War

"Abraham's Promise" takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery and nostalgia as Abraham, the protagonist, reflects on his life and how the culture and society of Singapore have changed over the years. It is a well-written and thought-provoking novel that delves into themes of idealism, cynicism, and maturation. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories with historical and cultural insights.

"Abraham's Promise" might just resonate with you if you're intrigued by personal narratives woven into historical backdrops. In the eyes of Abraham Isaac, you'll experience an intimate portrayal of post-war Singapore, and feel the weight of a life spent grappling with the shifting tides of political idealism and personal responsibilities. The book's nuanced look at aging, memory, and disenchantment could be particularly profound if you appreciate rich character studies set against the tapestry of societal changes.

Abraham Isaac, teacher of Latin, philosopher and father, has, after many years, a young pupil. Teaching pulls him back into his memories: of Rose, his first love; Mercy, his stubborn sister; and most of all of Rani, his beloved wife. Of days of youth and promise, when he threw himself into the politics of Singapore in the 50s and 60s. Days when temperance and restraint gave way to action and desire. Days when the culture and society of Singapore were defined and molded. Days when he believed he had a valuable role to play as a proud citizen of a new country. Now he is old, and the burden of his years weighs on him heavily. Distanced from a present devoid of idealism and obsessed with power and money, Abraham is estranged from his strong, successful son. Descending into the past, Abraham is led from the promise of youth, through cynicism born of experience, to an understanding and reconciliation of his life and times hard-won in maturity. Prizewinning author Philip Jeyaretnam was declared Young Artist of the Year for 1993 by the Singapore National Arts Council. Abraham's Promise is his second novel.

This book would be a good read for someone who is looking for a powerful and emotionally charged story. Trafalgar Sunrise takes you on a journey through time, exploring themes of love, grief, and the indomitable spirit of the human soul. As you follow Grace Hwang's battle against the SARS virus and her quest to reunite a mother with her long-lost daughter, you'll be captivated by the depth of the characters and the intricate interweaving of past and present. Through elegant prose and vivid storytelling, this novel will immerse you in a world where choices have consequences, and where redemption can be found even in the darkest of times. It is a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the power of connection.

Daughter of the Tigris explores the human cost of war and how violence can twist people beyond recognition. Muhsin Al-Ramli pens a gripping portrait of Qisma as she makes her way through the chaos of war-torn Iraq to find her father's remains. This novel teaches us that even in the midst of violence, love and mercy can still survive.

This book could be a good read for anyone interested in exploring the rich history and culture of Singapore. Through the lens of the Sembawang community, the author brilliantly captures the essence of resilience and transformation. The vivid descriptions and authentic characters make it an engaging and enlightening read, transporting the reader to a bygone era.

The eccentric Mr Hare – as he was known to Sophia, the first wife of Singapore founder Thomas Stamford Raffles – and his Asian harem are brought vividly to life in this work of historical fiction set in Southeast Asia. Arthur Grimsby is an ageing expat in 1960s Singapore. Museum curator, ornithologist, freshly bereaved, he fears Singapore's looming independence and his redundancy and tries to complete one final piece of the life story of an eccentric 19th-century Englishman called Alexander Hare. Hare was a trader and slave-owner in the East and a friend of Thomas Stamford Raffles, Lieutenant Governor of Java and the founder of Singapore, but Hare's chief claim to fame is as the creator of an Asian harem, including in his collection women from Java, Bali, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, China, India and Africa. Hare's love of women and his assembling of a harem, initially in Borneo and then on an uninhabited atoll that would become the Cocos-Keeling Islands, made him an object of guilty male fantasies and of strident female resentments, the epitome of masculine, colonial exploitation. But Arthur Grimsby's paths are no straighter than Alexander Hare's and the two grow together as their destinies intertwine.

If you're looking to immerse yourself in the vivid tapestry of Southeast Asian culture, "The Merlion and the Hibiscus" is a treasure trove waiting for you. Its pages offer a diverse anthology, each story unraveling complexities of ethnicity, generational changes, and the lingering echoes of colonialism through personal narratives that resonate with authentic voices. These short stories could become the window through which you view Singapore and Malaysia, not just as places, but as vibrant societies with rich, intertwining histories.

"Human Traces" is an expansive weave of personal ambition, mental health exploration, and human connection that spans generations and continents. For anyone interested in the intricacies of the human mind set against a backdrop of historical events, your journey through this novel will mingle the satisfaction of intellectual curiosity with the emotional resonance of human drama. Sebastian Faulks offers not just a story but an experience that echoes the profound quests of its protagonists.

Wolf on the Fold is a powerful story about a young boy named Kenny, who is forced to become the man of his family after his father's death. It explores grief, identity, and the difficult decisions we sometimes have to make in life. The book is beautifully written, and the characters are so real and relatable that you'll find yourself rooting for them from the very beginning. The story is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and it will stay with you long after you finish it.