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O Singapore!: stories in celebration
Book by Lim, Catherine
- GenresShort Stories
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
About the author
Catherine Lim
53 books79 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
林宝音 in Chinese
Catherine Lim Poh Imm (Chinese: 林宝音; pinyin: Lín Bǎoyīn, born 21 March 1942) is a Singaporean fiction author known for writing about Singapore society and of themes of traditional Chinese culture. Hailed as the "doyenne of Singapore writers", Lim has published nine collections of short stories, five novels, two poetry collections, and numerous political commentaries to date.
(from Wikipedia)
林宝音 in Chinese
Catherine Lim Poh Imm (Chinese: 林宝音; pinyin: Lín Bǎoyīn, born 21 March 1942) is a Singaporean fiction author known for writing about Singapore society and of themes of traditional Chinese culture. Hailed as the "doyenne of Singapore writers", Lim has published nine collections of short stories, five novels, two poetry collections, and numerous political commentaries to date.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 12, 2024
O Singapore! Stories in Celebration
By Catherine Lim
Published by Marshall Cavendish
Goodread's Rating: 3.39/5
My Rating: 3/5
"After march discussion, we have both agreed on a compromise. The anecdote may be retained but 'mosquitoes' should be replaced by any insect whose presence, even in swarms, does not reflect poorly on the hygiene of a country. Needless to say, flies, lice, bugs, ticks, fleas, leeches and chiggers are OUT."
Catherine Lim’s O Singapore! Stories in Celebration is an ambitious collection that seeks to encapsulate the vibrancy and complexities of Singaporean society. As a reader who appreciates nuanced storytelling, especially within the Southeast Asian context, this collection was approached with high expectations. While there are elements that are commendable, the overall experience proved to be somewhat mixed.
The author is undeniably a writer with a keen eye for detail, and her stories are enriched by a deep understanding of the cultural and social currents that define Singapore. The authenticity in the portrayal of her characters, particularly through the use of local dialects and settings, provides a vivid snapshot of life in the Lion City. Themes such as the tension between tradition and modernity are both timely and relevant, offering valuable insights into the challenges of navigating identity in a rapidly evolving society.
However, certain stories within the collection seemed to lack the depth and unpredictability that is often sought in short fiction. The narratives, while well-constructed, occasionally feel formulaic, and the humor, though present, may not resonate with all readers. Additionally, the recurring motifs and themes, while significant, sometimes create a sense of repetition that diminishes the overall impact of the collection.
In conclusion, it is a thoughtfully written collection that offers a window into the intricacies of Singaporean life. While it may not entirely meet all expectations, its literary merit is clear, and it remains recommended for those interested in exploring the cultural narratives of Singapore.
"Here Singaporeans come by the hundreds daily to do on other soil what they have been forbidden to do on their own, and from which they return, quite refreshed and ready to be ideal civil servants all over again. It is a strange sight: usually grave-faced, bespectacled civil servants in conservative white shirts and dark trousers wildly shouting, stomping, spitting, laughing, littering, hurling rambutan rinds in the air, tossing peanut shells over their shoulders, swearing in the dialect of their ancestors, quarreling, fighting. Sometimes a playful competition is held, to see whose spit lands furthest, whose peanut shells, 'kana' seeds or melon-seed husks pile up most quickly."
By Catherine Lim
Published by Marshall Cavendish
Goodread's Rating: 3.39/5
My Rating: 3/5
"After march discussion, we have both agreed on a compromise. The anecdote may be retained but 'mosquitoes' should be replaced by any insect whose presence, even in swarms, does not reflect poorly on the hygiene of a country. Needless to say, flies, lice, bugs, ticks, fleas, leeches and chiggers are OUT."
Catherine Lim’s O Singapore! Stories in Celebration is an ambitious collection that seeks to encapsulate the vibrancy and complexities of Singaporean society. As a reader who appreciates nuanced storytelling, especially within the Southeast Asian context, this collection was approached with high expectations. While there are elements that are commendable, the overall experience proved to be somewhat mixed.
The author is undeniably a writer with a keen eye for detail, and her stories are enriched by a deep understanding of the cultural and social currents that define Singapore. The authenticity in the portrayal of her characters, particularly through the use of local dialects and settings, provides a vivid snapshot of life in the Lion City. Themes such as the tension between tradition and modernity are both timely and relevant, offering valuable insights into the challenges of navigating identity in a rapidly evolving society.
However, certain stories within the collection seemed to lack the depth and unpredictability that is often sought in short fiction. The narratives, while well-constructed, occasionally feel formulaic, and the humor, though present, may not resonate with all readers. Additionally, the recurring motifs and themes, while significant, sometimes create a sense of repetition that diminishes the overall impact of the collection.
In conclusion, it is a thoughtfully written collection that offers a window into the intricacies of Singaporean life. While it may not entirely meet all expectations, its literary merit is clear, and it remains recommended for those interested in exploring the cultural narratives of Singapore.
"Here Singaporeans come by the hundreds daily to do on other soil what they have been forbidden to do on their own, and from which they return, quite refreshed and ready to be ideal civil servants all over again. It is a strange sight: usually grave-faced, bespectacled civil servants in conservative white shirts and dark trousers wildly shouting, stomping, spitting, laughing, littering, hurling rambutan rinds in the air, tossing peanut shells over their shoulders, swearing in the dialect of their ancestors, quarreling, fighting. Sometimes a playful competition is held, to see whose spit lands furthest, whose peanut shells, 'kana' seeds or melon-seed husks pile up most quickly."
April 17, 2019
A short funny book about the phenomenon which happened in Singaporean society. The book consists of 8 short stories. It looks like Catherine Lim likes to use satire in her book, because almost all of the stories there are satires, with the purpose of criticising the government and society in Singapore. I think the book is a suitable one for reading on weekends since it’s short and not too hard to understand.
February 6, 2011
In my humble opinion, this is certainly not one of Lim's more stellar works. As usual, this book was full of allusions to real Singapore's pre-millennium cultures and the governmental intervention measures implemented to deal with the cultural and socio-economic problems of a Singapore in her throes of transition to a 1st world nation from a 3rd.
A satire of the comedy that is the Singaporean character and its overbearing nanny government seemingly seeking to control almost every aspect of her citizen's life, this book adeptly touches upon themes the native Singaporean would find easy to relate to, such as 'kiasuism' and materialism. The 'humsupism' (lecherousness) theme is pretty noteworthy too, though I guess that permeates almost any culture that has men in it.
The humour was at most, chuckle worthy on the whole, though I thought that 'The Malady and the Cure' and 'Kiasuism: A socio-historico-cultural perspective' were the best short stories amongst it all. The lead character's name for the first(Mr. Sai Koh Phan) is already a dead give-away to the theme of the story, and one I found absurdly hilarious, to the point of bursting into laughter at various parts of the story. (Or maybe I'm just a cold-hearted sadist like that...) As for the latter, Lim's ingeniously witty parody of a real scientific paper (not something one sees everyday)- in fact, it was written so eloquently that I will not be surprised if it actually does pass off as a legitimate sociology study paper!
If there is any reason why you should get your hands on this book, it would definitely be for those two works.
Most of the prose did not leave much room for further contemplation though, which is quite unlike most of Lim's writings.
As compared to her other more prominent, serious works, I'd give this a 3 star rating over 5. Don't get me wrong- it's not like I dislike humour or God forbid, Catherine Lim's brand of wry, witty humour; in fact, I love it when they are very artfully placed in the books I read, but humour is a delicate tool that has to be carefully wielded to give maximum impact to the audience- it has to have a perfect balance of imagination and reality, which, in this case, this book did not come up to scratch for, save except for the two above-mentioned favourites.
With that said, though, this WAS her first foray into humour, so perhaps I may have been a little too harsh with the judgement.
A satire of the comedy that is the Singaporean character and its overbearing nanny government seemingly seeking to control almost every aspect of her citizen's life, this book adeptly touches upon themes the native Singaporean would find easy to relate to, such as 'kiasuism' and materialism. The 'humsupism' (lecherousness) theme is pretty noteworthy too, though I guess that permeates almost any culture that has men in it.
The humour was at most, chuckle worthy on the whole, though I thought that 'The Malady and the Cure' and 'Kiasuism: A socio-historico-cultural perspective' were the best short stories amongst it all. The lead character's name for the first(Mr. Sai Koh Phan) is already a dead give-away to the theme of the story, and one I found absurdly hilarious, to the point of bursting into laughter at various parts of the story. (Or maybe I'm just a cold-hearted sadist like that...) As for the latter, Lim's ingeniously witty parody of a real scientific paper (not something one sees everyday)- in fact, it was written so eloquently that I will not be surprised if it actually does pass off as a legitimate sociology study paper!
If there is any reason why you should get your hands on this book, it would definitely be for those two works.
Most of the prose did not leave much room for further contemplation though, which is quite unlike most of Lim's writings.
As compared to her other more prominent, serious works, I'd give this a 3 star rating over 5. Don't get me wrong- it's not like I dislike humour or God forbid, Catherine Lim's brand of wry, witty humour; in fact, I love it when they are very artfully placed in the books I read, but humour is a delicate tool that has to be carefully wielded to give maximum impact to the audience- it has to have a perfect balance of imagination and reality, which, in this case, this book did not come up to scratch for, save except for the two above-mentioned favourites.
With that said, though, this WAS her first foray into humour, so perhaps I may have been a little too harsh with the judgement.
December 17, 2016
A playful, witty, satirical collection of short stories inspired by the melting hot pot of Singaporean culture. Particularly noteworthy are the stories about politician Sai Koh Phan, kiasuism and the authors attempt to get her writings past the censor board. Will get many a chuckle out of anyone who has lived in and known Singapore.
August 18, 2023
Personally didn't find the stories here as intriguing as "They Do Return... But Gently Lead Them Back" but it was still a satisfying read.
My favourite story was definitely the one of "Kiasuism". It was a very cheeky and fun read, and the story clearly captured the propensity of Singaporeans and why we behave the way we do.
My favourite story was definitely the one of "Kiasuism". It was a very cheeky and fun read, and the story clearly captured the propensity of Singaporeans and why we behave the way we do.
March 16, 2025
A witty and sardonic set of short stories which bring the vibrancy and hilarity of being Singaporean to readers. I really enjoyed the social commentary, especially of the last story in which the author's story is subjected to a series of corrections in order to convey the Singaporean-ness of the work to its fullest capacity.
October 17, 2022
3.5, actly really enjoyed this short story collection !! standouts for me wud def be "kiasuism" and "in search of (a play)"
a really witty & comical satire on singapore's culture, centering mainly on kiasuism, humsup-ism, as well as references to sg's politics (its policies, government styles, etc)
really enjoyed all the stories & wud def be reading more of catherine lim in the future
a really witty & comical satire on singapore's culture, centering mainly on kiasuism, humsup-ism, as well as references to sg's politics (its policies, government styles, etc)
really enjoyed all the stories & wud def be reading more of catherine lim in the future
April 9, 2022
fresh and witty satirical voice, but gets a little repetitive within the collection.
July 21, 2024
3.5 ⭐️, a fun, satirical look and Singaporean culture. Lim crafts her stories in very unique ways, with no fear of magical realism or breaking the 3rd wall
October 20, 2010
I don't understand Singaporean humor, I think.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews