Son of Singapore : the autobiography of a coolie

A Publishing Sensation In The 1970s And 1980s, Son Of Singapore Traces The Extraordinary Upbringing Of An Everyman. As A Teochew Farm Boy Coming Of Age During The Japanese Occupation, Tan Kok Seng Enters The “university Of The World” At Only 15, Becoming A Coolie At The Orchard Road Market. On His Rounds To The Homes Of The “red Hairs”, He Befriends A Group Of Chinese Dialect-speaking Caucasians Who Inspire Him To Improve Himself Beyond His Humble Roots. Set Against Singapore’s Push Towards Self-governance, Tan’s Engaging Autobiography Reflects The Pioneering Spirit Of The Times. Written In Deceptively Simple Prose, Notable For Its English Transliteration Of Teochew Adages, Son Of Singapore Sensitively Captures Fast-disappearing Places, People And Everyday Ways Of Living.