New Arrivals at The Penang Bookshelf
in
January 2023
(Last Updated 31-1-2023)
- Each book advertised below includes a brief description of its contents and condition as well as the price in Malaysian Ringgit. If you want a fuller description of a used book's condition, to look at the scanned contents page, if any, and/or to find out the price in USD, please click on the link in blue for the relevant book.
- If you click on a link after the current month and find nothing, the book's been sold.
- Of course, if you want to buy anything you see here, you can either do so from the site or contact me at penangbookshelf@gmail.com.
- This page will be updated constantly until the end of the month.
- The prices shown here hold good for at least this month, but for out of print books, the prices may change in subsequent months.
- All prices include free postage to anywhere in Malaysia.
Malaysia & Singapore - Arts & Crafts
This is volume 14 of the Encyclopedia of Malaysia, the largest reference work on the country ever undertaken. This 144 page volume covers in picture and text the diversity of visual art, both modern and traditional, that's alive in the country today. There is a glossary, bibliography, index and picture credits .New Hardback in a New Dust Jacket
A study of the largest and most important surviving cottage industry in Malaysia at the time of writing. The main product of the industry was the kain sarong, or ceremonial sarong, favoured by the Malays. 72 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details.Very Good Paperback First Edition
Malaysia & Singapore - Biography & Memoirs
After twenty years away from his birth place, the author returned in 2010 and, not surprisingly, discovered much had changed. He wanted to both capture what was disappearing and what was in full bloom, so set off on a three year journey around the country with camera and notebook to record his impressions. This book is the result. New Paperback. First Edition 196 pages with colour photos and diary notes on every page
An English translation of the memoirs a Malay nationalist born into a Minangkabau community in Perak who went on to form the Young Malays Union (KMM.) After imprisonment by the British for working with the the Japanese he joined the United Malays Organisation (UMNO) during the Emergency, being one of the few Malay nationalist organisations allowed to operate by the colonial authorities. The height of his political career was when he opposed Tunku Abdul Rahman in the election of a new president for UMNO in 1951 and lost by only one vote. Translated by Insun Sony Mustapha and edited by Jomo KS Very Good Paperback. First English Language Edition. 423 pages including an index.
Malaysia & Singapore - Boats, Fishing & The Sea
This work, issued as Volume XXXII, Part 1 of the Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, covers both fishing methods used in Singapore and in Terengganu and Kelantan. There are also sections on boats of local origin used in the industry and Malay names of salt-water fish. Very Good Paperback. First Edition 232 pages with maps, black and white plates, line drawings and a bibliography.
Borneo
The memoirs of British man who first came to Malaya as a soldier during the "Emergency." He later was headmaster of a school in Kuching, an environmentalist in Papua New Guinea and then came back to education with the Universiti Brunei Darussalam. New Paperback 191 pages.
In this book the former curator of the Sarawak Museum has collected a wide range of stories from indigenous peoples in Sarawak about life before the changes brought about in the 20th century. 280 pages. For further details, please see the scanned contents page. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket. First Edition.
This issue is devoted exclusively to the island of Borneo. The contents include -Silsilah Raja-Raja Berunai edited and annotated by P.L. Amin Sweeney; Two Colonial Office Memoranda on the History of Brunei by Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs (edited by D.E. Brown); Observations on the Brunei Political System, 1883–1885 by Dr. Peter Leys (with Notes by Robert M. Pringle); Ethnographic Profiles of the Dusun-speaking Peoples of Sabah, Malaysia by G.N. Appell; Magala — a series of neolithic and metal age burial grottos at Sekaloh, Niah Sarawak by Barbara and Tom Harrisson; The ending of Brunei Rule in Sabah 1878–1902 by I.D. Black; Social Groupings Among the Rungus, a Cognatic Society of Northern Borneo by G.N. Appell; The Penis Pin at Peabody Museum, Harvard University by G.N. Appell. Very Good Paperback 205 pages with some line drawings and black and white plates
The author is best known for his distinguished post-independence legal career in Malaysia. However in this book he reminisces about the fascinating early part of his career in Sarawak. It was a time when most inhabitants had little contact with those outside their immediate neighbourhood and the main link with the outside world was a weekly ship from Singapore. The memoir's not a dry one, just dealing with legal cases, but also gives us a warm picture of a culture on the brink of being sucked into a very different world. New Paperback 272 pges.
These journals were written by Brooke while serving an apprenticeship under his uncle, James Brooke, in the lead up to Charles succeeding James as the second Rajah of Sarawak. The vivid writings are highly evocative of what he came across among the peoples and countryside during his visits into the interior. The journals conclude with his thoughts as to what needed to be done by his government when he assumed office to cement Brooke family rule. Very Good Hardback. Reprint. Originally published in 1866. 746 pages with an additional 25 page introduction by RHW Reece, an expert on the Brookes, as well as a fold out map.
Malaysia & Singapore - Chinese Community & Culture
The author, an academic based in Singapore, wanders into the prevalent, but not very public, underworld of demons and their role in Chinese religion, particularly in Malaysia and Singapore. Rather than being shunned they are venerated members of the Buddhist, Taoist and popular traditions that have built up in the community. He contrasts these beliefs with those practiced by Chinese in Taiwan. New Paperback. Reprint. Originally published in 2020. 259 pages with an appendix of Chinese names, references, an index and some black and white and colour photographs
A fun and unique guide in two parts to Singapore's Chinatown with interesting things to do or watch out for at each stop. As a bonus the tour is interwoven with explanations of a host of Chinese traditions and superstitions Very Good Paperback 20 pages with a pull out map and hardback 67 with many colour illustrations and a bibliography
The story of a Chinese community who migrated from West Kalimantan to settle in Sarawak under the rule of James Brooke. Led by Liu Shan Bang, a group of miners almost managed to assassinate Brooke and caused havoc around Kuching for several days before the revolt was crushed. Very Good Paperback 112 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details.
A mainly photographic essay tracing the history of Chinese language primary schools from their origins in clan houses to being part of the Malaysian Government educational system today. The book is based on both documentary research and on visits to over 100 of such schools. There is a foreword by Professor Wang Gungwu. The book is in Chinese and English. New Paperback. First Edition. 194 pages with a bibliography and many photographs. Malaysia & Singapore - Constitution, Crime & The Legal System
Although there is a wealth of literature on the theory of Islamic law as it relates to matrimonial disputes, the authors here prefer to look at how it works in practice in Malaysia. They discovered that although there are various defined roles for the counsellor and kadi/judge in the process in theory, in practice these roles can be blurred. Fine Paperback. 252 pages with references and an index.
A swingeing attack on Singapore's use of the death penalty This book was and probably is still banned in Singapore. Shadrake based his work on interviews with Singapore's chief executioner for nearly fifty years, investigations of many of the cases that resulted in execution and interviews with the victim's families. Very Good Paperback. Revised and updated from the 2010 edition 192 pages
Malaysia & Singapore - Cooking & Food
Published to promote G.E.C's new Kwali cooker, this book is in both Chinese and English. Although titled 'Chinese Cooking'. that may refer more to the language than the recipes since, although there are many Chinese recipes, several of the recipes are probably standard English fare for expatriates in the 1950s when this was probably published, Very Good Hardback 130 pages with an index.
The author specialising in roaming the world and publicising different cuisines. In this book he chooses Malaysia. He covers a wide range of dishes from all the main cooking cultures, both savoury and sweet, vegetarian and non-vegetarian from various parts of the country and ends with a wedding menu from Kuantan. Fine Hardback in a Fine Dust Jacket 306 pages with some black and white plates and an index.
Lamb, a botanist mainly based in Sabah, Borneo, since the 1960s, follows up on his successful book, 'A Guide to Wild Fruits of Borneo,' with a guide to the variety of fruit available in markets throughout Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo. He covers nearly 120 species, both endemic, locally grown and imported from elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Each fruit included has a text description of the fruit plant, the fruit itself, its distribution and habitat, uses, availability in markets, botanical and common names and at least two colour photographs. New Paperback. First Edition. 334 pages with a glossary of botanical terms, references and further reading and separate indices to scientific and common names.
Malaysia & Singapore - Environment, Nature & Wildlife
The principal reference work on bamboos in the peninsula covering 59 species in 14 genera. There is also information on their habitat, distribution, growth structure, uses and means of propagation. 200 pages with references, appendix, index and some photos Good Hardback
The author concentrates on herbaceous and scrubby wildflowers which are accessible to the casual nature lover. Very Good Hardback First Edition 69 pages with a good selection of colour plates and line drawings. The book is light and sturdy and can easily be carried outdoors.
A guide to which tropical plants are best suited to high-rise buildings. Complied by staff of the Singapore Parks development, this book identifies 35 best suited to such conditions with advice on positioning, maintenance and propagation. New Paperback. Reprint. Originally published in 1994. 159 pages with many colour photographs.
This guide, which includes plants commonly grown in gardens or indoors, includes photographs, common and scientific names, details of the poisonous elements, types of toxin and harmful effects. 159 pages with references indices to common and scientific names and many colour photographs. New Paperback. Reprint. Originally published in 1998.
A former teacher at the Methodist Girls' School, Kuala Lumpur, wrote this book for the novice bird watcher in the country. She confines herself to what she considers to be 'the most common and most interesting' species. Very Good Paperback. First Edition 176 pages with line drawings to illustrate each species, a list of Common, scientific and Malay names and an index
Probably one of the best gardening guides for Malaysia and Singapore, written in the last 50 years or so. The book is not only practical, but caters for gardeners tackling both big and small gardens, those who just want house plants and those brave enough to want to design gardens. 83 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. Very Good Hardback in a Very Good Dust Jacket
Malaysia & Singapore - Fiction
This novel illustrates the plight of Chinese women in the period between 1928 and 1959. It follows the life of Nonya woman trapped by the prejudices which were not only threatened generally by increasing Westernisation and particularly by the upheavals of the War, the 'Emergency' and then independence. Very Good Reprint Paperback. First published in 1992 498 pages.
A tale of breathless adventure on the Malay peninsula written for young British adults to excite interest in the far flung parts of the British empire. Fenn wrote more than 150 such novels. This one was written shortly before he died. Very Good Hardback.. 420 pages.
Malaysia & Singapore - Gender
This pamphlet covers a forgotten aspect of British colonial history in Malaya, which the administrators of the time did their best to forget about. Mui Tsai, 'menless women', were usually from poor families and sold to wealthier ones as bonded servants for household and sexual services. Chinese custom saw the practice as beneficial to the poor whereas colonial officials and the public in England saw it as slavery. This account explains how the controversy played out. Very Good Paperback. 15 pages.
This book sets out to correct assumptions that Malay women are victims of both her gender and culture. The author seeks to demonstrate how adat, or custom, and Islam provide self-fulfillment and respect. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 103 pages with a bibliography, index and some black and white plates.
Malaysia & Singapore - Health & Medicine
The author is a qualified doctor in Western medicine with four decades of clinical experience. As a result of his wife's intolerance of such treatments, he and his wife began a mission to explore, document and experiment with traditional Malay medicine. The foundation of this book is a study of a collection of prescriptions probably written down by a student of traditional medicine many years ago. There is a transliteration of the original text from Jawi into Malay together with an English translation. The main divisions of the book are one part laying out the prescriptions, followed by another part listing the recommended vegetative and non-vegetative material to be used in treatment. The section on vegetative items includes a colour photograph of each together with a description, what treatments it is used for and scientific evidence for the item's efficacy, if any. New Hardback. First Edition 402 pages with a list of references, a glossary and an index.
This book is an introduction to 50 medicinal plants found in Peninsular Malaysia. They are broken down into the following categories - general tonics, women's health, men's health, aromatic plants for personal care and plants for preventative health care. On the page devoted to each plant, there is a colour photograph on the facing page, scientific and vernacular names, the part of the plant used for treatment, a description and information on its distribution. New Hardback. Reprint. Originally published in 2013. 131 pages with a glossary, index and many colour photographs.
A self-help book intended to enable readers to realise that personal problems are not unique and that there are solutions. The author is a qualified psychotherapist. New Paperback. First Edition. 178 pages.
Malaysia & Singapore - History
A history book in Malay for young readers. The reader is guided through various buildings and monuments to explain the country's history. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 65 pages with some black and white plates.
The contents include the following articles: - The Colonial Office and the Malay States, 1867–73 by J. de Vere Allen: The Malay Press by Nik Ahmad bin Haji Nik Hassan; Straits Tin: A brief account of the first seventy-five years of The Straits Trading Company, Limited by K.G. Tregonning; Kampong Padre: a Tamil Settlement near Bagan Serai, Perak, by Father Fee, translated by Father Manikam, with an introduction by R.K. Jain Good Paperback. First Edition. 181 pages .
Published as a text book for children in the upper forms of schools in Malaysia and Singapore, this book attempts to set both countries' histories in their local context rather than as an adjunct to European power politics. This 285 page edition is a reprint of the 1969 revision. The book was originally published in 1963 as 'The Making of Modern Malaya.' Contents include chapters detailing Malaysia's Earliest History, The Malacca and Brunei Sultanates, Malaysia in each of the 16th, 17th & 18th Centuries, Portuguese and British Influence, the Founding of Singapore and its Success, the Development of a Pluralist Society, Malaysia Between the Wars, World War II in Malaysia and Developments after the War leading to the formation of Malaysia and the Confrontation with Indonesia. Very Good Paperback. Fourth revised edition
The contents include the following articles - British Policy towards Johore: from advice to control by Eunice Thio; New Light on the Life of Hamzah Fansuri by Syed Naguib al-Attas; The Plantation Rubber Industry in Malaya up to 1922 by J.H. Drabble; Style and the Demonic Image in Dayak Masks by Sarah Gil; The British Advance in Johore, 1885–1914 by Keith Sinclair; Ethnological Notes on the Muruts of the Sapulut River, Sabah by Tom Harrisson; Grasping the Nettle: First Successes in the Struggle to Govern the Chinese in Malaya by R.N. Jackson; Recent Archaeological Discoveries in East Malaysia and Brunei by Tom Harrisson; Joget Gamalan Trengganu by Haji Mubin Sheppard; A Note on the Takuapa Visnu by E.G. Quaritch Wales; Sir Richard Winstedt’s Summary of the “Tuhfat Ul-Nafis” by Amin Sweeney. Very Good Paperback 181 pages with some black and white plates
The contents include the following articles - Malayan Archaeology of the “Hindu Period”: Some reconsiderations by H. Quaritch Wales; Some Sources used by the Author of Hikayat Hang Tuah by T. Iskandar; Ahmad Shah Ibn Iskandar and the late 17th Century ‘Holy War’ in Indonesia by J. Kathirithamby-Wells; Foreigners in the Achehnese Court, 1760–1819 by Lee Kam Hing; Convicts in the Straits Settlements, 1826–1867 by C.M. Turnbull; The Federation Decision: 1895 by A.C. Milner; The Political Structure of the Malayan Union by Martin Rudner; Notes on Trade Unionism amongst Government employees in the Federation of Malaya 1948—1957 by R.N. Jackson; The Kensiu Negritoes of Baling, Kedah by Dr. Iskandar Carey; The Religious Problem among the Orang Asli by Dr. Iskandar Carey; The Philippine Claim to Sabah by K.G. Tregonning ; Legends, Culture History and Geomorphology in the Kelabit-Kerayan Highland of North Central Borneo by Frank M. LeBar Very Good Paperback 185 pages
The contents include the following articles - An Eye-Witness Account of the Invasion of Java in 1811 by C. Skinner; Some Observations on the Malay Sha’ir by Amin Sweeney; Gold-foil Burial Amulets in Bali, Philippines and Borneo by Stanley J. O‘Connor and Tom Harrisson; The Origins of an Irrigation Policy in Malaya: A Review of Developments Prior to the Establishment of the Drainage and Irrigation Department by D.E. Short and James C. Jackson; The Early Adat Constitution of Negri Sembilan (1773–1824) by M.B. Hooker Very Good Paperback 116 pages.
The contents include the following articles - The Java Journal of Dr. Joseph Arnold Edited with an Introduction by Dr. John Bastin; The Cultural Significance of the Pengkalan Kempas Megaliths by Dr. J. Chandra; Medical Education in the Straits, 1786–1871 by Dr. Y.K. Lee; Megalithic Evidences in East Malaysia, an Introductory Summary by Tom Harrisson; Newly Discovered Prehistoric Rock Carvings in Ulu Tomani, Sabah by Tom Harrisson; French Visitors to Trengganu in the 18th Century, Translated by Dr. John Dunmore; Manora in Kelantan by Mubin Sheppard Very Good Paperback 175 pages with some black and white plates
The contents include the following articles - Professional Malay Story-Tellings: Part I: Some Questions of Style and Presentation by Dr. Amin Sweeney, National University of Malaysia; The Grand Jury in Early Singapore by Dr. Y.K. Lee, University of Singapore; The Impact of the Cooperative Movement in Colonial Malaya by L.J. Fredericks, University of Malaya; The Antiquity of Domesticated Pigs in Sarawak by Lord Medway; Stone Sculptures from South-West Borneo (Kalimantan Barat) by Dato Tom Harrisson, University of Sussex; A Brief Account of the Mah Meri by Hj. Dr. Iskandar Carey, University of Malaya,. Very Good Paperback 215 pages with some black and white plates
The contents include the following articles - The Letters of Sir Stamford Raffles to Nathaniel Wallich 1819–1824, edited with notes by Dr. John Bastin, published to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Birth of Stamford Raffles; Prince Damrong’s Introduction to the “Dispatches of Luang Udom Sombat” by Dr. C. Skinner; Social banditry and rural crime in North Kedah, 1909–1929 by Dr. Cheah Boon Kheng; The Rama Story in Malay Tradition by Dr. S. Singaravelu; South Asian Toponyms (J.V.G. Mills). Very Good Paperback 153 pages with some black and white plates and line drawings
The contents include the following articles - Berunai in the Boxer Codex by John S. Carroll; The Singapore Mutiny, 1915 by Dr. Nicholas Tarling ; Ancient Sculptures from Tambon Na San, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province by Dr. Stanley J. O’Connor; Kedah-Siamese Correspondence 1890–1898 by Kobkua Suwannathat-Pian; Emily Innes, 1843–1924 by J.M. Gullick; Supernatural Etiologies of Illness among the Berawan of Sarawak by Dr. Peter Metcalf; The ‘Lost’ Manuscript of Hikayat Abdullah Munshi by Dato H.F. O’B Traill; Peranakan Chinese in Northeast Kelantan, Illustrations to article in Vol 55(1). Very Good Paperback 153 pages with some black and white plates and line drawings Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society Journal - Volume LVII Part 2 1984 RM120
The contents include the following articles - Sir Arthur Young and Political Control of the Chinese in Malaya and the Straits Settlements by Dr. C.F. Yong and Mrs R.B. McKenna; Penghulus in Perak and Selangor: Rationalisation and decline of a Traditional Malay Office by Dr. Paul H. Kratoska; The London Missionary Society: a written record of Missionaries and Printing Presses in the Straits Settlements 1815–1847 by Leona O’Sullivan; Chewong (Siwang) in Perspective by Professor Rodney Needham; The Sources of Abd Al-Ra’ūf’s Tarjumān Al-Mustafīd by Peter Riddell.. Very Good Paperback 144 pages with some black and white plates and line drawings
The contents include the following articles - The Introduction of Islam into Champa by Dr. Pierre-Yves Manguin, translated by Robert Nicholl; Social History and the Photograph: Glimpses of the Singapore Rickshaw Coolie in the early nineteenth century by Dr. Jim Warren; Migration Patterns in the History of Malaya and the Region by Professor Wang Gungwu; The Entrepreneur in late nineteenth century Malay Peasant Society by J.M. Gullick; Parallels between the Upright Stones of Western Sumatra and those in Malacca and Negeri Sembilan by Dr. J.N. Miksic.; A Ceramic Legacy of Asia’s Maritime Trade on Tioman Island by Jean Martin; Stockdale’s Sketches, Civil and Military, of the Island of Java: A Bibliographical Note by John Bastin.. Very Good Paperback 157 pages with some black and white plates and line drawings
The contents include the following articles -A Rare Book by Dr. John Bastin; The Post-War Decade in Malaya by Professor Mary Turnbull; Recent Archaeological Discoveries in Peninsular Malaysia (1982–1985); by Adi Haji Taha; English Language Fiction relating to Malaysia and Singapore by Dr. Lewis Hill; Some Old Penang Tombstones: A Sequel by David Ch’ng; ‘Gelaran Kampong’: Nicknames in a Malay Village by Dr. Malcolm Mintz. Very Good Paperback 127 pages with some black and white plates
The contents include the following articles - From Seri Vijaya to Melaka Batu Tagak in Historical and Cultural Context by Dr. J.N. Miksic; James Motley and His Contribution to the Natural History of Labuan by Dr. John Bastin; Main Petri: Synopses of Three Shamanistic Performances by Dr. Carol Ladermanastin; Tunku Kudin of Kedah by J.M. Gullick; Boats of Singapore by Dr. Eric Alfred Near Fine Paperback 130 pages with some black and white plates
The contents include the following articles - The Ming Empire: Patron of Islam in China and Southeast Asia by Professor Haji Yusuf Chang; The Anglo-Chinese College and the Early Singapore Institution Dr. Leona O’Sullivan; The Bugis Genealogy of the Raja Muda Family of Riau-Johor by Dr. N. Noorduyn; The Search for the Cause of Beri-Beri in the Malay Peninsula. The Contribution of Dr. W.L. Braddon by Enid M. Wylie; Kota Tampan, Perak. The Geological and Archaeological Evidence for a Late Pleistocene Site by Dr. Zuraina Majid and H.D. Tjia . Very Good Paperback 152 pages with some black and white plates
Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society Journal - Volume LXII Part 1 1989 RM100
The contents include the following articles - Hikayat Raja Pasai: a Second Manuscript by E.U. Kratz ; Malaya in British History by Nicholas Tarling; The ‘Bandar Bahru’ Group Photo by John Falconer and J.M. Gullick; The History of the Translation of the Bible into Malay by Robert Hunt; Buddhist Temples and Associations in Penang by Benny Liow Woon Khin.; The Holdings of Malayan Material in Rhodes House Library, Oxford by P.W. Tolmie; The Manufacture and Terminology of Temiar Bamboo Rafts by G.W.H. Davison. Very Good Paperback 131 pages with some black and white plates
The contents include the following articles - Tertiary Education in Malaya: Policy and Practice 1905–1962 by Dr. K.G. Tregonning; The Growth of Kuala Lumpur and of the Malay Community in Selangor before 1880 by J.M. Gullick; Post War Constitutional Changes in Brunei 1944–1948 by Dr. A.V.M. Horton.; Tunku Kudin: A Scribe’s Defence by Khoo Khay Jin; Tall Tales from Terengganu by Noel Rees; Early Malay Printing: an Introduction to the British Library Collection by Annabel Teh Gallop. . Very Good Paperback 143 pages with some black and white plates
The contents include the following articles - Taiping (Larut): The Early History of a Mining Settlement by Professor Dato’ Khoo Kay Kim; Letters from Exile by Professor Cheah Boon Kheng; Archaeological Discoveries in Peninsular Malaysia (1987–1990) by Adi Haji Taha; Glass Beads in Malaya by Dr. Peter Francis (Jr.); A Patriots’ Memorial in Kuching by Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Mubin Sheppard. Very Good Paperback 151 pages with some black and white plates and line drawings
The contents include the following articles - William Maxwell and the Study of Malay Society by J.M. Gullick; A Study of Growth: an Economic History of Melaka, 1400–1510 by Robert MacRoberts; Swettenham’s Manuscript of Hikayat Hang Tuah by Dr. Virginia Matheson Hooker; Baba Ounus Saldin: A Malay literary Savant of Sri Lanka 1832–1906 by B.A. Hussainmyia Very Good Paperback 146 pages with some black and white plates and line drawings
The contents include the following articles - Raffles’ Aides-De-Camp in Java by Dr. John Bastin; Brooke Rule in Sarawak and its Principles by Dr. Nicholas Tarling; Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad by J.M. Gullick; Defining the Malay House by Roger N. Hilton; Diversity among Indian Christians in Peninsular Malaysia by J. Rabindra Daniel. Near Fine Paperback 115 pages with some black and white plates and line drawings
The contents include the following articles - ‘The First Pharos of the Eastern Seas’: The Construction of the Horsburgh Lighthouse on Pedra Branca by Professor Nicholas Tarling; The Sambas Hoard: Bronze Drums, and Gold Ornaments found in Kalimantan in 1991 by Dr. Edmund Edwards McKinnon; Joining the Communist Underground: The Conversion of English-Educated Radicals to Communism in Singapore, June 1948-January 1951 by
Associate Professor Yeo Kim Wah; Two Communist Pamphlets from Kedah and Penang, 1949 by Henry S. Barlow; Chinese Furniture by Mr. Walter Cheah; ‘Raffles Reviewed – Sir Stamford Raffles 175 Year Later’ An Exhibition Organised by the National Museum of Singapore Commemorating Raffles’ Landing at Singapore on the Evening of the 28 January 1819 by Mr. Eli Solomon; Malay Woodcarving and the New Pulpit in the National Mosque by Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Mubin Sheppard . Near Fine Paperback 112 pages with some black and white plates and line drawings
The contents include the following articles - ‘Descent and Identity: The Different Paths of Tan Cheng Lock, Tan Kah Kee and Lim Lian Geok by Tan Liok Ee; Gua Tempurong by David Gebauer & Liz Price; Sriwijaya and the First Zeros by Anthony Diller; The Origins of Cocoa Cultivation in Malaysia by Amarjit Kaur; Note on a pair of Batu Aceh in Rembau by Zakaria Ali; The Origins of Weaving Centres in the Malay Peninsula by Maznah Mohamed; The Bugis-Makassar Diaspora by Leonard Y. Andaya; James Hatton Hall (1866–1945) – Planter, Merchant, Soldier by A.V.M. Horton Near Fine Paperback 159 pages with some black and white plates and maps
The contents include the following articles - Mubin Sheppard by J.M. Gullick; A Note on the Fishing Industry in Kelantan, 1953 by M.C. ff Sheppard; Hunting Down the Rebels in Kelantan, 1915: The Sultan’s ‘Double Game’
by Dr. Cheah Boon Kheng; Teluk Anson: 1882–1941: Port, Agriculture and Erosion by Professor Dato Khoo Kay Kim; Some Perspectives on Southeast Asian Historiography by Nicholas Tarling; Bibliography of Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Haji Mubin Sheppard by H.S. Barlow; A Short History of the Society by J.M. Gullick ; History of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society based on an academic thesis by Choy Chee Meh née Lum, 1984, edited and updated by others Very Good Paperback 162 pages with some black and white plates and line drawings
The contents include the following articles -The Malayan Communist Struggle for Survival by C.F. Yong ; Labour Laws and the Development of Trade Unionism in Peninsular Malaysia, 1945–1960 by Leong Yee Fong; The Trishaw Industry as a “bang”-based Trade by Jason Lim; Comments on John Crawfurd’s Observations on Some Geological Aspects of the Malaysian Region in his Journal of an Embassy to the Courts of Siam and Cochin China (1828) by T.T. Khoo; Notes on Early Mosques of the Malayan Peninsula by Allan Bruce; Swettenham – Schemer and Historian by H.S. Barlow; The Kuala Langat Piracy Trial by John Gullick; Near Fine Paperback 129 pages with some black and white plates and line drawings
The contents include the following articles - Odoric of Pordenone (1265–1331) by L. Bressan; Chinese-Malay Socio-Economic Networks in the Penang-Kedah-North Sumatra Triangle, 1880–1909: A Study of the Entrepreneur Lim Leng Cheak by Wu Xiao An; The Discovery of Bukit Jawa, Gelok, a Middle-Late Palaeolithic Site in Perak, Malaysia by Zuraina Majid; The Attitude of the Brookes Towards Education in Sarawak by Ooi Keat Gin; The Music of Negara-Ku by James Harding and John Gullick; The ‘Waterfall’ Botanic Garden on Pulau Pinang: The Foundation of the Penang Botanic Gardens 1884–1910 by D.S. Jones; Coral as Building Material in Late Portuguese and Early Dutch Malacca by T.T. Khoo Near Fine Paperback 132 pages with some black and white plates and line drawings
The contents include the following articles - “Di dalam nama dan kerananya kita”. A Pair of Malay and Javanese Letters by Sir Stamford Raffles by Raimy Che-Ross; The Sinicization of Malay Keramats in Malaysia by Cheu Hock Tong; Marriage and Divorce in Johore among the Malay-Muslims during the Japanese Occupation, 1942–45 by Abu Talib Ahmad; A History of Malaysian History (to 1939) by J.M. Gullick; The Rise and Fall of the Great Melakan Empire: Moral Judgment in Tun Bambang’s Sejarah Melayu by Cheah Boon Kheng; Ordering of Housing and the Urbanization Process: Shophouses in Colonial Penang Near Fine Paperback 162 pages with some black and white plates and line drawings
This issue includes the following articles - An Expedition into the Politics of Malay Philology by Ian Proudfoot; Transformation of Mandailing Cultural Identity and Leadership by AbdurRazzaq LubsThe Ecologies of Kuala and Muara Settlements in the Pre-Modern Malay Culture World by Christopher A. Airriess; The Ceramic Trade across the South China Sea by Barbara Harrisson; Near Fine Paperback 124 pages.
For details please see the scanned contents cover. Near Fine Paperback 133 pages.
For details please see the scanned contents cover. Near Fine Paperback 135 pages.
The contents of this issue include the following articles: - The Fall and Rise of Klang, 1867–1900 by J.M. Gullick.; The Malaysian Census 2000: Characteristics and Critical Issues by Usman Haji Yaakob; The Foundation of the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce in 1903: Protecting Chinese Business Interests in the Two States by Shinozaki Kaori; A Variant Epilogue to an Epic Tale: The ‘Latest’ Recension of Hikayat Hang Tuah by Raimy Ché-Ross;Repeal of the Rent Control Act and Its Impacts on the Pre-war Shophouses in Georgetown, Malaysia by Mohammad Abdul Mohit and Mohd Bashir Sulaiman. Near Fine Paperback 124 pages.
Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society Journal - Volume LXXIX Part 2 2006 RM120
For details please see the scanned contents cover. Near Fine Paperback 129 pages
For details please see the scanned contents cover. New Paperback 109 pages.
Articles in this issue include - ‘Traitor of all Traitors’—Secret Agent Extraordinaire: Lai Teck, Secretary-General, Communist Party of Malaya (1939–1947) by Leon Comber; The Economy of Perak in the Mid-1870s by John Gullick; Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Mubin Sheppard: Pioneer in the Conservation of Historical Buildings in Malaysia, 1950–1994 by Zuraini Md Ali; Ethnicity, Language and Culture in Melaka after the Transition from Portuguese to Dutch Rule (Seventeenth Century) by Peter Borschberg New Paperback 127 pages.
The contents include the following articles -The First Sultan of Sarawak and His Links to Brunei and the Sambas Dynasty, 1599–1826: A Little-Known Pre-Brooke History by Ib Larsen; In Alfred Russel Wallace’s Shadow: His Forgotten Assistant: Charles Allen (1839–1892) by Kees Rookmaaker and John van Wyhe; Ming China’s Support for Sultan Mahmud of Melaka and Its Hostility towards the Portuguese after the Fall of Melaka in 1511 by Cheah Boon Kheng; The Builders by J. M. Gullick. New Paperback 140 pages
These are papers presented at a conference of the Singapore Heritage Society in 1994 where individuals from different walks of life, cultures and generations came together in an attempt to explore how the country's past contributes to its life today. The purpose was not only to raise awareness of the past but to seek to determine how various strands of history and inheritance contribute to the Singaporean identity today. Near Fine Paperback 216 pages
It is not often that one comes across attempts to bring to life those at the very bottom of Singapore life during colonial times. Warren attempts to do this by focusing on one profession, the rickshaw coolie, thousands of whom emigrated from China to serve the wealthy in Singapore. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including coroner's reports, he recreates life on the streets for this exploited group. Good Paperback. Reprint. 391 pages with maps, tables, some black and white plates, a bibliography and an index.
Malaysia & Singapore - History (Pre-18th Century)
A collection of scholarly articles on the finds at Bujang Valley, Kedah, where evidence of a Buddhist civilisation of more than 2,500 years old has been found. There are five articles in Malay and eight in English by recognised authorities such as Othman bin Mohd Yatim, Rolland Braddell, Alastair Lamb and BAV Peacock. Very Good Paperback. 88 pages with line drawings and colour plates.
Malaysia & Singapore - History (19th Century)
William Jervois was Governor of the Straits Settlements, overseeing British policy in Malaya, from 1875 to 1877. Following the Pangkor Treaty of 18t4, it was a time when the British were cementing their hold on the country. This book includes four memoranda written by Jervois private secretary, HM Mills, recording various events during Jervois' tenure. Published as Volume LXXII Part 1 of the Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society Very Good Paperback. 93 pages.
This study of the economic history of Singapore from the arrival of the British East India Company to the opening of the Suez canal in 1969 filled an important gap in historical research at the time it was first published in 1961.For further details, please see the scanned contents page. . New Hardback Reprint.
Johor
Malaysia & Singapore - Language & Linguistics
An introduction to Singaporean English, known as 'Singlish,' through a collection of previously published newspaper columns primarily aimed at teaching correct English usage. Near Fine Paperbacks. Reprints. 196 pages each.
Malaysia & Singapore - Literature
What is useful about this book is that in many cases the author, Hull University's librarian has taken time to look at the books rather than reproducing other people's lists. The result is probably the most comprehensive list for this specialised area of literature that had been produced up to that date. Hill lists 1,054 entries in this 142 page book as well as an index of authors. Fine Paperback. First Edition
Malaysia & Singapore - Malay Community & Culture
A compilation of articles, mostly previously published by the Society in its journals, on the Malay weapon, the keris or kris. Topics covered include the weapon's origins, its manufacture, measurement and different examples of the weapon. With an introduction by Ahmat Adam. New Paperback. First Edition. 260 pages with some black and white plates, line drawings and a bibliography.
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. These treatises were originally published in 1925 as part of a series covering various aspects of Malay life. New Paperback Edited Reprint. 257 pages.
Melaka
An interesting study of social life in Melaka mined from court records during the Dutch occupation of the city. One can almost hear the voices of those caught up in the criminality of the times, whether as victims or perpetrators. New Hardback. First Edition. 132 pages with a bibliography and some line drawings and black and white plates.
Negeri Sembilan
This was one of a series of booklets published by the the British colonial government on Malay life to prepare expatriate colonial officers for examinations This issue deals with one of the parts of Negeri Sembilan and was prepared with the assistance of RJ Wilkinson, members of the Jelebu royal family and Mr. Queritz, the first British officer stationed in the district. Good Paperback. First Edition 58 pages For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
This work, a revised Ph.D thesis, mainly seeks to study the workings of the matrilineal system of kinship prevalent in Negeri Sembilan at the time of the research. Swift particularly looks at how this system copes with the patrilineal system of Islam, the change from rice to rubber cultivation and the effects of colonial administrative intrusion. 181 pages with chapters on The Traditional Political System, The Nature fo the Economy, The Major Products: Rice, Rubber and Fruit, Saving and Capital, The Decline of the Traditional Political Organisation, Some Recent Adat Disputes, Family and Domestic Groups, The Village, Status and Social Stratification & Economy and Society. 181 pges Good Hardback. First Edition There is a glossary, bibliography and an index.
Pahang
A history of one of the most historically important states of Malaysia. Linehan traces the state's history from earliest times to the end of the 19th century. New paperback. Reprint. Originally published in 1936. 218 pages with seven black and white plates.
Penang
This collection of transcriptions of the original manuscript documents was originally assembled by Cowan to provide students at the University of Malaya with a solid core of original sources for their work. They were later published by the MBRAS for the benefit of a wider readership. The documents show that the reasons why Penang's original supremacy gave way to Singapore are quite complex - a result of a mix of commercial, political and personal influences. Very Good Paperback. First Edition 210 pages with a map and an index.
This issue is devoted entirely to Penang with a focus on the Peranakan community Articles included - Introduction: Peranakan Chinese in Penang and the region: Evolving Identities and Networks by Loh Wei Leng; Print and Colonial Port Cultures of the Indian Ocean Littoral: Penang and Rangoon by Su Lin Lewis; Penang as Commercial Centre: Trade and Shipping Networks by Loh Wei Leng; The Chiangchew Hokkiens, the True Pioneers in the Nanyang by Russell Jones; Regional Links: Yangon, Penang and Singapore by Daw Win and Loh Wei Leng; Hokkien Chinese on the Phuket Mining Frontier: The Penang Connection and the Emergence of the Phuket Baba Community by Khoo Salma Nasution; The Chinese Commercial Elite of Medan, 1890–1942: The Penang Connection by Dirk A. Buiskool; The Peranakan Chinese Literature in Penang and the Region: with an Emphasis on Anglophone Penang Peranakan Writing by Neil Khor Jin Keong; Nyonya Needlework from Penang by Hwei-Fen Cheah; Peranakan Street Culture in Penang: towards Revitalization by Tan Sooi Beng; The Peranakan Associations of Malaysia and Singapore: History and Current Scenario by Lee Su Kim; A Survey of the Literature on Chinese Peranakans and the Case for a Regional Resource Centre by Ch’ng Kim See; New Paperback 221 pages.
Perak
Hashim based his study on the peasant community in Kampong Ulu Kenderong where he sought to determine how this traditional society interacted with post independence changes and what changes, if any, were brought about in the village. Very Good Paperback. First Edition 192 pages including two fold out maps, an appendix and bibliography.
At the time he wrote this McNair had been first a British East India Company employee and a colonial official in Malaya for more than twenty years. The book was probably prompted by the killing of the Resident of Perak, JWW Birch, three years before the book's publication. This event served to bring the Malay peninsula to the attention of the British public. So, in some considerable detail, McNair sets out not only to describe almost every aspect of the state and its peoples, but also the events that led up to Birch's death and the subsequent 'pacification' afterwards. New Paperback. Reprint and Reedited. Originally published in 1878. 316 pages with 13 engravings
Malaysia & Singapore - Photography
A Government sponsored attractive collection of colour photographs over approximately 200 pages illustrating the rich mix of Malaysian life in the usual style of such publications. All glamour and no grime. The book is multilingual in Malay, French, English and Arabic. Near Fine Hardback in a Near Fine Slipcase
Malaysia & Singapore - Poetry
A book of Malay poetry criticism. 91 pages. Please see the scan of the contents page for further details. Very Good Paperback
Malaysia & Singapore - Politics
Politicians anywhere are not necessarily the brightest representatives of the people and Malaysia is no exception. So here is a second installment of Malaysia's best examples accompanied by illustrations by Fahmi Reza. As New Paperback. Reprint. 106 pages with an index of the culprits with Mahathir Mohamad and Samy Velllu vying for first place
The contributors mull over what it is going to take to create a truly Malaysian identity that can be owned by both different classes and different ethnic groups. Several of the essays highlight the growing importance of women in powering the requisite changes required. Good Paperback. First Edition. 214 pages with an index.
A collection of essays by various Singaporeans advocating the Singapore brand of politics as an antidote to the spread of communism. The essays also seek to demonstrate why Singapore's version of 'democracy' is preferable to that practiced in Western countries. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 268 pages with a collection of black and white photographs
Love him or loathe him, the author was probably the best known Malaysian politician internationally, until the arrival of the infamous Najib Razak. This collection of writings are from the period when Mahathir Mohamad was honing his political skills which led him to becoming prime minister initially in 1981. Very Good Paperback. Reprint. 141 pages
Malaysia & Singapore - Race Relations
This booklet attempts to tackle the vexing question of what a Malaysian national identity could or should look like. The author presents the results of surveys carried out among the country's citizens in an attempt to formulate an answer. Very Good Paperback. First Edition. 48 pages with a map, figures, tables and a bibliography.
Malaysia & Singapore - Religion
A brief survey of Buddhist practice on the Malayan peninsula at the time of independence. 61 pages and about 16 black and white plates. Very Good Paperback. First Edition For further details, please see the scanned contents page.
The China Inland Mission, one of the main Christian missionary groups in China, were forced into a change of strategy following the Communist revolution there. The Mission moved its regional headquarters from Shanghai to Singapore and began to concentrate on the Chinese diaspora in Malaya and Singapore. This is an account of the Mission's work in New Villages during the Malayan 'Emergency.' Very Good Paperback. First Edition 48 pages
One aspect of Islam that can give the religion a bad name is the inclination of a minority of its political followers to introduce forms of criminal law that are intrusive into citizens' private lives and corporal punishments such as caning for those found guilty. The state of Kelantan in Malaysia is governed by a political party that seeks to enforce some aspects of this extreme form of Islam. This book is a collection of articles both for and against such practices that were initially enshrined in the Kelantan Criminal Enactment (II) 1993. It was originally published by Sisters in Islam, an NGO committed to protecting the rights of women in Islam in 1995. New Paperback. Reprint.
Malaysia & Singapore - Sport and Recreation
A collection of articles from the Journal of Asian Martial Arts. Topics covered include Kuntao, Mysticism in Martial Arts, Silat Kebatinan, Pauleh Tinggi, Silek, Randai Folk Theatre, Silat Seni Gayong and Penchak Silat. Near Fine Paperbacks. 96 and 107 pages with indices.
Malaysia & Singapore - Transport
The prime purpose of developing a railway system in Malaysia was to enable rubber and tin producers to get their products to consumers as quickly and economically as possible. This review concentrates on the railways until the end of the steam era. With a bibliography and photos, tables and maps. 74 pages. New Paperback First Edition
Malaysia & Singapore - World War II
This collection of articles adopts a new appraoch to the history of the period, i.e. using primary sources in Japanese, interviewing Japanese military and civilians who were part of the occupying force and Malaysians and Singaporeans who lived through the period. The contents of the 296 pages include articles on the Nanyo Kokai and British Malaya and Singapore 1915-1945, Colonel Watanabe Wataru, the architect of the Malayan Military Administration, Leaders of the Malayan Communist Party During the Anti-Japanese War, Japans' Economic Policy for Occupied Malaya, Railway Operations in Japanese Occupied Malaya, Japanese Research Activities in Malaya/Syonan, The Civilian Women's Internment Camp in Singapore, Surrendering Syonan & the Massacre of Chinese in Singapore and its Coverage in Postwar Japan. New Paperback
A biography of the British commander whose lot it was to surrender Singapore to the Japanese in February 1942. Kinvig traces Percival's career from the First World War right through to his life after he was released from Japanese captivity. The book is a vindication of Percival's role and a critical examination of the part played by Churchill in Singapore's downfall. New Hardback in a New Dust Jacket 278 pages.
Asia
The European settlements in Southeast Asia from the 17th century onwards attracted a wide range of entrepreneurs from elsewhere. The best known were Arabs, British, Chinese and Dutch. but there were smaller communities such as the Armenians and the Jewish community, the subject of this study. Kamsma uses three case studies of the diamond trade, the coffee retail business and the fashion trade to determine how this community fared and its influence on the region. Fine Paperback. First Edition. 267 pages with a list of references.
Although colonial incursions into Southeast Asia were primarily for the purpose of exploiting new sources of trade, surviving narratives of traders and government officers do not often mention this. Instead more often the justification for war and subsequent conquest is often cited as the need to 'civilise' 'backward' and 'savage' peoples. In this collection of articles the contributors examine the extent to which race framed the narrative of Western powers as they made their mark in Borneo, the Dutch East Indies, Malaya, the Philippines and Siam. New Hardback. First Edition 288 pages with an index and a map.
China
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.
A bibliography of books held in both in the Medical Library and the Chinese Library at the University of Singapore together with a list of journal articles and a subject index for those articles. Good Paperback. First Edition 60 pages
Based on the author's four years as an ethnologist in China, this book not only describes the celebration of a wide variety of Chinese festivals, but how they evolved and the mythology behind them. Fine Paperback. Reprint. 103 pages
India
The essays are divided into two sections with the first devoted to archaeology and the second to asceticism and the bhakti tradition. The detailed case studies relate to specific temples and rituals associated with temples. Very Good Hardback in a Near Fine Dust Jacket. 311 pages with black and white photographs, ground plans and line drawings.
Indonesia
Vincent Mahieu was one of the pen names of Jan Boon, a Eurasian, who devoted himself to promoting and preserving 'Indo'/Eurasian culture. He is one of the most popular Dutch authors in Indonesia. These stories, based on his own experiences, portray the life of Indos in the Dutch East Indies. Very Good Paperback. 206 pages.
Hijjas examines six syair, narrative poems, from the Riau Archipelago of the 19th century to discover that women were not always portrayed as unequal to men. These syair allow an unusual access to women's imaginative worlds where fiction and social reality have a more complex relationship than one might imagine. New Paperback. First Edition 324 pages with a bibliography and an index.
Sri Lanka
Vittachi, an award winning journalist, coined the term 'Brown Sahib' to refer to the nationalist leaders who took over in former British colonies. He noticed that they struggled with being virulently critical of the former colonists while aping British behaviour and traditions in the home and ensuring their children were educated in British schools. He argues that this schizophrenic mindset did not bode well for the expectant people entrusted to their charge. Good Hardback. First Edition. 127 pages.
