World Scientific Publishing Company Lion City Narratives: Singapore Through Western Eyes

Review "It takes a good geographer to put the past in its place. Dr Victor Savage has pursued seven centuries of contemporary writings about Singapore to seek distinctive Western perspectives about the island at the heart of the Malay World that became a modern city-state. He reminds us that when the geographer has immersed himself in centuries of images and reflections, he makes the past visible and enriches all our senses. This is that kind of book, and anyone who wants to know what Singapore stands for will find a multifaceted answer to just about any question he may ask." -- Wang Gungwu, University Professor, National University of Singapore "This is a remarkable book. Dr Victor Savage opens a field which will grow, drawing other scholars to follow. Its main elements were known, but much scattered. Tumasik/Singapura/Singapore's history goes back to the Indianised thalassic kingdoms of Sri Vijaya, Palembang, and the Malacca sultanate. This historic background apart, its special theme is in the Western colonisers' descriptions in over many chapters of what Raffles founded in 1819. Savage has brought these descriptions together, showing the fascinating full impact and value. To him, 'Tropical nature and the Oriental landscape were powerful frames that captured the Western mental pictures of Singapore ― the settings within which were placed all other experiences of the place.' The richly varied lives of the colonised ― native Malays, immigrant Chinese, and Indians ― fascinated White resident colonisers and visitors including Kipling and Conrad. Their many writings intrigue. They were able to observe and occasionally participate in Singapore's bustling Asian life. They were not separated by walls. What we have starts with the Sejarah Melayu and ends with Dennis Bloodworth. We look forward to Dr Savage's concluding volume, on our Singapore." --Edwin Thumboo, Emeritus Professor, National University of Singapore"Singapore's bicentennial, in 2019, has inspired the publication of several new books. This book by Dr Victor Savage is to be warmly welcomed. He has gone through the enormous literature on Singapore written by Western scholars and observers, and analysed their perceptions into this compelling volume. The Western view of Singapore will always be different from our own view. This was brought home to me recently, when two Western scholars described the ruling People's Action Party's performance in General Election 2020, as a 'disaster' and a 'humiliating defeat'. It is, nevertheless, important for us to understand how others view us. We should also have an open mind and be prepared to learn from others." -- Tommy Koh, Professor of Law, National University of Singapore, and Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore "I spent the last 3 days absorbed in it. It is truly one of the most interesting 'academic' books I have ever read. Your research is phenomenal." --Professor Leslie Chew SC, Dean, School of Law, Singapore University of Social Science (SUSS)"It is a masterpiece of geographic analysis and synthesis. You drew on the principle substantive domains of the empirical world and your superb and deft analysis enable you to integrate them quite creatively into conceptual clusters that span scales from the local to the global and you tap into the time and timing dimension that is so critical in today's dynamic and connected human and natural realities … This is a masterful scholarship. No one else could have brought together such an autopsy-like and insightful historical geography of the ideographic development that is today's Singapore city-region." -- Professor Kenneth E Corey, Dean Emeritus, College of Social Science, Professor Emeritus of Geography, Professor Emeritus of Urban & Regional Planning, Michigan State University, USA "Lion City Narratives is an ambitious account of how Singapore's colonial era was perceived by Western observers and residents. The book's premise is promising, since current st