The month of August marks the start of the new academic semester as well as celebrations for Singapore’s National Day. We have selected some titles from the Library’s collection featuring topics ranging from heritage, architecture, history, and more.
Browse the book highlights section at HSS Library to find your next read and discover more about the people and places that reflect our journey from a humble fishing village to the global city of today. For more new reads, check out the Singapore Heritage LibGuide or locate more titles in OneSearch.
Here are some suggested titles to get you going:
Conserving the past, creating the future : urban heritage in Singapore
History, memory, and heritage all play a role in constructing a sense of belonging in the globalized city-state which we live in. This book is about urban planning and the importance of conserving the landmarks and historic districts that form part of Singapore’s national identity. The role of Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in Singapore’s conservation journey as they take on the challenge between conservation and pragmatic redevelopment needs are also discussed. The author, Professor Lily Kong, is a social, cultural and urban geographer, and is widely regarded as a thought leader in the study of social and cultural change in Asian cities.
Singapore, then and now
If you like vintage photos of old Singapore, this book is for you! Match archival vintage photos of places such as Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, Fullerton Hotel, the National Museum and other historic places with the view of these places today to get a fascinating glimpse of what these sites look in the past. You would then be able to marvel at the amazing changes that have taken place in Singapore over the last 100 years.
Singapore 1819: A living legacy
With pictures, maps and archival images that give readers an insight into Singapore’s past and present, this book by Kenny Ting is an interesting read for Singapore heritage buffs. The book begins with an introduction to Singapore as a port city and includes a letter from Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles dated 1819. Subsequent chapters showcase the story of pre- and post-1819 Singapore, such as the legend of Sang Nila Utama, the Kingdom of Singapura, the mysterious Forbidden Hill, as well other aspects of heritage such as historic monuments, local cultures, and communities and flora and fauna unique to Singapore.
Food
“Food” is one of the many titles from the Singapore Chronicles series published by The Institute of Policy Studies that explains and offers an insight into what makes Singapore, Singapore. Filled with examples of local food culture and the stories behind roti john, popiah, raw fish salad, mee goreng and other anecdotes, readers would be able to discover the various types of food that make up the culinary heritage of multicultural Singapore.
Want to see more? Head on down to the Humanities & Social Sciences Library to check out the rest of our recommended reads!
National Day Book Highlights
