EB SWF 2013
New Titles, New Voices in local fiction and More Variety than ever!
With an increasingly diverse repertoire, Epigram Books is presenting its largest collection of books at this year’s Singapore Writers Festival! In addition, we have 28 authors, illustrators and translators who are in the festival’s programme in various capacities. We are very excited for the Singapore Writers Festival 2013 and are glad to share this excitement with you!
This year we worked with established authors to publish Cyril Wong’s first novel, The Last Lesson of Mrs de Souza, and the 20th Anniversary Edition of Gwee Li Sui’s Myth of the Stone. In addition, new voices are being presented in The Epigram Books Collection of Best New Singaporean Short Stories: Volume One and Amanda Lee Koe’s Ministry of Moral Panic. On top of all this, we have brand new Children’s Picture Books and additions to our Cultural Medallion series.
At the Singapore Writers Festival 2013, we will be launching 10 new titles under the “Brand New Books” segment. Spread across two days, our authors, editors, illustrators and translators will be at the Festival Pavillion (SMU Green) on 2 and 9 November 2013.
2 November 2013, Saturday
1130 – 1230
Ministry of Moral Panic – Amanda Lee Koe
The Epigram Books Collection of Best New Singaporean Short Stories: Volume One
The Last Lesson of Mrs de Souza – Cyril Wong
1430 – 1530
Tibby, the Tiger Bunny – Emily Lim | Illustrator: Jade Fang
The Robot in My Playground – Pauline Loh | Illustrator: Avina Tan
Myth of the Stone: 20th Anniversary Edition – Gwee Li Sui
9 November 2013, Saturday
1130 – 1230
Other Cities, Other Lives – Chew Kok Chang | Translator: Shelly Bryant
Durians are Not the Only Fruit – Wong Yoon Wah | Translator: Jeremy Tiang
1430 – 1530
The Tower – Isa Kamari | Translator: Alfian Sa’at
Confrontation – Mohamed Latiff Mohamed | Translator: Shafiq Selamat
ABOUT THE BOOKS
Myth of the Stone: 20th Anniversary Edition by Gwee Li Sui
Gwee Li Sui’s Myth of the Stone, first published in 1993, is an endearing tale of one unlikely hero’s journey through an unfamiliar landscape. This 20th Anniversary Edition of Singapore’s first full-length graphic novel in English comes with improved art and bonus features.
The Epigram Books Collection of Best New Singaporean Short Stories: Volume One Edited by Jason Erik Lundberg
The best short fiction published by Singaporean writers in 2011 and 2012. Here are twenty unique and breathtaking literary insights into the Singaporean psyche, which examine what it means to live in this particular part of the world at this particular time.
The Last Lesson of Mrs de Souza by Cyril Wong
A retiring teacher reflects on her long career, and discovers a truth that will completely overturn her perceptions. The stunning first novel from award-winning poet Cyril Wong, The Last Lesson of Mrs de Souza is a tour de force, an exceptional examination of the power of choice and the unreliability of memory.
Ministry of Moral Panic by Amanda Lee Koe
A fresh collection of short fiction that transgresses the normal and examines the improbable necessity of human connection. Told in strikingly original prose, these are fictions that plough, relentlessly, the possibilities of understanding Singapore and her denizens discursively, off-centre. Ministry of Moral Panic is an extraordinary debut collection and the introduction of a revelatory new voice.
Confrontation by Mohamed Latiff Mohamed | translated by Shafiq Selamat
Seen through the unique perspective of the young Malay boy Adi, this fundamental period in Singaporean history is brought to life with masterful empathy. In the tradition of Ben Okri’s The Famished Road and Anita Desai’s The Village By the Sea, Confrontation is an incredible evocation of village life and of the consequences that come from political alignment.
Tibby, the Tiger Bunny by Emily Lim | illustrated by Jade Fang
In this cheerful tale about fitting in and acceptance, Tibby, a black-and-orange striped rabbit changes the minds of other rabbits after he shows them what he’s really made of.
Robot in My Playground by Pauline Loh | illustrated by Avina Tan
Lucas loves robots. Especially the robot in the playground by his house. He wishes that robot would wake up, so that Lucas can play with him. And one night, he does!
ABOUT THE CULTURAL MEDALLION SERIES
The Cultural Medallion is Singapore’s highest cultural award, given to those who have achieved artistic excellence in the areas of literature, dance, music, theatre and art. Epigram Books’ Cultural Medallion series is a commitment to bringing works written in native tongues to a wider audience. Matching the acclaimed writers with talented translators such as Alfian Sa’at, Shelly Bryant and Jeremy Tiang, these books are being made available to an English-language audience for the first time.
Following the launch of the first five titles in our Cultural Medallion series at the Singapore Writers Festival 2012, Epigram Books is launching three new titles this year!
Other Cities, Other Lives by Chew Kok Chang | translated by Shelly Bryant
A collection of mini-fiction by Cultural Medallion-winner Chew Kok Chang. Told in the elegant, spare style of a Chinese scholar, Chew’s micro-fiction reflects the voice of his generation, living through a time of immense change in the region.
Durians Are Not the Only Fruit: Notes from the Tropics by Wong Yoon Wah | translated by Jeremy Tiang
A collection of nature writing and essays about Malaysia and Singapore from scholar and Cultural Medallion-winner Dr Wong Yoon Wah. Both personal and informative, this selection of Wong’s essays is a stunning re-addition to the creative non-fiction landscape.
The Tower by Isa Kamari | translated by Alfian Sa’at
From Cultural Medallion-winner Isa Kamari comes a masterful tale of success and failure, which has been translated for the first time into English by Alfian Sa’at, his debut work of translation.
All books will be hitting bookshelves soon so keep an eye out at your favourite bookstore!
AUTHORS/ILLUSTRATORS/TRANSLATORS
With these 10 new titles, we have a total of 28 authors, illustrators and translators at the festival this year.
ADELINE FOO, AJ LOW, ALFIAN SA’AT, ALVIN PANG, AMANDA LEE KOE, ANN PETERS, BOEY KIM CHENG, CHEW KOK CHANG, CYRIL WONG, EMILY LIM, GWEE LI SUI, ISA KAMARI, JADE FANG, JASON ERIK LUNDBERG, JEREMY TIANG, MOHAMED LATIFF MOHAMED, OH YONG HWEE, OVIDIA YU, ROBERT YEO, SHAFIQ SELAMAT, SHERMAY LOH, STEPHANIE YE, EDWIN THUMBOO, MARANNA CHAN, PAULINE LOH, WEI FEN LEE, WONG YOON WAH, YU-MEI BALASINGAMCHOW.
Apart from the “Brand New Books” segment at the Festival Pavilion, many of our authors will be participating in the different programmes at various venues during the festival. One of which is the Sherlock Sam Treasure Hunt! On the 3rd and 9th of November, as part of the “Little Lit” programme, AJ Low will be conducting a Sherlock Sam Treasure Hunt.
We are very excited to be contributing so much to the Singapore Writers Festival this year and we hope to see you there!