By Colin Cheong
NLB Call No.: CHE (Singapore Collection)
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Singapore: SNP Editions, c2005.
Singapore: Raffles Editions, 1997.
A narrative by a young Singaporean photojournalist, Nick, who travels through Vietnam for a reunion with his university friends. He rediscovers himself in Vietnam, as he has been brought up in the ruthlessly efficient, organized comfort zone of Singapore for too long. This novel depicts the pain of growing up as Nick longs for the "good-old days" and the company of his former school buddies.
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Source: http://readsingapore.nlb.gov.sg/kits.html
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To make a long story short, I read Tangerine many times over a short period as part of my work. I found it a hard book to read because I thought the writing wasn't specific enough. But then after the tenth reading, I stopped imposing my ideas on the book and enjoyed it for what it was. What I liked: the sense of time and culture, the engagement with another place. Give the book a shot and see what you think. - Submitted by Mike @ WRL (25 May 2005)
ReplyDeleteCan't help but feel that this book is also a semi-autobiographical account of the author's life too! Good scoping of the Vietnamese people's lifestyle, landscape and life in the 1990s. - Submitted by Meng @ WRL (27 May 2005)
ReplyDeleteFrom Lim Poh Poh: "Wonderful story with satire about a reunion. People don't change with time, they just slowly merge into life & encounter same experience with different people"
ReplyDeleteWhen I first turned the pages of the book, familiar names and pictures just jumped right out of the pages to me... Bong Sen hotel, scenic descriptions of the multitudes on bicycles, ladies dressed immaculately pristine white ao dais, the casual community feeling of people just squatting around a street hawker.... it was just as if I was there in Ho Chi Minh city all over again. Oh yes... I was there precisely on 2 Jan 1997 for a short 2 day stay. I was sent on a "mission" by my then-company to solve some technical issues for our customer up in HCM. It was my first trip to Vietnam, and I must say that it will forever remain as one of my most powerful travelling experiences.
ReplyDeleteAside my memories, I managed to read about 4 chapters. Unfortunately I gave my book away to a stranger that I met at a conference - because firstly, I felt that by giving this person my book, he would be inspired to read; secondly, it was my little way of contribution towards Read! Singapore - pass it on, you know...; thirdly, I felt that I could always turn to the libraries' copies to complete the story.
Well, to those who completed the book - cheers! To others like me who have not, let's turn another page : )