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The Chempaka Tree

Tan Jing Quee

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The Chempaka Tree

by Tan Jing Quee
The Chempaka Tree
The Chempaka Tree

Nostalgic old Singapore, tenderly remembered in stories

This feels like stepping into a slower, greener Singapore that has mostly disappeared, which makes it especially moving if you love place-based fiction. The stories seem to carry both warmth and quiet loss, capturing everyday life before the city became all steel and speed. If you enjoy short fiction with atmosphere, memory, and a touch of regional folklore, this could be a deeply evocative read.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

The Chempaka Tree

by Tan Jing Quee
Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

Books in Like New Condition

This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Very Good Condition

This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Good Condition

We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

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ISBN: 9789834479305
Author: Tan Jing Quee
Publisher: Gerakbudaya Enterprise
Date of Publication: 2009-01-01
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance
Related Topics: Mythology, Historical Romance, Asian Literature, Literature, Classics
Goodreads rating: 5.0
(rated by 1 readers)

Description

This collection of short stories about old Singapore before its rapid transformation into the modern city-state marks a nostalgic trip to a very different world. These stories, set from Sembawang to Orchard Road, depict a green and more leisurely city before the advent of a concrete metropolis. Except for a story set in India and two stories set in the neighboring Malay Peninsula, most of the stories in this collection are set in Singapore. The title story, The Chempaka Tree, is a charming love tale loosely based on the Malay legend of the Pontianak.
 

Nostalgic old Singapore, tenderly remembered in stories

This feels like stepping into a slower, greener Singapore that has mostly disappeared, which makes it especially moving if you love place-based fiction. The stories seem to carry both warmth and quiet loss, capturing everyday life before the city became all steel and speed. If you enjoy short fiction with atmosphere, memory, and a touch of regional folklore, this could be a deeply evocative read.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

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