Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Nanyang - Book Review




This book is written by Mr Khoo Kheng Hor. He is a Malaysian author. It is his third Novel.

Mr Khoo tells an absorbing saga of Nanyang, literally meaning the Southern Ocean, a name given by the early Chinese migrants for the part of the world known today as Malaysia and Singapore.

It is an engaging tale linking the multi-racial peoples such as the orang asli, the people from various parts of Southeast Asia collectively known as the Malays, the Chinese (migrants and Straits-born Peranakan), the Indians, and of course, the Eurasians, descendants of inter-marriages of the natives and the Europeans, such as the early Portuguese who came to colonize the wealthy Malacca Sultanate, before being chased out by the Dutch, who in turn were outmaneuvered by the British, who thereafter systematically colonized the land to be known as British Malaya, and Singapore until Japan came along.

Here is their fascinating stories as seen through the lives of a few families.

Its a perfect book for a nation celebrating 50th independence from the British.

4 comments:

sting said...

you do seem to like non-fictions a lot ya? :-) that's good

Nightwing said...

Helo Sting,

Ya, love to read. I think i am more into non-fiction...will have to make a list of books i have...:)

Being meaning to do that before i was 'knocked out'..:)

Unknown said...

Hi Nightwing,

Sounds like an interesting book. I think it is important to read up on our history to understand better how we have evolved to the society that we are. Then perhaps we will be more tolerant of each other and live more harmoniously perhaps with better understanding and respect.

Nightwing said...

Helo Kak Ruby,

Ya, agree with you 110%.

I am sure most teens today do not know how hard it was back then to unite every one for a single purpose...which is to gain independance, and our country was one of the few who gained with out spilling any blood for freedom.