Singapore Noir (Akashic Noir)

"Singapore, with its great wealth and great poverty existing amid ethnic, linguistic, and cultural tensions, offers fertile ground for bleak fiction, as shown by the 14 tales in this solid Akashic noir anthology...Tan has assembled a strong lineup of Singapore natives and knowledgeable visitors for this volume exploring the dark side of a fascinating country." — Publishers Weekly " Singapore Noir is another fine addition to the Akashic's Noir series. Under Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan's tutelage, the stories puncture the stereotypes associated with Singapore and push the genre in new directions." — Chicago Center for Literature and Photography Included in Recent Books of Note, Toronto Star " Singapore Noir is for the Noir fiction lover." — A Bibliophile's Reverie Launched with the summer '04 award-winning best seller Brooklyn Noir , Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original... ebook,book Launched with the summer ?04 award-winning best seller Brooklyn Noir, Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies. Each book is comprised of all-new stories, each one set in a distinct neighborhood or location within the city of the book. Brand-new stories by: Colin Goh, Simon Tay/Donald Tee Quee Ho, Philip Jeyaretnam, Colin Cheong, Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan, Monica Bhide, S.J. Rozan, Lawrence Osborne, Suchen Christine Lim, Ovidia Yu, Damon Chua, Johann S. Lee, Dave Chua, and Nury Vittachi. From the introduction by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan: “Say Singapore to anyone and you?ll likely hear one of a few words: Caning. Fines. Chewing gum. For much of the West, the narrative of Singapore?a modern Southeast Asian city-state perched on an island on the tip of the Malay Peninsula?has been marked largely by its government?s strict laws and unwavering enforcement of them . . . As much as I understand these outside viewpoints, I have always lamented that the quirky and dark complexities of my native country?s culture rarely seem to make it past its borders . . . Beneath its sparkling veneer is a country teeming with shadows . . . And its stories remain. The rich stories that attracted literary lions W. Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling to hold court at the Raffles Hotel (where the Singapore Sling was created) are still sprinkled throughout its neighborhoods. And in the following pages, you?ll get the chance to discover some of them . . . You?ll find stories from some of the best contemporary writers in Singapore?three of them winners of the Singapore Literature Prize, essentially the country?s Pulitzer: Simon Tay, writing as Donald Tee Quee Ho, tells the story of a hard-boiled detective who inadvertently wends his way into the underbelly of organized crime, Colin Cheong shows us a surprising side to the country?s ubiquitous cheerful ?taxi uncle,? while Suchen Christine Lim spins a wistful tale of a Chinese temple medium whose past resurges to haunt her . . . As for mine, I chose a setting close to my heart?the kelongs, or old fisheries on stilts, that once dotted the waters of Singapore but are gradually disappearing. I have a deep sense of romance about these kelongs, along with the many other settings, characters, nuances, and quirks that you?ll see in these stories. They?re intense, inky, nebulous. There is evil, sadness, a foreboding. And liars, cheaters, the valiant abound. This is a Singapore rarely explored in Western literature?until now. No Disneyland here; but there is a death penalty.” "Singapore, with its great wealth and great poverty existing amid ethnic, linguistic, and cultural tensions, offers fertile ground for bleak fiction, as shown by the 14 tales in this solid Akashic noir anthology ... Tan has assembled a strong lineup of Singapore natives and knowledgeable visitors for this volume exploring the dark side of a fascinating country."--Singapore Noir-- -- -- Write Lies Launched with the summer '04 award-winning best seller -- Singapore For much of the West, the narrative of Singapore--a modern Southeast Asian city-state perched on an island on the tip of the Malay Peninsula--has been marked largely by its government's strict laws and unwavering enforcement of them ... As much as I understand these outside viewpoints, I have always lamented that the quirky and dark complexities of my native country's culture rarely seem to make it past its borders ... Beneath its sparkling veneer is a country teeming with shadows ... And its stories remain. The rich stories that attracted literary lions W. Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling to hold court at the Raffles Hotel (where the Singapore Sling was created) are still sprinkled throughout its neighborhoods. And in the following pages, you'll get the chance to discover some of them ... You'll find stories from some of the best contemporary writers in Singapore--three of them winners of the Singapore Literature Prize, essentially the country's Pulitzer: Simon Tay, writing as Donald Tee Quee Ho, tells the story of a hard-boiled detective who inadvertently wends his way into the underbelly of organized crime, Colin Cheong shows us a surprising side to the country's ubiquitous cheerful 'taxi uncle, ' while Suchen Christine Lim spins a wistful tale of a Chinese temple medium whose past resurges to haunt her ... As for mine, I chose a setting close to my heart--the kelongs This is a Singapore rarely explored in Western literature--until now. No Disneyland here; but there is a death penalty." The Dark Side Of The Lion City Is Explored In A Thrilling Anthology That Gives “plenty Of New And Unfamiliar Voices A Chance To Shine” (san Francisco Book Review). The Island City-state Of Singapore Harbors Unique Customs And Traditions Largely Unknown To The West. A Booming Economy And Embrace Of Conformity Overshadow Its Gambling Dens, Red-light Districts, And A Collective Passion For Ghostly And Gory Tales. Now, In Singapore Noir, Some Of Its Best Contemporary Authors Delve Into Its Seedy Side, Including Three Winners Of The Singapore Literature Prize: Simon Tay (writing As Donald Tee Quee Ho), Colin Cheong, And Suchen Christine Lim, Whose Contribution Was Named A Finalist For The Private Eye Writers Of America Shamus Award For Best P.i. Short Story. Eleven More Tales Showcase The Talents Of Colin Goh, Philip Jeyaretnam, Cheryl Lu-lien Tan, Monica Bhide, S.j. Rozan, Lawrence Osborne, Ovidia Yu, Damon Chua, Johann S. Lee, Dave Chua, And Nury Vittachi. “singapore, With Its Great Wealth And Great Poverty Existing Amid Ethnic, Linguistic, And Cultural Tensions, Offers Fertile Ground For Bleak Fiction . . . Tan Has Assembled A Strong Lineup Of Singapore Natives And Knowledgeable Visitors For This Volume Exploring The Dark Side Of A Fascinating Country.” —publishers Weekly Presents A Collection Of Sinister Stories Set In Distinct Locations Throughout Singapore, Featuring Contributions From Such Mystery Authors As S.j. Rozan, Colin Cheong, And Ovidia Yu.