Search results for ""Talisman Publishing""

After nearly a year of research, including interviews with local neighbors, shopkeepers, and heritage experts, he photographed over 70 shops and the families that have run them for generations. shops and the families that have run them for generations. The photographer often arrived unannounced, and used small street cameras with natural light in order to observe and document daily life. The result is a snapshot in time in the long and ever evolving history of one of the world’s fastest changing cities; a lasting tribute to the shops, the merchants and the artisans. This book contains 34 heritage shops, organized by geographic location, and spanning the many different trades that collectively contribute to the patchwork of Singapore’s cultural identify. The work also explores the themes of survival in the face of overwhelming and constant change, and why Singapore’s intangible cultural assets must be saved. This book has been designed to be portable for those who wish to explore the neighborhoods themselves and find the shops.

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The Last Siamese: Heroes in War and Peace tells the life stories of 12 exceptional characters from Thailand or Siam between the 1900s and 1960s. Engaging and rich in detail, they are tales full of adventure, courage and adversity, offering lessons in leadership, resolve and unselfishness. Among them are profiles of So Sethabutra, a political prisoner in the 1930s who spent his time in captivity writing Thailand's first Thai-English dictionary; Khamsing Srinawk, a provocative writer from the countryside who sought exile in Sweden; Colonel Vicha Dhitavadhana, whose military career led him to work for the Nazis; and Prince Bira, the debonair Grand Prix racing champion.

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An illustrated collection of Singapore truth and trivia, Singapore at Random is filled with anecdotes, statistics, quotes, diagrams, facts, advice, folklore and other unusual and often useful tidbits. This veritable treasure trove of information on Singapore is arranged, as the title suggests, randomly, so that readers will come to expect the unexpected on each and every page. Designed in a charmingly classic style and peppered with attractive illustrations, Singapore at Random is a quirky and irresistible celebration of everything you didn't know you wanted to know about this unique and unmissable country. This new edition of Singapore at Random provides the answers to these and many other fun and fascinating questions about the city state.

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This book contains 12 delightful notecards depicting 12 Landmark sites in Singapore. Painted by Graham Byfield, each has been chosen for its historical, cultural or architectural significance. Representing the diversity of Singapore, there are Indian, Malay and Chinese buildings, along with some magnificent edifices dating from the colonial era

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Adam Schwarz's highly acclaimed and best-selling "A Nation in Waiting" brings the story of contemporary Indonesia right up to date, covering the collapse of the economy, the fall of Suharto, the series of brief subsequent presidencies and the challenges facing the nation in the run-up to the 2004 elections. "A Naton in Waiting" lifts the veil on the Indonesia of the 1980s and 1990s and spans a wide variety of contemporary issues to offer a detailed and thought-provoking glimpse of one of the world's least-understood nations. Using a wealth of first-hand information, Adam Schwarz gives life to the heated debates on economic policy, corruption and the controversial role of ethnic Chinese Indonesians. He analyzes the political demands of Indonesia's Muslim community, the mishandled incorporation of East Timor, the debate on human rights and the dilemma facing the Indonesian military as it struggles to redefine its role.

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Singapore: A Very Short History — From Temasek to Tomorrow is a fresh, new, and highly-readable account of Singapore’s history. It is a sweeping story of discovery, abandonment, rediscovery and development of what is today one of the world’s greatest port-cities. Brief as this account may be, it incorporates all the latest research and findings about Singapore’s past, and weaves a concise yet coherent and comprehensive account of the island over the last 700 years. Beyond familiar foundational myths and stories, this new account weaves Singapore’s story on a wide tapestry – through a cast of princes, sultans, colonial administrators, occupiers community leaders and politicians – and tells the tale of how they struggled to answer that allimportant question: How do we make this island succeed? Two recurrent themes emerge from this gripping account. First, that Singapore was an unlikely or accidental nation-state; and second, that given its vulnerability to wider regional and international forces, it survived and flourished only because it was able to constantly change and adapt to make itself useful and relevant to the world. And what of tomorrow? Will Singapore survive? This book is a hopeful response to these questions.

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Assembled over the past 25 years, during numerous discovery journeys in the remote mountain ranges of Northeast India, where the Naga tribal groups settled several hundred years ago. This collection illustrates the Naga peoples heritage and culture. It offers the reader an inside view into their jewellery and ornamental traditions. The more than 400 pieces featured in this book confirm the skills of the men and women who have harmoniously combined a large variety of materials, locally available or imported from afar, to create astonishing ornaments. This book has been written as a testimonial to their talents at a time when tribal traditions are fast disappearing around the world. An authoritative foreword by the French scholar Dr Antonio J. Guerreiro, gives the reader a glance into the lifestyle, social system and material culture of one of the most remote and mysterious indigenous groups in Asia.

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Singapore Good Class Bungalow traces the development of stand-alone residential architecture in Singapore from its early days as a colony to the present. Expertly researched by noted academic and author Robert Powell, it is also a partial history of the architectural profession in Singapore, mentioning many of its eminent practitioners and their works. Alongside the iconic Singapore Shophouse and the 'Black and White' house, Singapore Good Class Bungalow brings the history of the island's detached residential architecture up to date. A detailed introduction is followed by a study of the evolution of the bungalow - from early plantation residences, through the late Victorian and Edwardian styles, Arts and Crafts and Art Deco inspired bungalows to post-Independence residences. The latter includes a history of how the Good Class Bungalow emerged through a planning and preservation initiative into a triumph for the architectural profession in Singapore. Featured in this ambitious book are singular examples of Modern Tropical Bungalow design together with sympathetic and expert restoration projects, linking architectural heritage with modern best practice.Singapore Good Class Bungalow showcases over 100 bungalows, mostly extant, and contains references to all the major phases of construction in the city-state. Beautifully photographed by award-winning photographer, Albert Lim KS, this is a welcome addition to the historical literature on Modern Singapore.

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The vocabulary and sentence structures have been kept simple so that the stories can be enjoyed without too much help, and a Glossary is included in every book giving explanations of the more difficult words. With attractive colour illustrations accompanying the stories, the Asian Favourite Stories Series aims to encourage children to read stories with a familiar background for their enjoyment and pleasure.

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This is a pocket-sized, information-packed and entertaining guide that has been compiled on the basis of long experience in helping people produce documents written in good English, with the underlying message that simple English is the best English. "What not to Write" deals with all those awkward issues - acronyms, ambiguity, American-English, bureaucratese, business English, captions, cliches, grammar, hyphens, jargon, punctuation, quotations, sexist writing, spelling, writing letters and much, much more. Writing English should be a pleasure and although there are rules and conventions, as this book shows, they should be used as a foundation on which to build the confidence to explore the richness and versatility of the language and to put the message across, clearly and simply, in a way that will capture the reader's attention. This handy reference book will be a vital tool for anyone working with the written word, particularly those who write client/company reports, theses, professional papers - students and professionals alike will benefit from having a copy to hand.

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The latest title in this book series presents Indian artist Shilpa Gupta’s monumental inflatable sculpture, Untitled. The sculpture depicts the dualities of our innermost struggles and the externalities around us. This book includes a curatorial essay that situates Gupta’s new work in relation to her art practice and other global sociopolitical forces as well as a full colour photo documentation of the sculpture against the backdrop of Singapore’s skyline. It also features a guest essay written by a well-known mental health professional who engages with the artist’s take on the human conditions. The last section of the book is a set of colourfully illustrated activity sheets, co-developed with an art therapist, that children and adults can use to navigate their emotions and responses towards conflict and other difficult issues.

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See Me, See You is the world’s first-ever retrospective survey of early video installation in Southeast Asia, spanning the early 1980s to the early 1990s. This catalogue traces the journeys and evolving identities of the ten artists featured in the exhibition and their pivotal experiments with the moving image, which variously incorporate readymade objects and cathode-ray tube television monitors as well as performative and participatory elements. Their artworks encapsulate the techniques and materials of their generation and mark the emergence of video installation as a form in the region. The publication features interviews, essays, rare archival images and texts, as well as a timeline that highlights the definitive moments and inventions that propelled video installation in global and regional contexts.

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What makes a house a home? Play house with 14 Southeast Asian artworks from National Gallery Singapore and discover the magic of a home. Then, share your dream house with a friend or two! From our Art for Tinies series for little art lovers and their grown-up companions.

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As Singapore is constantly reinventing itself, this book is a timely publication. After all, anything on contemporary Singapore that doesn't include the Marina Bay Sands' iconic towers, Gardens by the Bay and the new Business District extension is hopelessly out of date. Yet, this book is much more than a round-up of Singapore's new urban cityscapes. Rather, it traces the development of the city-state, showing how so much of the old has been retained and celebrated alongside the new. In addition to an assessment of the downtown core, chapters include an analysis of Singapore's eco credentials as it strives to become a truly green City within a Garden; how its varied population contributes to its success (and how the various peoples came to its shores); a sober reflection on World War II and Occupation, and reminders thereof; a showcase of all things stylishly Singaporean; and finally, a short look back in time with a selection of evocative black-and-white photographs to Singapore's early days as a colonial city.Beautifully photographed by Danish photographer, Jacob Termansen, with insightful texts by Kim Inglis, this is a must-have for anybody interested in the history and culture of Singapore.

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Singlish is one of the most entertaining of all the Asian Englishes and ought to be practiced by anyone visiting Singapore. Even a little knowledge of the language will help visitors to better understand local culture and learning to speak a few words or phrases can enhance the experience of dining out, shopping, and even getting about town. With hilarious illustrations by award-winning cartoonist, Miel this book provides useful tips for bargaining, and a special section on shopping. There are also chapters about food, festivals and customs, and other insights that may coax readers into some very funny moments indeed.

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"The Singapore House is not just a building; it is a cultural phenomenon. Culture means ordinary everyday values-attitudes, beliefs, ideas and heritage. These apply to the cultural landscape of which the house forms a part and is particularly applicable to a fast growing metropolis like Singapore that has changed immeasurably in recent years."Setting the scene for this newly presented edition of The Singapore House &Residential Life 1819-1939, Edwards addresses the house's unique naturein the context of its colonial past. Architecture, the house plan, landscape,societal norms, recreation and more are all presented in a book where thepast resonates on every page. Thirty years on, the book still provides aninvaluable introduction to the history of architecture in the city-state.

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A showcase of culinary excellence at the YTL group of hotels and resorts, this book is much more than a restaurant review or a recipe collection. Delving into the culture of a variety of cuisines, stretching from Malaysia and Southeast Asia into China, Japan and Europe, it takes readers on a gastronomic journey. Beginning in Malaysia, the heart and home of the YTL group, it showcases both island resorts and city heritage hotels and restaurants, all the while giving an overview of Malay cuisine. Recipes for traditional Malay fare are combined with some East meets West fusion food and some innovative seafood dishes. The book then branches further afield into the snowy wastes of Hokkaido and the cityscape of modern Shanghai, all the while exploring both recipes and cuisines from Japan and China. Sections on England, Bali, Thailand and France follow - all showcasing iconic properties in full colour photography. Foodies will savour the finest in gastronomy with sustainable ingredients and preparations from the simple to the complex, the natural to the exuberant. At-home chefs will find the carefully researched signature dishes, selected by their celebrated chefs de cuisine for authenticity, taste and visual appeal, easy to recreate in their own kitchens. All in all, the book is a veritable feast for the eye and the palette - and will delight those interested in a culinary adventure.

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The conceptualisation of the book started in 2010, during the international year of biodiversity. However, the idea of such a book has been maturing for a very long time. Having grown up in various countries including some of the most remote and biodiversity rich places on Earth, the author has experienced since a very early age the diversity of life on Earth as well as the progressive destruction of some of these ecosystems with significant damages to their inhabiting species diversity. The other particularity of this book is the display of numerous exclusive images of wildlife and ecosystems landscapes. Over 350 pictures taken around the world from the deserts of western Africa, the lagoons of French Polynesia to the dense forests of Asia and the icy waters of Antarctica are displayed in this book showcasing key images of wildlife and ecosystems in a state of change. The art of photography can be a powerful tool to convey key messages. The book also features a foreword from Professor Peter K. L. Ng, director of The Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research at the National University of Singapore.

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The Japanese invasion of Malaya in December 1941 is one of the more heavily studied military campaigns in World War II. It has led to much controversy over how the British, Australian and Indian troops, well prepared and numerically superior to their Japanese opponents, could so quickly lose the initiative, and then slowly and inexorably lose the campaign. With reinforcements arriving throughout much of the fighting, Arthur Percival, the British commander, was unwilling to risk his forces in a single battle which would determine the victor. After the Allied success at Kampar, followed by a withdrawal, the disaster at Slim River led to the Japanese outmanoeuvring their opponents in Johore, leading to the final battle in Singapore. As well as using accounts by many of the major participants, The Fall of Singapore incorporates recent research and thinking, also showing the effects of the fighting on the many Chinese, Malay and Indian civilians — so often neglected in military histories.

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Singapore is a microcosm of the many and varying cultures found in Asia. Everywhere you look you see a different face, another style of dress, a different building style: it's a layered country, full of contradiction, yet homogenised. Like the country this new book showcases these particularly Singaporean sights: the contrasts and contradictions as well as the parallels. In a way no other book has achieved. This book, like Singapore is unique and a perfect memory of time, profitably spent and must have purchase for vistors and resident alike.

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Celebrating a "golden age" of travel, this new book retraces the steps of a Grand Tour of South East Asia from the turn of the 20th century to the present day. The Romance of the Grand Tour explores the living heritage of 12 exotic port cities: from Rangoon (Yangon), through the Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca and Singapore and the old Dutch East Indies cities of Batavia (Jakarta) and Surabaya, via Bangkok to former Indochina at Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Phnom Penh and Hanoi, through Manila to Hong Kong. Drawing on archival images and accounts as well as present-day photographs and illustrations, the book captures the romance and excitement of these early Grand Tourists, while presenting contemporary scenes and experiences for 21st-century travellers determined to seek out the legacy of a bygone era.

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New UPDATED EDITION 2014 The unique Black and White house in Singapore is the most distinctive and imposing of the island's colonial architectural legacy. Surviving examples are testament to their physical and aesthetic durability - a unique tropical style with a colourful pedigree of architectural influences. In this updated edition, an additional chapter on residential life in these extraordinary homes adds depth and added information to an already comprehensive book. The colonials of yesteryear enjoyed a life of undisputed privilege - and even today, many of these beautiful houses continue to serve their original purpose as gracious family homes. Others have been adapted successfully as restaurants, offices and artisan's studios. Researched, written and photographed with flair, Black and White traces their evolution through the architects and practices that designed them - houses as relevant today as when they first appeared over 100 years ago.

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The Singapore shophouse is an architectural gem - a particular building form that is unique to the island. This book traces its development from rudimentary shophouse through various incarnations of decorative style - Neoclassical, Chinese Baroque, Jubilee-style, Edwardian, Rococo, Tropical Modern - all the while commenting on the various influences that fuelled its evolution. Each individual feature of the shophouse is examined, as is its change from rudimentary out-of-China structure to sophisticated dwelling house. Numerous examples of shophouse interiors today complete the odyssey - showcasing Shophouse as Temple, Clan House, Home, Boutique Hotel, Shop, Restaurant Coffeeshop and more, we see how these heritage buildings continue to be relevant in the era of the skyscraper and shopping mall. This is the first qualitative study of neo Chinese architecture and how it was effectively adapted by successive colonial authorities throughout the 19th and 20th centuries so much so that its enduring qualities of form and function continues to resonate.

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With a career spanning more than 70 years, Liu Kuo-sung is a pioneering figure in modern Chinese ink. He has forged new ways of thinking about the legacy of Chinese painting through his non-traditional brush methods, and experiments with the materiality of ink and paper. This bilingual exhibition catalogue features full-colour reproductions of over 60 words across Liu's career, newly commissioned essays by leading scholars, and rare archival materials documenting key episodes of Liu's engagement with international and regional art discourses.

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The magisterial two volume set of books with a foreword by Joko Widodo, the President of Indonesia, is the standard work on an ancient Balinese artform that has fascinated the outside world since the early 20th century. Richly illustrated with more than onethousand images, it represents the fruit of more than four years of dedicated work by a team of experts including photographer Doddy Obenk and designer Ni Luh Ketut Sukarniasih who have diligently researched archives and collections around the world. The main texts consist of an essay by I Made Bandem, a renowned Balinese dancer and scholar, on still living dancing traditions. This is supplemented by a detailed history, written by Bruce W. Carpenter, tracing back the origins of this remarkable performance art to the pre-Hindu era. Other texts concern sacred never before photographed masks and biographies of famous mask makers and dancers. The gallery, a separate volume is 360 pages in length. It is an illustrated compendium of Baline

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Siamese Anglophile is about the lifetime work of a Siamese born in London and nicknamed 'Teddy' by his English nanny. It is a heart-warming story of his eclectic and amusing experiences starting in 50s Britain and ending in 90s America. The Anglo-Saxon world is seen through the lens of an English speaking polyglot, with idiosyncratic insights and historical observations through a series of jobs from fruit-picking in Essex to performing as an extra in James Bond films at Pinewood studios to learning the ropes of the advertising industry in boomtown Manhattan. Here is a nostalgic memoir that starts more than half a century ago and conjures up the optimistic outlook of life at that time. Teddy's journey from London mailman to adman in Manhattan is amusingly told, with a wealth of fascinating anecdotes and historical references along the way, on working in post-war and sixties Britain, on the advertising business in the days before the Internet, and finally on teaching and travelling in America in the nineties. Teddy combines nostalgia and contemporary insights into the world of yesteryear peppered with wryly humorous narratives

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The story of modern Singapore as told through its living heritage is encapsulated in this handsome book, published to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Singapore’s founding as a city-state. Today’s vibrant, cosmopolitan country developed a singular identity through the many colourful ‘ingredients’ outlined in this book. Starting with the founding of modern Singapore by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, we review the many events, people, artefacts, legends and lifestyles pre- and post-1819 that contributed to make Singapore the unique city it is today. This is the first book to encompass all aspects of Singaporean heritage — be it artistic, cultural or natural heritage. Historic personages, monuments, architecture and the arts, cultures and traditions, and flora and fauna are all covered in their many facets. The book showcases how much of 1800s and early 1900s Singapore remains today, thereby presenting a lesser-known side to the city-state — one that is surprisingly historic and richly evocative, a different face to a place more often associated with a stark modernity. Insightful, lively texts by museum director and heritage expert, Kennie Ting, are accompanied by archival images, contemporary photographs, maps and more, to present a comprehensive picture of the city-state — past and present.

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Faces of Yangon was inspired by an image photographer Steve Golden made of a monk at Shwedagon Pagoda in 2015. Drawn by the captivating fearlessness of the gaze, the natural illumination of the afternoon sun on his face, and the distinctly exotic surroundings of the pagoda itself, Steve Golden began planning what would be a two year photographic exploration of the city of Yangon, in Myanmar. The result of his journey is this collection of fine art images, each is a selfcontained vignette of real life in a city of profound and numerous traditions on the brink of major change. It is a snapshot in time… a catalog of the people the photographer crossed paths with, and their environment. It is a study of natural light, of color, and texture. Visiting neighborhoods several times to record the subtle changes brought by light and weather, the photographer traversed the city by foot and was able to observe life at street level. He spent days encamped at monasteries, and would often wander without a map seeking unplanned routes and encounters. The work in Faces of Yangon is currently being exhibited at the Leica Gallery in Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and will travel to other countries. The images have been carefully curated to give the reader the sense that they too are strolling through Yangon’s majestic and faded streets, relishing chance encounters and observing one of Southeast Asia’s extraordinary cities.

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This box contains 12 delightful notecards depicting 12 famous sites in Singapore's Chinatown, an area known for its authentic architecture and colourful cultural life. Painted by Graham Byfield, each has been chosen for its historical, cultural or architectural significance.

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Lee Kuan Yew, first Prime Minister of Singapore, is a figure whose international stature far exceeds that of the tiny island over which he presided for thirty years. Lee is the principal architect of Singapore's political stability and its international economic success, and often credited with being a leader of economic development throughout Asia. Yet the continuing interest in him several years after his retirement from the prime ministership derives mainly from his many contributions on the greater world stage. This first book ever to analyse the origin and substance of Lee's ideas remains timely and relevant, as well as provocative, and will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers, not just of Singaporean history but those who follow the fortunes of Singapore and Asia in the wider connected world of the 21st Century.

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This signature book describes the multiplicity of currencies that have been used in and around the island over the centuries, and how these culminate in the Singapore dollar today. The authors trace the impact, sometimes dramatic, of political and economic events and technological forces shaping these currencies. Singapore has followed its own development path, from the days when, in the first few decades of the colonial settlement, local merchants resisted currency reforms imposed on the island by the East India Company. Greater monetary autonomy was achieved in the second half of the 19th century when Singapore became a Crown colony in its own right. The drive towards self-representation culminated in full internal self-government in 1959, independence from British colonial rule in 1963 as part of the Federation of Malaysia, and the status of a sovereign nation in 1965. The introduction of Singapore's own currency in 1967 was a national milestone. In 1971, Singapore established the Monetary Authority of Singapore with the sovereign power to undertake monetary policy as it deemed most appropriate. Money has evolved from coins minted from precious metals to those struck from baser metals, to notes issued first by commercial banks and later by governments. The journey from commodity-based money to a purely fiat money has unfolded in parallel. The use of money in its electronic and more 'weightless' forms has also become increasingly common. The powerful effects this trend will have on the nature of money and banking are still unfolding. All these issues, and more, are examined in this book, published to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of Singapore's central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), in January 1971.

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Singapore Good Class Bungalow traces the development of stand-alone residential architecture in Singapore from its early days as a colony to the present. Expertly researched by noted academic and author Robert Powell, it is also a partial history of the architectural profession in Singapore, mentioning many of its eminent practitioners and their works. Alongside the iconic Singapore Shophouse and the ‘Black and White’ house, Singapore Good Class Bungalow brings the history of the island’s detached residential architecture up to date. A detailed introduction is followed by a study of the evolution of the bungalow — from early plantation residences, through the late Victorian and Edwardian styles, Arts and Crafts and Art Deco inspired bungalows to post-Independence residences. The latter includes a history of how the Good Class Bungalow emerged through a planning and preservation initiative into a triumph for the architectural profession in Singapore. Featured in this ambitious book are singular examples of Modern Tropical Bungalow design together with sympathetic and expert restoration projects, linking architectural heritage with modern best practice. Singapore Good Class Bungalow showcases over 100 bungalows, mostly extant, and contains references to all the major phases of construction in the city-state. Beautifully photographed by award-winning photographer, Albert Lim KS, this is a welcome addition to the historical literature on Modern Singapore. This book is an illustrated history of Singapore viewed from the verandas of a cornucopia of personalities including East India Company employees, revolutionaries, politicians, plantation owners, governors, entrepreneurs, towkays, diplomats, colonial civil servants, architects, as well as a plethora of ordinary people. It is also a partial history of the architectural profession in Singapore, with histories of many of its eminent practitioners including R A J Bidwell, Frank Wilmin Brewer, Swan & Maclaren, Ho Kwong Yew, Ng Sek Siang, James Ferrie, Lim Chong Keat, Alfred Wong, William Lim Siew Wai, Victor Chew, Tay Kheng Soon, Sonny Chan Sau Yan and, more recently, Mok Wei Wei, Ernesto Bedmar, Chan Soo Khian, Wong Mun Summ, Richard Hassell and Teh Joo Heng.

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Lonely Vectors takes its cue from Singapore Art Museum's new space at the Tanjong Pagar Distripark as a site of the global economy and its choreography of movements. However, its interests in global flows extend beyond the circulation of goods and commodities to consider the bodies and histories unmoored and set adrift by this world in motion. From the construction of special economic zones to patterns of migration, from seed distribution to peasant solidarity against mega-plantations, from the uneven flow of land and water to the cosmologies and worlds lost to us over time, Lonely Vectors points to the different ways we desire to connect with one another.

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How can we understand sculpture and its many practices? From the spiritual to the monumental and conceptual, these three-dimensional objects play a variety of roles. Through scholarly essays, new interviews and a selection of primary documents, this catalogue traces the evolution of sculpture in Singapore from the 19th century to the present, examining how objects can bridge materiality and performance.

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Reporter is an account of John McBeth’s 50-year journey through Asia, more than half of that time as a correspondent for the Far Eastern Economic Review, the venerable magazine long regarded as the region’s English-language Bible on political and economic affairs. While necessarily a memoir, the book is more a reflection of the lives of a small group of foreign journalists who came to Asia on a wing and a prayer — and in McBeth’s case by ship — and stayed on as fascinated witnesses to a region going through turbulent times and historic change. Part-history, part-analysis, part story-telling and, in a smaller way, part-commentary on the salad days of print journalism and its steady decline under the onslaught of television and the Internet, Reporter introduces us to a diverse cast of journalists, diplomats, officials, politicians and generals McBeth meets and befriends along the way. New in paperback to make 50 years reporting in Asia, the original book has been complemented with a new introduction and a new chapter “The Defining Years” which bring McBeth’s story up to date.

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Celebrating a “golden age” of travel, this book retraces the steps of a Grand Tour of South East Asia from the turn of the 20th century to the present day. The Romance of the Grand Tour explores the living heritage of 12 exotic port cities: from Rangoon (Yangon), through the Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca and Singapore and the old Dutch East Indies cities of Batavia (Jakarta) and Surabaya, via Bangkok to former Indochina at Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Phnom Penh and Hanoi, through Manila to Hong Kong. Drawing on archival images and accounts as well as present-day photographs and illustrations, the book captures the romance and excitement of these early Grand Tourists, while presenting contemporary scenes and experiences for 21st-century travellers determined to seek out the legacy of a bygone era.

Read more less

Setting the scene for this newly presented edition of The Singapore House & Residential Life 1819–1939, Edwards addresses the house’s unique nature in the context of its colonial past. Architecture, the house plan, landscape, societal norms, recreation and more are all presented in a book where the past resonates on every page. Thirty years on, the book still provides an invaluable introduction to the history of architecture in the city-state.

Read more less

The story of modern Singapore as told through its living heritage is encapsulated in this handsome book, published to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Singapore's founding as a city-state. Today's vibrant, cosmopolitan country developed a singular identity through the many colourful `ingredients' outlined in this book. Starting with the founding of modern Singapore by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, we review the many events, people, artefacts, legends and lifestyles pre- and post-1819 that contributed to make Singapore the unique city it is today. This is the first book to encompass all aspects of Singaporean heritage, be it sociological, environmental or man-made. Historic personages, monuments, architecture and the arts, cultures and traditions, and flora and fauna are all covered in their many facets. The book showcases how much of 1800s and early 1900s Singapore remains today, thereby presenting a lesser-known side to the city-state - one that is surprisingly historic and richly evocative, a different face to a place more often associated with a stark modernity. Insightful, lively texts by museum director and heritage expert, Kennie Ting, are accompanied by archival images, contemporary photographs, maps and more, to present a comprehensive picture of the city-state - past and present.

Read more less

The vocabulary and sentence structures have been kept simple so that the stories can be enjoyed without too much help, and a Glossary is included in every book giving explanations of the more difficult words. With attractive colour illustrations accompanying the stories, the Asian Favourite Stories Series aims to encourage children to read stories with a familiar background for their enjoyment and pleasure.

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India, Living in an Ornate World explores as to why India is so rich in colour and ornamentation and why it has such a diversity of culture and architecture. There is still a large part of the population who prefer to continue living their traditional life in old-world settings. Their buildings reflect their long artistic and creative history. This can be seen in all levels of society. A modest dwelling in India can give as much an indication of this as can a palace. The lives of people in streets tend to be lived in public. The street is the extension of the house. A large part of this life is carried out on the streets and is often shared with many different animals due to the Hindu love of them. The photographs in this book aimed to catch many of these scenes.

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World-renowned YTL Hotels' classic collection of hotels and lodgings exemplifies the very best of bespoke hospitality from Europe to Southeast Asia and China. Its unique sense of place and historical significance celebrates the essence of style. This book seeks to showcase the company's commitment to its heritage properties in a meaningful and creative manner. Explore the streets of two UNESCO World Heritage sites - Malaysia's historic Malacca (Melaka) and the UK's Bath Spa - from The Majestic Malacca and the newly-opened The Gainsborough Bath Spa; stroll the bund in Shanghai from The Swatch Art Peace Hotel; enjoy the glamour of The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur once more at the heart of the city's old colonial area; or if rural pursuits are on your agenda we offer a sojourn at Cameron Highlands Resort, resplendent in the cool climes of Malaysia's tea plantations, or three quaint cottages in the quintessential English country village of Bray-upon-Thames in the county of Royal Berkshire. Each of these properties has been selected for its locale, history and architecture in much the same way as a curator presents an exhibition.Courteous personal service is a company hallmark with guidance from a concierge service, private butler or guest relations' officer at each location. With minute attention to detail, informative texts and full-colour photography, The Classic Collection launches a thousand itineraries from East to West.

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"Singapore Civil Society and British Power" is the first broad look at the associational activity that took place from 1819 to 1963 and how it influenced British public policy in Singapore. From the early days of the East India Company through to independence, residents were prepared to form associations to further their causes using political means. Dr. Gillis traces the ebb and flow of civil society and argues with convincing evidence that it made an important contribution to the economic, political and social development of Singapore. This is a chronological study covering six periods in Singapore's history from the establishment of Raffles' trading factory in 1819 to the end of the British era in 1963.

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The history of Asia can be told through its great port cities: Guangzhou (Canton), Shanghai, Nagasaki, Basra, Aden, Jeddah, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Colombo, Batavia (Jakarta), Manila, Singapore, and many others. For millennia, port cities have been centres of global trade and the exchange of goods, peoples, cultures and ideas. They developed into cosmopolitan, multicultural societies and evolved distinctive, hybrid styles of art, architecture, material culture and ways of living. They were also crucibles of innovation, and have played an enormous, though under-appreciated, role in the spread of new technologies, new forms of creative expression and new ways of thinking throughout Asia. This book takes the reader on an epic journey across maritime Asia and the Indian Ocean, stopping at 60 port cities along the coasts and rivers of China, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea, the Middle East and Africa. The timeframe of the book is equally sweepin

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This richly illustrated catalogue considers the power of photography and its mobilisation within systems of knowledge and representation. Rather than just thinking about what photographs show, Living Pictures asks: what do photographs do? It acknowledges that photographs have lives—they move and they act—and in the process, they affect the world around them. This catalogue accompanies the world’s first-ever survey of the medium’s histories across Southeast Asia, from its earliest beginnings in the 19th century until its diverse contemporary manifestations. Special emphasis is placed on photography’s creation, circulation and consumption, as well as how these processes have shaped the visual regimes of the region. In addition to essays by the curators and interviews with artists and photographers featured in the exhibition, the catalogue showcases new research by leading international scholars focusing on the interdisciplinary intersections between photography and art history, archaeology and cultural theory.

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This new, peer-reviewed imprint celebrates the diverse voices and genres of writing that create the discourse of art in Southeast Asia, both historically and in the present. Going beyond conventional art history, books in this imprint include compilations of artist writings, art criticism and experimental approaches to the image. “To be an artist is … just like shit in a clogged toilet, stubborn shit that can’t decide whether it wants to be flushed or to stick around” writes acclaimed artist Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook. Composed as an irreverent dialogue between masculine and feminine narrators, this book of essays is an fusion of art criticism, feminist theory, art pedagogy, gossip and autofiction. It presents an insider account of Southeast Asia’s contemporary artists being catapulted into international circuits since the 1990s. Araya’s provocative prose is translated from Thai for the first time by Kong Rithdee.

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