Oct–Dec 2020

Director's Note

A Bite of History: Betel Chewing in Singapore
Fiona Lim and Geoffrey Pakiam look at a time-honoured tradition that is no longer fashionable.(PDF)

The Sticky Problem of Opium Revenue
Diana S. Kim explains how the colonial government reduced its dependence on opium taxes.(PDF)

At Gunpoint: Wiping Out Illegal Firearms in Singapore
Street shootouts and armed kidnappings used to be common. Tan Chui Hua zeroes in on how these criminals were disarmed.(PDF)

The “Tiger” in Singapore: Georges Clemenceau’s Visit in 1920
Lim Tin Seng looks back at Clemenceau’s visit to Singapore 100 years ago.(PDF)

Looking Back at Queenstown Library’s 50 Years
Paddy Jonathan Ong traces the history of Singapore’s first branch library.(PDF)

Planning to Build, Building to Plan
The building plans in the National Archives are a treasure trove, says Yap Jo Lin.(PDF)

A Different Sky: The Other Side of the Looking Glass
Meira Chand explores the challenges of writing historical fiction.(PDF)

Karikal Mahal: The Lost Palace of a Fallen Cattle King
William L. Gibson uncovers the story behind the pair of grand buildings along Still Road South.(PDF)

The Borobudur, Mysterious Gold Plates and Singing Maps
Erni Salleh populates her thriller, The Java Enigma, with unsolved historical puzzles from the region.(PDF)

Life in a Time of COVID-19
Janice Loo explains the National Library’s crowdsourcing efforts to document the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.(PDF)

跨境影响、情系侨乡: 新加坡金门会馆特藏
The Kim Mui Hoey Kuan recently donated many artefacts to the National Library. Lee Meiyu gives us the details.(PDF)

An Archive of Singapore Websites: Preserving the Digital
Shereen Tay recounts the National Library’s efforts to archive Singapore-related websites.(PDF)

Book Review: The Year 1000
Wan Wee Pin reviews Valerie Hansen’s book, which argues that globalisation began a thousand years ago.(PDF)