| Title | : | Best New Singaporean Short Stories: Volume One |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9789810762346 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 288 |
| Publication | : | First published October 1, 2013 |
The Epigram Books Collection of Best New Singaporean Short Stories: Volume One curates the finest short fiction from Singaporean writers published in 2011 and 2012. This ground-breaking and unique anthology showcases stories that examine various facets of the human condition and the truths that we tell ourselves in order to exist in the everyday. The styles are as varied as the authors, and no two pieces are alike. 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.
Contents:
Introduction | Jason Erik Lundberg
The Tiger of 142B | Dave Chua
The Hearing Aid | Vinita Ramani Mohan
The Illoi of Kantimeral | Alvin Pang
Lighthouse | Yu-Mei Balasingamchow
Seascrapers | Stephanie Ye
Because I Tell | Felix Cheong
Sleeping | O Thiam Chin
Agnes Joaquim, Bioterrorist | Ng Yi-Sheng
The Dispossessed | Karen Kwek
Harmonious Residences | Jeremy Tiang
Randy’s Rotisserie | Amanda Lee Koe
The Protocol Wars of Laundry and Coexistence | Koh Choon Hwee
Zero Hour | Cyril Wong
Walls | Verena Tay
Copies | Eleanor Neo
Welcome to the Pond | Wei Fen Lee
Scared For What | Ann Ang
Joo Chiat and Other Lost Things | Justin Ker
Anniversary | Phan Ming Yen
The Borrowed Boy | Alfian Sa’at
Best New Singaporean Short Stories: Volume One Reviews
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Uneven collection. The stand-outs are stories by Dave Chua, Ng Yi-Sheng, Jeremy Tiang, and Alfian Sa'at.
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This anthology was published in 2011 so ok lah it was not bad already we didn't really have much of a short story scene then everyone was so obsessed with poetry and going "wah singlit so chim so I must be chim"
Whatever criticism has been said about our local flavour of literature then has definitely helped to shape and improve the quality (and I daresay quantity) of short stories and proses we have now. My only add on to this is- how come so many stories happen in the east of Singapore ah? It's as though the east is the only place on this god-forsaken island that has any form of everyday life. East side truly best side meh? Y'all don't want to read about horror stories in Yishun or a romance in Woodlands or an assassination in Boon Lay isit?
I read this (and tbh, will read the rest of the stories in this collection) with the hopes of getting inspired to write my own short story, and I must say in all honesty this was quite a well-curated collection of works. -
A decent spread of short stories although there was no big enough overarching theme like the editor suggested.
These were my favourite stories, in decreasing order of how much I like them:
1) Sleeping (O Thiam Chin) ❤️
2) Randy's Rotisserie (Amanda Lee Koe)
3) The Borrowed Boy (Alfian Sa'at)
4) Because I Tell (Felix Cheong)
5) The Tiger of 142B (Dave Chua)
6) Anniversary (Phan Ming Yen) - it was too short! -
Some of these tales were underwhelming, but more often than not they were enjoyable, such as those by O Thiam Chin, Jeremy Tiang, Alfian Sa'at and Cyril Wong. 'Walls' by Verena Tay was especially memorable, my favourite of the collection.
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Like any anthology there are highs and lows here, but I enjoyed more of the stories than not.
The stand out story - and not in a good way (for me) - was by Amanda Lee Koe, a well-written but deeply disturbing dark tale that fueled my nightmares for weeks after I read it. Not for the sensitive or fainthearted. Thankfully the rest of the stories were more palatable and less traumatic to read. -
A nice, easily digestible collection of stories that made my morning commute pretty enjoyable.
On a side note, Copies by Eleanor Neo was my clear favourite by a mile. I couldn't put the book down until I finished her story. -
It’s nice to read stories in a local setting, but they were all a little bleak. So just not for me.
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It is unfortunate when the editor for a major book design/publishing company compiles an anthology of short stories - he is forced to choose the usual suspects from the tiny pool (4-5) book publishing companies of which he also has a hand in, as an editor/writer AND it doesn't help either that three of his short stories are included in this collection, on the insistence of his publisher boss (he has explained that in the preface to the collection with disclaimers)
Epigram is obviously in for the long haul since this collection has been labelled as "Epigram Books Collection" (staking name rights/claims) and numbering this collection as "Volume One"
But there seems to be a problem with the Opening titles - "Best New" - Can the best be new and the new be the best? That is the problem with trying to form a canon of literary work from new works. They haven't stood the test of time and in all honesty the collection in this "Best New" collection is marginally good at best.
There are common threads running through the backgrounds of most of the writers chosen for this collection in that most of them are anointed by the University of Iowa Writing Workshop. Which oddly enough, gives a sameness to all their short stories.
