Finding Arina June 11, 2018 – Posted in: Reviews

I was honoured to launch her first book, Paracosm, on Saturday, 6 May 2017, at the University of Malaya. I have nothing but praises for the 17-year-old Puteri Fateh Arina Merican Megat Suffian Merican, or Arina. She is indeed an extraordinary girl, extremely talented and ferociously opinionated. She is one of the most creative young minds in literature I have come across in recent memory. In my speech, I said that she has “a sophisticated,…

Ipohworld’s World review of “Perak Postcards 1890-1940” June 4, 2018 – Posted in: In The News, Reviews

Once the premier state of the Federated Malay States, Perak pioneered tin mining, rubber, roads and railways in Malaya. In the early twentieth century, Europeans and Asians venturing into this frontier country bought picture postcards to send home to family, friends and pen pals all over the world. Perak Postcards 1890s-1940s represents the largest such collection ever assembled into one volume, with more than 500 picture postcards contributed by several collectors. Practically all the major Perak districts…

Postcard Journeys – Posted in: Reviews

Every once in a while, a book comes along that surpasses expectations. Although there have been other publications about postcards in Malaysia, Penang Postcard Collection 1899-1930 is by far the most ambitious study of the subject to date. Serious collectors or scholars of postcards (deltiologists, as they are called), as well as casual readers, are sure to delight in this richly illustrated and beautifully designed volume. Packed with fascinating historical detail, this book is a…

Reclaiming Nature and the Planet for All May 28, 2018 – Posted in: Reviews

Sustainable development has for some time animated discussions on growth, development and the future of the mankind in many quarters. Yet, for all its thrust and parry it has received little attention in policy formulations. The stranglehold of neo-liberal economics and their protagonists is too strong within the corridors of power for alternative arguments to find space outside seminar halls. M Nadarajah shifts the focus of alter-native thinking—from sustainable development to sustainable cultures of living…

Traditional Wisdom – Posted in: Reviews

“Scholars and researchers have documented how traditional societies have managed their natural resources through their cultural practices. Many have now advocated the application of traditional wisdom in the area of natural resources management, conserving bio-diversity and thereby address the issue of sustainable development. “Living Pathways”, has contributed to the present reservoir of knowledge in a simple, lucid way, with associated photographs and rich references.” D.K Budokoti Development Consultant (India) http://www.ghughuti.org/ This review first appeared in…

Living Pathways: A Cosmology of the Possible – Posted in: Reviews

In recent times, the search for sustainability has become imperative for the survival of human beings and other species. Why? Nadarajah’s book offers deep insights worth engaging with at both personal and political levels, as he offers an orientation from the point of view of socially-engaged spirituality, staying away from the business-as-usual models of sustainable development. It made me reflect. Homo sapiens have been blessed with everything in abundance in nature by the Creator to…

There is No Better Time for This Book – Posted in: Reviews

After reading Living Pathways, my first response was “This book should be placed in the hands of every head of state around the world.” Clearly, deeply and beautifully, M. Nadarajah brings us face-to-face with of the most pressing global issue of our time: the urgent need to take responsibility for the precious resource belonging to all of us, our Mother Earth. I love how Nat takes us on his path, as he talks with villagers, academics, elders, and politicians.…

Rarely Writings Combine the Spirit and the Body – Posted in: Reviews

The first thing that struck me about this book, when it came to me for a review, is its visual appeal. It is layered with photographs and graphics which have, not so obvious, resonance with the themes and textual content of the book. It is pleasure to leaf through a book which has an excellent layout and design; a rarity I think for books engaging with a thought provoking issue of where humanity is headed.…

Living landscapes connected communities: Culture, environment, and change across Asia May 24, 2018 – Posted in: Reviews

This reference details the collaborative activities of the Regional Project implemented by the Nippon Foundation Fellowships for Asian Public Intellectuals, or API Fellowships Program (API). The API project was designed to foster greater awareness of their neighbours amongst public intellectuals and to encourage collaboration to address common problems across the region. Between 2008 and 2012, groups of APIs visited five sites, each in a different country, to study, document and reflect on the role of…

Promoting Asian perspectives on sustainable development – Posted in: Reviews

WORLD leaders will once again congregate in New York from Sept 25 to 27 this year. They will adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda, aiming to change the world in 17 steps with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. In Seoul last month, the Korean Association for International Development and Cooperation (KAIDEC) had convened a meeting of development experts to discuss Asian perspectives on the new set of goals, targets and indicators that will replace…