Writing in Asia Series

Writing in Asia Series was a series of books of Asian writing published by Heinemann from 1966 to 1996. Initiated and mainly edited by Leon Comber, the series brought attention to various Asian Anglophone writers, like Shirley Geok-lin Lim, Western writers based in Asia like Austin Coates and W. Somerset Maugham and modern and classic stories and novels in English translation from the Malay, Indonesian, Thai and more. The series is also credited with contributing prominently to creative writing and the creation of a shared regional identity amongst English-language writers of Southeast Asia.[1][2] After publishing more than 110 titles, the series folded after Heinemann Asia was taken over by a parent group of publishers and Comber left.[3]

History

Inspired by the successful and pioneering African Writers Series, Leon Comber, the then Southeast Asian Representative of Heinemann Educational Books Ltd., founded the series as its general editor in 1966 in Singapore. Comber thought a similar series focussing initially on Southeast Asia was worth pursuing to "give a tremendous boost to creative writing in English...which was still regarded then as something of a cultural desert". He also wanted to publish the "tremendous body of local writers writing in their local languages" across the entire Asia in English translation "to make it available to a wider reading public" as he felt that existent publishers only focussed on their individual countries.

Buoyed by the profits made from textbook publishing, the series first published Modern Malaysian Chinese Stories in 1967. The anthology, whose stories were edited and mainly translated into English by Ly Singko with a foreword by Han Suyin, sold moderately, but Ly was to be detained without trial shortly after by the Singapore authorities under the Internal Security Act for supposed "Chinese chauvinism".

The series met with commercial success a decade later when two reprinted Austin Coates books in the series, Myself a Mandarin (1977, c.1968) and City of Broken Promises (1977, c.1960), became bestsellers. The former was also serialised by the BBC, broadcast on Radio Hong Kong and had its film rights sold, while the latter was adapted into a play at the 1978 Hong Kong Festival of Arts. Other commercially successful titles were Tan Kok Seng's autobiography Son of Singapore (1972), which sold over 25,000 copies, and Catherine Lim's short-story collection Little Ironies: Stories of Singapore (1978), which sold 8,000 copies.[4] By 1988, about 15 titles in the series were used as supplementary textbooks in Singapore schools, guaranteeing sales in the thousands.[5][6]

Significantly, as part of the series, Australian Harry Aveling translated Pramoedya Ananta Toer's novel The Fugitive (Perburuan) (1975, c.1950) and Iwan Simatupang's novel The Pilgrim (Ziarah) (1969) from the Indonesian to English. The Pilgrim is considered the first modern Indonesian novel and won the first ASEAN Literary Award for the novel in 1977. The series also met with critical acclaim when Shirley Geok-lin Lim's debut collection Crossing The Peninsula & Other Stories (1980) won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize, a first both for an Asian and for a woman. The series also published the debut titles of pioneering Singapore poets like Edwin Thumboo and Lee Tzu Pheng.

In 1982, however, Charles Cher, the then General Manager of Heinemann Educational Books, confirmed that the series had stopped publishing poetry because of poor sales.[7][8] In 1985, after publishing more than 70 titles, Comber left the series after Heinemann Asia was taken over by a parent group of publishers. In retrospect, Comber notes that in business terms, Heinemann made "very little" from the series, though it neither lost much, with textbook publishing sales subsidising the series.[9] The series continued until around 1996, resuming publishing poetry and diversifying its focus beyond literary fiction to ghost stories.

Some Writing in Asia series titles have since been republished by other companies, like Lloyd Fernando's novel Scorpion Orchid (1976) by Epigram Books in 2014.[10]

List of authors and books in the Writing in Asia Series

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No. Author Year Title and Details
1 Ly Singko, ed. 1967 Modern Malaysian Chinese Stories. Anthology translated from the Mandarin Chinese by Ly Singko and Leon Comber with a foreword by Han Suyin.
2 Lloyd Fernando, ed. 1968 22 Malaysian Stories. Anthology. Contributors include Siew Yue Killingley, Goh Poh Seng and Stella Kon.
3 Iwan Simatupang 1969 The Pilgrim (Ziarah). Novel translated from the Indonesian by Harry Aveling. Winner of the ASEAN Literary Award 1977.
4 W. Somerset Maugham 1969 Maugham's Malaysian Stories. Edited and with an introduction by Anthony Burgess.
5 Leon Comber, trans. 1972 The Strange Cases Of Magistrate Pao: Chinese Tales Of Crime And Detection
6 Tan Kok Seng 1972 Son of Singapore. First part of autobiography. Rendered into English in collaboration with Austin Coates.
7 Wang Shifu 1973 The Romance of the Western Chamber. Translated and adapted by T. C. Lai and Ed Gamarekian, with a foreword by Lin Yutang. Originally published in 1200.
8 Lee Kok Liang 1974 The Mutes in the Sun and Other Stories. Short stories and a novella.
9 Tan Kok Seng 1974 Man of Malaysia. Second part of autobiography. Rendered into English in collaboration with Austin Coates.
10 Jennifer Draskau, ed. 1975 Taw and Other Thai Stories: An Anthology. Translated from the Thai and with an introduction by Jennifer Draskau.
11 Pramoedya Ananta Toer 1975 The Fugitive (Perburuan). Novel translated from the Indonesian by Harry Aveling, originally published in 1950.
12 Tan Kok Seng 1975 Eye on the World. Third and final part of autobiography. Rendered into English in collaboration with Austin Coates.
13 Alan Ayling & Duncan Mackintosh, trans. 1976 A Folding Screen: Selected Chinese Lyrics from T'ang to Mao Tse-tung. Originally published in 1974.
14 Edwin Thumboo, ed. 1976 Second Tongue: An Anthology Of Poetry From Malaysia And Singapore. With an introduction by Edwin Thumboo. Contributors include Ee Tiang Hong, Muhammad Haji Salleh, Wong May and Arthur Yap.
15 W. Somerset Maugham 1976 Maugham's Borneo Stories. Selected by G. V. de Freitas.
16 Lloyd Fernando 1976 Scorpion Orchid. Novel.
17 Goh Poh Seng 1976 Eyewitness. Poetry.
18 Raden Adjeng Kartini 1976 Letters of a Javanese Princess. Translated by Agnes Louise Symmers, edited and with an introduction by Hildred Geertz and with an introduction by Eleanor Roosevelt. Originally published in 1912.
19 Ee Tiang Hong 1976 Myths for a Wilderness. Poetry.
20 Harry Aveling, ed. 1976 From Surabaya to Armageddon: Indonesian Short Stories. Translated from the Indonesian by Harry Aveling.
21 Lin Yutang 1977 My Country And My People. Originally published in 1935.
22 Jan Knappert 1977 Myths and Legends of Indonesia
23 Austin Coates 1977 Myself a Mandarin. Memoir, originally published in 1968.
24 Robert Yeo 1977 And Napalm Does Not Help. Poetry.
25 Edwin Thumboo 1977 Gods Can Die. Poetry.
26 Arthur Yap 1977 Commonplace. Poetry.
27 Goh Poh Seng 1977 The Immolation. Novel.
28 Syed Waliullah 1978 Tree Without Roots. Novel. Originally published in 1948.
29 Robert Yeo, ed. 1978 Singapore Short Stories. With an introduction by Robert Yeo and notes by Tan Swee Kheng. Contributors include Catherine Lim, Gopal Baratham and Goh Sin Tub.
30 Muhammad Haji Salleh 1978 Time and Its People. Poetry.
31 Cecil Rajendra 1978 Bones & Feathers. Poetry.
32 Edith L. Tiempo 1978 A Blade of Fern: A Novel About the Philippines
33 Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai 1978 Chemmeen: A Novel About India. Translated by Narayana Menon, with an introduction by Santha Rama Rau. Originally published in 1964.
34 Chung Chong-Wha, ed. 1978 Modern Far Eastern Stories
35 Iwan Simatupang 1978 Kering (Drought). Novel translated from the Indonesian by Harry Aveling, originally published in 1972.
36 Danarto 1978 Abracadabra. Short stories translated from the Indonesian by Harry Aveling.
37 Catherine Lim 1978 Little Ironies: Stories of Singapore
38 Ediriwira Sarachchandra 1978 Curfew and a Full Moon. Novel.
39 Edwin Thumboo 1979 Ulysses by the Merlion. Poetry.
40 Yasmine Gooneratne, ed. 1979 Stories from Sri Lanka. With an introduction by Yasmine Gooneratne.
41 Shahnon Ahmad 1979 Srengenge. Novel translated from the Malay by Harry Aveling. Originally published in 1973. Winner of the Malaysian Novel of the Year 1970.
42 Yasmine Gooneratne, ed. 1979 Poems from India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore
43 Robert Burdette Sweet 1979 Akbar the Great. Novel.
44 Stanley R. Munro, ed. 1979 Genesis of a Revolution: An Anthology of Modern Chinese Short Stories. Translated from the Chinese by Stanley R. Munro. Contributors include Ba, J., Bing, X. and Ding, L.
45 Tan Kok Seng 1979 Three Sisters of Sz. Novel. Rendered into English in collaboration with Austin Coates.
46 Hwang Sun-Won 1980 The Stars and Other Korean Short Stories. Translated from the Korean and with an introduction by Edward W. Poitras.
47 Kim Man-Jung 1980 A Nine Cloud Dream. Translated from the Korean by Richard Rutt.
48 Arthur Yap 1980 Down the Line. Poetry.
49 Ly Singko, trans. 1980 Reunion & Other Stories
50 Shahnon Ahmad 1980 The Third Notch and Other Stories. Translated from the Malay by Harry Aveling.
51 Umar Kayam 1980 Sri Sumarah and Other Stories. Translated from the Indonesian by Harry Aveling.
52 Ruth Lor Malloy 1980 Beyond the Heights. Novel.
53 Ishak Haji Muhammad 1980 The Prince of Mount Tahan (Putera Gunung Tahan). Translated from the Malay by Harry Aveling.
54 F. Sionil José 1980 Waywaya: Eleven Filipino Short Stories
55 Jan Knappert 1980 Malay Myths and Legends
56 Lee Tzu Pheng 1980 Prospect Of A Drowning. Poetry. Winner of the National Book Development Council of Singapore's Book Award for English Poetry 1982.
57 Chung Chong-Wha, ed. 1980 Modern Korean Short Stories
58 Linda Ty-Casper 1980 Dread Empire. Novella.
59 Catherine Lim 1980 Or Else, The Lightning God & Other Stories
60 Shirley Geok-lin Lim 1980 Crossing The Peninsula & Other Stories. Poetry. Winner of the Commonwealth Poetry Prize.
61 J. R. Haldar 1981 Early Buddhist Mythology. With a foreword by C. Sircar.
62 Robert Yeo, ed. 1981 ASEAN Short Stories. Anthology. Contributors include Gopal Baratham, Stella Kon and Rebecca Chua.
63 Lloyd Fernando, ed. 1981 Malaysian Short Stories. Anthology with an introduction by Lloyd Fernando.
64 A. Samad Said 1981 Lazy River (Sungai Mengalir Lesu). Novel translated from the Malay by Harry Aveling. Originally published in 1967.
65 Lee Kok Liang 1981 Flowers in the Sky. Novel.
66 Michael Soh & Lim Yoon Lin 1981 A Son of a Mother. Originally published in 1973.
67 Rebecca Chua 1981 The Newspaper Editor and Other Stories
68 Lee Ding Fai 1981 Running Dog
69 K.S. Maniam 1981 The Return. Novel.
70 Heah Chwee Sian 1981 A Wisp of Bliss and Other Stories
71 Wong Meng Voon 1981 Glimpses of the Past: Stories from Singapore & Malaysia
72 H. Jathar Salij 1982 Shadow Play and Other Stories
73 Oh Yong-su 1985 The Good People: Korean Stories. Translated from the Korean by Marshall R. Pihl.
74 Michael Smithies 1985 A Busy Week: Tales from Today's Thailand
75 Wong Swee Hoon 1985 The Phoenix and Other Stories
76 Woo Keng Thye 1986 Web of Tradition. Novel.
77 Arthur Yap 1986 Man Snake Apple & Other Poems
78 Robert Yeo 1986 The Adventures Of Holden Heng. Novel.
79 Goh Sin Tub 1987 Honour and Other Stories. Originally published in 1986 as The Battle of the Bands.
80 Catherine Lim 1987 The Shadow of a Shadow of a Dream: Love Stories of Singapore
81 Goh Sin Tub 1987 The Ghost Lover Of Emerald Hill And Other Stories
82 Ediriwira Sarachchandra 1987 Foam Upon the Stream: A Japanese Elegy. Novel.
83 Nalla Tan 1989 Hearts & Crosses. Short stories.
84 Goh Sin Tub 1989 The Nan-Mei-Su Girls of Emerald Hill. Novel.
85 Woo Keng Thye 1989 Encounter and Other Stories
86 Catherine Khoo 1990 Love Notes
87 Goh Sin Tub 1990 Ghosts of Singapore!. Short stories.
88 Othman Wok 1991 Malayan Horror: Macabre Tales Of Singapore And Malaysia In The 50's
89 Woo Keng Thye 1991 Winds of Change. Novel.
90 Wong Swee Hoon 1991 A Dying Breed. Short stories.
91 Goh Sin Tub 1991 More Ghosts of Singapore!. Short stories.
92 W. W. Williams 1991 Reflections in the River: Contemporary Japanese Short Stories
93 Lin Yutang 1992 The Importance of Living. Originally published in 1937.
94 Syed Adam Aljafri 1992 Ollie's Search For Golden Hope & Other Stories
95 Jack Reynolds 1992 Daughters of an Ancient Race. Originally published in 1974.
96 Judith Anne Lucas & Marsha Goh 1992 Tales of the Hungry Ghosts
97 Helen Lee, ed. 1992 Tapestry: A Collection of Short Stories. Contributors include Gopal Baratham, Arthur Yap and Nalla Tan.
98 Catherine Lim 1992 Deadline For Love And Other Stories
99 Catherine Lim 1992 Love's Lonely Impulses. Poetry.
100 Judith Anne Lucas 1993 Fancies and Follies: Stories of Love
101 Goh Sin Tub 1993 Goh's 12 Best Singapore Stories
102 Toh Weng Choy 1993 Sunshine in the Rain: A Maid's Courage
103 Catherine Lim 1993 The Best Of Catherine Lim. Short stories.
104 Robert Raymer 1993 Lovers and Strangers. Short stories.
105 Michael Smithies 1993 Bight Of Bangkok: A Collection Of Short Stories
106 Beth Yahp 1993 The Crocodile Fury. Novel. Originally published in 1992.
107 Goh Poh Seng 1994 If We Dream Too Long. Novel originally published in 1972. Winner of the National Book Development Council of Singapore's Fiction Book Award 1976.
108 C.C. Hu 1994 Silent Cries from the Dark. Short stories.
109 Goh Sin Tub 1994 Mass Possession: A True Story! Tales of the Supernatural and Natural
110 Marie Gerrina Louis 1994 The Road To Chandibole. Novel.
111 Douglas Lee 1994 A Rose Has Thorns. Novel.
112 Woo Keng Thye 1994 Reincarnation and Other Short Stories
113 Marie Gerrina Louis 1995 Junos. Novel.
114 Syed Adam Aljafri 1996 Reminiscences: A Collection of Short Stories

See also

References

  1. ↑ Patke, Rajeev S.; Holden, Philip (2009). The Routledge Concise History of Southeast Asian Writing in English. Routledge. p. 81. ISBN 9781135257620. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "Behind the Book". Singapore Press Holdings. Straits Times. 28 February 1982. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  3. ↑ Comber, Leon (1991). Asian Voices in English. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 79–86. ISBN 9622092829. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  4. ↑ "Behind the Book". Singapore Press Holdings. Straits Times. 28 February 1982. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  5. ↑ Chia, Helen (13 August 1988). "Bookends: Charles Cher". Singapore Press Holdings. The Straits Times. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  6. ↑ Chua, Rebecca (6 September 1986). "So you want to be an author". Singapore Press Holdings. The Straits Times. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  7. ↑ John, Alan (30 August 1982). "Behind the awards". Singapore Press Holdings. The Straits Times. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  8. ↑ "Book honours for two poets". Singapore Press Holdings. The Straits Times. 4 September 1982. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  9. ↑ Comber, Leon (1991). Asian Voices in English. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 79–86. ISBN 9622092829. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  10. ↑ "Scorpion Orchid". Epigram Books. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
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