South East Asia (GR)

Cooking instructor and author Christopher Tan is back with the definitive book on kuehs, sharing everything you need to know about kueh culture in Singapore. More than just a collection of recipes, The Way of Kuehdelves into kueh culture with a lyrical, and at times humourous, contextually rich approach, focusing...

An Introduction to the History of Southeast Asian Architecture chronicles the architectural heritage of 11 Southeast Asian countries, delving into the major influences and historical development of vernacular architecture and buildings in the region.The book brings together the best examples to illustrate the changing times with over 170 colour photos,...

This handy photographic guide offers a stunning look at the wildlife of Southeast Asia, which includes Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, West Malaysia, and Singapore. Accessible text and more than 500 color photographs help readers to learn about and identify the most common species found in the region, particularly the...

Kuala Lumpur Notebook features over 40 drawings and watercolours of artist Chin Kon Yit, who turns his keen eye and delicate brush to record Kuala Lumpurs enchanting architecture and scenes of daily life. Featuring marvellous architectural details, this notebook is the perfect gift for stationery lovers and art enthusiasts alike.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand is the world’s longest reigning monarch. Indeed, his 65-year reign is one of the longest in world history, an achievement few would have predicted when the Thai king acceded the throne after the mysterious death of his brother in 1946. How did King Bhumibol revive...

Heidi Munan – the honorary curator of beads at the Sarawak Museum – displays the beauty, variety and mystique of the beads and bead culture found in the worlds third-largest island. Coverage of this culturally significant subject transcends the island’s political boundaries to include the Malaysian states of Sabah and...

The art of the Batak tribes of the mountains of northern Sumatra has been admired by collectors and scholars since the 19th century. However, only a limited number of pieces have been published over the years. This lavishly illustrated book, which includes literally hundreds of previously unpublished masterpieces of Batak...

Jim Thompson was already a legend for the James H.W. Thompson Silk Company that he founded, when he disappeared in the Cameron highlands in Malaysia in 1967. Explores the double legend of Thompson’s silk company and the unsolved case.” -- The New Yorker

Malaysia’s longest-serving and most outspoken prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been politically active for more than 60 years. As a young doctor he agitated for independence from the British and promoted the rights of the Malays, and his long political career culminated in his 22-year term as prime minister...

Marina Mahathir continues to make her mark as a community leader, writer and outspoken commentator on social and political affairs. She is also the eldest child of Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister. Marina has for more than 20 years written an insightful and provocative column which is published fortnightly in The...

Brimming with verve and dramatic incident, Singapore: A Biography offers fresh insights into the life story of this island city-state through the personal experiences of the workers, adventurers, rulers and revolutionaries who have shaped its history over the last seven centuries. The authors, drawing on research undertaken in collaboration with...

Lee Kuan Yew once described the opportunity to remake Singapore as ‘a chance of a lifetime'. This book explores Lee's pivotal role in Singapore's urban development during his years as prime minister from 1959 to 1990. A Chance of a Lifetime recognizes Lee's achievements from the standpoint of Singapore's 50th...

Spirit of Malaysia takes the reader on a whirlwind tour ? from the bustling metropolises of Kuala Lumpur and George Town to the tranquil paddy fields of Kedah and from the rainforests of Sarawak to the sumptuous beach resorts of Langkawi Island. Packed with up-to-date photographs of the country?s varied...

Spanning almost a century, this book examines the origins and development of the cheongsam in the social context of Singapore since its introduction from Shanghai in the 1920s.

Colonel William Farquhar (1774-1839) was a British Colonial Officer who became Commandant of Malacca in 1803, a post through which he was able o indulge his interest in natural history, sending men to collect various plant and animal specimens, which he then commissioned artists to paint.

Now released in a new, convenient and handy size, Over Singapore: 50 Years Ago is a view of old Singapore from a new angle. Many of the streets and buildings have changed; but many others are still instantly recognizable, and this book helps the reader make connections between places as...

By the late 19th century, Penang had become a thriving port trading in rubber, spices and tin. Its prosperity attracted immigrants from around the world and the island was a rich melting pot of Chinese, Indians, Malays, Europeans and many other peoples. The postcards reproduced in this book are drawn...

A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020'Mightily impressive ... a marvellous read' Sunday TimesFrom the acclaimed author of Japan Story, this is the history of Japan, distilled into the stories of twenty remarkable individuals.The vivid and entertaining portraits in Chris Harding's enormously enjoyable new book take the reader from...

As Singapore crossed into the 21st century, the education system had to evolve, moving in tandem with the changing needs of society, shifting attitudes, new mindsets and focus. With technological advancements, school infrastructure has been enhanced and redeveloped. Although many of our pre-independence schools are no more, the lived experiences...

In 1956, the Senguptas travel from Calcutta to rural Malaya to start afresh. In their new hamlet of anonymity – a small settlement on the edge of a British rubber plantation – the couple gradually forget their troubled pasts and form new ties. But this second home is not entirely...