17 Dec 2016: Yangon Echoes: Inside Heritage Homes December 29, 2016 – Posted in: Newsletters

“The rich tapestry of multicultural Yangon is reflected wonderfully in this brilliant book, a fusion of intangible and tangible heritage that is often overlooked in architectural studies of cities.” – William Logan, Professor Emeritus, Deakin University, Melbourne My first reaction to Rangoon, now a sad and skeletal city renamed Yangon, was disbelief. There was a human pathos in a city that had faded in the years I’d been away, something more elderly, almost senile… The decrepitude…

10 Dec 2016: Megat Terawis – Journey to Our Roots December 14, 2016 – Posted in: Newsletters

There have been insinuations that Megat Terawis was ‘a soldier of fortune’, someone who would do anything for reward, or that he acquired the ofﬁce of Perak Bendahara by force of arms, as told by R. O. Winstedt and R. Wilkinson in their 1934 work, A History of Perak. The author of this week’s featured book, Megat Terawis: Journey to Our Roots, contends that this description is unlikely. Her search to uncover the history of her…

01 Dec 2016: The Sustainability Shift – Refashioning Malaysia’s Future December 5, 2016 – Posted in: Newsletters

Following the successful launch on 29 November of its latest publication The Sustainability Shift: Refashioning Malaysia’s Future in Kuala Lumpur, Areca Books hosted the Penang launch on 4 December with Emeritus Professor Mohd. Nordin Hasan, Director, International Council for Science Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ICSU–ROAP). About the book The threats of environmental degradation, climate change and imminent ecological collapse faced by humanity today demand an urgent response from individuals, industries and national governments. Yet, in most…

12 Nov 2016: Road To Dawn《夜‧明》commemorative DVD (2016) – Posted in: Newsletters

In commemoration of Dr Sun Yat Sen’s 150th birthday on 12 November 2016, the Sun Yat Sen Museum Penang is proud to present the new Road To Dawn《夜‧明》commemorative DVD (2016), a 2007 Chinese historical film depicting an episode in the great leader’s revolutionary life, when he sought refuge in Penang from July to December 1910. Shot exclusively on location in Penang under the direction of Hong Kong filmmaker Derek Chiu, the film has garnered several prestigious…

30 Oct 2016: Two biographies – Mubin Sheppard & Ezrin Arbi – Posted in: Newsletters

Nothing great will ever be achieved without great men, and men are great only if they are determined to be so. – Charles de Gaulle ‘Two biographies – Mubin Sheppard & Ezrin Arbi‘, the subject of our weekly newsletter, refer to two names indelibly linked with architecture in Malaysia. They are also the ‘stars’ of our featured books this week. While one specialised in development, the other found his métier in conservation. Dr. Zuraini Ali’s…

09 Oct 2016: Ikat Limar October 13, 2016 – Posted in: Newsletters

Traditional Malay arts and crafts can be classified according to the techniques employed and the different materials used in their production. Two popular forms include Ikat Limar and Ukiran Kayu Melayu Tradisi, or textile weaving and wood crafting, and they are the subjects of our featured books this week: Ikat Limar – The Ancient Malay Textile and Ukiran Kayu Melayu Tradisi. Although weavers in the northeast part of West Malaysia still use traditional looms to weave textiles,…

02 Oct 2016: The Chettiar Role in Malaysia’s Economic History – Posted in: Newsletters

This meticulously researched book represents a noteworthy contribution to our understanding of the ’subaltern’ economy of Malaysia during the colonial period and to our appreciation of the changing role of the Chettiar in modern times. ‒ Barbara Watson Andaya, Professor of Asian Studies, University of Hawai’i Our featured book, The Chettiar Role in Malaysia’s Economic History, provides a fascinating study on how, since the formation of the Federated Malay States in 1896 until independence, the Chettiars…

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03 Sep 2016: Panicrama September 5, 2016 – Posted in: Newsletters

Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary. – Cecil Beaton, photographer Sublime photography rarely needs to conform to a specific style or genre, being able to transcend traditional concepts or categorisation, and they can run the gamut from abstract to documentary, from surrealism to realism and anything in between. Very little else stirs…

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27 Aug 2016: Masjid – Selected Mosques and Musollas in Malaysia – Posted in: Newsletters

He who builds a masjid in the way of Allah, God will build a house for him in paradise. – Sahih Muslim Continuing from the theme of ATSA Architects’s previous publications, this week’s featured book is a straightforward monograph featuring a collection of Malaysian mosques – from the earliest, the Kampung Laut Mosque, built in 1676 in Kelantan to the latest, the Raja Haji Fisabilillah Mosque in Cyberjaya. The proposed number of mosques to be…

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20 Aug 2016: Penang Hokkien-English Dictionary – Posted in: Newsletters

There are over 6,500 languages in the world and almost half are in danger of extinction. – The Star, 7 Aug 2016 Although it is unlikely for someone to completely forget his or her native tongue, languages do become endangered or extinct due to underuse or because they have few surviving speakers. Examples include the Pawnee and Sherpa languages of North America and India. Another language that is headed for the critical list is Penang Hokkien,…

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