Select Books

Architecture Books in Selections 106

2012-01-28T12:31:00.000+08:00

Selections 106, the latest issue of our catalogue of new titles, has just been released. This issue includes 3 titles on architecture:

The Practice Of Practice 2: Research in the Medium of Design edited by Leon Van Schaik and Michael Spooner. This volume brings together comprehensive excerpts from the catalogues documenting the design practice research of eighteen architects who were invited to participate in the 'invitational' research program at RMIT. The research here presented offers a wealth of evidence about the design practices of architects and practitioner academics. This is the Fifth edition of RMIT University's Postgraduate Masters work and features contributions from some of Australia's leading architecture practices, including Scott Balmforth, Gerard Reinmuth, Sara Cole, Riet Eeckhout, Ephraim Joris, Brian Donovan, Timothy Hill, Nikki Kalms, Michael Patroni, m3Architecture, Robert Simeoni, Leigh Wolley, Adrian Iredale, Finn Pedersen, Robert Morris Nunn, Dale Jones Evans, Roger Wood & Randal Marsh.

The Urban Design of Impermanence: Streets, Places and Spaces in Hong Kong by Peter Cookson Smith. The notion of impermanence underlies the urban design language of Hong Kong to a significant extent. The city's intensely urban environment has long reflected embedded patterns of change and temporality in both physical and cultural dimensions - a forever reconstructed city of dislocation, adaptation and imagination. These characteristics are intrinsically interwoven with street and spatial patterns, producing a sense of immediacy and transience, ingrained within the fabric and memory of the city. This might stem, on the one hand, from a philosophy of change inherent in cultural traditions, but it also reflects more tangible issues accumulated from historical imprints, regimes of displacement, and constant transformation of the urban environment. This collection of sketches, illustrations and essays seeks to reflect the evolving character and personality of Hong Kong - an informality in the way its older streets, urban places and spaces are used, and how this encodes the 'everyday' experience of the city through a profusion of visual incident, expression, and an intensity of fragmented features that exude Hong Kong's high density urban values.

Architectural Guide Tokyo by Ulf Meyer. In this guide to the city's architecture, vista photographs introduce the shape of the built area of Tokyo. Text and photo insets describe some 200 post-1945 buildings. Location details are set out with sketch plains which include subway route maps. Index of buildings.

Memoirs

2012-01-25T17:26:00.000+08:00

This is a selection of recent memoirs:

Memoirs of an Ice-Cream Lady by Emily Ho. Memoirs Of An Ice-Cream Lady is a charming and humorous series of anecdotes and reflections by a single Chinese lady, who established and managed an ice-cream parlor selling top-end ice-cream on the small outlying Hong Kong island of Lamma. Here locals and some residents from overseas live in close contact, as observed and recorded here by Emily's unblinkered eye. Comments on the traditional Chinese attitudes to girls and unmarried women mingle with reflections on meddling neighbours, the odd habits of customers, the ingratitude of teenage girls and the antics of feisty ferry passengers. Petty quibbles find perspective from Emily's account of the impact on her neighbourhood of the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and her response to an earthquake disaster on the Chinese Mainland. Emily's perspective is quirky and unique, but unquestionably valid. Behind the amused and critical eye of a modern-day Mrs Gaskell is another object of concern -the writer herself: - what is her place in this world where her own values and emotions are so often at issue with most of those in her milieu?

Master of None: How A Hong Kong High-Flyer Overcame the Devastating Experience of Imprisonment by John Hung. From Stanley Prison, corporate high-flyer John T. Hung recounts his life in a sweep of Hong Kong history over five generations - from his family roots in the 19th century through World War II to the present. The story tracks the richness of his mixed heritage and upbringing, his steady rise and precipitous fall from the pinnacles of corporate Hong Kong to the life-destroying court case and heartbreaking incarceration. With wry and subtle humour, Hung describes his colourful yet volatile life, interwoven into the social, commercial, political and sporting tapestry of Hong Kong and South East Asia. Master of None is a soulful exploration of human achievements, frailties, resilience in the face of adversity, and above all, the importance of family support in overcoming whatever fate may deal us.

The Accidental Entrepreneur: Life and Reflections of Choo Heng Thong by Choo Heng Thong. Born in the post-war baby boom years in Malaya, Choo Heng Thong rose from his humble beginnings in Johor Bahru to become an entrepreneur in the heady days of Singapore's industrialisation in the 1970s. In a very personable style, he has encapsulated his thoughts and experiences, giving a real - and at times whimsical - account of the last six decades of development in Malaysia and Singapore.

Growing Up With Ghosts by Bernice Chauly. Two Malaysians, ethnic Chinese Jane and Sikh-born Surinder, a teacher, married with family disapproval in 1967. Surinder died in a drowning accident in 1973. In this unusual family saga, Bernice uses letters and archival material to tell often-tragic stories from the lives of her forebears. After becoming aware of apparent connections with a family curse involving snakes and their deities, she traces an aged Sikh relative who knows the family's traditions. She tells of her 2009 visit to him near Amritsar and her action at his snake shrine which breaks the curse. With archival documents, family photographs and glossary.

What Glass Ceiling? The Memoirs of Rohini Nanayakkara as told to Michelle Gunawardana by Michelle Gunawardana. Having done it all, from being Sri Lanka's first woman banker, to reaching the very top in the country's financial sector, as CEO of the Bank of Ceylon and later of Seylan Bank, and becoming one of the most highly respected bankers and business leaders in Sri Lanka, Rohini Nanayakkara has no time for dwelling on gender inequalities and inequities. She didn't fight chauvinism; she just ignored it. And for her it ceased to exist. This book tells how she made it despite coming from an average family.

Children's Books on Art

2012-01-16T19:12:00.001+08:00

Select Books stocks a large collection of books that are great for teaching children about art, both as teaching aids and reference books for the children. We have worked with several schools to supply them with these titles. Do contact us about possible events and titles.

This is a small selection of titles:

13 Art Inventions Children Should Know by Florian Heine. From the use of perspective to the invention of the paint tube, 13 examples of some of the most important breakthroughs in artistic technology offers kids an exciting new perspective on the world of art. This new volume in the highly successful "13" series uses colorful reproductions, glossaries, and a timeline to explore milestones in the history of art. Kids will learn about important innovations in art while they discover answers to questions such as: Why was oil painting invented? What were the subjects of the first photographs? How do you depict the world on a flat canvas? Filled with accessible, fascinating facts as well as creative suggestions for independent art projects, this unique introduction to art history shows young readers how art is made as well as how to enjoy it.

Coloring Book - Art Nouveau by Rahel Goldner. Big art for little hands, these enchanting activity books allow young artists to explore the world's masterpieces on their own terms and with plenty of space to color outside the lines.

When I Grow Up I Want To Paint Like Liu Kang (Colouring Book). This book introduces the world of Singapore artist Liu Kang to young children ages four and above through fun and engaging ideas and activities.The influence of cultural heritage and art from Europe and Asia is found everywhere in Liu Kang's colourful and lively paintings. Making pop-up pictures and creating one's very own Balinese headdress provide opportunities for play-based learning about different cultures. The book can be used at home or in the classroom. Biographical information and colour images about the artist and his works are included. A glossary pitched at young readers is also included. This is the second book in the Little Artists series of activity books, which allows children to create new works of art and learn about important Singaporean artists. The first book in the series is When I Grow Up I Want to Paint Like Cheong Soo Pieng.

Earth, Sea, Sun, And Sky: Art In Nature by Barbara Stieff. This engaging book introduces young readers to the enormous variety of art that exists within the natural environment. Art can be a garden; a spiral of broken pebbles or dandelions; a wheat field in a former garbage dump. It can be made of wood carved with a chainsaw or a drawing using dust and earth. It can be transitory-painted on sand only to be erased by waves; or it can be built to last, like sculpture gardens by renowned artists. Filled with beautiful images, this book will help children appreciate the different ways that artists employ nature in their work. It examines an array of examples, including sculpture gardens, mazes, land art, and nature-related works in museums while exploring the works of international artists, including Niki de Saint Phalle, Daniel Spoerri, Antonio Gaudi, Christo, the Ant Farm, Nancy Holt, Joseph Beuys, Agnes Denes, and Andy Goldsworthy. The book provides readers with a wealth of ideas for creating their own paintings, drawings, sculptures, and experiments. Children will experience hours of inspiration as they discover the artistic possibilities that exist in the natural world.

13 Art Mysteries Children Should Know by Angela Wenzel. In this intriguing book, young readers will be introduced to the unsolved mysteries behind some of the world's greatest art and artists. For as long as people have been viewing the masterpieces in this book, they've been asking the same questions: Why is the Mona Lisa smiling? Who was that girl with the pearl earring? What made Magritte's reading woman so frightened? These and other great mysteries of the art world are explored in this colorful, fun, and informative children's book. Each masterpiece is presented in a double page spread with stunning reproductions, biographical information about the artist, historical context and the pressing questions themselves. From Bosch to Banksy, the mysterious life of Caravaggio to the strange room in Velazques' Las Meninas, Surrealism to stolen art-young readers' interests in some of the world's great masterpieces will be piqued by the puzzles they offer and that remain unsolved to this day.

New Distribution Partner: Blacksmith Books

2012-01-09T15:42:00.000+08:00

We are pleased to announce that Select Books has been appointed as the Singapore distributor for Blacksmith Books.

Based in Hong Kong, Blacksmith Books focuses on publishing China-related non-fiction – biography, business, culture, current affairs, photography and travel – and presents the works of their local and expat authors to a global readership.

Blacksmith Books was profiled in Time Out — read the article here.

This is a selection of their recent titles that we will be supplying to the book trade in Singapore:

Waiting for the Dalai Lama: Stories from all Sides of the Tibetan Debate by Annelie Rozeboom. Why does the issue of Tibet rouse such passions on both sides? And is there any way to find common ground? Chinese-speaking journalist Annelie Rozeboom worked as a foreign correspondent in China for ten years. During that time she was able to interview numerous Tibetan people inside and outside Tibet, as well as Chinese residents, Western observers and the Dalai Lama himself. As these people explain their life stories, it becomes clear to the reader why they think the way they do. The book also shows how history washed over this remote kingdom and how the Tibetans and the Chinese came to take such opposing positions. Waiting for the Dalai Lama is a uniquely valuable book which approaches the emotive issue of Tibet from all angles.

Master of None: How a Hong Kong High-Flyer Overcame the Devastating Experience of Imprisonment by John Hung. From Stanley Prison, corporate high-flyer John T. Hung recounts his life in a sweep of Hong Kong history over five generations - from his family roots in the 19th century through World War II to the present. The story tracks the richness of his mixed heritage and upbringing, his steady rise and precipitous fall from the pinnacles of corporate Hong Kong to the life-destroying court case and heartbreaking incarceration. With wry and subtle humour, Hung describes his colourful yet volatile life, interwoven into the social, commercial, political and sporting tapestry of Hong Kong and South East Asia. Master of None is a soulful exploration of human achievements, frailties, resilience in the face of adversity, and above all, the importance of family support in overcoming whatever fate may deal us.

The Eurasian Face by Kirsteen Zimmern. No one represents diversity better than Eurasians - those individuals with a mix of Caucasian and Asian heritage. Once a source of shame, the Eurasian face has become the face that sells. It is the face with which everyone can identify. In an ever-shrinking world, the search is on for a one-size-fits-all global image. Eurasians have become the world's poster boys and girls, much sought after as actors and models. Taking advantage of increasingly tolerant times and the growing commercial and cultural exchanges between East and West, Eurasians have gained prominence as entrepreneurs, professionals and athletes. This book of interviews and black-and-white portraits reveals how seventy Eurasians of diverse backgrounds see their place in the world today.

Hong Kong: State of Mind, 37 Views of a City that Doesn't Blink by Jason Ng. Hong Kong is a mixed bag of a city. It is where Mercedes outnumber taxi cabs, partygoers count down to Christmas every December 24, and larger-than-life billboards of fortune tellers and cram school tutors compete with breathtaking skylines. Hong Kong State of Mind is a collection of essays by a popular blogger who zeroes in on the city's idiosyncrasies with deadpan precision. At once an outsider looking in and an insider looking out, Ng has created something for everyone: a travel journal for the passing visitor, a user's manual for the wide-eyed expat, and an open diary for the native Hong Konger looking for moments of reflection.

Books on Social Issues

2012-01-06T14:52:00.000+08:00

This is a selection of titles addressing social issues, such as domestic violence, the sex industry, and poverty among others, in Asian countries.

Nightingale Songs: Survival Stories from Domestic Violence by Kendra. In Nightingale Songs: Survival Stories from Domestic Violence, Singapore-based counsellor and mental healthcare professional, Kendra, speaks to survivors of abuse and the professionals who help those impacted by violence in the home. The diversity of stories reflects Singaporean society, illustrating that this social problem is not limited to one class or ethnic group but crosses all boundaries of race, religion, education, and socio-economic background. Private stories are revealed for the purpose of raising public awareness about violence in the home. Kendra presents domestic violence as a social issue needing to be understood and addressed at the community level. This book provides useful information for those considering working in the field of domestic violence, especially the importance of self-care, and will resonate with anyone whose life has been personally touched by this issue.

Many Roads Home - Stories from the Muhammadiyah Welfare Home edited by Stephanie Ho, Jaime Koh et al. Since 1989 the Muhammadiyah Welfare Home (MWF) has cared for Muslim children in need. This account of the Home's origins and work shows how the government, Courts, Muslim community and volunteers of many of backgrounds have come together in providing care and support for children families who have experienced all kinds of problems and disasters. Twenty residents or former residents tell of their life in the Home, of their plans or ideals, and of some of the burdens they carry. The role of the staff, future plans for the Home, the contribution of volunteers of many backgrounds are all described, with the help of lively drawings and illuminating photographs. Profits to MWH.

Hearts of Resilence: Singapore's Community Engagement Programme by Asad-Il Iqbal Latif. Singapore's government-sponsored Community Engagement Programme (CEP) was set up after London's incident of fatal terrrorist violence in July 2005 to foster the local development of inter-community cohesion and understanding. The CEP's aims and programme and the ideas of its leading personalities are set out. Twelve Singaporeans who are actively engaged in encouraging community interaction in their own local context are then introduced with photographs and biographical sketches which show how hearts and minds can and are promoting social cohesion in Singapore's diverse society.

Dangerous Sex, Invisible Labor: Sex Work and the Law in India by Prabha Kotiswaran. This is a widely based exploration of contemporary sex work and related law in India based on substantial investigation and field study of many of the elements involved in the industry and its management and funding. Part One looks at theories which have and do influence sex work perceptions, inside and outside India, including exploitative, legal, abolitionist, materialist-feminist religious and medical constructions. Part Two offers indepth studies of the work patterns and life prospects of travelling sex workers of Tirupati and of brothel workers in Kolkata. Part 3 explores regulation, the workings of the law and pressures for its reform. The possible construction of a postcolonial materialist-feminist theory of sex work is related to the Indian and international scene. With notes, bibliography and index.

Invisible People: Poverty and Empowerment in Indonesia by Irfan Kortschak and Poriaman Sitanggang (Photo). Who are Indonesia's invisible people? They include people with physical disabilities in Aceh; people from a village with a very high rate of congenital deafness in Bali; malnourished children and their parents in West Timor; widows and female heads of households in Lombok; people with leprosy- related disabilities in South Sulawesi; women surviving domestic abuse and communal violence in Ambon; people with HIV and AIDS in Papua; children in a village in West Java without access to a secondary school; sex workers in West Kalimantan; and transgendered persons in East Java. As this book shows, through first hand interviews with members of vulnerable groups in Indonesia, these people are not passive victims, merely waiting for assistance. They are actively working to improve their own lives. With more than 100 photographs, Invisible People tells the sometimes heartbreaking but often heartwarming stories of their lives.

Sound Recollections: ‘Apache over Singapore’ by Joseph C. Pereira

2011-12-28T11:35:00.008+08:00

Apache over Singapore by Joseph C. Pereira is subtitled ‘The story of Singapore 60s music’. The first of 2 books, Volume 1 covers the first five years of the decade which saw the local music scene reach a level of activity unparalleled before or since. Bands like The Quests and The Jets vied for places on the Singapore and Malaysia pop charts alongside The Beatles. Major labels like Philips and EMI were snapping up local bands to recording contracts. Even an act with no recorded output, Ronnie & The Burns, could sell out a concert at the Singapore Conference Hall.

Author Joseph C. Pereira devotes individual chapters to major acts of the period, and serves up an encyclopedic document on the bands and musicians: from the stories behind their formation and dissolution, to the respective discographies and even shows and tours undertaken. Being a latter period band member himself, Pereira is able to offer insights on the sounds and methods of the day. While the movement was undoubtedly catalysed with a plethora of bands imitating The Shadows, there was no shortage of creativity and experimentation as the musicians developed beyond simple party shows. New sounds and technologies were eagerly adopted, like the fuzzbox (as used by the Rolling Stones) and 16 track recording equipment (this at the time when the Beatles were recording on 4 track). For an idea of the proficiency of the time, consider Jimmy Appudurai (Meltones, Motif) commenting on his guitar tone: ‘I used a 1962 or 1963 Strat and the studio’s Dynachord amplifier…A clean split sound, from the bottom toggle switch, mixed in between the last 2 pickups.’

As the stories of the bands unfold, so too is a picture of Singapore society woven indelibly as backdrop. This was still Singapore the exotic third world port of call, a cauldron of British colonial expatriates, American personnel on R&R from Vietnam, and seafarers unleashed on shore leave. Within the local populace, gangsterism, communism and racial friction would soon rupture the fragile social fabric. As Patrick Seet of the Echo Jets recalled, trouble makers sometimes showed up at gigs and caused bloody fighting on the dancefloors, and for the intimidated bands, ‘the only thing we could do was to keep on playing’.

Emerging too from the narrative are reminders of a bygone era, where youths flocked to Sunday Tea Dances, and movie theatres such as the Lido and now defunct Capitol hosted live band and variety shows. This in part sustained the demand for beat bands, which would fill nightclubs and venues like the Singapore Badminton Hall and National Theatre in a way the present-day Esplanade Theatre would surely wish. It consequently made Singapore an exporter of performers to the regional entertainment circuits in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Vietnam, a mantle since assumed by the Philippines.

Reading between the lines, one is struck by a sense of excitement and possibility in the air at the time. Consider the story of The Flying Phantoms: a jamming band which took an on-looking schoolboy as singer - within several months of formation they were performing on national television! And those who think the Asian consumer market is a contemporary phenomenon may reflect that, back in the sixties, local bands were having their string backing tracks recorded in Holland, while The Crescendos, fronted by Singapore’s first teen superstar Susan Lim, was charting in the Philips International Top Ten alongside The Four Seasons and Dusty Springfield.

More than just a memento for nostalgic aficionados, Apache over Singapore serves up loads of fascinating anecdotes while enhancing our peripheral vision of a pivotal period in Singaporean history. Groovy indeed.

Books on Globalization

2011-12-27T17:14:00.000+08:00

Here are several recent titles addressing the challenges and opportunities of globalization in various fields:

Asian Cities: Globalization, Urbanization and Nation-Building by Malcolm Mckinnon. Asian Cities challenges Western paradigms of urban growth with a fresh and stimulating look at cities in developing Asia. It questions the status accorded globalisation in explaining contemporary Asian cities, arguing instead that they are being transformed by three major forces - urbanisation and nation-building as well as globalisation. The latter two are not dependent variables of globalisation, although all, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, are shaped by capitalism. The book reaches beyond the usual focus on metropolitan centres to examine urban life in a sample of middle-sized cities representative of hundreds of such urban centres throughout the Asian continent. An introductory chapter outlines the arguments and introduces the sample cities. Chapters two and three explore two principal facets of urbanisation: the material transformation that comes in its train and the impact that it has on the lives of the newly-urbanised. Chapters four to seven explore the way that the national framework shapes cities - including business enterprises, migrantion, travel and commercial popular culture. In a final chapter the book surveys likely trends in Asian cities over the next quarter century and considers the implications of the study for our understanding of globalisation generally.

Globalization: Power, Authority, and Legitimacy In Late Modernity by Antonio L. Rappa. Second 2011 edition of this exploration of the nature and impact of profound changes which are taking place in today's world of late modernity. The pivotal impact in Asia of US patterns neo-liberalism is overviewed and analysed often with reference to Singapore. The chapters look at: money, terrorism, culture, norms and values, technology and population, and war. Bibliography and index.

Fluidity of Place: Globalization and the Transformation of Urban Space by Naoki Yoshihara. Fluidity of Place presents an interdisciplinary conversation with theories of space-time, place and globalization at the cutting edge of social theory. Focussing on the construction of urban space in the context of hyper-mobility, Yoshihara examines the social relations that form place in a globalized world. The first half of the book discusses globalization theory and looks at place in relation to the fluidity brought about by recent technological advances. The second half details the construction of understandings of Asian mega-cities, particularly Jakarta, and examines the realities behind narratives of overurbanization in light of globalization and the concomitant fluidity of place. Yoshihara makes a compelling argument about the competing claims to place in a world where the nation-state has lost control of its borders.

The Poor under Globalization in Asia, Latin America and Africa edited by Machiko Nissanke and Erik Thorbecke. Globalisation and poverty are two of the most pressing contemporary international development issues. Despite the enormous potential of globalisation to accelerate economic growth and development, through greater integration into the world economy, the spread and transfer of technology, and the transmission of knowledge, its impact on poverty reduction has been uneven and even marginal in some regions. Both the prevalence and depth of poverty in many parts of the developing world remain unacceptably high. This volume presents thirteen studies selected from the three regional conferences organised under the auspices of UNU-WIDER. They illustrate the differential effects of globalisation on growth, inequality, and poverty in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Distinct processes of institutional and socio-political change, as well as significant differences in initial conditions, such as natural resource endowment, the quantity and quality of human capital, institutional framework, and the quality of governance, have had diverse effects on the poor in these regions. Focusing on distinct manifestations of globalisation and their affect on poverty, these case studies cover the spectrum from broad macroeconomic regional and country analyses to micro-oriented village studies in each of the three continents. This volume clearly illustrates that the impact of globalisation on poverty is extremely context specific, reflecting the heterogeneous and complex nature of the globalisation-poverty nexus.

Tort, Custom, and Karma: Globalization and Legal Consciousness in Thailand by David M. Engel and Jaruwan S. Engel. Changing perceptions of the interrelationship of injury, legal process and negotiation, and religious relevance by people in a changing area of Northern Thailand are explored in this socio-legal study. The book includes two detailed case studies, field observations in the mid-1970s and again in the 1990s, as well as court records of industrial accident claims. The authors indicate that there is a pattern in which the law is seen to be increasingly remote from what actually happens or is perceived by those injured or otherwise involved.

Books on Asian Art

2011-12-19T17:45:00.000+08:00

These are five recent additions to our well-regarded collection of Asian Art titles:

Mongolian Buddhist Art: Masterpieces from the Museums of Mongolia - Vol.1 Thangkas, Appliques And Embroideries Part 1 And 2 edited by Zara Fleming and J. Lkhagvademchiq Shastri. Mongolian Buddhist Art: Masterpieces from the Museums of Mongolia presents for the first time 441 masterpieces of Mongolian Buddhist art from five major Mongolian museums: the Bogd Kahn Palace Museum, the Choijin Lama Temple Museum, the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts, the Erdene Zuu Museum and the Danzanravjaa Museum. Selected by the Centre for Cultural Heritage in conjunction with the curators of the participating museums, these pieces were chosen for their religious and historical importance, their aesthetic and technical quality, their uniquely Mongolian characteristics and their rarity. Volume 1: Thangkas, Appliqués and Embroideries is divided into eight chapters - encompassing within these three media the visual realms of the Buddhas and his disciples, mahasiddhas, Indian, Tibetan, and Mongolian scholars, previous reincarnations, yidams, dakinis, protectors and sacred architecture. Although constrained by the rules of Buddhist iconography and strongly influenced by Tibetan art, the Mongolians have succeeded in creating many works that are uniquely Mongolian, a highly expressive and vibrant tradition that can be seen in this volume. Dating from the late 17th to the 20th century, these examples provide rich materials for the present and future studies of Buddhist art and its heritage in Mongolia. This very substantial volume is itself divided into two separate parts and sold in a slip case.

Uncommon Wisdom: Works by Chng Seok Tin from 1966-2011. This catalogue of Chng Seok Tin's works was published in conjunction with an exhibition held at the Nayang Academy of Fine Arts in 2011. Chng Seok Tin (b. 1946) studied art in Singapore, UK, France and the US. Her works include drawing, painting, collage, mixed media, textile, photography, ceramic, sculpture and installation. She has held 25 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 100 group exhibitions in Singapore and abroad.

Sanyu: Catalogue Raisonné Oil Paintings: Volume Two by Rita Wong. Sanyu (1901-1966) was a Chinese artist from Sichuan province who lived and died in Paris. Integrating traditional Chinese aesthetics with Western modernist tenets, Sanyu has created a unique painterly language that is all his own. Dedicated to discovering as much as possible about Sanyu, the author has interviewed Sanyu's friends and gathered records pertaining to Sanyu's life. This is the second volume of her catalogue, which in addition to listing Sanyu's works, attempts to construct Sanyu's life in the form of an extended chronology.

Sequenza: Ho Chee Lick's New Ink Work edited by Teo Han Wue. This catalogue of Ho Chee Lick's (b. 1950, Singapore) works was published in conjunction with the exhibition Sequenza held at the Art Retreat Museum. It showcases the remarkable work of a contemporary Singapore artist working in an ancient traditional medium. Includes essays by Stephen Adiss, Low Sze Wee, Choy Weng Yang and Wang Zineng.

Negotiating Home, History and Nation: Two Decades of Contemporary Art in Southeast Asia 1991-2011. Assembling over 70 works from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, this exhibition showcases the visual brilliance and conceptual purpose of recent Southeast Asian practice. Providing regional comparisons, it illuminates the common themes, aesthetic approaches, and conceptual tendencies that have surfaced since the early 1990s. Commonalities coming to the fore include story-telling, the meshing of idea and visual seduction, and a belief in art-as-social-voice. Arguing for a view of the region's visual production on the region's terms, the curatorial references used to contextuatise the pieces are mined in Southeast Asian history, geography, and culture. The exhibition proposes the confluence of recent political history, profound social shifts, and artists' confidence vis-à-vis their deep-rooted cultural baggage as significant to the creation of the visually potent and conceptually original art of the last two decades.

New Distribution Title - The Mythical Emblems of Gragodon Part 1

2011-12-13T20:42:00.000+08:00

The Mythical Emblems of Gragodon, Part 1 is a fantasy-adventure epic novel. Far into the future, the Earth has undergone many cataclysmic upheavals. A new breed of humans inhabit the world with other evolved life-like forms. A struggle for supreme power ensues, which results in the famed mystical Gragodian Emblems being recalled from their secret sanctuaries. In this volatile setting, three young prices from their respective realms are charged with the task of coming together to battle the machinations of the evil perpetrators. Will any or all of them fall by the wayside in their quest to overcome the evil of the times.

About the Author

Venkataraman Gopalakrishnan is an ex-banker. He currently grooms primary school students for the Olympiad Mathematics Examinations in Singapore. Eight entertaining years have already passed in the conceptualization and near- completion of this trilogy and the last part will come to a close in the coming months. An erstwhile avid reader himself, Gopal nowadays puts in much time in writing his books. He lists J.R.R. Tolkien’s unique style of writing and the portrayal of his magical characters.

Gopal found inspiration for his first novel while doing a series of character sketches about an imaginary plot on a coach trip home from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. His interest eventually took flight and he now takes to writing with fervent zeal. The author currently resides in Singapore.

2011-12-10T13:21:00.000+08:00

Here are five new distribution titles:

Five Blessings: Coded Messages in Chinese Art by Estelle Nikles Van Osselt. This gorgeously produced book reveals the hidden meaning behind motifs in Chinese decorative arts. When any Westerner looks at Chinese art, it is immediately apparent how much the depiction of animal and plant life differs from its American or European equivalent. This exceptional world teems with flowers, trees, birds, fish, shellfish, and insects, mixed with fantastic creatures or figures taken from legend and mythology. Various motifs can appear together in one scene, and if the viewer understands the language, the images are charged with symbolism. This absorbing study explores the rich symbolic language of exquisite works in ceramic, jade, lacquer, glass, and silk from the world-renowned Baur Collection. With bibliography.

Tracing the Past, Drawing the Future: Master Ink Painters in the Twentieth-Century China by Yang Xiaoneng. This substantial volume examines a crucial turning point in the development of Chinese ink painting in the twentieth century, a change represented by the beautiful and innovative work of four artists, Wu Changshuo (1844-1927), Qi Baishi (1863-1957), Huang Binhong (1864-1955), and Pan Tianshou (1897-1971). With careers spanning over a century of radical change in China, these artists were instrumental in propelling the ancient tradition of Chinese ink painting into the modern era in the face of compelling Western influences. As a group, their work represents an alternative approach to questions of relevance and modernity. This lavish book illuminates the context in which these artists worked, describes their overall contribution to the history of Chinese art, and highlights their individual ideas and achievements. In his introductory essay, Xiaoneng Yang offers a brief historical background for the evolution of modern Chinese painting. Richard E. Vinograd analyzes the "alternative modernism" represented by these artists, each of whom worked in the brush-and-ink idiom, confronted the shift toward practices of the West, and gave new life through this confrontation to cherished traditions. Essays devoted to each artist are followed by individual entries discussing their works. Featuring more than one hundred works of both painting and calligraphy by the four artists, the book, which is published to accompany a traveling exhibition, also includes a glossary, an index and detailed bibliography.

Wood Sculpture in Nepal: Jokers and Talismans by Berrand Goy and Max Itzikovitz. In the 1980s, enigmatic wood masks, similar to those worn by Siberian and Eskimo shamans, began to appear in Parisian galleries that specialized in exotic art. Only the customary red wax affixed to the objects indicated that their origin was in fact Nepal. Art lovers, fascinated by the masks' expressions and the thickness of patina, enthusiastically began to collect them, though they were still shrouded in mystery. In this beautifully photographed book, Bertrand Goy and Max Itzikovitz set out to uncover the history of the masks and to determine their place in Nepalese culture. The authors also investigate western Nepal's unsophisticated, anthropomorphic wood sculptures, which can be seen today in temples, on bridges, and on the outskirts of villages. No one knows if these are protective effigies or tribute to divinities from an antiquated religion. With an insightful text and striking imagery, this book attempts to pull back the veil on one of the world's most cryptic art forms. With bibliography.

On Marginal Spaces: Artefacts of the Mundane by Peter Benz. This photo essay book is a whimsical contemplation about the things that we don't notice in our environment. Born of a quest for beauty, profundity and recurrences, Peter Benz's photographs and essays about urban objects and spaces are of especial interest to researchers of visual culture, urban studies, architecture, photography, design, art and philosophy. With bibliography.

Chinese Posters: The Iish-Landsberger Collections by Stefan Landsberger and Marien Van Der Heijden. Opening with a brief introduction to the history of graphic arts propaganda in China, this volume presents the posters chronologically, illustrating the change in subject matter following seismic changes in China's history and development. These posters are a valuable record of China's challenges and fears as well as a reflection of its cultural mores, and are a legitimate and fascinating aspect of China's artistic history.

Books on Porcelain

2011-12-05T17:28:00.000+08:00

This is a selection of our large collection of books on porcelain:

Symbols On Chinese Porcelain: 10,000 Times Happiness by Eva Strober. The decorative details on Chinese porcelain are admired especially for their striking beauty, but the symbolic language hidden within them is less well-known in the West. From the very beginning until today Chinese culture has encompassed an enormous wealth of symbolic motifs, not only as ceramic decorations but also in painting, on textiles and varnished objects. Motifs bringing good luck like colours and numbers, mythical beings, animals and plants represent the striving for cosmic harmony, health and beauty, a long life, wealth, a happy marriage and numerous male descendents. The intellectual playfulness and the pleasure of deciphering are traditionally an important element of the appreciation of art in China. This publication shows around 80 masterpieces spanning 1000 years. They belong to the internationally significant collection of Chinese ceramics at the Keramiekmuseum Princessehof, the Dutch National Museum of Ceramics. The 'hidden' meanings of these objects' symbols have been explained and interpreted for the first time. An indispensable reference book that not only presents the most important and interesting Chinese porcelain objects from the Princessehof collection, but also constitutes a 'handbook' of Chinese symbols and visual imagery.

Chinese Porcelain. This compact hardback offers high quality illustrations of single exampes of Chinese porcelain artefacts of different styles and periods. Provenance details and a short note accompany each of the 100 or so articles from different sources or collections.

Iznik Pottery by John Carswell. Some of the greatest glories of Ottoman art are the luxurious ceramic vessels and splendid tiles made to decorate newly founded mosques and palaces by the Turkish pottery at Iznik (ancient Nicaea). Their designs combine purely Turkish motifs with elements ingeniously transposed from imported Chinese blue-and-white porcelain. This book tells the story of Iznik ceramics through a wealth of illustrations, including 83 colour and 25 black-and-white and line illustrations. Most of the pieces are drawn from the world-famous collection of the British Museum. With index.

Mounted Oriental Porcelain in the J. Paul Getty Museum (Revised Edition) by Gillian Wilson. Beginning in the Middle Ages Europeans mounted exotic objects such as oriental porcelain in settings of precious or semiprecious metal as a tribute to the rarity and value of the pieces. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, it became increasingly fashionable in Parisian society to decorate the interiors of houses with Far Eastern materials such as lacquer and mounted porcelain. The marchands-mercier, the merchants of the luxury markets, devised settings of silver, gold, and gilt bronze, many examples of which are in the collection of the Getty Museum and illustrated in Mounted Oriental Porcelain. In this revised edition, thirty-two items are catalogued, ranging in date from 1665 to 1785. Gillian Wilson, curator of decorative arts at the Getty Museum, provides commentary on each object, along with information on marks, provenance, exhibitions, and publications. The introductory essay is by the late Sir Francis Watson, who was director of the Wallace Collection in London and surveyor of the Queen's works of art.

Ethereal Elegance: Porcelain Vases Of The Imperial Qing - The Huaihaitang Collection edited by Peter Lam Y.K. This exhibition catalogue, published by the Art Museum, showcases a total of 143 pieces of imperial porcelain vases of the Qing dynasty, selected from the Huaihaitang Collection of the world-renowned collector, Mr. Anthony K. W. Cheung. Production of porcelain reached its peak in the Qing dynasty. While inheriting tradition, the Imperial Factory of Jingdezhen also revealed its creativity and refined ceramic technology. This catalogue features an array of such masterpieces, highlighting the fine craftsmanship and the extravagance of the imperial collection. With slipcase.

Books on Education in Asia

2011-12-02T23:30:00.000+08:00

This is a selection of books on education in Asia:

Education as a Political Tool in Asia edited by Marie Lall and Edward Vickers. This book offers a fresh and comparative approach in questioning what education is being used for and what the effects of the politicisation of education are on Asian societies in the era of globalisation. Education has been used as a political tool throughout the ages and across the whole world to define national identity and underlie the political rationale of regimes. In the contemporary, globalising world there are particularly interesting examples of this throughout Asia, ranging from the new definition of Indian national identity as a Hindu identity (to contrast with Pakistan's Islamic identity), to particular versions of nationalism in China, Japan, Singapore and Vietnam. In Asia education systems have their origins in processes of state formation aimed either at bolstering 'self-strengthening' resistance to the encroachments of Western and/or Asian imperialism, or at furthering projects of post-colonial nation building. State elites have sought to popularise powerful visions of nationhood, to equip these visions with a historical 'back-story', and to endow them with the maximum sentimental charge. This book explores all of these developments, emphasising that education is seen by nations across Asia, as elsewhere, as more than simply a tool for economic development, and that issues of national identity and the tolerance - or lack of it - of ethnic, cultural or religious diversity can be at least as important as issues of literacy and access. Interdisciplinary and unique in its analysis, this book will be of interest to scholars of political science, research in education and Asian Studies.

Education Reform in Singapore: Critical Perspectives edited by William Choy and Charlene Tan. Many ongoing developments in the world of educational theory and practice are considered in these 15 thoughtful essays on the processes of reform and reevaluation of Singapore's education system at present taking place. Eight papers deal with institutional reform, three with school leadership and teacher development and three with organisational management.

Education in Vietnam edited by Jonathan London, Jonathan. Vietnam is a country on the move. Yet contemporary Vietnam's education system is at a crossroads. Rapid economic growth has permitted rapid increases in the scale and scope of formal schooling, but there is a prevailing sense that the current education system is inadequate to the country's needs. Sunny assessments of Vietnam's achievements in the sphere of education have given way to a realisation that the country lacks skilled workers. Some have even spoken of an "education crisis". These are not abstract concerns. What is occurring in Vietnam's education system today has broad implications for the country's social, political, economic, and cultural development. Featuring contributions from scholars and policy analysts from within and outside Vietnam, Education in Vietnam addresses key issues pertaining to the political economy of education, the provision and payment for primary and secondary education, and the development of vocational and tertiary education.

Education, Economy and Identity: Ten Years of Educational Reform in Thailand by Audrey Baron-Gutty and Supat Chupradit. This IRASEC study of educational reform in Thailand is based on field study mainly in the North of the country and focusses on the changes and reforms which have followed the 1999 National Education Act. Chapter 1 on curriculum implementation uses data collated by Chiang Mai University. Ethnic minorities and identity/cultural tensions are then discussed. The pattern and intergration of vocational and technical education and the role of local "Fix It Centres" are then exposed. Then the potentials and possibility of implementing "co-op education" at tertiary level are raised. The final critique calls for the implementation of fundamental rethinking and changes to enable firm patterns of "co-op education" to meet the needs of "knowledge-based" society. Bibliography and glossary.

The Changing Role of Schools in Asian Societies: Schools for the Knowledge Society by Kerry J. Kennedy and John Chi-Kin Lee. Walk into a classroom in Tokyo, New York, London or Rotterdam, and the similarities in structure, activity, purpose and style will outweigh differences in language, dress and ethnic characteristics. Learning is regulated and rationed, teaching is a process or one-way transmission of knowledge, students need to be docile and conformist, assessment needs to sift and sort the bright from the not-so-bright, and rewards will be given to those who successfully negotiate this regime. But are these the kinds of places that can meet the needs of the 'net generation'? This volume is concerned with the debate about the nature of modern schooling in Asia. Traditionally schools are historical constructions reflecting the social, economic and political needs of the societies that invest in them. As Asia faces the challenges posed by the 'knowledge economy', its schools have taken on a new and quite different importance. This informative book outlines the broad policy contexts in which these transformations are taking place and the practical strategies that are needed to meet this objective. The authors argue that the future of Asian societies depends on a transformation that requires a fundamental restructuring of schools as we know them while maintaining their long-held cultural values. This book provides an overview of educational issues in Asian societies, establishes a broad theoretical framework in which these issues can be understood, contextualises issues by providing country case studies, and acknowledges the important role of culture influencing educational priorities.

Books on the History of the Philippines

2011-11-17T20:56:00.000+08:00

This is a selection of books on the history of the Philippines:

Swish of the Kris: The Story of the Moros by Vic Hurley. Facsimile reissue of the significant 1936 account of the Moros - the traditionally fierce Islamic warriors of Mindanao and the southern Philippines. The author, a scholarly rubber planter, lived in the area for seven years and writes sympathetically of Moro history since their arrival as a largely nomadic people probably in the first century BCE. The Moros, with their kris, kept at bay successive invaders - Portuguese, British, Chinese, Japanese, and Dutch, as well as the governing Spanish and Americans. Details are given of the 1915 agreement with the US authority which proved to be a non-durable basis for stability and peace in the area. With historical notes and glossary.

Conquest and Pestilence in the Early Spanish Philippines by Linda Newson. This volume illuminates the demographic history of the Spanish Philippines in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and in the process, challenges the long-held assumption that the Spanish colonial rule had only a limited demographic impact on the Philippines. Newson asserts that the Filipino suffered a significant decline in the early colonial period, and argues that the sparse population of the islands meant that Old World diseases could not become endemic in pre-Spanish times. She also shows that the initial conquest of the Philippines was far bloodier than has often been supposed and that subsequent Spanish demands for tribute, labour, and land brought socio-economic transformations and depopulation that were prolonged beyond the early conquest years. With notes, bibliography and index.

Between Tiger and Dragon: A History of Philippine Relations with China And Taiwan by Claude Haberer. This is an updated translation from the original French is a study of Philippine-Taiwan-China relations from 1946-2000. A background chapter shows how Chinese trading-based communities were established in the Philippines in the pre-1946 Colonial period. The 1946-65 period is seen as a time when in the shadow of the US-Philippine relations with Taiwan and some local unrest with Communist and quasi-Communist elements, relations with China were limited. Chapter 3 deals with 1965-75, when official relations between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Philippines were established and only informal relations remained with Taiwan, and the status of local Chinese became uncertain. Many changes are seen to have taken place in the 1975-86 period and the author details the ongoing disputes over the Spratley Islands, which are being approached by both the PRC and Philippines in a piecemeal fashion. With bibliography, appended documents and index.

The Forest: A Personal Record of the Huk Guerrilla Struggle in the Philippines by William J. Pomeroy. While writing a book on the Hukbalahap, a wartime anti-Japanese resistance movement in the Philippines, William "Bill" Pomeroy met and fell in love with Celia Mariano, one of its most active women members. The Forest tells the story of the two years - 1950-1952 - Bill and Celia spent in the mountains with the Huks. But more than a vivid account of the physical hardship of guerrilla life, the book is a moving story of their love and their courage in the fight for freedom. Considered a classic with various English editions and translations into several languages, The Forest ends with Bill and Celia's capture. In its sequel, Bilanggo: Life as a Political Prisoner in the Philippines, 1952-1962, Pomeroy writes with the same passion and heart, whether about his commitment to the liberation struggle or about his love for his wife and comrade.

Child of War: A Memoir of World War II Internment in the Philippines by Curtis Whitfield Tong. Hours after attacking Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Japanese bombers stormed across the Philippine city of Baguio, where seven-year-old Curt Tong, the son of American missionaries, hid with his classmates in the woods near his school. Three weeks later, Curt, his mother, and two sisters were among the nearly five hundred Americans who surrendered to the Japanese army in Baguio. Child of War is Tong's touching story of the next three years of his childhood as he endured fear, starvation, sickness, and separation from his father while interned in three different Japanese prison camps on the island of Luzon. Written by the adult Tong looking back on his wartime ordeal, it offers a rich trove of memories about internment life and camp experiences. Child of War is an engaging and thoughtful memoir that presents an unusual view of life as a World War II internee-that of a young boy. It is a valuable addition to existing wartime autobiographies and diaries and contributes significantly to a greater understanding of the Pacific War and its impact on American civilians in Asia. With bibliography.

2011-11-16T16:33:00.000+08:00

Among our November new distribution titles are four titles that aim to provide comprehensive and accessible insights into real estate investment as well as business management:

The Ultimate Guide to Commercial Real Estate Investment in Singapore by Roy Chong. Commercial Real Estate is increasingly becoming the next favourite asset class in Singapore. With the recent introduction of cooling measures from the government on Residential Real Estate, more investors are beginning to see how Commercial Real Estate can be an alternative investment vehicle. Yet, Commercial Real Estate can be a totally different ball game. This book presents a guide on crucial aspects of commercial real investment that all investors must know. Author Roy Chong is the head of PropNex’s Commercial and Industrial department. He is regularly interviewed by the media for his insights into the commercial real estate scene and also conducts real estate seminars.

Property Valuation: Secrets of the Roman Decision Model by Eric Alagan. This book teaches readers to ignore "Affordability" and look at "Fair Value." It teaches how to value a property objectively and within reason - whether as a buyer, a seller, an agent or an owner who wants to keep track. The Roman Decision Model uses: ROI, Market Size, Real Tenure, Risk Appetite and Time Value of Money. It incorporates flexibility, and compensates for changing risk appetite and fluctuating mortgage rate. Author Eric Alagan is a former managing director of a MNC.

Increase F&B Sales: Secrets to Boost Profits by Eric Alagan. This is a comprehensive and essential guide to any readers considering embarking on a Food and Beverage venture. The book covers all the key areas to running a successful F&B business. The details, models and methods will also benefit owners and operators of cafes and restaurants, and even F&B chains and food court operators.

Staff Selection: Secrets to Employ the Best People by Eric Alagan. This handbook takes the reader by the hand to develop a customised HR manual. It provides a simple process to identify and increase staff capabilities in a systematic way. It not only tells readers why but more importantly how to achieve improved hirings. It covers areas such as Need for Additional Headcount; Which Positions to Fill; Calculating Return on Investment; Increasing Talent Pool; and more.

New Published Title - Apache Over Singapore: The Story of Singapore Sixties Music

2011-11-11T14:52:00.002+08:00

Select Books is proud to announce the publication of our latest title: Apache Over Singapore: The Story of Singapore Sixties Music, Vol 1 by Joseph Pereira.

The Cliff Richard and the Shadows concert in November 1961 opened the floodgates for Singapore pop music as youngsters who attended the concert got the blueprint for pop music: a four-piece backing group fronted by a singer, male or female. Soon hundreds of groups were formed. Meanwhile, Beatles and Merseybeat broke through internationally and brought another sonic shift in the Singapore music scene. Then came rhythm and blues and this became the third stream.

These developments made for a very exciting pop scene in Singapore as there were releases to look forward to every week from EMI, Philips, Decca and other record companies, including local labels. With shows almost nightly and tea dances to welcome the week it was pop heaven.

This book examines why it was so. Individual profiles of the bigger acts study their careers in details and trends like rhythm and blues, the blues movement and pyschedelia are examined. The attitudes of officialdom to this phenomenon in Singapore as well as other factors like the infrastructure that helped the sixties pop music movement are also discussed.

The bands and singers featured include The Firebyrds, The Crescendos, The Thunderbirds, Wilson David, Naomi and The Boys, The Esquires, Surfers, The Silver Strings, Sonny Bala and The Moonglows, Trailers, Stylers, The Checkmates, The Atoms, The Jets, Vigilantes, Mike and The Mysterians, Commancheros, Flying Phantoms, Easybeats, The Bee Jays, Ronnie and The Burns, The Dukes, The Echo Jets, The Quests, The Blackjacks, and The Midnighters.

About the Author

Joseph Pereira’s involvement with music took place in 1972 when he joined his first band, named Purple Harts. Till he stopped in 1992, he did twenty years in the trenches, as he puts it. The music ranged from pop, to hard rock, blues, jazz rock, top 40 pop, rock and finally blues.

His involvement with music continued in another form when he released his first book in November 1999, Legends Of The Golden Venus. Then followed work as producer of Singapore Sixties reissues – Treasures From The Past (Universal), Remember The Dukes (private), The Trailers (private), Steam Kodok (Grey Past Records), 100 Greatest (Universal) and More Singapore Sixties (Universal). He has also written extensively on music and non-music related subjects for publications and magazines in Singapore and five other countries.

Books on Sun Yat-Sen

2011-11-06T14:15:00.000+08:00

Here are several titles on the links between Sun Yat-Sen and Southeast Asia:

Sun Yat-Sen, Nanyang and the 1911 Revolution edited by Lee Lai To and Lee Hock Guan. In view of the 100th anniversary of the 1911 Revolution and Sun Yat-sen's relations with the Nanyang communities, the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and the Chinese Heritage Centre came together to host a two-day bilingual conference on the three-way relationships between Sun Yat-sen, Nanyang and the 1911 Revolution in October 2010 in Singapore. This volume is a collection of papers in English presented at the conference. While there are extensive research and voluminous publications on Sun Yat-sen and the 1911 Revolution, it was felt that less had been done on the Southeast Asian connections. Thus this volume tries to chip in some original and at times provocative analysis on not only Sun Yat-sen and the 1911 Revolution but also contributions from selected Southeast Asian countries.

Sun Yat Sen in Penang by Khoo Salma Nasution. Archival photographs and records enhance this account of the legacy and contacts in Penang of Dr Sun Yat Sen (1866-1925). When Dr Sun was banned from Japan he focused his efforts on gaining support from the Overseas Chinese for the revolutionary movement. His headquarters became 120 Armenian Street, Penang now conserved. The Sun family lived in Penang 1910-1912 and his impact and legacy in Penang is shown in many of the educational and other buildings illustrated. With sketch map, bibliography, chronology and index.

Tongmenghui, Sun Yat Sen And The Chinese In Southeast Asia: A Revisit edited by Leo Suryadinata. These papers were given at the June 2006 international seminar by which the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Villa and the Chinese Heritage Centre celebrated the centenary of the establishment of the Singapore branch of the Zhongguo Tongmenghui (Revolutionary League of China). After introductory speeches in Chinese, two papers in Chinese discuss the revolutionary ideas of Sun Yet Sen and of the League, and on Sun's political ideology. The five papers in English overview available writings on the period, and then make new assessments of the Sun Yat Sen/League/Chinese populace interactions in Singapore, in Malaya, in Indonesia and in the Philippines, followed by a Select Bibliography in Chinese and English. With black-and-white photographs.

Book Launch: Chinese Muslims in Indonesia

2011-10-31T20:37:00.000+08:00

Chinese Muslims in Indonesia was launched during the Singapore Writers Festival on Wednesday, October 26, 2011.

The event was held at the Festival Pavilion of the Singapore Writers Festival district.

After introductory remarks by Danfeng, author Zhuang Wubin talked about why he had embarked on the project and the long process he had taken to research, photograph and write the manuscript. A very interesting Q&A followed.

2011-10-19T08:26:00.000+08:00

These are recent titles on the Indonesian economy:

The Indonesian Development Experience: A Collection of Writings and Speeches by Wdjojo Nitisastro. This book is a rich selection of speeches and writings of Professor Widjojo Nitisastro of the University of Indonesia, who has radically changed the command economy under Soekarno into development planning using economic analysis under Soeharto. He is one of the most respected and influential economists of the 20th century. He is also the first Indonesian demographer. This background has contributed to his wide focus on development issues such as poverty, food security, education, health, and family planning. This book provides invaluable insight for all who are interested in Indonesia's economic development. It is divided into six parts: Indonesia's Development Plan; Implementation of Indonesian Development; Facing Economic Crises; Foreign Debt Management; Equity and Development; and Indonesia and the World.

The Indonesian Economy: Entering a New Era edited by Aris Ananta, Muljana Soekarni and S. Arifin. Indonesia was relatively unscathed by the global financial crisis; current and future financial policy issues are explored in this book which is a collaboration by ISEAS, the Bank of Indonesia, and 18 economists and social analysts. The 12 papers explore: economic challenges of a New Era; Indonesia's government economic policies since the beginning of the New Order; monetary and fiscal policies including their dynamics, balancing financial stability and economic growth, fiscal policy management, and roles for fiscal stimulus; regional heterogeneity, industrial relations and decentralisation are all explored in relation to the domestic economy; and in the fourth section, new paradigms are sought in relation to the 2015 ASEAN economic integration, governance and economic performance, and Indonesia's place in the World Development Paradigm. With tables, graphics and index.

Employment, Living Standards and Poverty In Contemporary Indonesia by Chris Manning and Sudarno Sumarto. Understanding the nexus between employment, living standards and poverty is a major challenge in Indonesia. Trends in poverty are heavily dependent on labour market opportunities and social spending in education and health. The question is how to create opportunities and spend money wisely - a subject of intense debate in Indonesia. The government has brought a renewed focus to poverty reduction since the end of the Asian financial crisis, especially under the current president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. This book shows how Indonesia is travelling with regard to employment, social policy and poverty. It identifies promising new directions for strategies to alleviate poverty, some of which are already showing results.

Working with Nature against Poverty: Development, Resources and the Environment In Eastern Indonesia edited by Budy Resosudarmo and Frank Jotzo. With its low incomes, lagging social indicators and widespread poverty, eastern Indonesia epitomizes the problems of development in Indonesia. The challenge is to advance the economy. But this means more intensive use of natural resources, placing pressure on the region's unique ecosystems. This book explores the trade-offs and synergies between development, social concerns and the environment in Papua, Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara. It is written by leading scholars and experts on the region. They investigate the dilemmas of fishing in eastern Indonesia's seas, the strategies and challenges for mining and forestry, and the efforts to tackle biodiversity conservation and climate change. The book lays out the challenges for development, public administration and public health in Papua. It maps Maluku's road to recovery from conflict. And it examines ways to alleviate poverty in the desperately poor province of East Nusa Tenggara. The book provides an overview of the economy of each of these provinces, making it an essential resource for anyone interested in the challenges of development and environment in eastern Indonesia.

Workers and Intellectuals: NGOs, Trade Unions and the Indonesian Labour Movement by Michele Ford. After decades of repression, Indonesia's independent labour movement re-emerged in the late 1990s led by the NGO activists and students who organised industrial workers and spoke on their behalf. Worker-led trade unions returned to centre stage in 1998 when Suharto's authoritarian regime crumbled and labour NGO activists and their organisations continued to play an influential - and often controversial - part in the reconstruction of the labour movement. This book explores how middle-class activists struggled to define their place in a movement shaped by more than a century of fierce debate about the role of non-worker intellectuals. Drawing on extensive interviews, this book documents the resurgence of labour activism and explains how activists and workers perceived the position of NGOs in relation to workers and trade unions.

2011-10-13T15:50:00.000+08:00

This is a selection of books on feminism:

Feminism is Queer: The Intimate Connection between Queer and Feminist Theory by Mimi Marinucci. Feminism is Queer is an introduction to the intimately related disciplines of gender and queer theory. Guiding the reader through complex theory, Mimi Marinucci develops the original position of queer feminism, which presents queer theory as continuous with feminist theory. While there have been significant conceptual tensions between second-wave feminism and traditional lesbian and gay studies, queer theory offers a paradigm for understanding gender, sex, and sexuality that develops solidarity between those interested in feminist theory and those pursuing lesbian and gay rights. An essential guide to anyone with an interest in gender and sexuality, this accessible and comprehensive textbook carefully explains nuanced theoretical terminology and provides extensive suggested further reading to enable a full and thorough understanding of both disciplines.

Sex, Love and Feminism in the Asia Pacific: A Cross-Cultural Study of Young People's Attitudes by Chilla Bulbeck. 'Sex, love and feminism' are three aspects of the rapidly changing gender relations that shape young people's lives in the Asia Pacific region. Much has been written about rapidly changing countries in Asia, most recently China and India. With the global spread of capitalist production and neo-liberal ideologies, the claim that the rest of the world's women are treading the path to enlightenment and development forged by women in the West has been revived. This book explores that contention through a comparative analysis of the attitudes of young middle class urbanites in ten countries: the USA, Australia, Canada, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, India, Indonesia, China and Vietnam. Drawing on detailed empirical research, the study describes and compares attitudes towards the women's movement, sexual relations and family arrangements in the countries considered. It explores young peoples' image of feminists and what they feel the women's movement has achieved for women and men in their country. The book discusses young people's attitudes to controversial gender issues such as role reversal, sharing housework, abortion rights, same sex sexual relations, nudity and pornography. Through a comparative analysis of the gender vocabularies by which young people understand gender issues, the book highlights the role of differences in history, culture, economics and political leadership.

Women's Movements in Asia: Feminisms and Transnational Activism edited by Mina Roces and Louise Edwards. Women's Movements in Asia is a comprehensive study of women's activism across Asia. With chapters written by leading international experts, it provides a full overview of the history of feminism, as well as the current context of the women's movement in 12 countries: the Philippines, China, Indonesia, Japan, Burma, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Korea, India and Pakistan. For each of these countries the manner in which feminism changes according to cultural, political, economic and religious factors is explored. The contributors investigate how national feminisms are influenced by transnational factors, such as the women's movements in other countries, colonialism and international agencies. Each chapter also considers what Asian feminists have contributed to global theoretical debates on the woman question, the key successes and failures of the movements and what needs to be addressed in the future.

Translating Feminisms in China edited by Dorothy Ko and Wang Zheng. This special issue (Vol. 18.3) of the journal Gender and History is made up of 8 substantial referenced articles on women's issue and policies in China. Among the many areas explored by scholars in China and elsewhere are: concepts of Women's Rights in modern China; Chinese Feminists of the 1905-1915 period; the influential Ladies' Journal of Shanghai 1915-25; the New Life movement: women's Liberation and the Great Leap Forward 1958-61; gendered division of labour in the 1950s; Iron Girls and the Cultural Revolution 1966-76; body writing, the controversial 1999 novel 'Shanghai Baby' and associated tensions. Index.

Women Shaping Islam: Reading the Qur'an in Indonesia by Pieternella Van Doorn-Harder. Muslim women's movements have existed in Indonesia for over a century and many Muslim women have had considerable influence in the country's secular development as well as in Islamic education. This book explores the contemporary grassroots networks of Muslim women, their roles in promoting social change and their relations to the rise of radical Islamism and to Islamic feminism. With glossary, bibliography and index.

New Distribution Title: The Singapore Mistletoe Story

2011-10-10T21:43:00.001+08:00

The Singapore Mistletoe Story: An Expose of a Botanical Marvel by Francis Lim L K. The Singapore Mistletoe Story is an account of a personal quest to seek out and document the varieties and lives of a little-known group of plants—our native mistletoes. It is a journey of discovery of the many fascinating features of this enduring species—their semi-parasitic nature, where they are found, how they reproduce and the myriad remarkable communities whose lives have
become intertwined with it.

The author’s numerous mistletoe-spotting adventures present an infectious read, and are sure to inspire the curious gardener that dwells inside each one of us.

Lavishly illustrated with nearly a hundred pictures, this volume is like a botanical novel. Gardeners, field botanists, teachers and students will find it a valuable and fruitful addition to their collection.

About the Author

Francis Lim is, foremost, a zoologist at heart, having spent almost four decades working in the zoology department at the Singapore Zoo.

Though he retired in 2010, his passion for all things of Nature remains undiminished as he pursues his dream of writing and conducting outreach programs for educational institutions in Singapore.

Francis has published a number of scientific papers and articles in journals and magazines as well as several books, including Once a Zookeeper.

Books on Migrant Workers in Asia

2011-10-02T08:35:00.000+08:00

These are titles focusing on migrant workers in Asia:

The Path to Remittance: Tales of Pains and Gains of Overseas Filipino Workers by Papias Generale Banados. The Philippines is the world's largest exporter of labour - both male and female - and their remittances have helped to keep afloat the Philippines economy for the past three decades. Successful Filipino leaders have praised the Overseas Filipino Workers - or the OFWs as they are popularly known - as modern heroes of the nation. Yet exploitation of OFWs by unscrupulous employment agencies at home and abroad; and by ruthless employers abroad goes on unabated.The Path to Remittance is a book which sheds light on the hidden issues of the OFW phenomena, which political leaders and government agencies tend to ignore at best or condone at its worse.

The Long Road Home: Journeys of Indonesian Migrant Workers by Sim Chi Yin. In today's globalized world, the story of migrant labourers is the story of our era. In this book, award-winning photographer and essayist Sim Chi Yin tells the intimate stories of Indonesian women who work overseas as domestic. Some fall prey to sadistic bosses, while others are luckier and work for kind employers. But all suffer the loneliness and frustrations of living far from their loved ones, unsure if their sacrifices are really helping their families-and especially their children-escape their fate. Told with great sensitivity and empathy, The Long Road Home is a story at once specific to Southeast Asia but universal in the migrant's tale of loss and hope.

Migrant Workers in Asia: Distant Divides, Intimate Connections edited by Nicole Constable. This book provides rich and provocative comparative studies of South and Southeast Asian domestic workers who migrate to other parts of Asia. These studies range from Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore, to Yemen, Israel, Jordan, and the UAE. Conceptually and methodologically, this book challenges us to move beyond established regional divides and proposes new ways of mapping inter-Asian connections. The authors view migrant workers within a wider spatial context of intersecting groups and trajectories through time. Keenly attentive to the importance of migrants of diverse nationalities who have laboured in multiple regions, this book examines intimate connections and distant divides in the social lives and politics of migrant workers across time and space. Collectively, the authors propose new themes, new comparative frameworks, and new methodologies for considering vastly different degrees of social support structures and political activism, and the varied meanings of citizenship and state responsibility in sending and receiving countries. They highlight the importance of formal institutions that shape and promote migratory labour, advocacy for workers, or curtail workers rights, as well as the social identities and cultural practices and beliefs that may be linked to new inter-ethnic social and political affiliations that traverse and also transform inter-Asian spaces and pathways to mobility.

Factory Girls: Voices from the Heart of Modern China by Leslie T Chang, Leslie. China has 130 million migrant workers - the largest migration in human history. In Factory Girls, Leslie T. Chang, a former correspondent for the Wall Street Journal in Beijing, tells the story of these workers primarily through the lives of two young women, whom she follows over the course of three years as they attempt to rise from the assembly lines of Dongguan, an industrial city in China's Pearl River Delta. As she tracks their lives, Chang paints a never-before-seen picture of migrant life - a world where nearly everyone is under 30; where you can lose your boyfriend and your friends with the loss of a mobile phone; where a few computer or English lessons can catapult you into a completely different social class. Chang takes us inside a sneaker factory so large that it has its own hospital, movie theatre, and fire department; to posh karaoke bars that are fronts for prostitution; to makeshift English classes where students shave their heads in monk-like devotion and sit day after day in front of machines watching English words flash by; and back to a farming village for the Chinese New Year, revealing the poverty and idleness of rural life that drive young girls to leave home in the first place. Throughout this riveting portrait, Chang also interweaves the story of her own family's migrations, within China and to the West, providing historical and personal frames of reference for her investigation.

Migrant Workers in China by Han Changfu. Han, since 2009 China's Minister of Agriculture, has written this important study of China's rural-urban migration which now involves some 200 million migrants. After an overview of China's post-1968 industrialising scene, population trends and residency restrictions, the migration patterns in Brazil, United States and elsewhere are reviewed. Many aspects of migration and its impacts on industrialisation, agriculture, family stability, education and political balance are discussed. The need for social support programmes and a general overhaul of the present official and company employment requirements is urged and possible practical measures are outlined, with supporting data. Other practical measures to promote the stable absorption of migrants into urban life are outlined. Index.

Singapore Writers Festival 2011 contest

2011-09-24T15:39:00.000+08:00

Select Books is pleased to be appointed as the official bookstore for Singapore Writers Festival 2011.

Singapore Writes Festival 2011 (SWF) is scheduled to be held from 22 October - 30 October. One of Asia’s premier literary events, SWF remains one of the few literary festivals in world that is multi-lingual, focusing on the official languages of Singapore – English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil.

The official bookstore, which will be managed by Select Books, will be located at a pavilion right in the middle of the Festival District, near the Singapore Management University.

This year's SWF will feature ticketing.

Select Books has 6 Festival Passes to give away. They will be the prizes for a small competition we are running.

Please tell us about the most "interesting" book you have purchased from Select Books. It can be "interesting" in a number of ways - the content, or how you heard about the book, or how difficult it was for you to track down the book etc.

The 3 most well-written submissions will be given two Festival Passes each.

Please submit your entry to publishing@selectbooks.com.sg. The closing date for this contest will be 12 October 2011.

2011-09-21T21:15:00.000+08:00

These are recent additions to our wide collection of books on Ceramics:

Korean Buncheong Ceramics from the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art by Soyoung Lee and Jeong Seung-Chang. Bold, sophisticated, engaging, and startlingly modern, Buncheong ceramics emerged as a distinct Korean art form in the 15th and 16th centuries, only to be eclipsed on its native ground for more than 400 years by the overwhelming demand for porcelain. Elements from the Buncheong idiom were later revived in Japan, where its spare yet sensual aesthetic was much admired and where descendants of Korean potters lived and worked. This innovative study features 60 masterpieces from the renowned Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art in Seoul, as well as objects from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and presents current scholarship on Buncheong's history, manufacture, use, and overall significance. The book illustrates why this historical art form continues to resonate with Korean and Japanese ceramists working today and with contemporary viewers worldwide.

Meiji Ceramics: The Art of Japanese Export Porcelain and Satsuma Ware 1868-1912 by Gisela Jahn. This book examines the history of Japanese export porcelain in the Meiji era in the context of political, economic and cultural developments and with special emphasis on stylistic influence from the West. The more than 150 illustrations reproduce major items made in all the main centers of ceramic production by a wide variety of artists-craftsmen. The domestic market and national exhibitions, leading craftsmen, manufacturers and trading companies, inscriptions and marks are the subject of appendices. A detailed chronology, a glossary and a bibliography complete this first-ever comprehensive account of Japanese export ceramics in the Meiji era.

Scientific Research on Historic Asian Ceramics, Proceedings of the Fourth Forbes Symposium at the Freer Gallery Art by Blythe Mccarthy, Ellen Salzman Chase et al.. Asian ceramics in their many forms and functions - utilitarian, aesthetic, and religious - are the subject of this volume. Through analysis of their composition, technology, typology, and use, researchers from all over the world examine their similarities and differences, and explore broader questions regarding their historical and cultural context, such as trade and technology transfer between East and West Asia. Topics include Myanmar ceramics, Seljuq tiles, Korean and Chinese high-fired ceramics, Chinese and Japanese lead-glazed wares, Chinese funerary sculptures, Khmer kilns, and the study of ceramics through inscriptions. With colour plates.

New and Revised Handbook of Marks on Chinese Ceramics by Gerald Davison, Gerald. The 2010 publication of this revised handbook on markings is a major landmark for anyone concerned with Chinese ceramics. An illustrated introduction on the development of Chinese script, the usage, styles and symbolism of markings is followed by inset reproductions of all known markings, a total of 3392. These are all numbered in sections, according to the number of characters and also those in Zhuanshu script and marks which comprise symbols and not characters. The final section is a directory of marks in pinyin romanisation and in English translation with general notes on usage.

Chinese Ceramics by Stacey Pierson. This history of Chinese ceramic design draws on the major collections at the V&A Museum. The extensively illustrated chapters are on: patterns of production, manufacture and industry including blue-and-white ceramics; aesthetics, design and style including decoration and the meaning of dragons over the centuries; consumption in China and beyond including religious usages, global trade and evidences from shipwrecks; and Chinese ceramics in the modern world, including artist-designed and politically motivated post-Imperial artefacts. With map, chronology, bibliography and index.

New Distribution Title: Sanyu: Catalogue Raisonné Oil Paintings: Volume Two

2011-09-19T15:12:00.000+08:00

Sanyu: Catalogue Raisonné Oil Paintings: Volume Two by Rita Wong. Sanyu (1901-1966) was a Chinese artist from Sichuan province who lived and died in Paris. Integrating traditional Chinese aesthetics with Western modernist tenets, Sanyu has created a unique painterly language that is all his own.

Dedicated to discovering as much as possible about Sanyu, the author has interviewed Sanyu's friends and gathered records pertaining to Sanyu's life.

This is the second volume of her catalogue, which in addition to listing Sanyu's works, attempts to construct Sanyu's life in the form of an extended chronology.

You can find out more about Sanyu's life and works at: artofsanyu

New Distribution Title: The Path to Remittance

2011-09-14T15:23:00.000+08:00

This is a new distribution title: The Path to Remittance: Tales of Pains and Gains of Overseas Filipino Workers by Papias Generale Banados.

The Philippines is the world’s largest exporter of labour – both male and female – and their remittances have helped to keep afloat the Philippines economy for the past three decades. Successful Filipino leaders have praised the Overseas Filipino Workers – or the OFWs as they are popularly known – as modern heroes of the nation. Yet exploitation of OFWs by unscrupulous employment agencies at home and abroad; and by ruthless employers abroad goes on unabated.

The Path to Remittance is a book which sheds light on the hidden issues of the OFW phenomena, which political leaders and government agencies tend to ignore at best or condone at its worse.

About the Author

Papias Generale Banados has been a OFW working in both the Middle East and Southeast Asia for the past 16 years. She has gone through the experience of obtaining overseas employment through recruitment agencies herself, and remitting money to support her family back home. Thus, she has seen exploitation of OFWs first hand.

Papias was born in 1972 and raised in the southern Philippines island of Mindanao. She graduated from high school and learned additional skills completing a nursing aide course in Singapore.

Books on Business in Asia

2011-09-09T22:00:00.000+08:00

Here are five titles on doing business in Asia

Financial Services and Wealth Management in Singapore by Tan Chwee Huat. During the last decade, many changes have taken place in the Singapore financial marketplace. The Monetary Authority of Singapore has implemented numerous reforms to liberalise the financial services sector. Since 2002, two new laws have come into effect. The Securities and Futures Act and the Financial Advisors Act have important impact on the financial community. Institutions must hold the Capital Market Services (CMS) licence and the Financial Advisors licence and their representatives must pass the CMFAS examinations.This book discusses the changes in detail. Part A provides details of the reforms and discusses the impact of the new laws and regulations. Part B highlights the wide range of financial services and products provided by the institutions. In this edition, two new chapters have been added. They focus on issues related to wealth management which has become the recent focus of many banks that provide services to high net worth individuals or HNWIs.

Beyond the Myth: Indian Business Communities in Singapore by Jayati Bhattacharya. This book is a macro-study of Indian business communities in Singapore through different phases of their growth since colonial times. It goes beyond the conventional labour-history approach to study Indian immigrants to Southeast Asia, both in terms of themselves and their connections with the peoples' movements. It looks at how Indian business communities negotiated with others in the environments in which they found themselves and adapted to them in novel ways. It especially brings into focus the patterns and integration of the Indian networks in the large-scale transnational flows of capital, one of the least-studied aspects of the diaspora history in this part of the world. The complexities and overlapping interests of different groups of traders and businessmen form an interesting study of various aspects of these trading bodies, their methods of operation and their trade links, both within and outside Singapore. The book also charts their mobility and progress, in terms of both business and social status. The research aims to construct linear threads of linkages through generations and situate them in the larger framework and broader paradigms of business networks in Singapore. In shedding light on aspects of Indian connectivities to Southeast Asia, the narrative is particularly relevant in the context of India's economic rise. This study raises economic, social and cultural issues regarding the transition.

Ladies who Launch in Hong Kong: How Twelve Women Started Million-Dollar Businesses by Maseena Ziegler. How did 12 women with no previous experience as entrepreneurs go on to create million-dollar businesses in Hong Kong? Ladies Who Launch in Hong Kong captures their journey to success - from start-up challenges to lessons learned - and shows how you, too, can create a hugely successful business of your own.

Emerging Market Real Estate Investment: Investing in China, India, and Brazil by David Lynn and Tim Wang. Focusing primarily on private equity real estate investment in China, India, and Brazil this resource develops a general approach to commercial real estate investment in emerging markets, and illustrates some common strategies and analytical methods that can be implemented within this arena. Filled with in-depth insights and expert advice, Emerging Market Real Estate Investment focuses on broad investment themes and strategies as well as economic and legal/institutional factors, rather than the minute details of local market analyses. Opening with two informative chapters that provide an overview of the fundamentals of commercial and international real estate investment, this practical guide then moves on to the country-specific chapters of China, India, and Brazil. This book outlines various real estate investment options and strategies for emerging markets such as China, India, and Brazil; discusses the main features of each real estate market, including real estate foreign direct investment (FDI); and analyses several primary real estate sectors in each country: office, retail, residential, industrial, and hotel where applicable. Written with both institutional and private investors in mind, Emerging Market Real Estate Investment will put you in a better position to excel in emerging real estate markets.

Selling Big to China: Negotiating Principles for the World's Largest Market by Morry Morgan. This book is a complete sales and negotiating guide for mainland China and includes practical and measurable techniques that have been tested and proven to work with Fortune 500 companies operating in the 'Middle Kingdom'. The book includes a collection of anecdotes from this experience, as well as case studies developed by working closely with leading companies in China. Some of these companies include Rockwell Automation, Microsoft, Thomson, SAP, and NBC. Sales and negotiating is not easy, particularly when done in a country with completely new values and rules of engagement. The purpose of this book is to lay the rules out clearly, and provide the reader with an easy to understand strategy to doing business in mainland China.

Titles from Selections 105

2011-09-06T16:12:00.000+08:00

The latest edition of our catalogue of new titles, Selections 105, has just been released. Here are six titles from the catalogue:

Palace, Political Party and Power: A Story of the Socio-Political Development of Malay Kingship by Kobkua Suwannathat-Pian. After independence in 1957, the Malay monarchy was compelled to embrace Westminster-style constitutional monarchy, under which the role of the monarch is symbolic and affairs of the nation are run by Parliament and the executive branch. Palace, Political Party and Power: A Story of the Socio-Political Development of Malay Kingship, traces the history of the Malay rulers from the late colonial period to the first decade of the 21st century, considering the implications of the decline of the Malay rulers under colonial rule, the role of the Japanese Occupation of Malaya in defining postwar Malay identity. A key element of that identity was the relation between the Malays and their Rulers, and UMNO - the United Malays National Organisation - positioned itself the "official" voice of the Malays and the Rulers. The postwar settlement underwent a significant change after the shocking outcome of the March 2008 General Election weakened UMNO's hold on power. Subsequently, the Malay Rulers have "reinvented" themselves as active players in the affairs of the nation and have recovered some of their traditional rights. This book describes socio-political developments since the departure of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad have that worked in favour of a royal resurgence, and shows how the rulers have become a power to be reckoned with.

Between Eden & Earth: Gardens of the Islamic World by Heba Nayel Barakat. A book that explores the history and philosophies behind the greatest Islamic gardens. In a visual journey through the colourful array of photographic images, the major surviving Islamic gardens are vividly brought to life, illustrating the glories of the past. Examined here are the splendours of the gardens of Spain, the marvels of Morocco, the courtyard gardens of Syria and Egypt, the enchantment of Ottoman Turkey and much more. This book was published in conjunction with a photography exhibition of the same name. With notes and bibliography.

Contemporary Art + Philanthropy: Private Foundations: Asia-Pacific Focus edited by Nicholas Jose. Why support contemporary art? What role does art play in defining cultural values? How does today's Australia measure up in terms of cultural giving? What international models exist for private support of contemporary art in public spaces? These questions and many more are answered in Contemporary Art and Philanthropy, a book of papers given by key cultural players in the contemporary art scene at a form held at Sherman Galleries. Of particular use is a list of organisations and institutions such as art foundations, private museums, privately funded art galleries and not-for-profit art institutions and art centres.

Jewels without Crowns: Mughal Gems in Miniatures edited by Lucien De Guise, Lucien. India and gemstones are inseparable. Among the subcontinent's most prolific patrons of the jewelled arts were the Mughal emperors, whose adornments dazzled visitors centuries ago and continue to excite viewers today. Complementing the brilliance of these creations were the miniature paintings of the time. Often likened to jewels, these works on paper do more than entertain the eye; they illuminate as well. By comparing the paintings and the objects depicted in them, the world of Mughal opulence is opened to the reader. Jewels without Crowns brings together two fields of artistic accomplishment by one of the most visionary dynasties of the Islamic world. With bibliography.

Erotic Triangles: Sundanese Dance and Masculinity in West Java by Henry Spiller. In West Java, Indonesia, all it takes is a woman's voice and a drum beat to make a man get up and dance. Every day, men there - be they students, pedicab drivers, civil servants, or businessmen - breach ordinary standards of decorum and succumb to the rhythm at village ceremonies, weddings, political rallies, and nightclubs. The music the men dance to varies from traditional gong ensembles to the contemporary pop known as dangdut, but they consistently dance with great enthusiasm. In Erotic Triangles, Henry Spiller draws on decades of ethnographic research to explore the reasons behind this phenomenon, arguing that Sundanese men use dance to explore and enact contradictions in their gender identities. Framing the three crucial elements of Sundanese dance - the female entertainer, the drumming, and men's sense of freedom - as a triangle, Spiller connects them to a range of other theoretical perspectives, drawing on thinkers from Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Lévi-Strauss, and Freud to Euclid. By granting men permission to literally perform their masculinity, Spiller ultimately concludes, dance provides a crucial space for both reinforcing and resisting orthodox gender ideologies.

Education in Vietnam edited by Jonathan D. London. Vietnam is a country on the move. Yet contemporary Vietnam's education system is at a crossroads. Rapid economic growth has permitted rapid increases in the scale and scope of formal schooling, but there is a prevailing sense that the current education system is inadequate to the country's needs. Sunny assessments of Vietnam's achievements in the sphere of education have given way to a realisation that the country lacks skilled workers. Some have even spoken of an "education crisis". These are not abstract concerns. What is occurring in Vietnam's education system today has broad implications for the country's social, political, economic, and cultural development. Featuring contributions from scholars and policy analysts from within and outside Vietnam, Education in Vietnam addresses key issues pertaining to the political economy of education, the provision and payment for primary and secondary education, and the development of vocational and tertiary education.

Books on Peranakan Culture and Heritage

2011-08-30T12:19:00.000+08:00

This is a selection of titles from our comprehensive stock of books on Peranakan culture and heritage:

Nyonya Kebaya: Intricacies of the Peranakan Heritage by Christine Ong Kiat Neo. This book is a comprehensive guide to Nyonya Kebaya dressing and fashion. With a large number of beautiful colour photographs of alluring kebayas, this book will be an essential guide on how to wear and match lovely kebaya outfits. There is a section offering a brief history of nyonya kebaya, batik sarong and kebaya embroidery, followed by detailed tips and ideas on how to wear and match keyayas, how to create ensembles and how to care for kebayas.

Modern Nyonya by Sylvia Tan. The veteran cookery writer Sylvia Tan here brings together 70 of her favourite nonya recipes in this delightfully illustrated volume. The first chapter notes significant features in Peranakan food history and its styles including how to create the essential and distinctive rempah or spice pastes. Seventy recipes are clearly set out. With illustrated glossary, index and measurement tables.

Kebaya Tales: Of Matriarchs, Maidens, Mistresses and Matchmakers by Lee Su Kim. These 13 short stories are set in the world of nonyas, the women of the distinctive Straits Chinese or Peranakan community of Malaysia and Singapore. After a short introduction on Peranakan identity, the lively stories highlight many aspects of the history, lifestyles and issues which face or faced nonyas. With archival photographs, and colour photographs of kebayas and other nonya artefacts.

Straits Chinese Silver: A Collector's Guide by Ho Wing Meng. This beautifully illustrated volume examines the exquisite silver of the Straits Chinese, or Peranakans - Hindu-Islamic in shape and function but strangely characteristic of the Chinese in emblem and decorative design. Detailed information regarding the usage of the various articles as well as historic photographs and drawings vividly portray the now-lost world of the Straits Chinese. Notes, glossary and bibliography included.

A Peranakan Legacy: The Heritage of the Straits Chinese by Peter Wee, Peter. Exquisite pieces, embroidered clothing, stunning gold and silver jewellery, pretty porcelain artefacts and unusual items of daily living chronicle the rich heritage of the Peranakans or Straits Chinese - a people whose unique culture is an amalgamation of Eastern and Western influences: Chinese, Malay, Indian, Indonesian, Portuguese, Dutch and British. This book captures through lavish, full-colour photographs the Peranakan's strong sense of customs and etiquette and introduces readers to their way of life.

Books by Political Prisoners in Asia

2011-08-26T06:04:00.001+08:00

These are a selection of books on or by political prisoners in Asia:

Bilanggo: Life as a Political Prisoner in the Philippines 1952-1962 by William J. Pomeroy. Bilanggo is the diary of a decade behind bars. William Pomeroy and his wife Celia Mariano, like hundreds of other communists and militants, were sent to prison in the early 1950s for participating in the Huk guerrilla struggle for national liberation. Pomeroy's personal narrative of the armed struggle, The Forest, has become a classic. Bilanggo is its sequel, written with the same immediacy and power. It describes how the political prisoners endured stretches of solitary confinement, were denied basic amenities, and witnessed horrific outbursts of violence between warring prison gangs. But above all, it depicts how they refused to be broken, or to give up their vision and ideals.

Passion, Betrayal, and Revolution in Colonial Saigon: The Memoirs of Bao Luong by Ho Tai Hue-Tam. This is the incredible story of Bao Luong, Vietnam's first female political prisoner. In 1927, when she was just 18, Bao Luong left her village home to join Ho Chi Minh's Revolutionary Youth League and fight both for national independence and for women's equality. A year later, she became embroiled in the Barbier Street murder, a crime in which unruly passion was mixed with revolutionary ardour. Weaving together Bao Luong's own memoir with excerpts from newspaper articles, family gossip, and official documents, this book by Bao Luong's niece takes us from rural life in the Mekong Delta to the bustle of colonial Saigon. It provides a rare snapshot of Vietnam in the first decades of the twentieth century and a compelling account of one woman's struggle to make a place for herself in a world fraught with intense political intrigue.

Beyond the Blue Gate: Recollections of a Political Prisoner by Teo Soh Lung. Singapore lawyer Teo Soh Lung has written this careful account of her experiences and feelings when detained in Whitley Detention Centre 21 from May 1987 to 6 September 1987, and from April 1988 to 1 June 1990. Accused of involvement in the alleged "Marxist Conspiracy", Soh Lung discusses many legal aspects of the case, including Singapore's banning of London QC Anthony Lester and her various Appeal attempts. She tells of the regime and her physical and emotional suffering, as well as the strategies and beliefs which enabled her to retain her integrity and balance in circumstances intended to subdue her. Relevant official documents are appended.

In a Jakarta Prison: Life Stories of Women Inmates by Sujinah. This book tells, in a prose-journalism style, the stories of women in prison: what crimes they committed and the reasons behind their crimes. As told by Sujinah, herself a political prisoner, these stories offer insight frank insights into the position of women in Indonesia.

Dragon Fighter: One Woman's Epic Struggle for Peace with China by Rebiya Kadeer and Alexandra Cavelius. Rebiyah Kadeer (b. 1946) was born to an Uyghur family in China's borderlands with Kazakhstan. She traces her career as refugee, self-made millionaire and celebrated official of China's National Peoples Congress. Following her efforts to promote the human and political rights of Uyghur people, attendance at the 1995 Beijing United Nations World Conference on Women, and unrest in her home area, she was arrested in 1999. She tells of her gross ill treatment and the sufferings of other prisoners, and finally, after international outcry, her 2005 release "to take medical treatment" in the US. She has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and apparently, been subject to harassment and assassination attempts. Rebiya has received awards from Human Rights Watch and Norway's Rafto Foundation. This book tells of China's apparent orchestrated efforts to obliterate Uyghur identity.

New Distribution Title: The Equanimous Mind

2011-08-22T16:31:00.000+08:00

The Equanimous Mind: How a Ten-Day Mediation Boot Camp Awakened My Awareness to the Fundamental Principles of Life and Existence is a heart-felt and inspiring chronicle of the meditation camp experience of an open-minded, successful and intelligent partner of a global management consulting firm. Manish Chopra describes in detail his inner journey at the camp and the life-changing impact it had on him.

Manish Chopra is a partner at a global management consulting firm, where he advices CEOs, senior executives, and government officials on strategy topics. He grew up in India and attended college at the Indian Institute of Technology(IIT) in Delhi before completing his masters and PhD from University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Manish is now a firm believer and devoted practitioner of Vipassana, the technique that Siddartha Gautama (The Budda) rediscovered and used to achieve enlightenment over two millennia ago. This book is Manish's attempt to share the benefits of the technique and to inspire readers to stop chasing the ephemeral and prioritise what really matters.

A vivid,upclose and heartfelt account of a personal transformation. Startling and inspiring, this is a must-read for all who aspire to explore their inner selves.

- Vikram Khanna, Associate Editor, Singapore Business Times

As someone I respect and have worked with, it was exciting for me to see how this experience changed Manish’s life.

- Mike Kaufmann, CEO(Pharmaceutical Segment), Cardinal Health

We expend so much time and energy caught up in the outside world. Manish’s rich description of his inner journey- and the transformative changes it has brought for him- should inspire us to stop chasing the ephemeral and prioritise what really matters.

- Professor Jasjit Singh, INSEAD Business School

A wonderful modern-day account of amazing powers of the ancient practice of meditation. Manish has a natural talent for writing and I recommend this book whole-heartedly for anyone interested in self-transformation.

- Vikas Malkani, Best-selling author of The Little Manual of Meditation

Manish was invited to share his thoughts on the book with Eugene Low on his A Slice of Life radio programme on July 29, 2011.

Books on Civil Society and NGOs in Asia

2011-08-18T08:44:00.000+08:00

These are several titles that we stock that examine the roles that civil society and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) play in Asian countries:

The Aware Saga: Civil Society and Public Morality in Singapore edited by Terence Chong. In March 2009, the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) was briefly taken over by a Christian faction. Their coup was overturned within a matter of weeks, but the episode highlighted a variety of issues, including the role of religion in civil society, sex education, homosexuality, state intervention and media engagement. Although the immediate issue was control of an activist group concerned with women's rights, it has implications for the agendas and concerns of NGOs, 'culture wars', the processes of citizenry mobilisation, mass participation and noisy democracy, and liberal voices in contemporary Singapore. In this book, academics and public intellectuals examine the AWARE saga within the context of Singapore's civil society, considering the political and historical background and how the issues it raised relate to contemporary societal trends. In addition to documenting a milestone event for Singapore's civil society, the authors offer provocative interpretations that will interest a broad range of readers.

State and Civil Society: The Chinese Perspective edited by Deng Zhenglai. In this volume, the second in a projected series on Developing China, 15 senior Chinese scholars offer their perspectives and analyses on many issues of state and civil society in China. These included aspects of the relevance and applicability of some of the historical and empirical work done using global and Western perspectives. Part One offers theoretical reflections on concepts of Civil Society in China. The papers in Part Two incorporate historical research and those in Part Three look at some modern developments in the country's Civil Society. Index.

Listening to Voices from Inside: Myanmar Civil Society's Response to Cyclone Nargis. This book uses the experience of responding to Cyclone Nargis tragedy as a way to stock take the current state of civil society in Myanmar, and to understand how it has changed as a result of this significant event. It highlights the perspectives of civil society leaders who live and work in Myanmar, and seeks to contribute to the increasing debate on how to address Myanmar's political challenges. It is organised into three parts: Analysing the Impact of Cyclone Nargis on Civil Society in Myanmar; Listening to Local Voices: Narratives; and External Perspectives.

Working for Democracy: Footprints from Civil Society in Malaysia. The work of five Malaysian NGOs active in connection with poverty, education, youth activism, religious freedom and with women's rights is discussed. Light is shed on the ongoing needs of Tamil women in the plantation sector, and on strategies to improve the care and education of poor pre-school Tamil estate children. A youth-based study shows the nature of and need for youth-based political involvement. Two other studies highlight the need for careful strategies in approaching gender/religion issues and for well-prepared dialogue. Many issues for thought and action are raised.

Recolonisation: Foreign Funded NGOs In Sri Lanka by Susantha Soonatilake. Foreign-funded NGOs can have far-reaching effects on the structure and existing life patterns of the receiving countries. This often-outspoken and provocative study of foreign-funded development activities in Sri Lanka looks at their impacts in the areas of social policies and development, human rights, international relations, and academia. Case studies are seen to demonstrate how the sometimes opaque agendas of NGOs have led to the degradation of functioning local efforts and civil society. The result is seen to be imposed recolonisation. Bibliography and index.

Books on Asian Cultures

2011-08-13T23:43:00.001+08:00

This is a selection of titles on Asian cultures:

Culture India: Philosophy, Religion, Arts, Literature, Society edited by Mahendra Kulasrestha. This is a re-publication of a work originally published in 1962 as a part of the Tagore Centenary Volume. It is a compendium of essays on Indian philosophy, religion, arts, literature and society contributed by eminent Indian scholars, including Radhakrishnan, Suniti Kumar Chatterji, Svetoslav Roerich among others. Essay topics include The Philosophy of India, Buddhism and the Upanishads, Ashoka: The First King of Peace, Varnashrama and Caste, Rigvedic Poetic Spirit and Sanskrit Literature.

Coming of Age: Forgotten Faces of a Greying Asia by David Tay and Poey Cher. These 80 photo portraits by widely-recognised Singaporean David Tay are of aged Asian people of many ethnicities and walks of life. Some of the portraits are complemented with age-old sayings or literary quotations. Unusual insights are offered in this uncomplicated publication.

Zen and Japanese Culture by Daistz T. Suzuki. Acknowledged as Japan's foremost authority on Zen Buddhism, Daisetz T. Suzuki's greatest achievement was to open up a path to the essential spirit of Zen thought to the West. He devoted much of his long life - he died in 1966 aged 95 - to this, but nowhere does he encapsulate his teaching and philosophy more powerfully than in Zen and Japanese Culture. First published in 1938 and fully revised in 1958 to incorporate new topics which had aroused Suzuki's interest, the book remains a classic study of the "the spirit of Zen". After briefly explaining what Zen is, Dr Suzuki considers in detail various aspects of Japanese life and art that this Buddhist discipline has influenced: the cult of swordsmanship, the tea ceremony, the haiku form, and the Japanese love of nature. Other essays are devoted to the relationship of Zen and Confucianism, to the role of Zen in the tradition of the Samurai and to Japanese art. The book also contains a bibliography, index, 69 illustrations chosen to complement the text and to highlight the finest in Japanese Zen art and calligraphy.

Malay Heritage of Singapore edited by Aileen Lau and Bernhard Platzdasch. Malay life and culture on Singapore island can be traced back to the 7th century and it has of course always formed a basic factor in Singapore's history and development. The 16 sections in this extensively illustrated volume by specialists, and together they explore the many dimensions of the Malay heritage. The early history of Temasek, Singapura and the first British years are overviewed and then trade patterns, buildings, settled kampongs, community life, material culture including traditional weapons and costume, arts, music and leisure activities are all explored. Illustrations, archival material and reminiscences contribute to knowledge of the very diverse ways in which Malays and Malay culture are and have been part of Singapore's diversity. With bibliography, maps, and about 500 photographs.

In Grandmother’s House: Thai Folklore, Traditions and Rural Village Life by Sorasing Kaowai and Peter Robinson. This is a gentle account of life in a then-remote village where the author was brought up by his grandmother who had spent her life (1921-1991) following traditional patterns of life in rural Thailand. He tells of local traditional beliefs, of daily life and hardships, and of the wisdoms he gained which have proved of lasting value in his city adulthood. With explanatory notes by the co-author.

New Distribution Partner: Haven Books

2011-08-07T20:38:00.001+08:00

Select Books is pleased to announce that we have been appointed by Haven Books to be their exclusive distributor in Singapore for their kidsGo! series of travel guidebooks.

Haven Books is a dynamic English-language press based in Hong Kong. Their books focus primarily on Asian and international themes, and are enjoyed worldwide by readers of all ages. They publish strong, fresh titles on a wide variety of topics - including exciting fiction, cookbooks, photography and travel books, children's illustrated books, young adult novels, and reference books. They are a founding member of the Independent Publishers of Hong Kong, and actively promotes Asia-based writers and literary organizations.

With regular guidebooks, you have to wade through 200 pages to figure out what to. But honestly, who has the time? The kidsGo! guidebooks give readers the top selections for the type of day you're planning to have:

Top Sights And Must-Do’s
Be A Culture Vulture
Talking With The Animals
Go Walk About!
Museum Mania
Food, Glorious Food
It’s Raining, It’s Pouring
Get Wild And Wet
Shop Till You Drop

Also listed are Fast Facts, basic foreign phrases, do’s and don’ts, things to spot, plus strange and wonderful nuggets of History And Culture. Useful area maps put the main landmarks in context, so that the family can plan its day at a glance.

There is also an accompanying website: kidsgotravelguides.com

The series has been reviewed in Four Seasons Magazine in May 11: "...filled with suggestions that the whole family can finally agree on."

Books already released in the series include kidsGo! Phuket and kidsGo! Hong Kong.

New Asian Literature Titles

2011-07-31T16:08:00.000+08:00

These are recent additions to our wide collection of Asian literature titles:

Estuary by Sam Bunny. Estuary is a novel about legacy, and moving on. Mac is born in Melbourne during the war in Vietnam. Living with his adopted parents, Uncle and Meila, he experiences the reverberations of the conflict. In time, he meets Uluru, and they move to Sri Lanka, where together they realise that they can put the past behind them.

The Pilgrim by Iwan Simatupang. The Pilgrim is one of the most unusual novels to have ever been published in Indonesia. It is a complex mixture, uniting a poetic lyricism with meditation on life, death and art. The novels chief characters are an artist and a cemetery overseer; the former representing emotion and the latter, reason, conflicting aspects of human nature. Despite the characters' antagonism and cruelty they are, in some ways, very similar: both represent forms of creativity, philosophy and art. Both exist outside conventional society. Both are searching for genuine human values and are aware of their shortcomings. In The Pilgrim, the chaos of thought and feeling represent the chaos of life's own randomness. When first published, The Pilgrim was hailed as the first really modern Indonesian novel and the beginning of a completely new path in Indonesian writing.

The Reluctant Terrorist: In Search of the Jizo by Caleb Kavon. In this novel, set in contemporary Hong Kong and Japan, with flashbacks to the Second World War, a Japanese businessman takes a deliberately modest revenge against another Japanese family that damaged his own during the Second World War. His surprising act of terrorism is a paradoxical gesture for peace. We meet again characters from Kavon's first novel, "The Monkey in Me: Confusion, Love and Hope under a Chinese Sky".

The Embrace Of Harlots by David T.K. Wong. This new novel by David Wong enters into the lives of a well-to-do Hong Kong family at the end of the Colonial period. It ranges from London, Oxford and Paris where greed, family dissonance and different cultural contexts bear in on the main characters as they face the dilemmas of opportunity, decision and general confusion. Real human issues are presented with elegance.

The Hills of Singapore: A Landscape of Loss, Longing and Love by Dawn Farnham. Young, beautiful and wealthy, widow Charlotte Macleod leaves Batavia in the 1850s and returns to Singapore for the English education of her two young sons. She is determined not to be drawn back into a secret affair with Zhen, the married Chinese merchant, triad member and man she loves who is, unbeknownst to him, the father of her eldest son, Alex. Charlotte is convinced she can find happiness in a respectable marriage with the attractive but reticent Captain Maitland. But when murder and death strike, Singapore erupts in the violence of triad wars and Zhen's growing affection for Alex gives cause for alarm, she must make some hard decisions, for her children and herself. Drawing on the real-life historical personalities of the time, Dawn Farnham mixes fact and fiction to paint a rich portrait of mid-19th-century Singapore and the realm of the White Rajah of Sarawak, at a time when triads, piracy and crime were rife and life in colonial Southeast Asia was anything but safe.

New Distribution Title: Liu Kang: The Colourful Modernist

2011-07-27T14:33:00.000+08:00

Liu Kang: Colourful Modernist, part of the Asian Artists Series, and edited by Yeo Wei Wei, will be launched on 28 July 2011 at the Singapore Art Museum.

Liu Kang (1911- 2004) is widely regarded as one of Singapore’s most important artists, and a guiding figure in the development of Singapore’s art scene.

Liu was actively involved in various areas of the visual arts field, from the creation of artworks to playing a central role in education and criticism. Liu also played a leading role in the Society of Chinese Artists and the Singapore Art Society for many years. In recognition of the artist’s lifetime accomplishments and contributions to Singapore’s visual art community, he was conferred the Public Service Star in 1970, and the Meritorious Service Medal in 1996.

This monograph positions Liu Kang, one of Singapore’s first generation artists, as observer, commentator, and visionary of modernity in Singapore art history. The contexts in which his works were created consist of a colourful map of diverse cultures, places, influences, from China, Europe and Southeast Asia.
The cross-cultural richness in Liu Kang’s way of seeing and art making are explored in four essays by curators and art researchers. These essays present fresh insights about the artist’s engagement with European and Chinese modernisms in a Singaporean context.

The book also contains close to 200 colour illustrations and archival photographs as well as an index and a glossary.

The book is being launched in conjunction with an exhibition to be held at the Singapore Art Museum from 29 July 2011 to 16 October 2011. This exhibition is held in commemoration of the artist's centennial year of birth. Featuring 100 works by Liu, this exhibition invites visitors on a journey of exploration into the life and mind of the artist.

The Liu Kang: A Centennial Celebration is a special research exhibition organised by the National Art Gallery, Singapore, supported by the National Heritage Board and held on the premises of SAM.

20 Eductional Architecture Books

2011-07-21T10:00:00.001+08:00

We've recently been informed about this very interesting article on a list of educational architecture books that anyone can enjoy. Follow this link for the full article:

You don’t have to be an architectural expert to appreciate a building that has been impeccably designed and built. From the medieval cathedrals of Europe to the engineering feat that is Burj Khalifa in Dubai, there are architectural gems aplenty to ogle no matter where you are in the world. For those who want to learn more about these gems, whether you’re an architecture student just learning the ropes of your trade or simply a casual admirer of all things architecture, there are plenty of books out there perfect for introducing the practices and theories of architecture in a way that isn’t too technical for the layman to understand. Here, we’ve chosen 20 such books that will let you appreciate the ideas, artists and processes behind the great architectural work of the world, whether you know a little or a lot about architecture.

Books on Oriental Jewellery

2011-07-17T11:36:00.000+08:00

This is a selection of titles from our collection of books on Oriental jewellery:

Old Javanese Gold: The Hunter Thompson Collection at the Yale University Art Gallery by John Miksic. While ancient Javanese bronze and ironwork have long elicited interest, there is a lesser-known yet equally fascinating aspect of the Indonesian island's history: gold artefacts, including jewellery, clothing accessories, statues, coins, and containers. Not only do these objects display exceptional craftsmanship, they also provide a significant source of information on Javanese society, culture, religion, economy, technology, and art from the 1st century BCE to 1500. This revised and expanded edition of the 1990 publication Old Javanese Gold celebrates Valerie and Hunter Thompson's 2007 gift of Javanese gold objects to the Yale University Art Gallery and the subsequent founding of the Department of Indo-Pacific Art. Along with entirely new photography and a fresh design, the book's essays have been updated to incorporate recent discoveries-including the Wonoboyo hoard, one of the most important gold hoards ever excavated in Southeast Asia.
Jewellery from the Orient: Treasures from the Bir Collection by Wolf-Dieter Seiwert. Jewellery sets off beauty and reveals wealth. Traditional Oriental vernacular jewellery has, moreover, a magical function. It attracts heavenly blessings and wards off evil. On his extensive travels throughout the Orient, Dr Bir amassed one of the world's largest private collections of traditional jewellery. Over 400 illustrations reproducing more than 750 objects as well as a rich store of maps to enable readers to place pieces by region make this encounter with the fascinating world of traditional Oriental vernacular jewellery a memorably exciting adventure. With bibliography and index.
Beads of Borneo by Heidi Munan. For centuries, beads have played a vital role in the cultures of various peoples in Borneo. The beauty, mystique and variety of beads and bead cultures there are examined in this richly-illustrated volume. This book traces the history of the bead trade, the use of beads as jewellery and in costume, their religious and social significance, and the modern trends in bead use and design in Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan.
Indian Silver by S.K. Pathak. Indian Silver is the story of a metal that has the glitter and finesse of gold, and in India, its greater affordability may well give it an edge over gold. Here, for the first time under the covers of one book, all aspects and uses of silver in India are brought together, from the history and techniques of making silver items to the prized objects themselves, from jewellery to coins to modern utility items. In the process, the book brings out India's continuing fascination with silver objects, as reflected in palaces, museums, private collections, and even in ordinary Indian homes.
Inspired Jewelry from the Museum of Arts and Design by Ursula Ilse-Neuman. This book features selected pieces of art jewellery from the Museum of Arts and Design's internationally renowned collection. It was published to celebrate the opening of the Museum's new home on Columbus Circle and the inauguration of the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Jewelry Gallery.

New Title: Australia-Singapore Relations

2011-07-11T19:51:00.000+08:00

Select Books is pleased to announce the publication of its latest title: Australia-Singapore Relations: Successful Bilateral Relations in a Historical and Contemporary Context edited by Ian Patrick Austin.

Australia-Singapore relations throughout the 1990s and 2000s have matured—be it politically, strategically, commercially, educationally, culturally, or socially. Security, diplomatic and commercial exchanges have both broadened and deepened. Equally important, the social, cultural and educational exchanges—from Australian theatre groups touring Singapore to extensive school exchange programs—continue to gain even greater strength. This book examines these different key aspects of the relationship.

The contributors to the volume are Ian Austin, Stephen Dobbs, Simon Minaee, Calvin Wang, Yeong Han-Cheong, Cecilia Leong-Salobir, Aaron Hales, Terence Lee, Ivee Palgrave and Sebastian Cox.

Autumn Wonders book inspires Esplande Show for Children

2011-07-08T21:13:00.000+08:00

One of the children’s books under our Autumn Wonders imprint has inspired a Esplanade show under its PLAYtime! series.

This is a series designed for audiences aged two to four that seeks to nurture their interest in performing arts. PLAYtime! performances are interactive and encourage toddlers in the audience to join in the narration with simple actions. Each presentation aims to developing toddlers’ linguistic and physical awareness, while encouraging interaction and play with other members of the audience.

Baby Panda Finds His Way is the inspiration for the second production in the series: Rocky, the Baby Panda.

There will be three shows staged staged daily from 20 July (Wednesday) – 24 July (Sunday). Tickets are selling out fast. At the time of this post, 10 of the 15 shows have already sold out. So, hurry to get your tickets!

2011-07-04T21:23:00.000+08:00

These are a selection of titles from our South Asia collection:

Heterotopias: Nationalism and the Possibility of History in South Asia edited by Manu Bhagavan. Laid out as a series of three inter-related conversations, this volume investigates the diverse discourses of identity politics that relate the nationalist movement to current concerns and debates. Focusing upon the peripheries of the modern Indian states of Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, the first section explores the ways in which people living on the margins of homogenizing nation-state critique the centre and carve out different spaces of experiences. It highlights their relationship with the homogenising nationalism of the centre. The next part analyses the works of Mirza Ghalib and epic traditions in South India to delineate the plurality of narrative and consciousness in literary production. The final part explores the works of Mohammed Iqbal and Mohandas Gandhi, while the conclusion provides a post-history of communalism. Taken together, the essays present an account of the multiplicity of historical experiences in India both within and without the discourse of nationalism.

Nationbuilding, Gender and War Crimes in South Asia by Bina D'costa. This book gives a detailed political analysis of nationbuilding processes and how these are closely linked to statebuilding and to issues of war crime, gender and sexuality, and marginalisation of minority groups. With a focus on the Indian subcontinent, the author demonstrates how the state itself is involved in the construction of a gendered identity, and how control of women and their sexuality is central to the nationbuilding project. She applies a critical feminist approach to two major conflicts in the Indian subcontinent - the Partition of India in 1947 and the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 - and offers suggestions for addressing historical injustices and war crimes in the context of modern Bangladesh. Addressing how the social and political elites were able to construct and legitimise a history of the state that ignored these issues, the author suggests a critical re-examination of the national narrative of the creation of Bangladesh which takes into account the rise of Islamic rights and their alleged involvement in war crimes. Looking at the impact that notions of nation-state and nationalism have on women from a critical feminist perspective, the book will be an important addition to the literature on gender studies, international relations and South Asian politics.

Routledge Handbook of South Asian Politics: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal edited by Paul R. Brass. The Routledge Handbook of South Asian Politics examines key issues in politics of the five independent states of the South Asian region: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Written by experts in their respective areas, this book introduces the reader to the politics of South Asia by presenting the prevailing agreements and disagreements in the literature. In the first two sections, the handbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the modern political history of the states of the region and an overview of the independence movements in the former colonial states. The other sections focus on the political changes that have occurred in the postcolonial states since independence, as well as the successive political changes in Nepal during the same period, and the structure and functioning of the main governmental and non-governmental institutions, including the structure of the state itself (unitary or federal), political parties, the judiciary, and the military. Further, the contributors explore several aspects of the political process and political and economic change, especially issues of pluralism and national integration, political economy, corruption and criminalisation of politics, radical and violent political movements, and the international politics of the region as a whole.

Islam in South Asia in Practice edited by Barbara D. Metcalf. This volume of Princeton Readings in Religions brings together the work of more than 30 scholars of Islam and Muslim societies in South Asia to create a rich anthology of primary texts that contributes to a new appreciation of the lived religious and cultural experiences of the world's largest population of Muslims. The 34 selections - translated from Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil, Gujarati, Hindavi, Dakhani, and other languages - highlight a wide variety of genres, many rarely found in standard accounts of Islamic practice, from oral narratives to elite guidance manuals, from devotional songs to secular judicial decisions arbitrating Islamic law, and from political posters to a discussion among college women affiliated with an "Islamist" organisation. Drawn from premodern texts, modern pamphlets, government and organisational archives, new media, and contemporary fieldwork, the selections reflect the rich diversity of Islamic belief and practice in South Asia. Each reading is introduced with a brief contextual note from its scholar-translator, and Barbara Metcalf introduces the whole volume with a substantial historical overview.

Culinary Fictions: Food in South Asian Diasporic Culture by Anita Mannur. For South Asians, food regularly plays a role in how issues of race, class, gender, ethnicity, and national identity are imagined as well as how notions of belonging are affirmed or resisted. Culinary Fictions provides food for thought as it considers the metaphors literature, film, and TV shows use to describe Indians abroad. When an immigrant mother in Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake combines Rice Krispies, Planters peanuts, onions, salt, lemon juice, and green chili peppers to create a dish similar to one found on Calcutta sidewalks, it evokes not only the character's Americanisation, but also her nostalgia for India. Food, Anita Mannur writes, is a central part of the cultural imagination of diasporic populations, and Culinary Fictions maps how it figures in various expressive forms. Mannur examines the cultural production from the Anglo-American reaches of the South Asian diaspora. Using texts from novels - Chitra Divakaruni's Mistress of Spices and Shani Mootoo's Cereus Blooms at Night - and cookbooks such as Madhur Jaffrey's Invitation to Indian Cooking and Padma Lakshmi's Easy Exotic, she illustrates how national identities are consolidated in culinary terms.

New Distribution Titles: July 2011

2011-06-30T19:05:00.003+08:00

This is a selection of our new distribution titles for July 2011.

Paths of Origins: The Austronesian Heritage in the Collections of the National Museum of the Philippines, The Museum Nasional of Indonesia, and The Netherlands Rijksmuseum Voor Volkenkunde edited by Purissima Benitez-Johannot, Purissima. Much has transformed our understanding of Southeast Asian prehistory in the last 40 years. The history and ties that bind the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Madagascar, the Pacific islands, and mainland Southeast Asia can now be traced to the big bang out of a homeland in Taiwan some 4,500 years ago. While archaeology had previously established irrefutable connections among peoples of these regions, more recent advances in historical linguistics and molecular genetics have provided an approximate timeline for the rapid dispersion of what archaeologists describe as colonizing farmers. This publication will focus on art and artefacts, features that stand witness to these peoples' relatedness today. With bibliography and index.

Royal Nepal Through the Lens of Richard Gordon Matzene by Marcella Sirhandi. In 1930, the celebrated American photographer Richard Gordon Matzene made a unique series of portraits of the ruling families of Nepal. The handsome aristocrats and sumptuously adorned women in his immaculate portraits are here identified and their biographies fitted into the panoply of Nepalese court drama and intrigue. Local and regional conquests, two world wars, a devastating earthquake, and the rampant malaria that challenged the regime are all part of this story. With index.

Taylor Camp by John Wehrheim. In 1969 Howard Taylor, brother of Elizabeth, bailed out a rag-tag band of thirteen young Mainlanders jailed on Kauai for vagrancy and invited them to camp on his oceanfront land. Soon waves of hippies, surfers and troubled Vietnam vets found their way to Taylor Camp and built a clothing-optional, pot-friendly tree house village at the end of the road on the island's North Shore. In 1977, after condemning the village to make way for a 'State Park', government officials torched the camp - leaving little but ashes and memories of the 'best days of our lives'. Powerfully evocative photographs from the Seventies reveal a community that rejected consumerism for the healing power of Nature, while the story of Taylor Camp's seven-year existence is documented through interviews made thirty years later with the campers, their neighbours and the Kauai officials who finally evicted them.

Masterpieces of Islamic Art: The Decorated Page from the 8th to the 17th Century by Oleg Grabar. In this volume, Greg Grabar, a world-renowned specialist on Islamic Art, introduces a wide range of illuminated manuscripts from the 8th to the 17th century, placing them in their temporal and spatial context as well as identifying the main centres of artistic creation. Illuminated manuscripts of the Koran, epic poetry, and scientific works are accompanied by a text explaining the subject, describing it particular visual features, and highlighting its artistic qualities. The working methods of the artists and calligraphers are reconstructed. The author also highlights the key moments in history, society, faith, devotion, and other aspects of the Islamic world which are represented in the images. With bibliography.

Men of Rajasthan by Waswo X. Waswo. Working in collaboration with a team of Indian artists, Waswo playfully recreates and examines the tradition of vintage studio portraiture. Waswo's chief accomplice in this endeavour is Rajesh Soni, a third generation Rajasthani hand-colourist whose grandfather was once court photographer to the Maharana Bhopal Singh of Mewar. Soni's careful and highly talented painting of each photograph adds a vintage feel to work that hovers enigmatically between the retro and the contemporary. Men of Rajasthan contains fifty images annotated with delightful commentary by the photographer himself and further uncovers the male-centric universe of a uniquely mysterious place.

2011-06-24T18:27:00.006+08:00

Our latest publication, Women Artists in Singapore, was launched on June 6, 2011 at the Singapore Art Museum.

The Guest of Honour for the event was Dr. Cheong Koon Hean, CEO, Housing & Development Board and Deputy Secretary (Special Duties), Ministry of National Development.

We were honoured to have many distinguished guests, as well as many of the featured artists, join us at the book launch.

These are some photos from the event:

New Publication: Women Artists in Singapore

2011-06-09T21:09:00.004+08:00

Select Books is pleased to announce the publication of our latest title: Women Artists in Singapore by Bridget Tracy Tan.

Women Artists in Singapore is a survey of some of the most recognised female artists in Singapore. Featuring 37 artists and more than 170 exquisitely rendered images of their artworks, this publication is a milestone: a book dedicated to Singapore’s women artists and their contributions to the local art scene has been long overdue.

With insight and passion, the achievements of artists spanning an impressive period of time and range of art media are celebrated. Bridget Tracy Tan provides intimate biographical portraits of the artists, drawing attention to key influences and milestones in their individual journeys.

Women Artists in Singapore is a tribute to the unbridled creativity of women, as well as the sheer diversity of their artistic output and influences. This coffee table book will appeal to all who are interested in women’s art and the history of art in Singapore.

The featured women artists are:

• Amanda Heng
• Che Cheng Lin
• Chen Cheng Mei
• Georgette Chen
• Chern Yet Siew
• Chng Seok Tin
• Cristene Chang Hoei
• December Pang
• Delia Iliesiu Prvacki
• Devaki
• Donna Ong
• Eng Tow
• Han Sai Por
• Ho Hui May
• Hong Sek Chern
• Jacqueline Ng
• Jane Lee
• Jessie Lim
• Ketna Patel
• Kit Tan Juat Lee
• Kumari Nahappan
• Lai Foong Moi
• Lee Su Lian
• Kim Lim
• Lin Hsin Hsin
• Namiko Chan Takahashi
• Neng
• Noni Kaur
• Om Mee Ai
• Parvathi Nayar
• Sandra Lee
• Sanjot Kaur Sekhon
• Suzann Victor
• Tan Yen Peng
• Tang Ling Nah
• Ye Shufang
• Yen Chua

About the Author

Bridget Tracy Tan is Director for the Art Galleries and the newly formed Institute of Southeast Asian Arts at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). She currently oversees the internal and external programming for 3 galleries located on campus as well as spearheads the research into Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art across the disciplines. To date she has hosted and commissioned several important exhibitions, including new video art by rising multimedia artists and indigenous artists from Australia, the debut of Nobuyoshi Araki’s photography in Singapore, Gunther Uecker’s monumental solo exhibition as well as the work of award-winning Hong Kong designer, director and photo artist, anothermountainman (Stanley Wong). She has curated numerous exhibitions of Singaporean and international artists and has been commissioned to write on the work of Cultural Medallion artists in conjunction with their exhibitions.

New Titles at Select Books - June 2011

2011-06-05T17:29:00.002+08:00

Here are five recent additions to our shelves:

The May 13 Generation: The Chinese Middle Schools Student Movement and Singapore Politics in the 1950s edited by Tan Jing Quee, Tan Kok Chiang et al. The May 13 Generation was the first belonging to the immigrant communities from China to grapple with the issues of being Malayan/Singaporean, breaking irrevocably with the received wisdoms of their elders, and in a political climate where their explorations were deemed to be subversive. This book comprises the recollections penned by the participants of the era of the 1950s, where their generation was in the forefront of the anti-colonial movement, and the work of academic researchers who have examined the historical framework and context of the period, as well as how it has been made to fit in to the country's mainstream history. The researchers have also examined the students' cultural expressions, whether it is in art, drama, dance or literature and found to be socially engaged, and grappling with the question of who they were as a people. The cultural explorations of that period have been forgotten or repudiated. It is revealing just how this amnesia and silence has become so set. It is also impossible to imagine the demands that age had put on this generation of youths.

Going Global: Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, South Korea, and South Africa in International Affairs edited by Melissa Conley Tyler and Wilhelm Hofmeister. Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, South Korea and South Africa can be perceived as "middle powers" which have assumed new responsibilities within their region and in a broader global context. How these countries deal with their respective places in the world and in their regions has been analized during a forum organized by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) during a symposium held in Jakarta, Indonesia, in May 2010. These analysis are presented in this volume, which concentrates on four topics: How do regional powers perceive and exercise regional responsibilities? How do they deal with global powers? How do they react to global challenges? How can they contribute to develop global governance in the global system?

Education in Vietnam edited by Jonathan D. London. Vietnam is a country on the move. Yet contemporary Vietnam's education system is at a crossroads. Rapid economic growth has permitted rapid increases in the scale and scope of formal schooling, but there is a prevailing sense that the current education system is inadequate to the country's needs. Sunny assessments of Vietnam's achievements in the sphere of education have given way to a realisation that the country lacks skilled workers. Some have even spoken of an "education crisis". These are not abstract concerns. What is occurring in Vietnam's education system today has broad implications for the country's social, political, economic, and cultural development. Featuring contributions from scholars and policy analysts from within and outside Vietnam, Education in Vietnam addresses key issues pertaining to the political economy of education, the provision and payment for primary and secondary education, and the development of vocational and tertiary education.

Rectifying God’s Name: Liu Zhi’s Confucian Translation of Monotheism and Islamic Law by James D. Frankel. Islam first arrived in China over 1,200 years ago, but for more than a millennium it was perceived as a foreign presence. The restoration of native Chinese rule by the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), after nearly a century of Mongol domination, helped transform Chinese intellectual discourse on ideological, social, political, religious, and ethnic identity. This led to the creation of a burgeoning network of Sinicized Muslim scholars who wrote about Islam in classical Chinese and developed a body of literature known as the Han Kitab. Rectifying God's Name examines the life and work of one of the most important of the Qing Chinese Muslim literati, Liu Zhi (ca. 1660-ca. 1730), and places his writings in their historical, cultural, social, and religio-philosophical contexts. His Tianfang dianli (Ritual law of Islam) represents the most systematic and sophisticated attempt within the Han Kitab corpus to harmonize Islam with Chinese thought.

Domestic Tourism in Asia: Diversity and Divergence edited by Shalini Singh. Many countries have a rich tradition of domestic travel and holidaying that not only predates but exceeds mass international travel. This is particularly the case in Asia, where recent economic prosperity and trends in globalization have continued to shape traditions in domestic tourism. This book is the first to address specifically the continuities and changes in domestic tourism in Asia. It explores the ethos of domestic travel and holiday-making in order to understand the distinctive common strands that underlie conventional and contemporary tourism practices, against the local and global backdrop. A considerable range of countries is covered in the case studies, including those with patrimonial histories (namely China and India), the economically developed nation-state of Japan, the microstates of Taiwan, Singapore, Macao, and Hong Kong, the coastal countries of Malaysia, the Philippines, Laos, and Vietnam, and the land-locked countries of Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia. The book presents some of the many interfaces of Asian cultural and natural heritage with tourism, while giving due consideration to today's political and economic realities.

2011-06-01T22:23:00.003+08:00

Here are four books that explore various facets of agriculture in Asia:

Borneo Transformed: Agricultural Expansion on the Southeast Asian Frontier edited by Rodolphe De Koninck and S. Bernard et al. Since the 1960s, Southeast Asia's agricultural sector has experienced phenomenal growth, with increases in production linked to an energy-intensive capitalisation of agriculture and the rapid development of agrifood systems and agribusiness. Agricultural intensification and territorial expansion have been key to this process, with expansion of areas under cultivation playing an unusually important role in the transformation of the countryside and livelihoods of its inhabitants. Borneo, with vast tracts of land not yet under crops, has been the epicenter of this expansion process, with rubber and oil palm acting as the spearhead. Indonesia's Kalimantan provinces and the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak have all undergone major changes but the time frames have varied, as have the crops involved. Agricultural expansion in Borneo is both an economic and a political process, and it has brought about profound socio-economic transformations, including deforestation, and development of communication networks. There has also been rapid population growth, much faster than in either Indonesia or Malaysia as a whole, with attendant pressures on employment, housing and social services. Until the end of the 20th century, agricultural expansion in Indonesia and Malaysia was largely state driven, with the goal of poverty reduction. Subsequently, as in Borneo, boom crop expansion has been taken over by private corporations that are driven by profit maximization rather than poverty reduction.

Vietnam (Southeast Asian Agriculture and Development Primer Series) by Nguyen Tri Klem. This primer starts by describing Vietnam's agriculture and its significant contributions in bolstering the country's overall economy. It features the primary agricultural commodities produced for the import and export market and the market trend. Government interventions and policy reforms that have had profound impact on development efforts are also discussed. The final parts of the primer deal with the important facets that could potentially help boost the agriculture sector if addressed accordingly - public investment and research and development. This series aims to promote awareness on the state of agriculture of the Southeast Asian countries. The consistency in format and presentation of the series enables easy comparability of agriculture situation across countries and the drawing of lessons from each other's experiences. The cultural differences notwithstanding, there are many commonalities and similarities among the countries, especially in geographical characteristics, making agriculture a common priority and concern in the region.

Land to Till: The Chinese in the Agricultural Economy of Malaysia by Tan Pek Leng. Personal interviews and research have been incorporated into this account of the achievements and impact Chinese planters, farmers and labourers have had in the development and pattern of Malaysia's agricultural economy. Black-and-white archival photographs complement the text which looks at many areas of agriculture and agro-based industries in both East and West Malaysia and roles of many of the influential personalities involved. Index.

Indonesian Exports, Peasant Agriculture and the World Economy, 1850-2000: Economic Structures in a Southeast Asian State by Hiroyoshi Kano. An "Indonesian economy" first took shape in the latter part of the 19th century, consisting of a dominant export industry supported by a rural agrarian sphere. The agricultural sector provided food and labour to the export sector, which was firmly incorporated into the world economy through international trade. This economic pattern survived several shifts of the leading export industry and persisted even after Indonesia became independent in the mid-20th century. Hiroyoshi Kano uses international trade statistics to analyze three key elements in the Indonesian economy: the balance of international payments and trade, the transformation undergone by leading export industries, and the way in which the agricultural sector supplied land, labor and food. Dividing the 150-year time span covered by the book in four periods based on prevailing major expert industries, he identifies key actors and analyzes long-term changes in agricultural production and rural society, and how they shaped the national economy.

Books on Batik

2011-05-26T06:53:00.003+08:00

These are a selection of titles that we carry on batik:

The 20th Century Batik Masterpieces by Tumbu Ramelan and Wisjnuwati Mashadi et al.. This beautifully illustrated book features Tumbu Astiani Ramlean's collection of Indonesian batik. The book is organised into chapters based on regions - Java, West Java, Central Java, East Java and Sumatera. Each chapter begins with an overview of the characteristics of batik from that region, followed by details of specific batik pieces.

Batik: From the Courts of Java and Sumatra by Donald J. Harper and Brigitte Khan Majlis et al.. The 71 batik textiles shown in this book are from the collection of Rudolf G Smend. Most date from the period 1880-1930, when the art of batik in Java reached its peak. Emanating from the provincial and stately courts of Yogyakarta and Surakarta in Central Java are hip, chest, shoulder, and head cloths in controlled, orderly, geometric patterns in natural soga brown, indigo blue, black and cream. Brighter colours and freer designs on the sarongs made in Cirebon, Pekalongan, Lasem and other towns along Java's commercial north coast eloquently attest to the blending of indigenous forms, motifs, and colours with outside influences. Southern Sumatra, with its Muslim heritage, contributed large shoulder cloths and headscarves, often bearing Koranic invocations. These extraordinary cloths are complemented by 16 vintage photos from the Leo Hak collection, which demonstrate how batik was worn at court and in other settings.

Five Centuries of Indonesian Textiles edited by Ruth Barnes and Mary Hunt Kahlenberg. Including many rare and antique examples, this luxurious volume introduces readers to the intoxicating and complex beauty of Indonesian cloth. Since the 1970s Mary Hunt Kahlenberg has been building her collection of exquisite ceremonial garments and sacred textiles from throughout Indonesia's chain of tropical islands. Dating from the past five centuries and brought together here for the first time in book form, these woven and batiked hangings, ceremonial mats, jackets, shawls, and head cloths form a stunning array that will draw the attention of anyone with a love of art, fine craftsmanship, and design. Large, elegantly presented photographs show the textiles in incredible closeup detail and full expanse, making it possible to appreciate their technical brilliance and rich colors as well as the dazzling assortment of intricate patterns and motifs. Including essays by leading anthropologists and art historians, this book brings readers into a world ruled by the belief that weavings communicate with and transform those who come into contact with them.

Out of Ireland: 50 Years of Batik by Peter Wenger by Peter Wenger. Peter Winger (b. 1937) developed his interest in batik in Germany and Ireland early in his life and has exhibited in Ireland and elsewhere since 1966. This 2007 catalogue from the Kilkenny Arts festival celebrates the 50 years of his batik works. Thirty-three colour plates illustrate the richness of his mainly abstract or nature-related textiles creations.

Batik - 75 Selected Masterpieces: The Rudolf G. Smend Collection by Isa Fleischmann-Heck et al.. This study of Indonesian batik is published to accompany the 2006 exhibition at the German Textile Museum, Krefeld. The 75 masterpieces exhibited are from the Rudolf G. Smend Collection, and an interview with Rudolf Smend is included. The exhibition also marks the centenary of the 1906 first major exhibition of Dutch East Indian Art in Germany. Drawings and archival black-and-white photographs illustrate specialist articles on the 1906 exhibition and on the art of wax design. Each of the 75 Smend batiks is presented in full colour with annotation. Bilingual in German and English, with glossary and bibliography.

Books on Islamic Architecture

2011-05-22T14:01:00.003+08:00

Books on Islamic architecture:

Between Eden & Earth: Gardens of the Islamic World by Heba Nayel Barakat. A book that explores the history and philosophies behind the greatest Islamic gardens. In a visual journey through the colourful array of photographic images, the major surviving Islamic gardens are vividly brought to life, illustrating the glories of the past. Examined here are the splendours of the gardens of Spain, the marvels of Morocco, the courtyard gardens of Syria and Egypt, the enchantment of Ottoman Turkey and much more. This book was published in conjunction with a photography exhibition of the same name. With notes and bibliography.

Divine Inspiration: Seven Principles of Islamic Architecture edited by LucienDe Guise. Divine Inspiration explores the relationship between Muslims and their beliefs, manifested in the built environment. Just as Islam embodies a way of life and serves as a cohesive force amongst ethnically and culturally diverse peoples, it also contains a conspicuous aesthetic dimension. There is no essential difference between sacred and secular art in Islam. This allows Islamic architecture to symbolise the spiritual path of the religion, transcending the temporal considerations of form and function. Through the study of seven key religious beliefs, a cross-section of Islamic life and practice is united with the corresponding architectural principles. With bibliography.

Islamic Art: The Past and Modern by Nuzhat Kazmi. Islamic Art is a product of certain forceful factors that created a cultural milieu which was centred on the religious ethos and intellectual affinities inspired by Islam and its followers. This lavishly illustrated book looks at the artistic output of the Islamic civilization through the centuries, from the time of its inception to its interpretations in the contemporary world. The material is organised into: Art of Painting; Art of Calligraphy; Art of Carpet and Textile Weaving; Decorative Islamic Arts; Art of Architecture; Islamic Arts and the Modern World; and Major Dynasties.

Rethinking Islamic Architecture by Mohamad Tajuddin Mohamad Rasdi. Islamic architecture has never undergone a sustained period of self-criticism and creative renewal. Arguing in favour of a return to humility, humanism and the eternal values of Islam, the author shows a way out of the impasse in Islamic architecture by a close reading of the Islamic sources in tandem with a re-examination of the work of visionary Western modernists. With notes, bibliography and index.

Glory of the Sultans: Islamic Architecture in India by Yves Porter and Gerard Degeorge. This is a major volume on the built heritage of mosques and monuments from the Mughal period of Indo-Pakistani history. Photographs and architectural drawings are included in sections on: 1) the period from the 7th century Arab-Mughal incursions to the foundation of the Mughal Empire 1555; 2) the 14th to 17th-century period of independent sultanates; 3) the time of the Great Mughals, from Akbar (1556-1615) to Shah Zafar (1837-58). The last section notes Muslim and quasi-Muslim styled buildings of the British Imperial years with notes, bibliography and index of the monument.

Books on Madura

2011-05-17T18:36:00.002+08:00

These three books are on Madura and the Madurese:

Across Madura Strait: The Dynamics of an Insular Society edited by Kees Van Dijk et al.. The editors of this volume convened a workshop in 1991 to gather the various researchers to explore the information available on Madura, which has until only recently been overshadowed by the more exotic Indonesian locations. Selected papers presented at the KITLV Sixth International Workshop on Indonesian Studies focus on Madura and its relationship to the Indonesian society at large. Anthropologists, historians, musicologists, Islamologists, rural economists, and students of ecology gathered to address the many facets of Madurese culture. Scholarly research and fieldwork findings support the individual discussions which examine historical development, environmental and anthropological idiosyncrasies, and cultural distinctions. The final essay by Didik J. Rachbini identifies current initiatives for improving social and economic infrastructure, and future trends of the approaching industrialization.

Madurese Seafarers: Prahus, Timber and Illegality on the Margins on the Indonesian State by Kurt Stenross. The Madurese are one of the great maritime and trading peoples of the Indonesian Archipelago. This remarkable study takes readers into the trading villages of Madura, with their remarkable tranditional vessels (perahu) that were powered by sail until the late 20th century, and examines their informal-sector economic niches, notably the cattle, salt and timber trades and the carriage of people. The book argues that the nature of village society, the physical characteristics of the island's coast, cultural traditions of frugality and self-reliance, and an appetite for risk all contributed to the enduring success of Madurese traders. During Suharto's New Order, Madurese seafarers prospered through their central role in the booming timber trade between Kalimantan and Java, using great ingenuity and quasi-legal means to negotiate state laws and regulations. Based on data collected during visits to remote ports and unlicensed sawmills in Kalimantan, perahu harbours in Java, and 'wild' beach ports in Madura, the book explores the inner workings of Madurese maritime trade during a critical period that brought this village-based transport industry into a modern and increasingly regulated economic environment.

Equipages Et Voiliers De Madura by Paul Piollet. An overview of the history of Madura, an important centre and entreport in the history of Indonesia since pre-Islamic times, introduces this study of the area's sailing ships. Maps, drawings, diagrams, glossaries, colour photos and documentation of the boats' registration and ladings together give a picture of the now diminished fleet and its associated sailing communities. In French.

The Singapore Kid on What's Up

2011-05-14T06:40:00.004+08:00

Our children's book The Singapore Kid was featured in What's Up.

It was also featured in The New Paper, as well as on the blog Journey About Raising Up Our Lovely Kids.

Books on the Samurai

2011-05-08T21:07:00.002+08:00

This is a selection of books on the samurai.

Shinsengumi: The Shogun's Last Samurai Corps by Romulus Hillsborough. In this vivid historical narrative of the Shinsengumi, the first ever in the English language, author Romulus Hillsborough uses letters, memoirs, interviews, and eyewitness accounts to paint a provocative and thrilling picture of a fascinating period in Japanese history. The Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled Japan until the late 1800s, stayed in power for more than two centuries. Their fall was one of he most important events in Asian history. Also known as the Meiji Restoration, the shogun's ouster began as a reaction against the willingness to "collaborate" with the West. Many samurai took the shogun's position as a sign of weakness. These samurai plotted to overthrow the shogun and restore the emperor to his ancient seat of power. Murder, assassination, and intimidation soon followed. By the end of 1862, hordes of renegade samurai had transformed Japan's capital streets into a sea of blood.

Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor, 1156 – 1868 edited by Morihiro Ogawa. The arms and equipment of the samurai are widely recognised as masterpieces of steel, silk, and lacquer. This extensively illustrated catalogue is published in conjunction with an exhibition of the same name held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York from October 21, 2009, to January 10, 2010. The works featured in the catalogue - swords, sword mountings and fittings, armour and helmets, saddles, textiles, and paintings - include 34 officially designated National Treasures and 65 Important Cultural Properties, and are dated from the 5th to the early 20th century. Many of the greatest Japanese swordsmiths are represented in this volume, from early masters to Edo-period smiths. With glossary and index.

Training the Samurai Mind: A Bushido Sourcebook translated and edited by Thomas Cleary. The ethos of the samurai is known as Bushido, the Way of the Warrior-Knight. Here, Thomas Cleary presents a rich collection of writings on bushido by warriors, scholars, political advisors, and educators from the fifteenth century through the nineteenth century that provide a comprehensive, historically rich view of samurai life and philosophy. The writings deal with a broad range of subjects - from military strategy and political science, to personal discipline and character development. With glossary and bibliography.

The Art of the Samurai: Yamamoto Tsunetomo's Hagakure - The New Illustrated Edition of the Classic Japanese Warrior Code translated by Barry Steben. This new translation of the classic Japanese warrior code "The Art of the Samurai" by Yamamoto Tsunetomo (1659-1719) is presented in a richly illustrated format. The introduction discusses the history and many of the concepts of the work which had and has so much influence on many Japanese concepts and policies. With explanatory endnotes, a chronology of Japanese history, reading list and index.

Samurai Armies 1467-1649 by Stephen Turnbull. The Sengoku The Jidai, 'Age of Warring States', is the age of the samurai - the military aristocracy of Japan. This period, which lasted from the outbreak of the Onin War in 1467 to the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the early 17th century, was a period of endemic warfare, when a lack of central control led to constant struggles between the daimyo, 'great names', who sought to extend the influence of their families through political and military means. This book examines the complicated nature of family and clan that governed so much of the initial organisation of the armies, how this changed over the period and how battlefield tactics developed over a series of major encounters such as Nagashino and Sekigahara. With maps and colour illustrations.

New Books that Inspire and Enlighten

2011-05-04T22:27:00.005+08:00

This is a selection of books that seek to inspire and enlighten:

108 Ways to Grab My Apples by Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. These delicious bite-sized little quotes are based on Tweets, which are short quotations from Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, a modern spiritual teacher who is as dynamic as he is traditional. Placed within the context of contemporary life, love, struggles, stress and happiness, these quotes resonate with every one of us in almost every aspect of our lives. By sharing practical, profound and positive solutions with inspirational insights into relationships, career, family, friendships, animals, conflict and leadership, 108 Ways to Grab My Apples promises many delectable morsels that you'll just have to sink your teeth into.

Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Think and Grow Rich is a classic on how "the wealthy became that way". It teaches the famous Andrew Carnegie formula for money-making, based upon the Thirteen Proven Steps to Riches. Each step is clearly explained with a proposed action plan for readers to act upon.

Essential Asian Words of Wisdom edited by Steven Howard. Words are the building blocks of cultures, societies and individuals. People from around the world have long turned to the writings and thoughts of Asia's leading thinkers for insights on personal development, spiritual growth, virtue, success and the need for the continuous cultivation of knowledge. Reflecting on the words and thoughts found in Essential Asian Words of Wisdom will provide inspiration and motivation for your own personal growth and development. Over 400 motivational quotes and phrases from Asia's leading thinkers… plus nearly 500 proverbs from Asian cultures and societies, ranging from Balinese to Vietnamese and from Buddhism to Zen.

Women who Win at Work: Flowers of Wisdom from Visionary Businesswomen by Liane Sebastian. This book brings together wonderful and inspiring advice from 35 successful women, synthesizing the many helpful concepts, key points and values into an eminently reader, user-friendly format that will be a valuable resource for women. They show how it is possible to balance successful businesses with equally successful and healthy family, communities and private lives.

100 Journeys for the Spirit: Sacred, Inspiring, Mysterious, Enlightening by Michael Ondaatje and Joseph Marshall III et al. Travel around the world to some of the most spiritual places on the planet with a collection of star authors including Michael Ondaatje, Alexander McCall Smith and Andrew Motion Certain special places move us at a profound level - with a kind of inner beauty that puts us in direct touch with the spirit. It might be a temple, a church, a commemorative monument, a wayside shrine or a landscape feature that is saturated in the ambience of ancient sacred traditions. Such places are worth taking the trouble to visit. They add meaning to our lives, awakening a sense of awe, beauty or tranquillity. From the prehistoric megaliths of Carnac in Brittany to the Buddhist temple-complex of Borobodur in Java, from the giant medicine wheel at Bighorn, Wyoming in the USA to the Confucian Temple of Heaven in Beijing, this book guides the reader on a journey around a hand-picked selection of 100 of the world's most spiritually uplifting sites. Accompanying the superb photographs are evocative descriptions of each place, many of them from esteemed writers who share with us their personal responses in their inimitable style. For anyone who wishes to seek out some of these places for themselves, there is a helpful gazetteer at the back of the book giving key facts for visitors. By immersing ourselves in those special places where landscape, art and spirit meet in a radiant intersection, we enlarge our perspective on life. This book gives us the inspiration and knowledge to do so.

Books on Tibet

2011-04-28T20:19:00.003+08:00

This is a selection of books on Tibet:

Tibet Unconquered: An Epic Struggle For Freedom by Diane Wolff. In Tibet Unconquered, East Asia expert Diane Wolff explores the status of Tibet over 800 years of history. From the Mongol invasion to the emergence of the Dalai Lama, Wolff investigates the history of political and economic relations between China and Tibet. Looking to the long rule of Chinggis Khan as a model, she argues that by thinking in regional terms, both countries could usher in a new era of prosperity while maintaining their historical and cultural identities. Wolff creates a forward-thinking blueprint for resolving the China-Tibet problem, grounded in the history of the region and the reality of today's political environment, that will guide both countries to peace.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead [Illustrated Edition] by Glenn H. Mullen and Thomas Kelly (Photos). The Tibetan Book of the Dead, or Bardo Todol, is one of the great classics of Tibetan literature. The Bardo Todol is as relevant a guidebook to daily living as it is to a successful death and transmigration. This volume is a fresh look at this timeless classic. It brings together a range of stunning images with a contextual analysis and abridged translation.

Tibet in Exile by Jane Perkins and Raghu Rai (Photos). Revised and extended edition of the 1990 book with fine photography which overviews the history of Tibet and traces the course of the traumatic events, violence and betrayals which led to the 1959 escape to India of the Dalai Lama and followers. Summary accounts are given of the Tibetans' reception in India where there are now 57 agricultural settlements. The four schools of Tibetan Buddhism are now represented by 600 centres throughout the world. Photographs present the situation in Tibet including the violent repressions of 1987 and 2008, and also the internationally welcomed educational role of the Dalai Lama.

Hidden Treasures of the Himalayas: Tibetan Manuscripts, Paintings and Sculptures of Dolpo by Amy Heller. In 1999, a hidden library was found in the Nesar Temple at a remote village of Bicher, in Dolpo, Nepal. It contains more than six hundred volumes of Tibetan manuscripts, ranging in date from the late 11th to the early 16th century. This library in many ways constitutes a cultural history of Dolpo in this period thanks to some sixty volumes with historical prefaces explaining the commission of the manuscripts for the Nesar Temple, while more than one hundred other volumes have illuminations of the scenes of the life of the Buddha and episodes from the Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) texts. These illuminations inform us about the donors, their costumes, their Buddhist rituals while the dedications tell us about the systems of patronage and donation. Some illuminations reflect the ancient manuscripts of Tabo and Tholing, others reflect the sophisticated Newar aesthetic of Kathmandu and all these diverse tendencies reached Dolpo where they were appreciated. By studying these texts within and examining the styles of the manuscript illuminations, Amy Heller was able to shed light on the history of this remote Tibetan enclave, the spread of Buddhism in the Himalayas and its artistic legacy. The manuscripts, sculptures and mural paintings discovered in Dolpo are the concrete expression of the complex economic, political, artistic and religious interactions between the people of Dolpo and their neighbours in India, Nepal, and Tibet.

Women In Tibet edited by Janet Gyatso and Hanna Havnevik. Filling a gap in the literature, this volume explores the struggles and accomplishments of women from both past and present-day Tibet. Here are queens from the imperial period, yoginis and religious teachers of medieval times, Buddhist nuns, oracles, political workers, medical doctors, and performing artists. Most of the essays focus on the lives of individual women, whether from textual sources or from anthropological data, and show that Tibetan women have apparently enjoyed more freedom than women in many other Asian countries. The book is innovative in resisting both romanticisation and hypercriticism of women's status in Tibetan society, attending rather to historical description, and to the question of what is distinctive about women's situations in Tibet, and what is common to both men and women in Tibetan society.

Books on Chinese Art

2011-04-25T21:32:00.003+08:00

This is a selection of books on Chinese art:

Confucius His Life and Legacy in Art by Lu Wensheng and Julia K. Murray. A landmark exhibition on the extraordinary philosopher, statesman and teacher known as Confucius (551- 479 BC) is on view at China Institute Gallery from February 11 through June 13, 2010. Confucius is one of the most influential teachers in history, and his teachings are deeply rooted in Chinese life and thought. Yet, aside from his famous philosophy, little is known in the West about this teacher's life. Confucius: His Life and Legacy in Art focuses on the teachings and continuing influence of Confucius, who has become increasingly synonymous with Chinese culture. This exhibition is the first show in the US to explore the culture of Confucius. Accompanying the exhibition, a fully-illustrated scholarly catalogue presents an extensive collection of works from the world of Confucius and his ennobled descendants, including hanging scrolls, album leaves, bronze vessels, stone carvings, jade ceremonial implements, wood-block prints and textiles. The works are on loan for the first time in the US from the Shandong Provincial Museum in Jinan and the Confucius Museum in his hometown of Qufu. The catalogue incorporates images and artifacts that illuminate Confucius as an historical figure and how he has been venerated for the past 2,000 years.

The Bei Shan Tang Legacy: Gifts of Chinese Art edited by Peter Lam. The Bei Shan Tang collection, the personal collection of Chinese art of JS Lee was very comprehensive - ranging from painting, calligraphy, ink rubbings, jade, ceramics, to sculpture, scholar objects, bamboo carvings, seals and bronzes. This catalogue was published to accompany the large scale tribute exhibition "Bei Shan Tang Legacy: Gifts of Chinese Art" organized by the Chinese University of Hong Kong Art Museum, introducing the creams of the Bei Shan Tang gifts to the Museum over the years. The 113 selected gifts of Chinese art are sorted by categories: epigraphy, rubbings, calligraphy, painting, bronze and jade, ceramics, and others; with detailed descriptions in Chinese and English, and illustrated in colour plates.

New China New Art by Richard Vine. Contemporary Chinese art has exploded onto the international scene, attracting intense critical attention and soaring market responses. Here for the first time in a medium-by-medium critical survey, Richard Vine, a leading authority on the new Chinese art, provides an insider's introduction to this vitally important artistic field. With index of names.

Chinese Art by Wu Heng. This is a collection of essays introducing major aspects of Chinese culture and customs, including pointing, calligraphy, music, Chinese opera, customs of marriage and traditional festivities. With colour photographs. Bilingual in English and Chinese.

Emperor's Private Paradise: Treasures from the Forbidden City by Nancy Berliner. This account with some 300 illustrations of the Qianlong Garden in Beijing's Forbidden City (Palace Museum) is published to complement the ongoing exhibition at the Peabody Essex Museum. Ninety artefacts which have never before left Beijing are illustrated. These include screens, furnishings and paintings chosen by or for the Emperor who ruled 1732-95. There are illustrated articles on: the Garden and on other gardens of the Emperor Qianlong; timelines; the work and plans of the World Monuments Fund; on the surviving records and Coda; a glossary and translation guide; a catalogue of the exhibition; bibliography and index.

New Distribution Title: Our Lands Within

2011-04-21T22:38:00.004+08:00

Our Land Within: Passages Through Southeast Asian Communities by Liew Suet Fun; SC Shekar (photographer) is a new distribution title.

Southeast Asia is a physical space marked by sky, water and land. Within this space, 11 nations live in peaceful co-existence. It is a space marked by breathtaking ethnic diversity; a space that astonishes, inspires and confounds the traveller yet endows its society with unusual capacity to embrace a bewildering range of experiences.

Our Land Within takes you on a journey into this complex yet fascinating society. Filled with compelling personal narratives and spell-bounding images, it offers a rare glimpse from within, giving voice to a people while narrating the flux of history that shaped their lives.

Through four chapters of compelling narrative and strikingly beautiful photographs, focusing on music, cuisine, belief and physical space, Suet Fun and Shekar negotiate passages through various communities. They take you into the hearts of the people of Southeast Asia and creates a voice for them.

Liew Suet Fun is a full-time writer and author of 10 other books, including Of Ants, Water and Man, Looking at Laogan – A Journey through Loagan Bunut National Park, Sarawak and a series of books on top Singaporean chefs.

SC Shekar is widely known in the Asia Pacific region for his documentary work and his ability to portray his subjects with great empathy and sensitivity, qualities honed while working as a photojournalist in Malaysia and abroad. His images have appeared in magazines and books. He was commissioned by the government of India to capture images of emerging India to be used as permanent exhibits at the Indian Cultural Centre in KL, Malaysia.

The book was featured on BFM radio. Click here for the podcast of the interview.

2011-04-15T15:34:00.002+08:00

This is a selection of titles focusing on health and healthcare in Asia.

Journeys In Systemic Psychotherapy: Theory, Practice And Research edited by Tan Boon Huat and Christine Lim. These ten papers are by counsellors associated with the family therapy work of the Counselling and Care Centre, Singapore. They explore many aspects of the workers' use of the self and of the goals of the relationship with the client. Many aspects of the theories and practice of "systemic psychotherapy" and of personal and family expectations in different cultures and contexts are discussed. Case material enriches much of the discussion which includes the relevance of concepts of forgiveness, approaches to divorce and parental expectations and concepts of gender roles. Ongoing research and pointers for future research are among the many matters raised. With reading list.

Successful Breastfeeding: A Practical Guide by Kang Phaik Gaik. This comprehensive and friendly instructional guide to successful breastfeeding is by a Singapore nursing sister/lactation consultant who has had wide experience of local traditions and medical policies. The practical advice, Q&As and photographs together show how breastfeeding can be a happy and important experience for fathers and other relatives, as well as for mother and child. With practical advice on common problems, returning to work, diet, the location of breastfeeding places in Singapore and support groups, relevant websites, a book list and index.

Voices from the Heart: Living with Dementia - A Resource Book for Dementia Patients and their Caregivers by Chong Mei Sian, Lim Wee Shiong et al.. Dementia and its most common form, Alzheimer's Disease, are increasingly the concern of today's society at all levels. The informative and human approach of the healthcare professionals who have written this book for families and carers is both welcome and timely. There are insights, advice, and alternative suggestions on patients' needs, and clearly set out guidelines for patients and their families. The needs of caregivers, role of professionals, and sources for equipment and support services, FAQs of patients and those involved are all discussed. The humane and sensitive but also realistic local scene is also illuminated by high quality photographs.

Asian Longevity Secrets: Seven Breakthrough Steps to Youthful Health and Vitality by Wu Ping and Taichi Tzu. Taking the best from Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine, this book proposes seven "protocols" that will help each follower live longer. The seven principles use 'live energy' food, anti-stress techniques, and meditation to restore each person's natural vitality, leading to a longer and healthier life. The authors are both trained in Western and Chinese science and medicine.

Patients Beyond Borders (Singapore Edition): Everybody's Guide to Affordable, World-Class Medical Tourism by Josef Woodman. Singapore is one of the world's leading medical travel destinations (more than 400,000 patients from 60 countries come for treatment each year). This is a comprehensive guide for such travellers. Part one presents information and advice to enable patients and their families to make wise and cost-efficient decisions about healthcare. Part two gives accessible and practical details, with case illustrations, about safeguards, procedures, institutional and other healthcare facilities in Singapore. There are also notes on hotels, general information about the country, specialist travel agents, glossary, address and website list, and index.

New Distribution Title: Liu Kang: Essays on Art & Culture

2011-04-10T18:22:00.004+08:00

This is a new distribution title recently published by The National Art Gallery, Singapore - Liu Kang: Essays on Art & Culture.

Liu Kang: Essays on Art and Culture is a testament to the inexorable passion of an artist who knew no boundaries. This collection of 80 essays, which Liu Kang wrote over 44 years, offers an insight into the artist’s myriad interests: interior design, music, literature, dance, photography, medical science, and the visual arts.

Throughout the essays, Liu Kang’s contributions as a first generation Nanyang artist and art educator come to the fore through his thoughts and ideas about art societies, exhibitions, artists, the development of art education, and the growth of art in Singapore and the region.

Liu Kang wrote his essays in Chinese. There are two versions to the book. One version comprise the original essays in Chinese. The second version has the essays translated into English. Both versions are accompanied by commentaries that help contextualise one’s reading.

The book also contains snapshots of the artist’s life – from old photographs of Liu Kang travelling or painting, to that of the people he wrote about in his essays.

About the Authors

Liu Kang. Like the others of his pioneering generation, Liu Kang (1911 – 2004) did much to realise the Nanyang style, giving birth to an art that drew upon the tropics for inspiration. The Nanyang style has come to be recognised as a milestone in Singapore art history. Liu Kang was a prolific artist who travelled widely to gain inspiration for his art. He also dedicated 33 years of his life to art education, teaching in various schools in Singapore and Malaya. Besides this, he also assumed leadership positions in art societies, such as the Society of Chinese Artists and Singapore Art Society.

Translated by Yow Siew Kah. Yoh Siew Kah is an educator, writer and researcher specialising in the visual arts. His diverse interests include Singapore art history. He has written and lectured on Singapore artists such as Liu Kang, Ng Joon Kiat and Tan Kai Syng.

Edited by Sara Siew. Sara Siew is an editor at The National Art Gallery, Singapore. She is interested in the relationship between visual arts and literature, the art of writing, and the dynamics of national and regional art historiography.

New Distribution Title: One Dish Wonder

2011-04-07T19:41:00.005+08:00

One Dish Wonder: A Simple Recipe to Manage Communication Risks is a new distribution title that was recently published by Write Editions.

Everything is about communications. There is nothing that we say or do that does not have a communication implication and outcome that can make or break our business success. An ill-considered management response to a crisis situation, an inappropriate campaign tagline or poor governance are all causes for bad communication consequences.

Understanding communication risks and managing communication outcomes are key organisational functions that a leader can no longer overlook on both traditional and social media platforms. How then do we plan our message, organise our marketing and manage our operations to protect corporate reputation and achieve results?

Written for busy CEOs, leaders and senior executives, One Dish Wonder is peppered with vital points and anecdotes that offer simple yet compellingly valuable advice on managing communication risks. It is a simple recipe to get your 3Ms right – message, marketing and management – so that you can convincingly connect with the people that matters most, and effectively bolster your organisation’s performance. An indispensable guide for anyone in business.

“An indispensable guide for anybody in business...
One Dish Wonder shows you how to get your message
across in a brilliant way to the people who matter.”

- Geoff Burch,Author and Business Guru

“A must-read companion for busy executives...
Her checklists are sure to provoke thought on current business practices and help to define and improve communication on many critical fronts.”

- Associate Professor May O. Lwin, Associate Chair,
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication

About the Author
Juat M. Koh is the Chief Alignment Officer of The Little Blue Dot Consultancy, a communications training, marketing planning and business advisory consultancy. For over a decade, Juat has led a wide array of communications projects and campaigns for the public, private and non-profit sectors, focussing on public relations, marketing and brand management. A perennial believer in how communications and alignment of corporate message, marketing strategy and good management practices define an organisation’s success, Juat currently provides communications consultancy and conducts corporate planning workshops.

Book Launch: Singapore Shifting Boundaries

2011-04-05T17:00:00.006+08:00

The book launch for Singapore Shifting Boundaries: Social Change in the Early 21st Century was held on Saturday, March 26, at the Old Parliament House.

We had a great turnout. The formalities were held in the Chamber followed by reception at the Blue Room.

Here are photographs from the day.

New Title: Singapore Shifting Boundaries

2011-04-02T09:50:00.003+08:00

Singapore Shifting Boundaries: Social Change in the Early 21st Century

Edited by William S.W. Lim; Sharon Siddique; Tan Dan Feng

This book aims to depict the richly textured and nuanced fabric of social life in Singapore in the early 21st century, as Singaporeans live in a blur of shifting boundaries where past, present and future co-exist.

36 commentators, artists and activists of different ages and backgrounds share their views in stimulating and compact pieces that come in a variety of literary forms, including essays, novel and script excerpts, blog entries and presentations.

These colourful pieces touch on identity, language, culture, ethnicity, sexuality, politics, memory, religion, geography, arts and activism, painting a picture of the complex and vibrant society that is Singapore today.

The contributors are:

Alfian Sa’at
Braema Mathiaparanam
Amir Muhammad
Ng Yi-Sheng
Bani Haykal
Nirmala PuruShotam
Heather Chi
Quah Sy Ren
Jean Chong
Sha Najak
Chua Beng Huat
Haresh Sharma
Lucy Davis
Sharon Siddique
Noor Effendy Ibrahim
Jarrod Tam Chun Peng
John Gee
Alvin Tan
Glen Goei
Tan Dan Feng
Daniel P.S. Goh
Kenneth Paul Tan
Hong Lysa
Tan Pin Pin
Kok Heng Leun
Jennifer Teo
Lee Wen
Vadi PVSS
Lee Weng Choy
C.J. W.-L. Wee
Edgar Liao
Jolovan Wham
William S.W. Lim
Zai Kuning
Matthew Lyon
Zhou Zhao Cheng

Books on South Asia

2011-03-27T14:04:00.002+08:00

This is a selection of books on South Asia:

Heterotopias: Nationalism and the Possibility of History in South Asia edited by Manu Bhagavan. Laid out as a series of three inter-related conversations, this volume investigates the diverse discourses of identity politics that relate the nationalist movement to current concerns and debates. Focusing upon the peripheries of the modern Indian states of Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, the first section explores the ways in which people living on the margins of homogenizing nation-state critique the centre and carve out different spaces of experiences. It highlights their relationship with the homogenising nationalism of the centre. The next part analyses the works of Mirza Ghalib and epic traditions in South India to delineate the plurality of narrative and consciousness in literary production. The final part explores the works of Mohammed Iqbal and Mohandas Gandhi, while the conclusion provides a post-history of communalism. Taken together, the essays present an account of the multiplicity of historical experiences in India both within and without the discourse of nationalism.

Routledge Handbook of South Asian Politics: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal edited by Paul R. Brass. The Routledge Handbook of South Asian Politics examines key issues in politics of the five independent states of the South Asian region: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Written by experts in their respective areas, this book introduces the reader to the politics of South Asia by presenting the prevailing agreements and disagreements in the literature. In the first two sections, the handbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the modern political history of the states of the region and an overview of the independence movements in the former colonial states. The other sections focus on the political changes that have occurred in the postcolonial states since independence, as well as the successive political changes in Nepal during the same period, and the structure and functioning of the main governmental and non-governmental institutions, including the structure of the state itself (unitary or federal), political parties, the judiciary, and the military. Further, the contributors explore several aspects of the political process and political and economic change, especially issues of pluralism and national integration, political economy, corruption and criminalisation of politics, radical and violent political movements, and the international politics of the region as a whole.

Islam in South Asia in Practice edited by Barbara D. Metcalf. This volume of Princeton Readings in Religions brings together the work of more than 30 scholars of Islam and Muslim societies in South Asia to create a rich anthology of primary texts that contributes to a new appreciation of the lived religious and cultural experiences of the world's largest population of Muslims. The 34 selections - translated from Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil, Gujarati, Hindavi, Dakhani, and other languages - highlight a wide variety of genres, many rarely found in standard accounts of Islamic practice, from oral narratives to elite guidance manuals, from devotional songs to secular judicial decisions arbitrating Islamic law, and from political posters to a discussion among college women affiliated with an "Islamist" organisation. Drawn from premodern texts, modern pamphlets, government and organisational archives, new media, and contemporary fieldwork, the selections reflect the rich diversity of Islamic belief and practice in South Asia. Each reading is introduced with a brief contextual note from its scholar-translator, and Barbara Metcalf introduces the whole volume with a substantial historical overview.

Culinary Fictions: Food in South Asian Diasporic Culture by Anita Mannur. For South Asians, food regularly plays a role in how issues of race, class, gender, ethnicity, and national identity are imagined as well as how notions of belonging are affirmed or resisted. Culinary Fictions provides food for thought as it considers the metaphors literature, film, and TV shows use to describe Indians abroad. When an immigrant mother in Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake combines Rice Krispies, Planters peanuts, onions, salt, lemon juice, and green chili peppers to create a dish similar to one found on Calcutta sidewalks, it evokes not only the character's Americanisation, but also her nostalgia for India. Food, Anita Mannur writes, is a central part of the cultural imagination of diasporic populations, and Culinary Fictions maps how it figures in various expressive forms. Mannur examines the cultural production from the Anglo-American reaches of the South Asian diaspora. Using texts from novels - Chitra Divakaruni's Mistress of Spices and Shani Mootoo's Cereus Blooms at Night - and cookbooks such as Madhur Jaffrey's Invitation to Indian Cooking and Padma Lakshmi's Easy Exotic, she illustrates how national identities are consolidated in culinary terms.

Books on Cambodia

2011-03-23T21:10:00.003+08:00

This is a selection of titles from our collection of books on Cambodia:

Economic History of Cambodia in the Twentieth Century by Margaret Slocomb. The course of economic change in 20th-century Cambodia was marked by a series of deliberate "conscious human efforts" that were typically extreme and ideologically driven. While colonisation, protracted war and violent revolution are commonly blamed for Cambodia's failure to modernise its economy in the 20th century, Margaret Slocomb's Economic History of Cambodia in the Twentieth Century questions whether these circumstances changed the underlying structures and relations of production. She also asks whether economic factors in some way instigated war and revolution. In exploring these issues, the book tracks the erratic path taken by Cambodia's political elite and earlier colonial rulers to develop a national economy. To document Cambodia's path towards a modern economy, the author draws on resources from the State Archives of Cambodia not previously referenced in scholarly texts. The book closes around 2005, by which time Cambodia had been reintegrated into both the regional and the global economy as a fully-fledged member of the World Trade Organization.

Cambodia: The Land and its People by Barry Broman. Some 400 photo studies with short explanatory commentaries form this presentation of both the notable historic temples and statuary of Cambodia, and aspects of the contemporary lives of Cambodia's people. Full colour photographs of a few native flowers, and black-and-white prints from earlier years are included in what would be a lasting souvenir for any tourist to the country.

A Shattered Youth: Surviving the Khmer Rouge by Sathavy Kim. Sathavy Kim was a 21-year-old law student in Phnom Penh when the Khmer Rouge invaded and emptied the city on 17 April 1975. She writes of the forced march of herself and her family which started her suffering as, for four years, a forced labourer in the remote countryside. She writes of the numbing of mind, emotion, and value systems which was so often the result of - sometimes permanently - of the relentlessly imposed suffering. After the Vietnamese 1979 takeover she was reunited with the surviving members of her family and shared the handships of the country's slow and hesitant recovery. The final section tells how 28 years later, she revisits the area of the prison camp and meets some other ex-prisoners. With black-and-white photographs, glossary and a summary of the administrative system of Democratic Kampuchea.

Gods of Angkor: Bronzes from the National Museum of Cambodia edited by Louise Allison Cort and Paul Jett. Gods of Angkor: Bronzes from the National Museum of Cambodia celebrates the accomplishments of Khmer bronze casters and their perfection of skill and aesthetic expression over nearly two millennia. A key focus of the book and exhibition is the museum's Metals Conservation Laboratory, which was designed and equipped with guidance from the Freer and Sackler Galleries' Department of Conservation and Scientific Research. Highlights include the first project to be undertaken by the new laboratory - the treatment of an important cache of seven early Buddhist bronze images, including two works from China, that vividly represent the interactions of artistic styles and religious traditions in Cambodia in the sixth and seventh centuries. Discovered in 2006, the seven newly conserved images will be presented outside Cambodia for the first time in the Gods of Angkor exhibition.

Cambodians and their Doctors: A Medical Anthropology of Colonial and Post-Colonial Cambodia by Jan Ovesen and Ing-Britt Trankell. Historical anthropology and contemporary ethnography blend in this study of medicine in Cambodia. Recent field work and archival material have been brought together to enable understanding of today's intertwining of indigenous Khmer beliefs and practices and the continuing medical and health framework introduced by the French colonial governments. Among the many subjects explored and assessed are: the "Socialist Health" activity during the Khmer Rouge regime; policies, practices and beliefs associated with leprosy; the medicalization of and traditional approaches to motherhood; contemporary usages and expectations of private and state medical services and also pharmaceuticals; the disconnected ways of foreign NGOs; and contemporary healthcare resources. With source list, bibliography, black-and-white photographs and index.

Children's Books with Asian Themes

2011-03-19T14:43:00.002+08:00

This is a selection of children’s books with Asian themes:

My First Book Of Chinese Calligraphy by He Zhihong and Guillaume Olive. A book and CD-Rom for first-time learners of Chinese calligraphy. This beautifully illustrated book explores how Chinese words first began, how to draw the 8 strokes, what "radicals" are, and how to use the brush, the paper and the ink to enjoy writing in Chinese. The inclusion of an interactive CD-Rom allows learners to watch videos of Chinese calligraphers, listen to how characters are pronounced in Chinese, take memory tests and print out character practice pages. There are also demonstrations of correct posture and arm movements.

Chinese History Stories: Stories from the Zhou Dynasty - Volume 1 edited by Renee Ting. For thousand of years, the people of China have been enthralled and entertained by stories of real historical figures and events of the past, and have retold the stories until they have become legendary. These tales take the reader back 3000 years and are as dazzling and enchanting as any fairytale. Nineteen of the most important and fascinating tales were translated from their original Chinese for this two-volume set of Chinese Historical Stories. Volume 1 presents stories of kings and queens, generals, battles, and courtiers from the Zhou Dynasty, when China was ruled by kings from 1046 BC to 221 BC. It was the period before the country was unified under a single emperor, when each state schemed to become more powerful than its neighbour, leading to many exciting stories populated by famous historical figures.

In the Country of the Gold-Digging Ants: Two Thousand Years of Travel in India by Anu Kumar. Read astonishing stories about India written by explorers who came to the country as pilgrims, students, traders, voyagers and fortune-seekers from the 3rd century BC till the mid-20th century. These visitors left behind fascinating accounts of their perilous journeys in an unknown land; descriptions of what the people ate, wore and thought; who ruled them and how; the strange animals of this land, and many more startling facts which are often the only historical records of those times. Filled with incredible stories and nuggets of information, In the Country of Gold-Digging Ants brings alive the exciting adventures of eleven intrepid men and women for readers aged 12 years and older.

The Girl Who Spoke Bubbles by Margerie Williams. Princess Nayantara had grown to be a beautiful young lady but she was rude, arrogant, and difficult. One day, when Princess Nayantara looked into the bag that contained the Sadhu pearls that had once belonged to her late mother, she saw only a thin film of white powder. She tasted the powder. When she began to talk, bubbles came out of her mouth instead of words! This story written for 10 to 13-year-olds brings to life traditional beliefs, values and tales for today's young reader. With black-and-white drawings.

Mythil's Secret by Prashani Rambukwella, Prashani. Mythil thinks he's in for a boring time at Archchi's big old house but then things begin to happen. Who lives in the deep jungle and are they friends or foes? How can he make his parents believe the mysterious things that keep happening to him? And how can a young boy like him outwit a clever and sinister enemy on his own? Mythil's Secret is a story about a young boy's discovery of just how strong the bonds of family and friendship can be. Join him on this spine-tingling adventure as he learns to look within himself for courage he never knew he had. Mythil's Secret won Sri Lanka's most prestigious writing award - the Gratiaen Prize 2009.

Books on the Ageing Population in Asia

2011-03-15T14:16:00.003+08:00

This is a selection of books on Asia’s ageing population.

Older Persons in Southeast Asia: An Emerging Asset edited by Evi Nurvidya Arifin and Aris Ananta. We all know that today's demographic trends will inevitably mean that the proportion of elderly in Asia's ever-growing population will continue to increase. In these 15 papers 26 specialists address many aspects of implications of this not-necessarily-negative fact. After introductory overviews in Part 1, Part 2 looks at aspects of income security with reference to approaches in Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Part 3 considers employment and other sources of financial and social support. Part 4 examines ageing, migration, and development issues with reference to experiences in Singapore, the Philippines and Sarawak. The final two papers discuss interactive issues of government, civil society and policy implementation. With index and separate bibliographies.

Ageing in Southeast and East Asia: Family, Social Protection and Policy Challenges edited by Lee Hock Guan. Southeast and East Asian countries are undergoing varying stages of population ageing. The social, economic and political implications of population ageing will be enormous, and because of the fast speed of ageing in the region, the countries cannot afford the luxury of time for the gradual evolution of social and structural support systems and networks for the older population. The papers in this volume are selected from those presented at a 2004 workshop on Ageing and the Status of the Older Population in Southeast Asia. They critically examine national ageing policies and programmes, the sustainability of existing pension systems, housing and living arrangements, inter-generational transfer, and aspects of quality of life of the elderly population in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Korea and Japan. While the findings show that most Southeast Asian countries have started to formulate and implement national ageing policies, they also indicate that the existing policies are by and large inadequate and underdeveloped in serving the needs of the older population and indeed much more must be done to prepare for the future.

Ageing in Singapore: Service Needs and the State by Peggy Teo, Kalyani Mehta, Leng Leng Thang et al.. Older persons are often portrayed as social and financial burdens because pensions, health and social care have to withstand increasing old age dependency ratios. Due to a lack of access to representation or a lack of social and economic power, older people have found few opportunities to have their voices heard, making age an immensely political issue. Written by an impressive team of authors, this book provides an in-depth analysis of the experience of ageing in Singapore examining key issues such as health, work, housing, family ties and care giving. It looks at how social categorization enters into everyday life to elucidate the multiple meanings of age and identity encountered in a rapidly changing economy and society. Providing original critical discourse from Asian writers recording Asian voices, this work will appeal to a wide readership and is an invaluable resource for policy makers, service practitioners and scholars working on Asian gerontology.

Ageing and Long Term Care: National Policies in the Asia-Pacific edited by David R. Phillips , David R. and Alfred C. M. Chan. This study of ageing & long term care policies in the APR was prepared by the Ageing Research Network of the Asian Development Research Forum for the year 2002 World Assembly on Ageing. The introduction addresses the aims, methods & terminology used in the case studies, which include reference material and tabulated data. Present policies & future needs in Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore & Thailand are clearly set out. Bibliography on general & local issues.

From Elder to Ancestor: Old Age, Death and Inheritance in Modern Korea by David Prendergast. This insightful account of the treatment and provision for an ageing population in South Korea is based on intensive fieldwork in the county of Puan. The structure of the book revolves around an analysis of the roles of the individual and family, including issues such as theory and practice of residence and retirement; village funerals; recent transformations in Korean mortuary practices; inheritance and the Korean family; Korea's looming ageing population crisis; and filial piety and the structural construction of kin responsibilities. With glossary, bibliography and index.

The Glittering Silver Market: The Rise of the Elderly Consumers in Asia by Hedrick-Wong Yuwa. Throughout the world there is an ongoing increase in the elderly consumer market and its impact in Asia is the focus of this clearly organised. After an overview of ageing patterns, tabulated economic and demographic data are provided for each chapter on: Ageing Japan; Affluent Asia (i.e. Australia, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore); Emerging China; Emerging Asia: Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and India; and a final chapter on immediately appropriate changes in focus by marketers, in the workplace and in public perceptions. Index.

2011-03-10T18:07:00.006+08:00

This is a selection of books on the history of Southeast Asia region.

A New History of Southeast Asia by M.C. Ricklefs, Bruce Lockhart et al.. A new, comprehensive, one-volume history of Southeast Asia that spans prehistory to the present. Ricklefs brings together colleagues at the National University of Singapore whose expertise covers the entire region, encompassing political, social, economic, religious and cultural history. Opening with an account of the ethnic groups and initial cultural and social structures of Southeast Asia, the book moves through the early 'classical' states, the arrival of new global religions and the impact of non-indigenous actors. The history of early modern states and their colonial successors is followed by an analysis of World War II across the region. Offering a definitive account of decolonisation and early post-colonial nation-building, the text then transports us to modern-day Southeast Asia, exploring its place in a world recovering from the financial crisis. The distinguished author team provide an authoritative and accessible narrative, drawing upon the latest research and offering detailed guidance on further reading.

The Living Past: History of Ancient India, China and Southeast Asia by Andrew Major. This Singapore secondary school text may also interest the general reader. It looks at: the nature of history; the birth of civilisations in India, China, and Southeast Asia; government and the organisation of society in the three civilisations; culture and religions; scientific and artistic achievements; contact and interaction between the three civilisations; and internal and external threats. The holistic approach makes use of graphics, archival material, inset questions, maps, colourful illustrations and dramatic captions, and also draws connections between past and present situations.

Projections of Power: The United States and Europe in Colonial Southeast Asia, 1919-1941 by Ann L. Foster. Throughout its history, the United States has been both imperialistic and anticolonial: imperialistic in its expansion across the continent and across oceans to colonies such as the Philippines, and anticolonial in its rhetoric and ideology. How did this contradiction shape its interactions with European colonists and Southeast Asians after the United States joined the ranks of colonial powers in 1898? Anne L. Foster argues that the actions of the United States functioned primarily to uphold, and even strengthen, the colonial order in Southeast Asia. The United States participated in international agreements to track and suppress the region's communists and radical nationalists, and in economic agreements benefiting the colonial powers. Yet the American presence did not always serve colonial ends; American cultural products (including movies and consumer goods) and its economic practices (such as encouraging indigenous entrepreneurship) were appropriated by Southeast Asians for their own purposes. Scholars have rarely explored the interactions among the European colonies of Southeast Asia in the early twentieth century. Foster is the first to incorporate the United States into such an analysis. As she demonstrates, the presence of the United States as a colonial power in Southeast Asia after the First World War helps to explain the resiliency of colonialism in the region. It also highlights the inexorable and appealing changes that Southeast Asians perceived as possibilities for the region's future.

50 Years of Archaeology in Southeast Asia: Essays in Honour of Ian Glover edited by Berenice Bellina, Elisabeth Bacus et al. In 21 essays some 30 of Southeast Asia's leading archaeologists here honour the 50 years' achievement of Professor Ian Glover (b. 1934), pioneer of pre-historic archaeology in many areas of Southeast Asia. In five groupings, the essays focus on: Professor Glover's contributions to archaeological knowledge in Island and Mainland Southeast Asia; Hunter-gatherers and early agricultural subsistence; Social complexity and early states; Craft production and exchange; and Colonialism and Archaeology. With insets, illustrations, maps, photographs, bibliographies and index.

The Singapore and Melaka Straits: Violence, Security and Diplomacy in the 17th Century by Peter Borschberg. The Singapore and Melaka Straits are a place where regional and long-distance maritime trading networks converge, linking Europe, the Mediterranean, eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent with key centres of trade in Thailand, Indochina, insular Southeast Asia, China, Korea and Japan. The first half of the 17th century brought heightened political, commercial and diplomatic activity to this region. It has long been clear to both the Portuguese and the Dutch that whoever controlled the waters off modern Singapore gained a firm grip on regional as well as long-distance intra-Asian trade. By the early 1600s Portuguese power and prestige were waning and the arrival of the Dutch East India Company constituted a major threat. Moreover, the rapid expansion and growing power of the Acehnese Empire, and rivalry between Johor and Aceh, was creating a new context for European trade in Asia. Drawing on maps, rare printed works, and unpublished manuscripts written in Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and Latin, Peter Borschberg provides new information on the diplomatic activities of Asian powers, and shows how the Portuguese and Spanish attempted to restore their political fortunes by containing the rapid rise of Dutch Power in the region. Key documents, transcribed and translated into English for the first time, make up a series of appendices. The product of more than two decades of research in European libraries, archives, The Singapore and Melaka Straits will be of great interest to readers in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, where little is known about this pivotal pre-colonial period. It is also an invaluable resource for historians and other students of early modern Europe and of the European presence in Asia.

Southeast Asia: An Introductory History by Milton Osborne. The first edition of Southeast Asia: An Introductory History was published in 1979 and immediately filled a need for travellers and students interested in a tantalisingly different part of the world. Subsequent editions have continued to document with great perception the enormous changes and dramatic growth experienced in the region. Dr Milton Osborne has been a resident, student and fascinated observer of Southeast Asia for over 40 years. This familiarity has resulted in a highly readable and lively chronicle. While giving due regard to the early history of the region, Osborne concentrates on the changes that have taken place since the 18th century: the impact of colonial rule, economic transformations of the 19th and 20th centuries, the emergence and triumph of the independence movements, the impact of social change and the pivotal roles played by religion, ethnic minorities and immigrant groups. He also provides an introduction to the art of the region and a comprehensive guide to literature about Southeast Asia. Clearly written and extensively illustrated this tenth edition remains a classic in the field.

Books on Music in Asia

2011-03-06T18:15:00.003+08:00

These are books that explore little known facets of music in Asia:

Songs For The Spirits: Music And Mediums In Modern Vietnam by Barley Norton. Songs for the Spirits is the first in-depth study of the Vietnamese practice of communing with music and performance. During rituals dedicated to spirits, a band of musicians perform an elaborate sequence of songs for possessed mediums who carry out ritual actions, distribute blessed gifts to disciples and dance to the music's infectious rhythms. An accompanying DVD contains numerous video and music extracts. With bibliography and index.

Modern Noise, Fluid Genres: Popular Music In Indonesia, 1997-2001 by Jeremy Wallach. What happens to "local" sound when globalisation exposes musicians and audiences to cultural influences from around the world? Jeremy Wallach explores this question as it plays out in the eclectic, evolving world of Indonesian music after the fall of the repressive Soeharto regime. Against the backdrop of Indonesia's chaotic and momentous transition to democracy, Wallach takes us to recording studios, music stores, concert venues, university campuses, video shoots, and urban neighbourhoods. Integrating ground-level ethnographic research with insights drawn from contemporary cultural theory, he shows that access to globally circulating music and technologies has neither extinguished nor homogenized local music-making in Indonesia. Instead, it has provided young Indonesians with creative possibilities for exploring their identity in an increasingly interconnected world. Includes a CD of Indonesian popular music 1997-2001.

Music In Central Java: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture by Benjamin Brinner. Based on extensive fieldwork this in-depth study of music in Central Java includes details of contemporary gamelan music. The music context, social roles, and the ongoing international interest in gamelan music and its leading musicians are discussed. It also discusses the theatrical and musical aspects of Wayang Kulit. With black-and-white illustrations, glossary, bibliography index and a 78-minute CD.

Musicians From A Different Shore: Asians And Asian Americans In Classical Music by Mari Yoshihara. Musicians of Asian descent have unusual prominence in concern halls, conservatories and classical music competitions. Mari Yoshihara, Professor of American Studies at the University of Hawai'i, looks into the reasons for this phenomenon. She shows how a confluence of culture, politics and commerce after the war made classical music a staple in middle-class households. With notes, bibliography and index.

P'ungmul: South Korean Drumming And Dance by Nathan Hesselink. Composed of a core set of two drums and two gongs, p'ungmul is a South Korean tradition of rural folk percussion. Steeped in music, dance, theatre, and pageantry, but centrally focused on rhythm, such ensembles have been an integral part of village life in South Korea for centuries, serving as a musical accompaniment in the often overlapping and shifting contexts of labour, ritual, and entertainment. The first book to introduce Korean drumming and dance to the English-speaking world, ethnomusicologist Nathan Hesselink's P'ungmul offers detailed descriptions of its instrumentation, dance formations, costuming, actors, teaching lineages, and the complexities of training. Hesselink also evaluates how this tradition has taken on new roles and meanings in the 20th and early-21st centuries, investigating the interrelated yet contested spheres of history, memory, government policy, grassroots politics, opportunities for musical transmission, and performance practices and aesthetics. With colour and black-and-white photographs, notes, bibliography and index.

Kammu Songs: The Songs Of Kam Raw by Hakan Lundstrom and Damrong Tayanin. The songs or music of the Kammu upland people of the borderlands of Laos, Yunnan and Thailand remain a huge part of their traditional culture. Substantial ethnomusical research has gone into this presentation of the songs of Kam Raw (b. 1938) a Kammu from northern Laos who followed his family tradition as a singer at ceremonial occasions or local celebrations. The words and tones are translated into phonics and into English. With references and discography.

Books on Textiles in Asia

2011-03-02T15:47:00.004+08:00

These are recent additions to our wide selection of books on textiles in Asia. If you have any interest in textiles, we highly recommend these books. If you have a specific area of interest in Asian textiles, do contact us so that we may recommend and source for specific titles for you.

Textiles of the Islamic World by John Gillow. This wonderfully illustrated volumes gives a broad survey of the textiles produced today and in the past in the Islamic world. Illustrations of the textiles, and sometimes the people who created them, complement the overview accounts of the methods, styles and usages of the fabrics created in the various centres and traditions in: the Ottoman World; Islamic Spain and North Africa; the Arab World; the Persian World; Central Asia; the Mughal World; East and Southeast Asia; and sub-Saharan Africa. With glossary, reading lists, list of museum collections, 638 illustrations, 625 in colour, and index.

Five Centuries of Indonesian Textiles edited by Ruth Barnes and Mary Hunt Kahlenberg. Including many rare and antique examples, this luxurious volume introduces readers to the intoxicating and complex beauty of Indonesian cloth.Since the 1970s Mary Hunt Kahlenberg has been building her collection of exquisite ceremonial garments and sacred textiles from throughout Indonesia's chain of tropical islands. Dating from the past five centuries and brought together here for the first time in book form, these woven and batiked hangings, ceremonial mats, jackets, shawls, and head cloths form a stunning array that will draw the attention of anyone with a love of art, fine craftsmanship, and design. Large, elegantly presented photographs show the textiles in incredible closeup detail and full expanse, making it possible to appreciate their technical brilliance and rich colors as well as the dazzling assortment of intricate patterns and motifs. Including essays by leading anthropologists and art historians, this book brings readers into a world ruled by the belief that weavings communicate with and transform those who come into contact with them.

Wearing Wealth and Styling Identity: Tapis from Lampung, South Sumatra, Indonesia by Mary-Louise Totton. Located along the primary maritime route between Asia and the West, Sumatra, the fabled Isle of Gold, was part of the early global network of commerce and cultural exchange. In the southern tip of Sumatra, the peoples of Lampung poured their trading profits into ceremonial materials and artful adornments. Elite women of this region created a distinctive genre of fashionable garments that exemplified their family's prestige, clan identity, and affluence. These ornate tubular sarongs, or tapis, were woven from cotton and silk threads dyed with ancestral recipes and lavishly embellished with opulent materials. Published to complement the 2009 exhibition at the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, this study examines the history, artistic process and techniques, iconography, and present-day context of these extraordinary textiles.

Dress, Textiles and Identity of the Black Tai of Loei Province, Northeast Thailand by Franco Amantea. This book examines the contemporary role of traditional and tradition-based Black Tai textiles and dress as material and symbolic representations of Black Tai ethnic and social-cultural identity. The analysis of textile and ethnic dress reveals that dress and textiles serve a crucial role in ethnic and cultural continuity among the Black Tai peoples. Textiles continue to figure prominently in the religious beliefs and practices of the Tai Dam as well as serving as markers of status, functioning to promote cultural and social cohesion, and more recently, serving as a means of economic development. With references and index.

Indian Textiles in the East: From Southeast Asia to Japan by John Guy. The dazzlingly varied cloths presented in this book are the visual record of one of the great stories of Asian design history. John Guy has produced a brilliant account of the Indian textile trade in examining the cloth-for-spices trade, focusing on the 17th and 18th centuries when the thousand-year-old trade was at its peak. With beautiful photographs of the textiles themselves (outstanding among them the famous cotton chintzes and tie-and-dye silks), illuminating images of people and places, and vivid first-hand descriptions by travellers and merchants, this is both an indispensible resource and a visual feast for students and lovers of textiles. First published in hardcover under the title, Woven Cargoes: Indian Textiles in the East.

Legacy in Cloth: Batak Textiles of Indonesia by Sandra Niessen. Weaving in the Batak region of North Sumatra is an ancient art practised by women, and exhibits some of the oldest design and technical features in the Indonesian archipelago. Since colonial annexation at the turn of the 20th century, innovative Batak weavers from the Lake Toba region in northern Sumatra have successfully adapted their art to new economic and social circumstances - but at great cost. In recent decades, weaving has fallen into decline and the tradition is threatened, while at the same time Batak textiles are highly prized in museum collections around the world. Legacy in cloth offers the first definitive study of the woven heritage of the Toba, Simalungun, and Karo Batak. The most complete analysis of Batak textiles ever published, it provides a record of more than 100 different design types, including archival and contemporary photographs showing how the textiles are woven and how they are used in Batak culture.