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“Rising China, Chinese Cultural and its Transformation in Southeast Asia”
The rise of China as a global superpower, and the myriad impacts of “rising China” on Southeast Asia have energised a sizeable volume of scholarly literature and punditry. Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS)-Yusof Ishak Institute—one of the leading think tanks in Southeast Asia—has made notable efforts in explaining these impacts, especially in relation…
“The Forest of Snow” by Swami Ramananda Bharati
In Hindu mythology, the snow-capped region of Kailash in Tibet is believed to be the abode of Kailashpati or Lord…
“The Nylon Hotel: Buying Rubies and Following the Circus in Myanmar” by Daniel Ehrlich
Daniel Ehrlich spent four decades as a laboratory head at MIT, leading national programs in semiconductors and optics. Beginning in…
“Sea of Treasures” by Jeremy A Simmons
When Alaric laid siege to Rome in 408 CE, the desperate city sued for peace, paying 5,000 pounds of gold,…
“Electric Vehicles: Implications for Developing Countries”
Electric Vehicles is a dense and chart-laden monograph; it is not for the faint-hearted. What makes it worth the effort,…
“Blood Dawn: World War II and the Making of Modern Asia” by Hans Van de Ven
World War II, as Hans Van De Ven writes in his new book Blood Dawn, reordered Asia’s geopolitics. During the war, national independence movements in Asia whose origins dated back to the First World War and in some cases earlier, emerged stronger in the wake of Japan’s defeat. The surrender of Japan to the Allies…
“Patchwork Dolls” by Ysabelle Cheung
In the title story of Ysabelle Cheung’s debut story collection Patchwork Dolls, the narrator Sophia and her childhood friends sell bits of their bodies so they can pay down their student loans, start businesses and afford luxuries. Mahika had sold her deep-set eyes, her nose, her dimples, her lips; Jumana her sharp, symmetrical cheekbones; and…
“Kiki and the New Magic” by Eiko Kadono
The young witch Kiki, protagonist of Eiko Kadano’s beloved Kiki’s Delivery Service, is now fourteen years old. After a quick…
“The Girl With The Seven Lives” by Vikas Swarup
This review was originally posted in August 2024 and has been re-posted for its US release. Vikas Swarup is interested…
“Beyond Mount Kailash” by Mitya New
Mitya New’s earlier career as a foreign correspondent in Hong Kong, China, and Europe and his present position at universities…
“The First House” by Avni Doshi
The First House opens with a dramatic pitch: a woman’s husband walks into their bedroom and tells her, with no…
“Masters of Sleep” by Zhu Ye
Masters of Sleep by Zhu Yue, a Beijing-born author with both a legal and philosophical background, is one of three published collections of short stories, and the first translated into English. Translated by Jianan Qian and Alyssa Asquith, it is an esoteric, ironic book. Some stories read as if written in the Victorian era. Others…
“Snakes of Singapore: A Slightly Unhinged Field Guide” by Juliette Yu-Ming Lizeray
Meet Singapore’s strangest inhabitants. The snake that cartwheels. The snake that clones itself. The snake that flies through the air. Snakes are everywhere in Singapore, gliding through mangroves, sunning on…
“My Wild City: Finding Nature, Meaning, and Hope in India’s Capital” by Neha Sinha
In My Wild City, acclaimed nature writer Neha Sinha takes us on an unforgettable journey through the hidden wildernesses of the bustling metropolis of Delhi, India, where she finds as…
“Chinese Media Improvisations” by Xuenan Cao
Xuenan Cao offers an unexpected angle on China’s technological rise, spotlighting the role of deficit-driven improvisation. As Cao demonstrates, where printing paper, computers, and microchips have been in shortage, media…
“Stormy Seas” by Thung-Hong Lin
How can a small democracy resist the influence of a powerful authoritarian neighbor? Taiwan is frequently praised for its successful economic development and peaceful transition to democracy, serving as a…
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