the stars of the left in the years leading up to and shortly after independence. Despite forming his own party, his influence was mainly exerted through his writings, which included about twenty novels. This is the last of three autobiographical pieces written a few years before his death in 1983. The book is mainly a review of his experience as a writer. Good Paperback. First Edition
The wife of the last Rajah of Sarawak gives her own account of how she coped with the transition from a fairly fraught upbringing to being the consort of Vyner Brooke who ruled Sarawak until the outbreak of World War II. 194 pages including more than 20 black and white photos. Originally published in 1970. As New Paperback. Reprint
Swettenham was the first British Resident-General of the Federated Malay States at the end of the nineteenth century. Like many colonial administrators he found time to write about his impressions of the country where he was based. This is a collection of musings, anecdotes and short essays about what he thought of Malaya and its peoples. New Paperback Reprint. Originally published in 1900 192 pages.
This book is a collection of impressions by a French ethnologist, who visited Malaya in the 1930s, working mainly in Kelantan. The main body of the book is a translation of a series of six radio lectures given on her return. The book also includes a lecture at the Royal Asiatic Society and a selection of her notes giving some background as to how she worked. New Paperback. First English edition. 153 pages with several black and white photographs
Borneo
This is a history of the first 100 years of the Borneo Company, not to be confused with the North Borneo Chartered Company. The Borneo Company, with the backing, rather than the participation, of the Brooke family, was established in London in 1856, mainly to exploit mining possibilities in Sarawak. It later expanded to Thailand and Indonesia before merging with what is now Inchcape Plc. Very Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket First Edition 120 pages with some black and white photographs
This is an edited version of a monograph originally published in 1891. It was a time when the British were beginning to explore the possibilities of exploiting the parts of the island of Borneo that were not already under Dutch control. Treacher was eminently suited to carry out this survey, having held various government posts on the island, including the first Governor of British North Borneo, before this was published. He ended his career with various appointments on the Malay peninsula. New Paperback. Reprint. 186 pages.
Hose, an ethnographer, naturalist and administrator under the second Rajah Brooke, was a writer on Borneo keen to promote himself. He was also one of the many eccentrics who were at the forefront of British wanderings around the globe. Here he wraps up his eventful life in an entertaining and more insightful series of reflections than some of his earlier works. 301 pages with an additional selection of more than 50 pages of his own and others' photographs. Very Good Paperback Reprint. Originally published in 1927 For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
One of the first comprehensive histories of Sarawak under Brooke rule with a preface by Charles Brooke. New Paperback. Edited Reprint Originally Published in 1909. 369 pages
This is an account of a little known hiccup, known as the Brunei Rebellion, that preceded the formation of the Federation of Malaysia. The self-styled North Kalimantan National Army under Sheikh Azahari, led an armed uprising with the aim of thwarting the incorporation of the British Borneo territories into the federation. It was centred on the river town of Limbang and was brought to an end by British and Australian forces. New Paperback. 249 pages with a couple of maps some black and white plates, a bibliography and an index.
A tale of skullduggery in Malaysian politics, where the author, a prominent businessman and politician in the state of Sarawak was detailed without trial on charges which were never substantiated. Good Paperback. 230 pages.
An introduction to the working lives of men in Sabah in the year of it becoming a state in Malaysia. (It may have escaped the author's notice that, at least in Asian cultures, women are at least as industrious as men.) The review of work in the padi fields and in other agricultural ventures, industry, in tobacco growing and in timber is described in a series of stories aimed at the younger reader. Good Hardback. Reprint. Originally published in 1958.
Although chartered companies as a vehicle for colonialism had fallen out of favour with the collapse of the British East India Company in the mid 19th century, the North Borneo company managed to get British Government approval and somehow establish a claim to being the longest surviving of such companies in the 20th century. Tregonning, who also wrote a British Government propaganda piece on North Borneo, sets a more academic tone in this survey of its history from initial American enterprise to eventual British colony. New Paperback Reprint. Originally published in 1958. 316 pages For further details, please see the scanned contents page
Runciman, best known for his majestic history of the Crusades, embarked on the more recent history of the Brooke family with some trepidation since many of the characters of the story were either recently dead or still living. Despite being invited by the then Governor to write the book and being given access to Government archives and support from the surviving members of the Brooke family, he manages to produce one of the earliest balanced accounts of the reigns of the three Rajahs. New Paperback. Reprint Originally published in 1960. 437 pages including about 10 black and white plates, notes, a bibliography, a glossary and an index.
Malaysia & Singapore - Chinese Community & Culture
The association is notable in Singapore for its charitable works, particularly running and funding the Henderson Senior Citizens' Home. Through contributions from past and present members, the book traces the association's history from its founding by three women from prominent families in the city through to the time of publication reflecting how the world of middle class women there has changed over the years. New Hardback in a Near Fine Dust Jacket. 304 pages with many black and white and colour photographs
The author argues that Chinese women who emigrated to Malaya, and their descendants, blossomed in a way that they were unable to do in China because, at least in theory, they were all equal under the law thanks to British legislation in the colony. To prove his point he gives the reader a selection of of snapshots of the lives of some of these women, who became entrepreneurs in their own right and distinguished professionals. New Paperback 203 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details.
Malaysia & Singapore - Cinema, Dance, Music & Drama
Zubir Said, although now remembered as the composer of Singapore's national anthem and other nationalist songs, started off life in Java in a strict Muslim family where music was considered haram, or forbidden. However once he escaped to the bright lights of Singapore his talents took full rein as he became a popular mainstay in the pre-war music industry there. This well produced book, with a CD of his music laid in, traces his career from the time when he taught himself to read and write music through to his retirement. New Hardback First Edition. 280 pages with a bibliography and an index. Malaysia & Singapore - Cooking & Food
While Nyonya cooking books come thick and fast this one is a little more unusual in that it's the result of two years research by the State Chinese (Penang) Association, a 'guardian of the Penang Peranakan (Straits Chinese) Culture' and the publishers to capture many familiar and many almost forgotten recipes of this distinctive creole cuisine. A Debbie Teoh was even used as the 'food tester' in the hope of ensuring the recipes' authenticity. New Paperback 248 pages including colour illustrations of the recipes and much else besides. There is also an index of the recipes. Chapters include - A Brief History, Festivals & Festive Food, Nyonyaware, The Nyonya Kitchen, Cooking Methods, Ingredients, Sambal + Sauces, Pickles, Snacks & Starters, Kerabu, Vegetables, Soups + Stews, Poultry, Pork, Seafood, Rice + Noodles, Kuih, Sweet Broths + Drinks, New Year Cookies + Sweets and Confinement Food
Malaysia & Singapore - The "Emergency"
A grim, but interesting guide to forces under British command in the Malayan 'Emergency' as to how 'find and root out these terrorists.' as the foreword to this 1958 edition states. The book contains probably the major part of the accumulated knowledge of the British on jungle warfare, just over a decade after the conflict began. The twenty-three chapters contain much of what one might expect in such a manual from methods of patrolling to tracking and handling dogs and Orang Asli (aborigines). A clear facsimile reprint. Unpaginated, but probably about 300 pages. Very Good Softcover Reprint
The author, a retired police superintendent with experience of the Malayan 'Emergency', sets down a mainly factual record of the period in the state of Perak. Roughly a third of the book is made up of anecdotal experiences of serving military and police personnel involved in the Government's campaign. The remainder of the book is packed with statistics of incidents in the conflict in Perak, of those killed in action and injured amongst Government forces and includes maps and details of places and activities of commemoration. Near Fine Hardback in a New Dust Jacket First Edition 298 pages.
Although there has been extensive coverage of what was known as the 'Emergency' in the final years of British rule in Malaya and the country's early years of independence, the 'Second Emergency', involving Malaysian and Communist forces exclusively, has not been so well documented. The author seeks to fill that gap by producing the first strategic and operational study of this uprising, highlighting Malaysia's successful counter-insurgency response. New Hardback. First Edition 204 pages with a bibliography and an index.
Bartlett was given all facilities by General Templer, the British High Commissioner for the Federation of Malaya at the time, to write this book. Templer was one of the pioneers of winning hearts and minds of potential supporters of guerillas, so he was probably keen on winning the hearts and minds of the British public as well. In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War guerilla warfare was probably novel when the recent war had been won by conventional battles and bombs. So the book sets out to be a survey of the Federation at the time, an explanation of how the war was fought and why the author and his backers considered it necessary to fight it to the end. Good Hardback First Edition 128 pages with 15 black and white photographs. Malaysia & Singapore - Environment, Nature & Wildlife
In this, the most comprehensive recent study of the subject, the authors provide information on 160 genera from 27 families that are commonly found in Malaysia. Each of the genera is illustrated by a colour photograph and includes a description of its features and habitat. Just in case you want to collect them, the book also contains information on preserving specimens. New Paperback 195 pages with references, a glossary and an index.
Three British cavers provide a photographic and climbing guide to the caves of Mulu in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Meredith had been employed by the Government of Sarawak as a Development Officer for the caves. 142 pages with many colour photographs. Good Hard Back in a Very Good Dust Jacket. First edition. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
The Tigers of Trengganu - A Locke RM80
Originally published in the 1950s, this is a District Officer's account not only of his experiences in hunting tigers, but also one of the most readable works on the Malayan tiger as well. For Locke, rather than being a trophy hunter, was a conservationist, as keen to protect the rural population in his charge as the tigers and their threatened environment. 187 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. Near Fine Paperback. Reprint
Malaysia & Singapore - Fiction
The publisher's blurb claims this to be the "first-ever compendium of erotic writing from Singapore." It's certainly proved popular as it's now in its fourth edition since originally being published in 2006. It contains not only a good selection of fiction, but poetry and narrative prose as well conjuring up erotic imaginings and episodes from real life from twenty-seven contributors. New Paperback. Fourth Edition 264pages.
The backdrop to this novel is the Japanese occupation in Singapore. This drama is set in a riverside village where inhabitants live in constant fear of death, torture, misery, starvation and many other deprivations associated with civilians caught up in war. The war ends giving but temporary relief. 119 pages. New Paperback Reprint
Malaysia & Singapore - Folklore
A reprint of a story by Hugh Clifford, a much travelled colonial administrator in Malaya. It tells the tale of a village's encounters with a Sumatran merchant and his ability to transform himself into a were-tiger. New Paperback. Reprint. 47 pages including at 8 page background piece on were-tiger traditions in Malaya and with a few black and white plates.
Malaysia & Singapore - Guide Books
A colourful guide to Singapore in 1970. The book is packed with information on the island's history, culture, hotels and commercial institutions mainly for the benefit of tourists. There are three pull out maps of the city state and many pages of period advertisements. The final 70 or so pages are devoted to Malaysia. 358 pages and 52 more pages listing roads, streets and postal districts of Singapore Very Good Paperback
Malaysia & Singapore - History
This is a historical account of the zenith of the British led capitalist push into Southeast Asia, emanating from India and supported by a strong backing from the growing Chinese diaspora in the region. The work mainly concentrates on activities in present day Malaysia, but also covers present day Myanmar and Thailand. New Paperback. Reprint. Originally published in 1998. 282 pages with a bibliography and an index.
The author, a freelance writer, wrote several books that attempted to introduce the reader to the 'real' nature of a range of different countries. In this one he tackles Malaysia in its early years just after independence. His book has been fairly popular since it was first published as he makes a strong case that the country belongs "to all who have staked their claim in her" since most of its inhabitants other than the truly indigenous peoples of the peninsula and Borneo are comparatively recent immigrants. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket. First Edition 221 pages with an index, some black and white photographs and a map.
Written while Swettenham was the British Resident attached to the state of Perak, these vignettes, as he says in his preface, are 'an attempt to awaken an interest in an almost undescribed but deeply interesting people, dwellers in one of the most beautiful and least known countries in the East.' A collection of literary snapshots with 'no statistics, no history, no geography, no science, no moralising, no prophecy' that is intended to give the reader a feel for Malaya at the end of the 19th century. New Paperback Edited and Annotated Edition 178 pages. Originally published in 1895
This is a brief 158 page introduction to Malaya's history by one of the foremost British scholars on Malaya in the first part of the 20th century, Chapters include 1 - Malaya, the Land, 2 - The Peoples, 3 - The Hindu Millennium, 4 - Malacca's Century of Malay Rule, 5 - A Famosa, 6 - The Dutch at Malacca, 7 - The Straits Settlements, 8 - Britain and the Malay States, 9 - British Administration, 10 - The Reign of Law, 11 - Trade, monopolized and free, and Finance, 12 - Industries, past and present, 13 - Labour; Health; Education, 14 - Japan's Hour of Triumph, 15 - The Malayan Union and Singapore, 16 - The Future. Good Hardback in a Good Dust Jacket. Revised Edition
A useful collection of extracts of mainly visitors to the peninsual and their impressions. So Hugh Clifford, Isabella Bird, Katherine Sim, Victor Purcell and many other similar movers and hangers on in the British set up are much in evidence. However longer term residents such as Munshi Abdullah, Mat Syed, Chin Kee Onn and others appear too. Probably one of the best starting points for exploring this literature more widely. Very Good Paperback. First Edition 320 pages
Malaysia & Singapore - History (Pre-18th Century)
In this comprehensive work the author attempts to piece together the historical geography of the peninsula before more reliable written records started appearing from the mid 16th century onwards. The work was ground breaking because for the first time Wheatley painstaking re-examines whatever first hand resources were available rather than relying on second hand translations and suppositions. This 388 page book is divided into seven parts namely I - China & the Malay Peninsula, II - The Malay Peninsula as Known to the West, III - The Indians in Malaya, IV - The Arabs in Malaya, V Three Forgotten Kingdoms, VI - The Isthmian Age, and VII - A City that was Made for Merchandise. There are also numerous maps, diagrams and a bibliography of more than 40 pages. New Paperback Reprint Originally published in 1961
Articles included in this issue - A Note on Sambas and Borneo by Dato Sir Roland Braddell, M.A., F.R.G.S., with a note by Tom Harrisson, D.S.O., Curator Sarawak Museum & Government Ethnologist: A Note on the Sambas Finds by Prof. K.A. Nilakanta Sastri; The Incense Burner from the Sambas Treasures by Tan Yeok Seong, South Seas Society; The Sambas Finds in Relation to the Problems of Indo-Malaysian Art Development, by Dr. H.G. Quaritch Wales; Gold and Indian influences in West Borneo by Tom Harrisson Very Good Paperback. First Edition Published as Vol XXII, Part 4 of the Society's Journal 110 pages with 16 pages of black and white plates and several line drawings. Malaysia & Singapore - History (19th Century)
This work's main emphasis is how the gradual creep of British imperial influence from the Treaty of Federation of 1896 to the appointment of Sir Lawrence Guillemard as Governor and High Commissioner in 1920 began to affect the lives of the peninsula's inhabitants, principally the Malays. At the time the book was written it filled a gap in historiography of this period. The preface contains a succinct review of historical writings about the peninsula. 227 pages divided into the following chapters - I - The Setting, II - Federation and the Resident-General, III - The Federal Council, 1909-1920, IV - The Diminution of the Malay Aristocracy, V - The Malay under British Rule together with appendices of important documents governing the expansion of British rule and a bibliography. Near Fine Hardback in a Near Fine Dust Jacket. First Edition
Malaysia & Singapore - Indian Community & Culture
This detailed study does not directly take a broad look at the situations of people of Indian origin in Malaya, but rather concentrates on the life of the inhabitants of one particular plantation in Negeri Sembilan. Although his study concentrates mainly on how such immigrants and their descendants interact with each other, the book also takes into account the changing environment outside the estate and how his subjects did or did not adapt. Very Good Hard Back in a Fine Dust Jacket 459 pages. Please see scanned photo of the contents page for a list of the chapters.
In this much commended but little known book the author shares the results of her study of religious practices of Hindus, mainly in Penang. She manages to tread a fine balance between showing respect and understanding of the depth of the religious observances she witnessed and at the same time being able to subject these practices to insightful and detached analysis. The contents of this 243 page book include 1 - The Power of Murugan's Lance, 2 - Murugan as Metaphor, 3 - The Hindu Tamils of Penang, 4 - Thaipusam in Penang, 5 - Rituals and Politics, 6 - Arul - The Trance of Divine Grace 7 - Symbolic Acts: The Meanings of Ritual Vow Fulfillment, 8 - A Ceremonial Animal, 9 - Ritual Power and Moral Redemption and a very extensive Bibliography. Near Fine Paperback. First Edition
Johor
When originally published in 1932 this was the first history of the state that had relied on sources both in English and Malay. In many ways it has stood the test of time although the work confines itself mainly to the activities of the sultans, their supporters and opponents without spending too much time on the lot of the sultans' subjects. New Paperback Edited Reprint. 189 pages.
Malaysia & Singapore - Language & Linguistics
An interesting study for linguists as to how the Malay language changed in newspapers as writers coped with having to inform their readership of how to understand the fast moving events of the early 20th century. The author has confined himself to editorials and leading articles of newspapers. Very Good paperback. First Edition. 89 pages.
A short guide to the main Chinese dialect spoken in Penang with grammar, vocabulary, common phrases and some samples of conversation. New Paperback Reprint 133 pages.
Malaysia & Singapore - Literature
A collection of poetry and prose both originally in English and translated into English from the original Chinese and Tamil first published in 1964. This edition also includes a collection of poems, Tracks of a Tramp, by the original editor. At the time, Bunga Emas, was the most comprehensive collection of Malayan literature to have been published. It was also the first anthology of non-Malay literature of Malaya and Singapore. 287 pages with biographical notes on the authors, a glossary and a bibliography. Very Good Paperback
Malaysia & Singapore - Magic & Popular Religion
Skeat, one of the leading ethnographers working in Malaya in the late 19th and early 20th centuries specialised in writing lengthy works about what he unearthed at a time when there was very little written in English about the country's folklore and traditional culture. This work arises from both his own field research and his reading of previous literature mainly in Malay and Arabic. His field work was concentrated in the state of Selangor. Chapters include I - Nature, II - Man and His Place in the Universe, III - Relations with the Supernatural World, IV - The Malay Pantheon, V - Magic Rites Connected with the Several Departments of Nature, VI - Magic Rites as Affecting the Law of Man. 532 pages. This reprint includes copies of illustrations from the original 1900 edition. New Paperback Reprint . Originally published in 1900
Malaysia & Singapore - Malay Community & Culture
This book is emblematic of the way Singapore has changed in the course of the last century. A virtually uninhabitable piece of land, marshland and infested with mosquitoes, was settled by a Javanese community at the beginning of the 20th century and turned into reasonably productive agricultural land. The village was eventually replaced to become a prime residential area, The only remnant is a small mosque. The authors were able to find some of the displaced former inhabitants and, through their voices, reconstruct what village life was like before the arrival of the bulldozer. New Hardback. First Edition. 288 pages with maps, black and white and colour photographs and colour illustrations, a bibliography and an index.
A brief account of the development of Malay culture with particular reference to Islam. 47 pages. Very Good Paperback. First Edition.
A beginner's book to serve as a guide to understanding these subjects for Civil Service Cadets studying for their examinations prior to joining the British colonial administration . This treatises were originally published in 1924 and 1925 as part of a series covering various aspects of Malay life. New Paperback Edited Reprint. 222 pages.
Melaka
Melaka, formerly known as Malacca, like every other nook and cranny in Asia, has played host to a wide range of hauntings, magical powers, ghosts and other matters fantastical. In this book De Witt gathers together a comprehensive range of more than 60 of such tales dating from the the 15th century to the present day based on historical sources. New Paperback. 222 pages with an index, three maps and a few black and white photographs.
Penang
Through both evocative watercolours and line drawings on every page Chin Kon Yit works a marvellous partnership with the author Chen Voon Fee to bring to life both the architectural heritage and the current street life of the rich blend of Chinese, European, Indian and Malay cultures which nurture the roots of Malaysia's second city. 99 pages Near Fine Hardback in a Near Fine Dust Jacket
Fong, one of Malaysia's top photographers and a son of Penang, presents us with his own idiosyncratic photo essay about the island. Amongst the myriad of photo books produced about the island, this one is unusual in that in concentrates more on the natural features of the island than on its architectural heritage. Near Fine Hardback pp. 160.
Perak
A collection of articles previously published in the Journals of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society The history was published in Volume XII Part 1, June 1934 and the three articles by Maxwell, i.e. Notes on Two Perak Manuscripts, The History of Perak from Native Sources & Shamanism in Perak were originally published in other volumes of the journal between 1878 and 1883. New Paperback. Reprint. . 279 pages with 20 black and white plates.
Malaysia & Singapore - Poetry
A collection of poems evoking Singapore's history through the imagined voices of a range of frequenters of the Singapore River from merchant adventurers to coolies and travellers. Winner of the Singapore Literature Prize 1995. Near Fine. Signed dedication by the author. Paperback. Reprint. . 122 pages
A collection of 12 short stories and 50 poems in Malay by one of Malaysia's leading literary figures. 183 pages.
Malaysia & Singapore - Politics
A wide ranging review of Malaysia's foreign policy in its first 50 years since independence from a group of academics from the University's Department of International and Strategic Studies. Topics covered include transition from being a Western aligned country to a more independent foreign policy, the influence of civil society on policy, relations with Singapore and also with the Commonwealth, amongst others. Some of the essays are in English and some in Malay. Very Good Paperback First Edition 138 pages
A former editor of the Asian Wall Street Journal attempts to make an assessment of Mahathir Mohamad's first period as premier of Malaysia. While developing one of the world's more successful economies Mahathir also 'encouraged cronyism and failed to prevent the spread of corruption.' Wain tries hard to keep a balance when describing the career of such a divisive character, although he fears for the country's future following Mahathir's weakening of many of the country's vital institutions to serve his ends. A well researched book. New Hardback. First Edition 363 pages with an index.
Based on extensive interviews with activists and research amongst published materials, Weiss presents a comprehensive survey of student activism from early 20th century Singapore to present day Malaysia. Many in Government had their first taste of politics while students, but that did not necessarily mean they encouraged student activism when they were no longer students themselves.302 pages including a few caricatures in black and white, footnotes and index. New Paperback
The book sets out to be a guide to the Dewan Rakyat, the lower house of Malaysia's parliament, as it was constituted following the 2008 general election, which produced the worst election results to date for Barisan Nasional, the country's ruling coalition since independence some 50 years earlier. The book not only explains how the house is meant to work, but also profiles its members and their political views on major issues affecting the country. Good Paperback. First Edition. 564 pages
Although government of newly independent countries have been generally tried to put as much distance as possible between themselves and their colonial predecessors, they have often gleefully adopted colonial security measures to maintain their positions. Malaysia's Internal Security Act, enacted by a newly independent Malaya varied little from its colonial parent, the British Emergency Regulations. This is a report, based on interviews with lawyers, politicians and others, by a couple of US human rights lawyers on how the Malaysian Government was still using it, mainly to put political opponents out of the way, some 40 years after its enactment. Very Good Paperback. First Edition 121 pages Malaysia & Singapore - Race Relations
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
Malaysia & Singapore - Religion
In this book a group of scholars and two media professionals, Rhoma Irama and Ishadi SK, look at the interaction between Islam and popular culture in the two countries which are home to approximately a fifth of the world's Muslims. The contributions not only show, through case studies, how Islam has used popular culture to target urbanised youth, but also how the interaction between the two is as full of fun and pleasure as secular popular culture which coexists with this phenomenon. Islam in such a milieu is far removed from the perception of the religion being monolithic, militaristic or Middle Eastern. New Hardback. First Edition. 259 pages with an index.
Selangor
It is difficult to find much clarity in the history of either of these states until the 17th century, when European interest in the peninsula began. Before then both areas were subject to the sultans of Malacca and Johor at various points in their existence. The histories of both states conclude with them becoming members of the Federated Malay States, when British control was formalised. The final section of the book, Sri Menati, also traces Negri Sembilan's history, but places greater emphasis on adat, Malay custom, as it related to the royal family. The histories of Selangor and Negri Sembilan were originally published in 1934 and Sri Menati in 1914. New Paperback. Reprint. 220 pages with two black and white plates. Malaysia & Singapore - World War II
A veteran Sarawak journalist, who witnessed the occupation, mixes in his childhood reminiscences with later research. New Paperback. Revised Edition 183 pages with some black and white photographs.
Asia
Buddhist Pilgrim-Monks have provided us with some of the earliest written records of societies throughout Asia. In this book the author demonstrates their influence in encouraging the development of an art style that emerged in China, Japan and Korea in the mid seventh century and lasted for about a century. The common theme was the idealisation of Buddhist kingship and statecraft resulting in a cosmopolitan art form that characterised Northeast Asia at the time. New Hardback in a New Dust Jacket. First Edition. 354 pages with many black and white and colour photographs, maps and tables. For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
A history of Guthries, the first British trading company in Southeast Asia, which, as a result of mergers is now part of the Malaysian company, Sime Derby, the largest plantation operator in the world. The company was established and run by members of the Guthrie family from its founding in 1823 until the end of the 19th century. Part of its commercial success was due to the fact that Guthries introduced both rubber and palm oil to the region. 352 pages. with a few black and white photographs and an index. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket
China
Eunuchs were part of Chinese royal households for more than 2,000 years. This biography of the last of these imperial servants traces Sun Yaoting's life from a poor farm boy, throughout to his service to Pu Yi and Wanrong, China's last emperor and empress, to his return to 'normal' life in a Buddhist temple and his death at the age of 94. Good Paperback. 314 pages. with some black and white photographs
India
This book is a harmonious paean of love for Indian food offered up by an experience and professional cook, Manju Saigal, and her inquisitive guest. Saigal was born in Mussoorie, India, and moved to Malaysia and Singapore as a young adult since when her cooking has been based on her early influences, but has incorporated other Indian cuisines as well. Although the beautifully produced book mainly contains recipes, there are lots of culinary anecdotes and diversions as well. New Hardback. First Edition. 372 pages with an index and many colour illustrations.
Indonesia
An account mainly of Captain Beeckman's visit to South Kalimantan in 1713 to gain a foothold for British merchants in the lucrative pepper trade there. Unfortunately his arrival coincided with a local civil war. Nevertheless his observant eye was able to take in much about the culture of not only the town dwellers of Banjarmasin, but also of the aboriginal tribes in the vicinity. He also made fairly extensive notes of the wildlife in the region, identifying the orang utan as being particularly worth further study. A facsimile reprint with an introduction by Chin Yoon Fong of the University of Malaya. Good Hardback. Reprint. Originally published in 1718 205 pages.Thailand
The first Thai member of genus Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) was described at the end of the 19th century. Since then many new species have been recorded in the country from subtropical mountains to the wet tropical lowland rainforest regions. This book, the result of ten years research and details 91 taxa including 20 new species and a new variety, with 43 species only known from Thailand. New Hardback in a New Dust Jacket. 396 pages with many colour illustrations.
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