Abstract
Introduction
As in previous years, there is disproportion in the number of literary works published by writers from each country: there are significantly more literary works by Singaporean writers. There is also an imbalance when one compares volumes of fiction by Malaysian authors (there are thirteen items in the 2014 Bibliography) with works belonging to other genres. These patterns are not new and are regular features of the annual Bibliography. With the success of Malaysian writers of fiction, such as Tash Aw and Tan Twan Eng, I had expressed the hope that there would be a substantial growth of Malaysian literature in English in general and not only in fiction. The output for 2014, however, was similar to the literary outputs of previous years. While there was some scholarly and critical interest in Malaysian literature in English, this interest appeared to be increasingly concentrated on the works of Aw and Tan, although there were some exceptions to this during the year.
There was only one Malaysian volume of poetry by a single author published during the year; the other item on my Malaysian poetry list was the republication, within another volume, of a poetry collection originally published as a separate volume in 1961. There was also an anthology of poetry edited by the formidable scholar of regional drama and Malaysian literature in English, Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof. I would like to specially mention this volume as it highlights the fact that there is an enormous pool of talent in poetry writing in English in Malaysia. It is hoped that some of the poets, most of whom have not published individual volumes of poetry, will do so in due course. The only Malaysian dramatic work published during the year was a play based on an episode in the life of the Malaysian legendary figure Hang Tuah, written by Ghulam-Sarwar.
I mentioned the republication of a collection of poems within another volume above. The poems were written by T. Wignesan and appeared in a volume entitled Tracks of a Tramp in 1961. Wignesan’s poems are included in a volume which also contains the anthology Bunga Emas, which is Wignesan’s compilation of works by authors writing in the territory before the formation of Malaysia in 1963. The new Bunga Emas is not only a reprint but a revised and augmented edition of the anthology published more than half a century earlier. Both Wignesan’s poetry collection and his anthology of pre-Malaysian works are of historical significance and certainly deserved to be republished.
There were significantly more Malaysian works of fiction than the other genres, but none of the works had the kind of impact that the novels of Aw and Tan had when their novels were published. One reason is that all the books this year were published in Malaysia or Singapore, where publishers do not engage in the kind of marketing and publicity carried out by British-based or American-based international publishers. Nevertheless, some of the locally published fictional works, such as Kow Shih-Li The Sum of Our Follies and Matthew Thomas’ Anakara House deserve to be more widely known.
In relation to the scholarship on Malaysian literature, the online journal Asiatic published a special issue on Shirley Lim. Arguably, Lim is now an Asian-American author. However, the content of a good portion of her creative output and the continuing interest in her work in the region, as demonstrated by Asiatic’s special issue on her, indicate that the study of Malaysian and Singaporean literature would be negatively affected if we consider her exclusively as an Asian-American author.
Touching on the online journal Asiatic above prompts me to underline its importance in the scholarship of the literature of Singapore and Malaysia. Asiatic is published by the International Islamic University in Malaysia and has been published since 2007. Although it is primarily a journal concentrating on postcolonial literatures in general, it has included a number of studies and reviews of Malaysian and Singaporean authors and their works. Mention should also be made here of another online journal, the Quarterly Literary Review Singapore (QLRS), which is older than Asiatic, having been published since 2001. Like Asiatic, QLRS has a more general scope, but it has also played a role in the development of Singaporean literature in English, as it serves as an outlet for the publication of poetry and short stories by Singaporean authors and provides reviews and studies of their works as well.
2014 could be described as a significantly productive year for Singaporean poetry in English. Twenty-five volumes of poetry written by new and more established Singaporean authors were published during the year. Among the more established writers, Alfian Sa’at, Gwee Li Sui, Aaron Lee, Lee Tzu Pheng, Paul Tan and Wong May published new collections of poetry. The veteran poet Lee Tzu Pheng, in fact, published two collections: Soul’s Festival: Collected Poems 1980–1997 and Standing in the Corner: Poems from a Real Childhood. The position of poetry in Singaporean literature in English is certainly healthy, and it is clearly not the case, contrary to the view expressed by the late former Prime Minister of Singapore, that it is “a luxury that we cannot afford,” which incidentally, gave the title to an anthology of poems by Singapore writers during the year.
One remarkable volume of poems published during the year is Wong May’s Picasso’s Tears: Poems 1978–2013. Just as in the case of Chandran Nair, who was mentioned in my Bibliography for the year 2010, there was a long wait of thirty-five years between the publication of her previous volume of poetry and the present volume. As with the reception of Chandran’s last poetry collection, the same silence seems to have greeted Wong May’s collection in Singapore and Malaysia: there were no local reviews of her collection during the year, which was perhaps more understandable than the case of Chandran’s volume as it was published by a foreign poetry publisher who did not publicise her work in Singapore.
Although I prefer Chandran Nair’s earlier poetry to his later poems, the new volume by Wong May gives a clear indication that there is no drop in the quality of her poetry and, in fact, further strengthens her position as a major poet associated with Singapore. The most striking poem in Wong May’s collection is the longest, the sixty-eight-page “The Making of Guernica,” her profound meditation on violence and politics. It is connected to Picasso, whose name appears in the title of the book, and who painted the great anti-war oil-painting Guernica in 1937. Instead of clearly taking sides, she is of the view that violence is diffusive and equivocal, and both sides are at fault:
America your Dream & Lies of “The War on Terror” Is Terror after all. That neither Reason nor the Sleep Of Reason will keep at bay.
The output for Singaporean fiction is as healthy as its poetry, with twenty-two volumes published. Unlike poetry, which has a higher proportion of local writers who remain in Singapore, some of the writers of fiction now reside abroad and publish their works abroad as well. There are local authors who live mainly in Singapore who publish abroad as well during the year, such as Ovidia Yu, with her Aunty Lee’s Deadly Specials, which is the second volume in the series on the Singaporean amateur sleuth, Rosie Lee.
One would be tempted to say that the locally published fictional works, with their local tang and the prominence of local issues, appeal more to the local audience, but this is not necessarily the case, even if this may serve as a broad generalisation. Yu’s Rosie Lee, for example, is a Singaporean who solves criminal conundrums in the island state. To mention another case, Lydia Kwa’s Pulse, which was originally published abroad, has notable depictions of Singaporean soundscapes, which is a feature highlighted in Philip Holden’s review in Asiatic of the Singapore edition of the novel.
One facet of Singaporean fictional works to note is that they are generically mixed. Not all the works belong to a specific genre. Elements associated with the fable, parable and fairy tale can be found, for example, in the books by Melanie Lee, Nicky Moey, Wayne Rée and in Wena Poon’s The Adventures of Snow Fox & Sword Girl. In what might be a significant trend in Singaporean fiction, all of them resemble certain genres of children’s fiction, but could or should be read by adults.
Publications of Singaporean dramatic works are significant in their own way, even if the total number of volumes published is below that of other genres. The indefatigable Haresh Sharma – who was the well-deserved recipient of the regional S.E.A. [Southeast Asian] Write Award for Singapore during the year – produced two plays in print, both of which were published by his theatre company, The Necessary Stage.
Also significant is the publication in one volume of Michael Chiang’s works, which were written and performed over a period of three decades. Given Chiang’s importance as a popular writer of dramatic works and film scripts, the volume is a welcome addition, not only to theatre and film companies that are interested in his work, but to students and researchers of Singaporean literature and culture as well. Also to be noted is the publication, in Singapore and Australia, of three volumes of plays by Geraldine Song, a writer who certainly deserves to be more widely known.
Bibliography
Bibliographies
Singapore
Singapore Literature in English: An Annotated Bibliography https://goo.gl/HqI5Ro [this is the regularly updated online continuation of Koh Tai Ann’s hardcopy bibliography, published in 2008].
Regional
Democracy, Media and Law in Malaysia and Singapore: A Space for Speech eds Andrew T. Kenyon, Tim Marjoribanks and Amanda Whiting xii+209pp Routledge (London) £90.
Malaysia
50 years of Malaysia: Federalism Revisited eds Andrew J. Harding & James Chin 295pp Marshall Cavendish Editions (Singapore) S $32.
The Colour of Inequality: Ethnicity, Class, Income and Wealth in Malaysia Muhammed Abdul Khalid xviii+249pp MPH Group Publishing RM40.
Revisiting Malaysian Modernization: Essays on Science, Technology, Religion and Environment ed Mohd. Hazim Shah xxi+265pp Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia (Kajang) RM35.
Still Honking: More Scenes from Malaysian Life Lydia Teh vii+194pp MPH Group Publishing (Petaling Jaya) RM29.
Singapore
Asianism and the Politics of Regional Consciousness in Singapore 246pp Yew Leong Routledge (New York) US $145.
The Culture of Singapore English Jock Wong xv+329pp Cambridge University Press (New York) US $99.
Hard Choices: Challenging the Singapore Consensus Donald Low and Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh 272pp NUS Press (Singapore) $24.
Singapore on the Couch Ong Yong Lock 239pp Monsoon Books (Singapore) S $18.50 [interviews with prominent Singaporeans].
Poetry
Malaysia
Bhanu, R. Udaya Dark Eyes and Other Poems 85pp PartridgeIndia (Gurgaon) US $17.55.
Wignesan, T. Bunga Emas and Tracks of a Tramp [see
Singapore
Alfian Sa’at The Invisible Manuscript: Poems second edition 88pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $16.
Chia, Christine The Law of Second Marriages second edition 69pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $16.
—– Separation: A History 87pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $16.
Chong, Eileen Peony 49pp Pitt Street Poetry (World Square, Australia) A $25.
Gwee Li Sui One Thousand and One Nights 74pp Landmark Books (Singapore) S $18.
Koh Jee Leong Payday Loans: Poems second edition Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $16.
Kon, Desmond Zhicheng-Mingdé I Didn’t Know Mani Was a Conceptualist 88pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $16.
—– Sanctus Sanctus Dirgha Sanctus: Four Monostitch Sestinas 167pp Red Wheelbarrow Books (Singapore) S $18.
Kwek, Theophilus Circle Line 111pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $10.
Lee, Aaron Soon Yong Coastlands 68pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $16.
Lee, Cheryl Julia We Were Always Eating Expired Things 38pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $16.
Lee Tzu Pheng, Anne Soul’s Festival: Collected Poems 1980–1997 236pp Landmark Books (Singapore) S $24.95.
—– Standing in the Corner: Poems from a Real Childhood 60pp Landmark Books (Singapore) S $18.
Mani Rao Echolocation 33pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $16.
Ng, Leonard Changes and Chances 109pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $16.
Nair, Marc Animal City 77pp Red Wheelbarrow Books (Singapore) S $18 [art by Vanessa Chan].
Nansi, Pooja Love Is an Empty Barstool 35pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $16.
Ong, Terry The Stranger’s Stranger / Words 96pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $38 [images by John Clang].
Tan, Michelle The Confusion of Happiness 49pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $16.
Tan, Patricia Maria Saga Seeds 93pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $16.
Tan, Paul Kim Liang Seasonal Disorders / Impractical Lessons 98pp Landmark Books (Singapore) S $18.
Tse Hao Guang Hyperlinkage 57pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $10.
Valles, Eric Tinsay After the Fall (Dirges among Ruins) 83pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $16.
Wong May Picasso’s Tears: Poems 1978–2013 323pp Octopus Books (Portland) US $24.
Yam, Jerrold Intruder 79pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $16.
Drama
Malaysia
Ghulam Sarwar The Trial of Hang Tuah the Great: A Play in Nine Scenes 138pp Partridge (Singapore) S $19.75.
Singapore
Chiang, Michael Play Things: The Complete Works: 1984–2014 396pp Really Good Books Publishing House (Singapore) S $39.95.
Elangovan The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Three Banned Plays 171pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $16.50.
Sharma, Haresh Best of 37pp Necessary Stage (Singapore) S $15.
—– Eclipse 63pp Necessary Stage (Singapore) S $15.
Song, Geraldine Absence-Presence 55pp Think.Write (Singapore) S $10.90.
—– Semoga Bahagia 195pp Horizon Publishing Group (Cherrybrook, Australia) A$19.95.
—– Three Comedies: Rohini; Beg’um, Begum!; Misprision 170pp Metonymy Press (Singapore) S $14.90.
Fiction
Malaysia
Ee Leen Lee 13 Moons 252pp Fixi Novo (Petaling Jaya) RM19.90.
Ewe Paik Leong A China Doll in KL 271pp Monsoon Books (Singapore) S $17.
Ghulam Sarwar Tok Dalang and Stories of Other Malaysians 193pp Partridge (Singapore) US $18.41.
Hadi M. Nor Family Values 221pp Fixi Novo (Petaling Jaya) RM19.90.
Kow Shih-Li The Sum of Our Follies 239pp Silverfish Books (Kuala Lumpur) RM36.
Lee Su Kim Sarong Secrets 199pp Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) S $18.60.
Ooi, Julya Here Be Nightmares 250pp Fixi Novo (Petaling Jaya) RM19.90.
Thomas, Matthew Anakara House 207pp Silverfish Books (Kuala Lumpur) RM36.
Tunku Halim Horror Stories 428pp Fixi Novo (Petaling Jaya) RM24.90.
—– Last Breath 413pp Fixi Novo (Petaling Jaya) RM24.90.
Wong Ming Yook In the Courtyard of the Sun 149pp Wong Ming Yook RM20.
Yap Chan Ling New Beginnings 405pp Marshall Cavendish Editions (Singapore) S $23.
Zen Cho Spirits Abroad 288pp Fixi Novo (Petaling Jaya) RM19.90.
Singapore
Chen, Kirstin Soy Sauce for Beginners 250pp Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Boston) US $23.
Cheng, Allan The Romance of Paris: A Truly Timeless Love Story 126pp Allan Cheng (Singapore) S $20.
Cheong, Felix Singapore Siu Dai: The SG Conversation in a Cup illus PMan 127pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $13.
—– Singapore Siu Dai 2: The SG Conversation Upsize! illus PMan 145pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $16.
Chin, Audrey As the Heart Bones Break 363pp Marshall Cavendish Editions (Singapore) S $21.
Gopal, Baratham The Collected Short Stories of Gopal Baratham 373pp Marshall Cavendish Editions (Singapore) S $22.46.
Ker, Justin The Space between the Raindrops 162pp Epigram Books (Singapore) S $18.90.
Kwa, Lydia Pulse second edn 237pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $20.
Lazaroo, Simone Lost River: Four Albums 297pp University of Western Australia Publishing (Perth) A $24.99.
Lee Chiu San Buy My Beloved Country 371pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $22.
Lee, Melanie Imaginary Friends: 26 Fables for the Kid in Us 83pp MPH Publishing (Petaling Jaya) RM19.90.
Li, Monica The Dragon Phoenix Bracelet 182pp Book Guild (Brighton) UK £16.99.
Moey, Nicky The Travelling Companion and Other Stories 160pp Nicky Moei Singapore S $15.
Poon, Wena The Adventures of Snow Fox & Sword Girl 404pp CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Seattle) US $16.95.
—– Kami and Kaze: A Story of Occupied Japan 138pp CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Seattle) US $11.97.
Rée, Wayne Tales from a Tiny Room 82pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $22.
Soh, Russ Tales from the ECP: A Collection of Short Stories 127pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $14.
Tan, Jolene A Certain Exposure: A Novel 213pp (Singapore) Epigram Books S $18.90.
Wong, Cyril Ten Things My Father Never Taught Me and Other Stories 180pp Epigram Books (Singapore) S $18.90
Woon, Walter C. M. The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea 285pp Marshall Cavendish Editions (Singapore) S $18.50.
Yap, Arthur Noon at Five O’Clock: The Collected Short Stories of Arthur Yap ed Angus Whitehead xxi+89pp [includes foreword by Rajeev Patke and an essay by Shirley Geok-Lin Lim] S $18.
Yu, Ovidia Aunty Lee’s Deadly Specials 360pp William Morrow (New York) US $14.99.
Anthologies
Regional
Bunga Emas and Tracks of a Tramp second edn ed T. Wignesan 287pp Silverfish Books (Kuala Lumpur) RM36 [also includes poems by Wignesan, from an earlier collection].
Malaysia
Asian Centre Anthology of Malaysian Poetry in English ed Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof 180pp Partridge (Singapore) S $23.05.
KL Noir: Blue ed Eeleen Lee 298pp Fixi Novo (Petaling Jaya) RM19.90.
KL Noir: Yellow ed Kris Williamson 279pp Fixi Novo (Petaling Jaya) RM19.90.
Lost in Putrajaya ed Zurairi A R 280pp Fixi Novo (Petaling Jaya) RM19.90.
Singapore
Body Boundaries: The EtiquetteSG Anthologies Volume 1 eds Tania De Rozario, Zarina Muhammad and Krishna Udayasankar 171pp The Literary Centre (Singapore) S $20.
Here and Beyond: 12 Stories ed Cyril Wong 259pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $16.
Kepulauan: A Collection of Poems eds Zhang Jieqiang, Hidhir Razak and Marcus Tan Yi-hern 151pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $18.
A Luxury We Cannot Afford: An Anthology of Singapore Poetry eds Christine Chia and Joshua Ip xxiii+127pp Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $19.
Red Pulse II: Poetry to a Local Beat eds Kevin Lam and Tan Xiang Yeow 101pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $18.
Singapore Noir ed Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan 237pp Akashic Books (New York) US $15.95.
SingPoWriMo: The Anthology eds Ann Ang, Joshua Ip and Pooja Nansi 264pp Math Paper Press Math Paper Press (Singapore) S $21.
Sound of Mind: A Teacher-Writers Anthology of Poems and Prompts eds Philip McConnell and Genevieve Wong 98pp Ethos Books (Singapore) S $16.
Starry Island: New Writing from Singapore eds Frank Stewart and Fiona Sze-Lorrain xiii+226pp University of Hawai’i Press (Honolulu) US $20.
Ten-a-City: Stories Built to Last 256pp National Library Board (Singapore) S $11.98.
This Is My Family: New Singapore Plays Volume 2 ed Lucas Ho 283pp Checkpoint Theatre S $24.90.
Criticism
Regional
Becoming Poets: The Asian English Experience Agnes S. L. Lam pp337 Peter Lang (Bern) US $93.95.
Malaysia
“The Art of Fiction: Indian Diaspora’s Gift to Malaysian Fiction-Writing Descendants of Other Diasporas” Chuah Guat Eng Diaspora Studies 7(1) pp18–27.
“Lady White: The Literary Migration of a Chinese Tale” Neil Khor Indonesia and the Malay World 42(123) pp286–303 [the influence of the Chinese tale “White Snake” on the multilingual literatures of Malaysia].
“The Linguistics of Creativity: Nativising Malaysian Postcolonial Creative Writings in English” Shakila Abdul Manan English in Malaysia: Postcolonial and Beyond Shakila Abdul Manan and Hajar Abdul Rahim eds Peter Lang (Bern) pp185–220.
Singapore
“45 Arts Groups Reject MDA Licensing Scheme” Helmi Yusof Business Times (Singapore) 31 May [objection to the self-classifying scheme proposed by Singapore’s Media Development Authority].
“45 Books on Singapore Lit Prize Shortlist” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 13 September [report on the works selected, in Singapore’s four official languages, for the Singapore Literature Prize].
“Art of Censorship in Singapore” Corrie Tan Straits Times 7 June.
“Arts Festival Bosses in Public Email Spat” Mayo Martin Today (Singapore) p32 [Singapore Arts Festival Artistic Director Ong Keng Sen accuses the Festival’s CEO of “hijacking” the festival].
“Arts Fest Stand-Off Continues” Akshita Nanda and Corrie Tan Straits Times 20 March [on the conflict between Ong Keng Sen and the CEO of the Arts Festival].
“Arts Groups Oppose Proposed Licensing Scheme” Channel NewsAsia 30 May [rejection of the MDA’s self-classifying scheme].
“Authors Share Tales on Literary Walks” Lisabel Ting Straits Times 25 October [literary walks led by local writers].
“Best of Local Lit on Screen” Genevieve Loh Today (Singapore) 30 July p72 [four Singapore short films, based on Singapore literary works].
“Centre 42 Unveils New Playwrights” Corrie Tan Straits Times 8 July [Three new playwrights were included in the centre’s inaugural scheme to nurture scriptwriting].
“A Centre to Hatch Plays, Playwrights” Rachel Loi Business Times (Singapore) 28 March [on the opening of Centre 42, which aims to develop both Singapore plays and playwrights].
“Cyril Wong, ed. Here and Beyond: 12 Stories” Somdatta Mandal Asiatic 8(2) pp216–219 http://goo.gl/nLIOlL [review of the volume of short stories edited by Wong; see
“Dark Tales of Singapore” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 11 May [review of Singapore Noir, see
“Directing the Write Stuff” Dylan Tan Business Times (Singapore) 25 July [four Singapore directors’ adaptations of local literature into short films].
“‘Doyenne of S’pore Publishers, 65, Dies” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 13 December [tribute to Shirley Hew, an important figure in the publication of English-language literary works from Singapore].
“Easier than Ever to Publish a Book in Singapore” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 24 June [about crowd-funding and self-publishing, in general, resulting in an increase of locally published works].
“Five Writers Pull out of NLB-Involved Events” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 12 July [writers’ withdrawal from activities organized by the National Library Board, to protest the removal of three children’s books from public libraries].
“Gender Bias Allegations over S’pore Literature Prize” Corrie Tan ANN Asia News Network 6 November [Poet Grace Chia’s allegation that women’s writing has been sidelined in the competition].
“The Global Asian Queer Boys of Singapore” Lim Eng-Beng Brown Boys and Rice Queens: Spellbinding Performance in the Asias 231pp NYU Press (New York) US $26 pp91–136.
“Lit Prize Not on Same Page as Publishers” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 7 October [difference of opinion on the impact of the Singapore Literature Prize].
“Making Visible” Daryl Lim Wei Jie Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(2) [review of Passages: Stories of Unspoken Journeys ed Yong Shu Hoong (2013)].
“More Schools Going Local for Literature” Pearl Lee Straits Times 9 September [Singapore literature being taught at Singapore schools].
“Neighbourhood Schools Lead in Teaching Local Lit” Pearl Lee Straits Times 13 September.
“A New Page for Playwriting” Corrie Tan Straits Times 22 April [the opening of Centre 42, which aims to document, promote and produce writing for the Singapore stage].
“No Mandarin This Year in the Language of Art” Jacqueline Woo MyPaper 10 April pA3 [conspicuous absence from the Singapore Arts Festival, which is directed this year by Ong Keng Sen, of a full production from China or even one that is in the Mandarin language].
“Personal Tales in Print” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 21 October [on recent memoirs written by Singaporeans].
“Poetry in Motion: Is Singapore’s Poetry Scene in the Middle of a Boom?” Mayo Martin Today (Singapore) 6 December p24.
“Poets Aplenty” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 27 July [the publication of six volumes of poetry by Singapore poets in the month of July].
“Power of the Spoken Word” Nabilah Said Straits Times 28 November [the burgeoning of poetry performance events in Singapore].
“Proust Questionnaire: 17 Questions with Fong Hoe Fang” Yeow Kai Chai Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(3) http://www.qlrs.com/interview.asp?id=1111 [responses from the prominent publisher of Singaporean literary works in English].
“Public Row Erupts between Arts Festival Leaders” Corrie Tan Straits Times 19 March [public disagreements between Ong Keng Sen and the Festival CEO Lee Chor Lin].
“Read the Book, See the Sights” Cheryl Mui Straits Times 27 June [two literary walks in Singapore conducted by authors].
“Remembering a Renaissance Man” Business Times (Singapore) 25 July [retrospective on Donald Moore, who made important contributions to the Singaporean and West Malaysian arts and cultural scenes between 1947 and 1976].
“Singapore: Changing of the Guards” Agnes S. L. Lam Becoming Poets… pp109–158 [on how Singaporean writers become published poets, see
“A Singapore Literature Fest in New York” Melissa Sim Straits Times 12 July [preview of festival to be held in October].
“SRT’s Made in Singapore Programme Shines the Spotlight on Local Stage Scribes” Mayo Martin Today 1 March p30 [on the Singapore Repertory Theatre’s Made in Singapore series].
“Tension Boils over in Lead up to This Year’s Festival of Arts” Helmi Yusof Business Times (Singapore) 19 March [Ong Keng Sen alleged that Lee Chor Lin, the chief executive of Singapore Arts Festival Ltd, kept him in the dark about the content and design of the festival brochures].
“Text App-eal for Verse Lovers” Nabilah Said Straits Times 5 December [free poetry app by The Arts House, connecting poems with locations in Singapore].
“Serenading Tiong Bahru” Amanda See Straits Times 25 April [original songs and poems written to celebrate the Tiong Bahru enclave of Singapore].
“Writers Boycott” Linette Heng The New Paper 12 July [writers’ boycott of an event organized by the National Library, due to the library’s withdrawal of three children’s books].
“Writers Fest Ends on a High” Corrie Tan Straits Times 11 November [highly successful Writers Festival, which had been directed for four years by poet Paul Tan].
“Writers Festival Drew Bigger Crowd” Corrie Tan Straits Times 27 November.
Malaysia
Amir Muhammad “Proust Questionnaire: 17 Questions with Amir Muhammad” Phan Ming Yen Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(3) http://www.qlrs.com/interview.asp?id=1112 [questions posed to the dynamic author, filmmaker and publisher, centring on his recent role as a publisher].
Aw, Tash “‘After the Break’: Re-Conceptualizing Ethnicity, National Identity and ‘Malaysian-Chinese’ Identities” Sharmani Patricia Gabriel Ethnic & Racial Studies 37(7) pp1211–1224 [on Aw’s Harmony Silk Factory (2005)].
—– “Author Tash Aw Talks Migration and Tough Choices” Sara Schonhardt Wall Street Journal (Southeast Asia) 14 October [on his talk at the International Ubud Writer’s Festival in Bali during the year].
—– “Five Star Billionaire” Ammara Khan Kashmir Monitor 23 March http://goo.gl/Lg7xb4 [review].
—– “Shanghai Sizzle” Trish Bolton Sun Herald (Sydney) 3 August p24 [review of Five Star Billionaire].
—– “Tactical Objectivism: Recognizing the Object within the Subjective Logic of Neoliberalism in the Fiction of Tash Aw and Lydia Kwa” Weihsin Gui LIT: Literature Interpretation Theory 25(4) pp291–311.
Bhanu, Udaya R. “Dark Eyes and Other Poems by Udaya R. Bhanu” Kirkus Review 82(10) p355 [review of her book of poems: see
Fernando, Lloyd “Malay Characters in Lloyd Fernando’s Green Is the Colour” Madiha Ramlan Asiatic 8(2) pp125–136 http://goo.gl/s6yD4d.
—– “Violence and Comedy: The Malayan Emergency in the Malaysian Novels of Lloyd Fernando and Anthony Burgess” Chiu Man Yin Journal of Literature and Trauma Studies 2(1–2) pp87–91.
Flint, Shamini Mahadevan “The Dark Side of Asia with Inspector Singh” Vikas Datta Indo-Asian News Service 6 April http://goo.gl/N25hM6 [on the chief character of her crime novels].
Kow Shih-Li “Shih-Li Kow, The Sum of Our Follies” Carol Leon Asiatic 8(2) pp226–228 http://goo.gl/LzI5NK [review of Kow’s novel; see
—– “Stranger than Fiction” Michelle Tam The Star 14 September http://goo.gl/I4QbYU [review of Sum of Our Follies].
Lee Kok Liang Approaching Postcolonial and Psychoanalytic Criticism in Literary Studies: An Illustration of an Analysis of a Malaysian Novel Subarna Sivapalan 116pp Trafford Publishing (Singapore) [on Lee’s London Does Not Belong to Me].
Lee Su Kim “From Kebaya Tales to Sarong Secrets” Kenny Mah Malay Mail 17 January http://goo.gl/6zyWJX [review of Sarong Secrets; see
Lim, Shirley Geok-lin “Cosmopolitan Pedagogies: Revisiting Shirley Geok-lin Lim’s Short Fiction” Philip Holden Asiatic 8(1) pp195–208 http://goo.gl/rBWkTo.
—– “‘Eating Words’: Alimentary Motifs in Shirley Geok-lin Lim’s Poetry” Andrew Hock Soon Ng Asiatic 8(1) pp55–71 http://goo.gl/WdEvWe.
—– “Exploring the Issues of Gender and Ethnicity in Shirley Geok-lin Lim’s Sister Swing” Elisabetta Marino Asiatic 8(1) pp185–194 http://goo.gl/XYlCoV.
—– “‘How Can I Prove that I Am Not Who I Am?’: Layered Identities and Genres in the Work of Shirley Geok-lin Lim” Katrina M. Powell Asiatic 8(1) pp25–39 http://goo.gl/qp4gKC.
—– “‘Imagination Is a Tricky Power’: Transnationalism and Aesthetic Education in Shirley Geok-lin Lim’s Work” Silvia Schultermandl Asiatic 8(1) pp40–54 http://goo.gl/754u1u.
—– “Longing and Belonging, Exile and Home in Shirley Geok-lin Lim’s Joss and Gold” Chingyen Yang Mayer Asiatic 8(1) pp162–172
—– “Moving Home, Writing Home: Transnational Identity in Shirley Geok-lin Lim’s Among the White Moon Faces” Nelly Mok Asiatic 8(1) pp143–161 http://goo.gl/xGC1Fm.
—– “‘A Multilingual Life’: The Cosmopolitan and Globalectic Dimensions of Shirley Geok-lin Lim’s Writings” Sneja Gunew Asiatic 8(1) pp12–24 http://goo.gl/RPHpsx.
—– “‘Negative Difference’ and Its Role in Writing: Shirley Geok-lin Lim’s Among the White Moon Faces” Srimati Mukherjee Asiatic 8(1) pp131–142 http://goo.gl/6yhpUY.
—– “Postcolonial History and National Identity in Shirley Geok-lin Lim’s Among the White Moon Faces, Joss and Gold and Li-Young Lee’s The Winged Seed Walter S.H. Lim Asiatic 8(1) pp114–130 http://goo.gl/cA4g9O.
—– “Self-Referential Narrative and Creative Filiation in Chinese American Writing: Maxine Hong Kingston and Shirley Geok-lin Lim” Nicoleta Alexoae Zagni Asiatic 8(1) pp197–113 http://goo.gl/b0tPg1.
—– “Walking Backwards and Sideways: The Transmigrations of the Poet in Shirley Geok-lin Lim’s Work” Pauline T. Newton Asiatic 8(1) pp85–96 http://goo.gl/EQy9w7.
—– “Walking between Land and Water: Pedestrian Poetics in the Poetry of Shirley Geok-lin Lim” Boey Kim Cheng Asiatic 8(1) pp72–84 http://goo.gl/eN16xW.
—– “Walking with Her Muse: An Interview with Shirley Geok-lin Lim” Pauline T. Newton Contemporary Women’s Writing 8(2) pp123–135.
—– “Writing Back: Ethics and Aesthetics in Joss and Gold” Chitra Sankaran Asiatic 8(1) pp173–184 http://goo.gl/WzAznW.
Muhammad Haji Salleh “The World is My Bookshop: An Interview with Muhammad Haji Salleh” Siti Nuraishah Ahmad Asiatic 8(2) pp195–205 http://goo.gl/XIVhL1.
Preeta Samarasan “Class and the Time of the Nation in Preeta Samarasan’s Evening Is the Whole Day” Erwin Lee ARIEL: A Review of International English Literature 14(1–2) pp195–220
Tan Twan Eng “2013 Book Prize Winner’s ‘Amazing’ Year” Southern Reporter 8 June http://goo.gl/Kc8O7Z [on winning the Walter Scott Prize in 2013].
—– “Ecology, Ethics, and the Future: Tan Twan Eng’s The Garden of Evening Mists” Gail Fincham English Academy Review 31(2) pp125–137.
—– “How Will ‘The Garden of Evening Mist’ Grow” June H. L. Wong The Star 8 October http://goo.gl/LGQhaJ.
—– “Memories of Turbulent Times, Difficult Loyalties: Tan Twan Eng’s Malaysia in War Novels” Vikas Datta Indo-Asian News Service 26 October https://goo.gl/drozJD.
—– “Retrieving Lost Histories: Spaces of Healing, Spaces of Liberation” Carol Leon, and Gladys Koh Asiatic 8(2) pp110-124 http://goo.gl/t1d6dT [on Tan’s The Gift of Rain (2008)].
—– “Tan Twan Eng in Conversation” Maya Jaggi Wasafiri 29(1) pp3–7.
Thomas, Matthew “Matthew Thomas, Anakara House” Susan Philip Asiatic 8(2) pp220–222 http://goo.gl/XzsHkc [review of Thomas’ novel; see
Zhang Su Li “Writer Champions ‘Reckless’ Travel” New Indian Express 29 September.
Singapore
Alfian Sa’at “A Hilarious Journey” Lisabel Ting Straits Times 24 November [review of the performance of Alfian’s adaptation of the Chinese classic, Journey to the West].
—– “A Singular Triumph for Wild Rice” Helmi Yusof Business Times (Singapore) 28 November [review of performance of Alfian’s Journey to the West].
—– “Theatre Review: Monkey Goes West” Mayo Martin Today (Singapore) 24 November p36 [review of performance of Alfian’s Journey to the West].
Chen, Kirsten “17 Books That Will Transport You to Another World [no. 14]”
oprah.com
http://goo.gl/63cvdH [on Soy Sauce for Beginners; see
—– “Book Review: ‘Soy Sauce for Beginners’ by Kirstin Chen” Abbie Reetz The Daily Quirk 2 February http://goo.gl/htecYK
—– “Soy Sauce for Beginners” Chloe Krug Benjamin Washington Independent Review of Books 22 January http://goo.gl/cTNezZ.
Cheong, Felix “Funny Coffee Shop Stories” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 23 February [interview on Singapore Siu Dai, see
—– “Out to Lighten the Mood Here” Rachel Loi Business Times (Singapore) [on the writing of Singapore Siu Dai].
Cher, Ming “Spider Boys Sequel after 20 Years” Nabilah Said Straits Times 18 November [Cher’s manuscript of the sequel to his first novel (1995)].
Chia, Christine “Millefeuille” Philip Holden Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(4) http://www.qlrs.com/critique.asp?id=1142 [review of Separation: A History, see
Chiang, Michael “Beauty World Wears Its Local Pedigree with Pride” Corrie Tan Straits Times 28 October [on Chiang’s Beauty World, play set to music which was first performed in 1988].
—– “From Army Daze to 8 Days, Michael Chiang Has Got the Midas Touch” Mayo Martin Today (Singapore) 29 September p34.
—– See
Chin, Audrey “Book Review, Audrey Chin’s As the Heart Bones Break” Lucy Van Peril Magazine: Asian-Australian Arts and Culture: Reviews 27 May http://goo.gl/5wrN0S [see
Chong, Eileen “Lens Flare by Benedict Andrews and Peony by Eileen Chong” Geoff Page Mascara Literary Review 14 October http://goo.gl/W1PzIO [review of Peony; see
Chong, Oliver “Heartfelt Search for Origins” Corrie Tan Straits Times 18 October [review of the writer’s performance of his acclaimed trilingual play Roots].
—– “Monologue Magic: Masterful Storytelling in This One-Man Show by The Finger Players’ Oliver Chong” Mayo Martin Today (Singapore) 18 October p33 [review of Roots].
Chong Tze Chien “One Good Turn Deserves a Revival” Helmi Yusof Business Times (Singapore) 10 October [revival of Chong’s Turn by Turn We Turn, first performed in 2011].
—– “Stage as Reflection of Society’s Struggles” Corrie Tan Straits Times 3 May [review of performance of Chong’s Rant & Rave].
Chua, Damon “Singaporean’s Play Debuts in New York” Melissa Sim Straits Times 11 November [upcoming staging of Chua’s award-winning play Film Chinois in New York].
Chua, Dave “Gone Case Gone to TV” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 25 January [adaptation of Chua’s novel Gone Case for television]
Goh Boon Teck “S’pore Movie about Rookie Soldiers to Go on Stage” Gwendolyn waaNg Asia News Network 16 January [stage adaptation of the movie Ah Boys to Men].
Gopal Baratham “Rediscovering Singapore’s Literary Pioneer” Deepika Shetty Straits Times 8 November [sessions on the late writer at the Singapore Writers Festival, on the occasion of the publication of his Collected Short Stories: see
Ip, Joshua “Prized Verses” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 28 December [interview with Lee and Joshua Ip].
Kon, Stella “Kaveri of Kittale Villa: A Clash of Cultures” Sowmya Aji Bangalore Mirror 23 April http://goo.gl/A1P7ct [adaptation in the Kodava language, of Kon’s Emily of Emerald Hill].
—– “Stellar Portrayal” Quah Su Ann The Edge Financial Daily 24 April [restaging of Emily at Kuala Lumpur].
—– “Turning the Tide with Emily” Corrie Tan Straits Times 26 August [on Kon’s Emily of Emerald Hill].
Kuo Pao Kun “Between a Subject and an Object: Representation of China in Kuo Pao-kun’s Singapore and Denny Yung’s Hong Kong” Asian Ethnicity 16(1) pp43–58.
—– “Decoding Kuo Pao Kun: A Close Reading of No Parking on Odd Days and The Coffin Is Too Big for the Hole” Levi Shen Asian Theatre Journal 32(1) pp280–294.
—– “Veiled Digs at Society and Red Tape” Corrie Tan Straits Times 30 September [on The Coffin Is Too Big For The Hole].
—– “When Power Defines Freedom, Dreams” S. Anandan The Hindu 11 October [performance of Malayalam translation of Kuo’s Coffin at Kochi, India].
Kwa, Lydia “Interview with Lydia Kwa” Junoesq Literary Journal 2 http://www.junoesq.com/?p=762.
—– “Lydia Kwa, Pulse” Philip Holden Asiatic(2) pp213–215 http://goo.gl/y3fS1f [review of Kwa’s novel, which was reprinted by Ethos Books (Singapore) in 2014].
—– See also
Kwan, Kevin “Ivanhoe Pictures Bets on Crazy Rich Asians” Howard Winn South China Morning Post 5 April [filming the adaptation of Kwan’s 2013 novel].
Lee, Aaron “Proust Questionnaire: 17 Questions with Aaron Lee” Yeow Kai Chai Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(4)
http://www.qlrs.com/interview.asp?id=1137.
—– See
Lee, Cheryl Julia “Staff Spotlight: Cheryl Julia Lee Releases Book of Poetry” The Adroit Journal Blog 2 September http://goo.gl/EqdXZz.
Lee, Dick “Dick Lee Mines Dad’s War Diaries for Play” Helmi Yusof Business Times (Singapore) 28 February [Lee, who is better known as a musician, writes his first “serious” dramatic play, Rising Son].
—– “A Human Perspective of Occupation” Rachel Loi Business Times (Singapore) 4 April [review of performance of Rising Son].
—– “Love Thy Neighbour: Dick Lee’s Latest Explores Friendship during Wartime” Mayo Martin Today (Singapore) 31 March p41 [review of Rising Son].
—– “War Play Lacks Danger” Corrie Tan Straits Times 31 March [review of Rising Son].
Lazaroo, Simone “Light in the Darkness” Claire Scobie Sydney Morning Herald 5 July p33 [review of Lost River: Four Albums, see
—– “A Lonely Life Endured” Alison Broinowski Canberra Times 6 September pF026 [review of Lost River…].
—– “Simone Lazaroo, Lost River: Four Albums” Kay Hart Transnational Literature 7(1) http://goo.gl/SouQQL [review].
Lee Koe, Amanda “Debut Work Wins English Fiction Award in S’pore Lit Prize” Huang Lijie Straits Times 5 November [Ministry of Moral Panic (2013) wins the Singapore Literature Prize for English fiction].
—– “Ministry of Moral Panic” Rosie Milne Caixin Online 7 November http://goo.gl/dUYU5e [review of Lee Koe’s book].
—– “A Perfect Fit for Writing” Nabilah Said Straits Times 23 November [interview].
—– “A Shattered Kaleidoscope” Sam Ng Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(1) http://www.qlrs.com/critique.asp?id=1074 [review of Ministry of Moral Panic].
Lee Tzu Pheng “Catholic Poet Talks about Her Faith and Her Poetry” Catholic News 64(18)
—– “Interview with Anne Lee Tzu Pheng” Junoesq Literary Journal 1 http://www.junoesq.com/?p=256.
Lim, Catherine “Govt Refutes Author’s Claims over Public Trust” Tham Yuen-C Straits Times 14 June [on Lim’s claim, in her open letter to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, that trust in the government is lacking].
—– “Letter to P.M. Stirs Both Fans and Critics” Satish Cheney South China Morning Post 9 June [on Lim’s open letter to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong].
Lim Chor Pee “Fan the Fire of Theatre” Corrie Tan Straits Times 24 June [on Lim’s Mimi Fan, one of the pioneering works of Singapore English-language theatre].
Lim, Suchen Christine “In Conversation with Suchen Christine Lim” Uma Jayaraman, Asiatic 8(1) pp209–214 http://goo.gl/tAJcV1.
—– “Suchen Christine Lim, The River’s Song” Roderick B. Overaa Asiatic 8(1) pp257–260 http://goo.gl/9P0eRC [review of Lim’s 2013 novel].
Nalpon, Gregory “Illusions of Memory” Ng Yi-Sheng Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(2) http://www.qlrs.com/critique.asp?id=1104 [review of The Wayang at Eight Milestone (2013)].
O Thiam Chin “Grasping at Shadows” Jolene Tan Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(2) http://www.qlrs.com/critique.asp?id=1102 [review of Love, Or Something like Love (2013)].
Sharma, Haresh “Capturing the Angry Singaporean” Corrie Tan Straits Times 25 February [preview of the staging of Sharma’s Poor Thing].
—– “Classic Indian Poetry Inspires Two New Plays” Helmi Yusof Business Times (Singapore) 1 August [on the use of Tagore and Kalidasa for his forthcoming plays].
—– “Crossing Borders; The Necessary Stage’s Latest Interdisciplinary Offering Features Indian Classical Dance and Tagore’s Poetry” Mayo Martin Today (Singapore) 13 September p27 [preview of Sharma’s stage adaptation of Tagore’s collection of poems, Gitanjali].
—– “A Dose of Daily Drama” Cheah Ui-Hoon Business Times (Singapore) 7 February [preview of Poor Thing].
—– “Full Throttle: The Necessary Stage Changes How We Watch Theatre in Both Real and Virtual Worlds” Mayo Martin Today (Singapore) 1 March [on the interactive format of Poor Thing].
—– “Gitanjali’s Great Leap Falls Short” Corrie Tan Straits Times 29 September [review of Sharma’s adaptation of Tagore’s Gitanjali].
—– “Gritty Clash of Classes” Helmi Yusof Business Times (Singapore) 7 March 2014 [review of Poor Thing].
—– “Hot off the Press: Best of Stage to Page” Corrie Tan Straits Times 19 October [reviews of publications of Sharma’s Eclipse and Best Of and Michael Chiang’s Play Things; see
—– “Light, Fluffy Yet Loaded with a Message” Ho Ai Li Straits Times 12 August [review of performance of Cloud Messenger, based on Kalidasa’s poem Megha Duta].
—– “The Necessary Stage Takes on Dance” Corrie Tan Straits Times 16 September [use of dance in Sharma’s adaptation of Tagore’s Gitanjali].
—– “Things Fall Apart” Corrie Tan Straits Times 28 February [review of Poor Thing].
Sim, Desmond “First to Buloh, then to MBS” Lakeisha Leo The New Paper 29 October [on Sim’s musical A Nation in Concert].
Sin, Damien “Film Dedicated to Damien Sin” John Lui Straits Times 15 October [Singaporean film director Eric Khoo, dedicates his film In the Room to Sin, who died of a drug overdose in 2011].
Singh, Kirpal “No Holds Barred Memoir” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 11 April [review of Naked Ape, Naked Boss; see
Tan, Joel “Finding Love Late in Life” Nabilah Said Straits Times 11 November [preview of the staging of Tan’s play, The Way We Go].
—– “A Natural Voice: Young Playwright Joel Tan on the Beauty of Conversations and Working with Amateur Groups” Mayo Martin Today (Singapore) 13 November p60 [interview].
—– “Never Too Late for Romance” Lisa Fratini Business Times (Singapore) 7 November [preview of The Way We Go].
—– “People Offer Vignettes of Hope” Corrie Tan Straits Times 27 January [review of performance of Tan’s People].
Tan, Jolene “Bullies Exposed” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 13 April [interview on A Certain Exposure, see
—– “Good Stab out of the Uniform” Akshita Nanda Straits Times 13 April [review of A Certain Exposure].
—– “Indecent Exposure” Toh Hsien Min Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(3) http://www.qlrs.com/critique.asp?id=1110 [review of A Certain Exposure].
—– “Interview with Jolene Tan” Junoesq Literary Journal 1 http://www.junoesq.com/?p=316.
Tan, Michelle “Dear Nora Till Debt Do Us Part” Mayo Martin Today (Singapore) 20 June 2014 [review of performance of Tan’s Dear Nora].
—– “Feminist Classic A Doll’s House Gets a Reboot” Helmi Yusof Business Times (Singapore) 13 June [Tan’s Dear Nora, a modern Singaporean interpretation of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House].
—– “Gentle Adaptation, Lacklustre Performances” Lisabel Ting Straits Times 20 June [review of Dear Nora].
—– “Introducing Nora: Young Theatre Group Our Company Takes on Ibsen’s A Doll’s House” Mayo Martin Today (Singapore) 14 June [Tan’s Dear Nora, to be performed by a new theatre company].
Tan, Sandi “Interview with Sandi Tan” Junoesq Literary Journal 2 http://www.junoesq.com/?p=764.
Tan Tarn How “A Lady Who Heralded Change” Corrie Tan Straits Times 25 November [on Tan’s The Lady of Soul and Her Ultimate ‘S’ Machine].
Tay, Jean “Murder in a Penal Colony in Singapore” Corrie Tan Straits Times 6 May [preview of staging of Tay’s Senang].
—– “Nothing Easy about This Experiment” Cheah Ui-Hoon Business Times (Singapore) 23 May [review of Senang].
—– “A Riot of a Play” Mayo Martin Today (Singapore) 3 May p24 [preview of staging of Tay’s Senang].
—– “Sluggish Prison Drama” Adeline Chia Straits Times 17 May [review of Senang].
Tham, Claire “Proust Questionnaire: 17 Questions with Claire Tham” Yong Shu Hoong Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(1) http://www.qlrs.com/interview.asp?id=1064.
Thumboo, Edwin “The Quest for Identity” Ajit John Herald (Goa) 10 December [the search for identity in Thumboo’s poems and other published works].
Wong, Cyril “Cyril Wong, The Last Lesson of Mrs De Souza” Uma Jayaraman Asiatic 8(1) pp261–263 http://goo.gl/wK6RDW [review of Wong’s 2013 novel].
—– “Immeasurables: Four Ways of Writing about Cyril Wong’s Satori Blues” Koh Jee Leong Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(2) http://www.qlrs.com/essay.asp?id=1093.
—– “An Interview with Cyril Wong” Uma Jayaraman Asiatic 8(1) pp228–236 http://goo.gl/AiB3f5.
Wong, Eleanor “Burning Down the Closet Door” Corrie Tan Straits Times 30 December [on Wong’s Mergers and Acquisitions, first staged in 1993].
Wong May “A Review of Wong May’s Picasso’s Tears” Paul Cunningham Fanzine 13 November http://goo.gl/m4lSo0.
—– “Wong May’s ‘Picasso’s Tears’ a Meditative, Political Work in Gorgeous Free Verse” L McKee International Examiner 25 April http://goo.gl/AGAuDf.
Yeo, Robert “Political Drama of a New Nation” Corrie Tan Straits Times 22 July [on Yeo’s play, Are You There, Singapore?].
Yap, Arthur “Arthur Yap’s Ecological Poetics of the Daily” Zhou Xiaojing Lines and City Spaces… ed Gui pp114–132 (see
—– “Book of the Month; Arthur’s Gems” Yeow Kai Chai Straits Times 5 January [on The Collected Poems of Arthur Yap (2013)].
—– “Classical Collapse” Jeremy Noel-Tod Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(3) http://www.qlrs.com/critique.asp?id=1108 [review of The Collected Poems of Arthur Yap (2013)].
—– Common Lines and City Spaces: A Critical Anthology on Arthur Yap ed Gui Weihsin x+198pp Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (Singapore) US $16.90.
Yong Shu Hoong “Through a Glass Brightly” Gwee Li Sui Quarterly Literary Review Singapore 13(2) [review of The Viewing Party (2013)].
Zizi Azah “Exploring Paradise” Corrie Tan Straits Times 2 December [preview of staging of Zizi’s Paradise].
—– “Paradise Lost in Murky Chaos” Corrie Tan Straits Times 6 December [preview of Paradise].
—– “Post-apocalyptic Play Questions Humanity” Helmi Yusof Business Times 18 November (Singapore) [preview of Paradise].
Non-fiction
Malaysia
Gulsara, Farouk Inside the Twisted Mind of Rifle Range Boy 257pp Asokan Shamuganathan (Kuala Lumpur) RM30.
Singapore
Singh, Kirpal Naked Ape, Naked Boss 224pp Marshall Cavendish Editions [biography of the founder of the Singapore Zoo, Bernard Harrison] S $24.30.