Issue

Oct–Dec 2026

9 September 2026

Singapore’s James Bond and other stories in BiblioAsia Volume 22, Issue 3.

Jefri Zain Is Singapore's James Bond (opens in new tab)
A 1966 Malay spy thriller becomes a cinematic portrait of a newly independent nation. (PDF) (opens in new tab)

From "Pok Jui" to Jui Residences: The Story of the National Aerated Water Company (opens in new tab)
An the 1950s, the National Aerated Water Company produced over 40,000 bottles of Sinalco a day. All that remains today is the shell of the company’s factory on Serangoon Road. (PDF) (opens in new tab)

The Long Surrender: The Experience of Japanese Soldiers Interned in Rempang After the War (opens in new tab)
After Japan’s surrender, many Japanese soldiers were shipped off to an island in Riau to await repatriation. There, they had to contend with harsh living conditions, malaria and food shortages. (PDF) (opens in new tab)

Interpreting the Turk: Everyday Encounters and Urban Memory in Colonial Singapore (opens in new tab)
During the 19th and 20th centuries, Turkish imagery appeared in a variety of popular media in Singapore, reflecting the fascination with the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish world, as well as the island’s status as a cosmopolitan port city. (PDF) (opens in new tab)

Singapore’s Experience of the Great Depression (opens in new tab)
When the Great Depression struck, Singapore’s trade-dependent economy faltered, tin and rubber prices plummeted, businesses closed and people faced immense hardship. (PDF) (opens in new tab)

The Singapore River (Re)Imagined (opens in new tab)
Across changing eras and artistic movements, artists have returned to the banks of the Singapore River to reflect on what the river means to them and what it means to be an artist. (PDF) (opens in new tab)

Trends in Malay Wedding Photography: 1950s to the Early 1980s (opens in new tab)
The evolution of Malay wedding photography since the 1950s has been shaped by several factors, including the changing needs of newlyweds, professionalisation of the craft and services provided by the mak andam. (PDF) (opens in new tab)

Marching Through History: 100 Years of the Singapore Police Force Band (opens in new tab)
The desire of the municipal authorities to have a band perform at publicly funded outreach events was the original impetus for what would become the Singapore Police Force Band. (PDF) (opens in new tab)

Saving Traditional Chinese Pastries (opens in new tab)
In a BiblioAsia Podcast episode, pastry chef Yeo Min talks about how she became interested in Chinese pastries and why she wrote the book Chinese Pastry School. (PDF) (opens in new tab)

New Books on Singapore History (opens in new tab)
"Home, Truly: A History of Singapore National Songs"; "Al-Taqua Mosque: The Shining Pearl of Singapore"; and "Singapore: A Cinematic Portrait" are some of the new books available at the National Library.(PDF) (opens in new tab)