SINGAPORE

SINGAPOREAN
LITERATURE

WHILE SINGAPOREAN LITERARY WORKS MAY BE CONSIDERED AS ALSO BELONGING TO

THE LITERATURE OF THEIR SPECIFIC LANGUAGES, THE LITERATURE OF SINGAPORE IS
VIEWED AS A DISTINCT BODY OF LITERATURE PORTRAYING VARIOUS ASPECTS OF
SINGAPORE SOCIETY AND FORMS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE CULTURE OF SINGAPORE.
Literature in all four official languages has been
translated and showcased in publications such as
the literary journal Singa, that was published in the
1980s and 1990s with editors including Edwin
Thumboo and Koh Buck Song, as well as in
multilingual anthologies such as Rhythms: A
Singaporean Millennial Anthology Of Poetry
(2000), in which the poems were all translated
three times each into the three languages. A
number of Singaporean writers such as Tan Swie
Hian and Kuo Pao Kun have contributed work in
more than one language.
SONNY LIEW
He started his career in the early 2000s illustrating
for Marvel Universe Millennial Visions, but 2016
was the year Liew turned the Singaporean
Literature scene on its head when his critically
acclaimed graphic novel, The Art Of Charlie Chan
Hock Chye, was recognized as the Book of the Year
at the Singapore Book Awards – this too after the
novel’s grant from the National Arts Council was
revoked because of the work’s ‘sensitive content’.
This award was followed closely by glowing
reviews from the New York Times and NPR, and
suddenly Singaporean culture was seeing the most
attention it has received since the 1990s’ chewing
gum ban.
ALFIAN SA’AT
After dabbling a little in the arts as a teenager
while studying at one of Singapore’s most
prestigious schools, Alfian Sa’at set out on
his writing career in earnest in his early 20s.
Sa’at would go on to become one of
Singapore’s most prolific authors, writing
poetry and plays in both English and Malay.
He released his first book of poetry when he
was just 21 years old. His collection of short
stories, Corridor, is a non-fiction account
based on his conversation with different
people who lived in public housing. The
protagonists at the center of each story find
themselves in situations where the ability to
change their circumstances is in their own
hands.
AMANDA LEE KOE
Amanda Lee Koe has the distinction
of being the youngest recipient of
the Singapore Literature Prize for
her short story collection Ministry
of Moral Panic. The collection has
14 short stories set in Singapore
with a host of different characters,
including the infamous Maria
Hertogh who was once a young girl
at the heart of racial unrest. Koe has
spent the last year traveling in
Central Asia as part of the research
process for her forthcoming debut
full-length novel.
CYRIL WONG
Cyril Wong is one of Singapore’s most
successful poets; he’s had his work
published internationally and he is one of
only two poets to win the Singapore
Literature Prize twice. Wong’s writing is
the kind of poetry that takes no
prisoners. His language and style are
intense and direct, when he confesses
something to the reader he expects a
direct reaction or maybe a confession of
their own. Wong’s work is deeply
personal and introspective which has the
effect on the reader of being pulled along
for the ride; whether as a part of Wong’s
emotional journey or their own.
JOSEPHINE CHIA
Although Josephine Chia was born and raised in
colonial Singapore, it was England where she cut her
literary teeth. After moving to England in 1985, she
finally had her first taste of literary success in 1992
when she was one of the winners of the Ian St. James
Awards for short fiction. As part of the award, her
short story Tropical Fever was published in an
anthology with short stories by the other award
recipients. Eventually, her success reached the news
of Singaporean publishers who were quick to publish
a collection of short stories, as well as her first novel.
Chia’s most recent novel, Kampong Spirit, chronicles
the early years of her life growing up in Potong Pasir
in Singapore. Readers in modern-day Singapore will
be astounded at how the spirit of the community is
strong even without everyday comforts like electricity
and running water – something that is unthinkable for
today’s young Singaporeans but well remembered by
the older generation.
 AARON LEE
Aaron Lee started writing at a young age while
he was studying in secondary school in
Singapore. During that time he became friends
with several young men who later in life would
all become important authors in the Singaporean
Literature scene. While still in school, this
group of friends formed a writing collective and
were eventually able to convince local publisher
VJ Times to publish a collection of their poems.
Ever since Lee has been active in the Singapore
poetry scene. He has released three of his own
anthologies, most recently Coastlands, which
deals with his struggles to find where he
belongs in both a literal and metaphorical sense.
FESTIVALS IN
SINGAPORE
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