An allegory of the Malay Archipelago’s history. It starts as always with the disillusionment of the current kingdom. A brother and a sister flee to start anew, only to find out that there will always be kingdoms that seek to contain them, whether it be Majapahit or ‘the pink man.’ The sister, the observer, goes... Continue Reading →

A riveting tale of a woman extraordinaire. Jean Paget is my new hero; although largely a fictional character, she is more tangible, more inspirational than others bestowed with the accolade. We aspire to greatness, of physical strength, endurance or intellect. Hers are of more quiet strengths; her practicality, tranquillity and determined good humour, leads her... Continue Reading →

A book selected by the lovely Jaime @ Books Actually here in Singapore. Upon reading, I reached out to my graphic designer sister, sending the image of the book with a half condescending caption (cause what are big sisters for?) : “I suppose you have read this?” To which she replied, returning my serve, “it’s... Continue Reading →

Read during any other time in my life, I feel Camus’ intuition on human sentiment would have been lost on me. There are many books wasted on the high school curriculum…yet many books that I have called upon at the right exact time. This book has been sitting on my “to be read" pile for... Continue Reading →

Fleeting impressions of the East and its lasting effects on the Western man; away from social decorum and society in general, how we either fall into drink or adapt. Each snapshot was so precious, I wished they were all connected to make a story, one that Maugham could only tell through his keen and understanding... Continue Reading →

A lovely collection of stories set mostly in the old Federated Malay States and sometimes here in Singapore. Mentions of cool evenings laden with mosquitoes and gin slings hit home, along with its colonial history. As always, Maugham offers an analysis of the human character, its degradation of civil codes when ousted to the outposts;... Continue Reading →

A nightmarish tale in which the reader floats along a village. Tranced in a drunken stupor from a strange wedding, the sleepy village is awoken only by a violent outcome that continues to haunt. The narrator attempts to reconstruct fate’s doing, decades after the crime, sifting through contrasting memories of the villagers, and the guilt... Continue Reading →

A wonderful tale of life spent on love against the scenery and heat of the Carribeans. Set almost casually during the time of rampant civil war and the cholera epidemic – for despite the title, cholera plays almost little effect on the characters. But as a result of the unrequited love that spans half a... Continue Reading →

The cat with no name in this tome, is a self-taught intellectual that inwardly laughs at human folly and social convention. While his master, an English teacher, can be quite tiresome, his tiffs with his wife, and debates between his dysfunctional friends are hilarious. The book, wisen with poignant truths, can be frustratingly circumvent (ironically,... Continue Reading →

A saga of an old Osaka family, declining in prestige and fortune, as they try to marry off two of the younger four sisters. Much like a Jane Austen story of scandal, prejudice and happy endings set in Japan.The sisters' very virtues are used against them in the post Meiji-era society, leaving them decidedly “old... Continue Reading →