A Singapore Life

A Singapore Life tells the story of growing up under a unique fusion of influences--Chinese heritage, Malay neighbours, Christian beliefs, British colonial rule, Japanese occupiers... The youngest of ten children born to immigrant parents, the author spends carefree childhood days on a coconut estate, his life filled with the pleasures of whirling rubber seeds, catching fish, and fighting kites, as well as encounters with snakes, crocodiles, tigers, and flying foxes. These innocent delights, however, come to an end when war breaks out and the Japanese army takes over Singapore. Curious, independent, and enterprising, the young author struggles to earn a living and establish his life, gradually learning about himself and the ways of the world in the process. A Singapore Life is a first person account of life in an era that was a formative period in the making of modern Singapore. The story of how one emerges from childhood to make one's way into adult life is a universal and timeless one that will speak to readers all over the world.