This Week in Asian Review of Books

See the Asian Review of Books for ever-interesting discussion. Here is a list of its newest reviews, excerpts, letters, essays, and round ups:

Letter from Singapore: Opening of the Writers Festival by Rosie Milne
Last War of the World-Island: The Geopolitics of Contemporary Russia by Alexander Dugin reviewed by Francis P Sempa

Links to essays on Asian books and writing 
A Brief History of Indonesia; Sultans, Spices, and Tsunamis: The Incredible Story of Southeast Asia’s Largest Nation by Tim Hannigan reviewed by Stephen Joyce
Asia’s New Battlefield: The USA, China, and the Struggle for the Western Pacific by Richard Javad Heydarian reviewed by Salvatore Babones

Day 3: Singapore Writers Festival

Asian Books Blog is based in Singapore. During the Singapore Writers Festival, (SWF) which is on now, and runs through until November 8, daily posts will offer a flavour of events in the Lion City.

So: Day 3...

The Sunday Post / Secular Publisher Hacked To Death In Bangladesh

The Sunday Post is suspended this week, because of the Singapore Writers Festival, but one calamity must be reported.

There is again horrible news from Bangladesh, where four atheist bloggers have been murdered over the past few months: Islamist extremists have hacked to death one publisher of secular books,  Faisal Arefin Deepan, and attacked another one, landing him in hospital. Two writers were also attacked. 

You will be able to find plenty of coverage on the internet, and through social media, but here are some places to start:

The Daily Star (Bangladesh) - under the headline free thinking mauled once again.

PEN, the international free speech advocacy group, this is the response from the American branch. 

The Guardian (UK)

Al Jazeera (Qatar) 

The Hindu (India)

Day 2: Singapore Writers Festival

Asian Books Blog is based in Singapore. During the Singapore Writers Festival, (SWF) which is on now, and runs through until November 8, daily posts will offer a flavour of events in the Lion City.

So: Day 2 ...

I evidently managed to miss Stories From Islands, Songs From Islanders 1, but I did catch Stories From Islands, Songs From Islanders 2. This brought together 5 authors, from geographically widely separated islands, to explore what, if anything, is unique about literature from islands. Does it reveal a sense of isolation? A strong sense of identity? Or what?

Olivia & Sophia: Launch

Olivia & Sophia, my own new historical novel, which examines Raffles' life through the eyes of his two wives, has its Asian launch at the Singapore Writers Festival tomorrow - Sunday November 1. (It will be publishing in the UK in March 2016.) If you happen to be in Singapore, and you'd like to come along: great! The launch is 5.30 - 6.30 at The Arts House.  

Olivia & Sophia is available from Amazon here.

Day 1: Singapore Writers Festival

Asian Books Blog is based in Singapore. During the Singapore Writers Festival, (SWF) which is on now, and runs through until November 8, daily posts will offer a flavour of events on offer in the Lion City.

So: an update on the launch...

Q & A: Yeow Kai Chai

Lit-wise, Hong Kong and Singapore are both busy at the moment.  The Hong Kong International Literary Festival started on Monday, October 26, and runs through until November 8. Meanwhile, The Singapore Writers Festival starts today, October 30, and also runs until November 8.  (The two Festivals often overlap; when last year I asked why, I was told it enabled authors travelling long distances from the West to visit both Hong Kong, and Singapore.)

Yesterday, Phillipa Milne, Programme Manager, Hong Kong International Literary Festival answered questions.  Today, it’s the turn of Yeow Kai Chai, Festival Director, Singapore Writers Festival. (SWF)

So: over to Kai Chai…