Orang Asli Animal Tales by Lim Boo Liat (COAC) RM20.00

The Orang Asli -- the first people of Peninsular Malaysia -- are nature's naturalists. They are intimately familiar with the social structure and behavior of many of the animals in their forest homelands. To explain nature's mysteries, they have surrounded themselves with colourful folklore about wondrous creatures that are so much a part of their lives. In this collection of Orang Asli animal tales you will learn, for example, how the once-cruel tapir got it's white band and became the timid animal that it is today. And why the flying lemur always hides his tail and flies only by night. Or how friends of the slow-loris protected him from the punishment of blindness ordered by the king for outraging the modesty of his daughter. These tales are not only for enjoyment and amusement. They also teach us morals and give us a peek into the rich scientific and cultural heritage of the Orang Asli --Which should rightfully warrant a significant place in Malaysia's cultural heritage.

Other Malaysian titles:

1. T Pinkie's Floor by A Samad Said -- RM25.00
2. Fansuri's Love by A Samad Said -- RM20.00
3. Braving the Waves by Zailani Taslim -- RM25.00
4. The Opera House by Zakaria Ariffin -- RM15.00
5. Children of this Land by Noordin Hassan -- RM25.00
6. Mother El Nono & La Nina (Malaysian nature Series) -- RM15.00
7. Jungle of Hope by Keris Mas -- RM30.00
8. The Keris by Edward Frey -- RM20.00
9. Traditional Malay Medicinal Plants by Muhammad Zakaria, Mustafa Ali Mohd -- RM20.00
10. Song of the Pelican by Suhaimi Haji Muhammad -- RM20.00
11. Pilot Studies for a New Penang by Ooi Kee Beng, Gan Ban Lee -- RM50.00

Labels: Society

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Eight Jewels of the Phoenix -- Tutu Dutta-Yean -- MPH (2009) -- RM19.90

Eight Jewels of the Phoenix brings together eight legends and folk tales from the countries around the Asia-Pacific Rim. The tales in this collection are cultural icons, retold and reinterpreted in many forms through the ages. Just like the Phoenix, they are fierce, full of colour, magic and adventure, celebrating the richness and diversity of the cultures of Asia.

For those unfamiliar with these cultures, the book will be a journey of discovery. Readers will find universal themes: the reversal of fortune, quest for lovepossible and impossible, sacrifice for the greater good and even the charming story of a Malay Cinderella. The Phoenix sometimes makes an appearance in these stories in various guises.

The cultures covered in this book include China, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, North America and Thailand. The authors black-and-white illustrations bring a fresh perspective to the stories.

These are timeless tales that will appeal to both young and old alike.


Eight Fortunes of the Qilin -- Tutu Dutta-Yean -- MPH (2009) -- RM19.90

Eight Fortunes of the Qilin brings together eight legends and folk tales from countries around the Asia-Pacific Rim. Each story in the collection is rooted in the culture of its people. It is also a window to the past as some of these cultures may no longer exist or are undergoing rapid transformation.

As the fabled Qilin represents compassion, wisdom and respect for nature and life, these qualities are echoed in the stories. Nature, whether in the form of a mighty river, a little cricket or snail, plays a prominent role in these enthralling tales. It is also the thread that binds all these elements together. Humans, spirits and deities cross paths, and unseen worlds collide.

The countries brought to life in this collection include Borneo, Central America, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Philippines and Vietnam. Accompanying the rich tales are black-and-white illustrations by the author to bring a fresh perspective to the stories.

These are timeless tales that will appeal to both young and old alike.


Other new books

No cowardly Past-2nd Edition -- James Puthucheary -- SIRD(2010) -- RM45.00

Labels: Society

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What your teacher didn't tell you by Farish A Noor -- Matahari Books (RM40.00)

Labels: History, Society

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Rethinking Islamic Architecture by Mohamad Tajuddin Mohamad Rasdi (RM 30.00)

Islamic architecture has never undergone a sustained period of self-criticism and creative renewal. Arguing in favour of a return to humility, humanism and the eternal values of Islam, the author shows a way out of the impasse in Islamic architecture by a close reading of the Islamic sources in tandem with a re-examination of the work of visionary Western modernists.

Professor Tajuddin also restores the importance of appreciating the integrity and sustainable design and technologies of Southeast Asian Islamic architecture as well as such postcolonial designs such as the National Mosque, the brilliant use of vernacular design in the Amanah Saham Pahang mosques and an organic, community-centred Islamic mosque-complex in Kota Baru -- all in Malaysia. Rethinking Islamic
Architecture challenges clients, architects, student and the general reader alike to rethink their assumptions and practices, and open their minds to a wealth of less explored possibilities.

This provocative yet accessible book should be read by anyone concerned about the need to restore sustainable human-centred design and shared value to contemporary cities.

Other Malaysian titles:

Tropical Affairs by Robert Raymer (RM 32.90)
Kirkby: The Life and the Loves by Shaari Isa (RM 29.90)
SUARAM: 20 Years Defending Human Rights by Kua Kia Soong (RM 20.00)
Where is Justic? Death and Brutality in Custody edited by John Lee & Nathaniel Tan (RM 29.00)
Call if You Need Me (DVD) by James Lee (RM 20.00)
All My Failed Attempts (DVD) by Tan Chui Mui (RM 20.00)
Sikh Community in Malaysia by Darshan Singh Gill (RM 89.90)

Labels: Politics, Society

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Yasmin Ahmad's Films by Amir Muhammad (RM 30.00)

Yasmin Ahmad left a vibrant legacy, and it is still strange to talk about her in the past tense.

In order to deal with his grief, Amir Muhammad, fellow Malaysian filmmaker and friend, watched anew her six feature-length films (Rabun, Sepet, Gubra, Mukhsin, Muallaf and Talentime), as well as several of her most popular commercials. Neither an obituary nor a conventional work of film criticism, this book was written just a month after her funeral and is Amir's personal look at the stories, but with quite a few tangents of his own.

Chatty and informative, Yasmin Ahmad's Films can be devoured not only by established fans but newcomers to her work. It is also a tribute to one of Malaysia's most amazing daughters.

Other new Malaysian books:
1. Planter Upriver by Mahbob Abdullah
2. Penang Under the East India Company 1786-1858 by Andrew Barber
(All these books are available at the Silverfish Online Bookstore).

Labels: Art, Society

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Kulit Manis: A Taste of Terengganu's Heritage by To' Puan Rosita Abdullah -- Yayasan Prihatin (RM250.00)

Kulit Manis: A Taste of Terengganu's Heritage, is an unusual cookbook in that it is a 252 page literary 'heirloom'. Kulit Manis is a labour of love, a painstaking journey which reconnects the author, To' Puan Rosita, to her beloved state. Indeed, the author discovered many things that she had forgotten or never knew about Terengganu.

Kulit Manis takes a look at Terengganu's heritage from its culinary history. It delights readers with anecdotes and stories on personalities behind the recipes. It is a respectful appreciation of history, culture, places, nature and the citizens of Terengganu. The eighty-eight recipes in the book represent the true flavour of Terengganu; be it Malay, Chinese or Indian, or an amalgamation of all the three cultures. The recipes are unusual in that most of them require the chef to be instinctive: most have no precise measurements -- with a pinch of this and a dash of that. But they are all works of love.

The beautiful and energetic To' Puan Rosita Abdullah is as keen and passionate about cooking, as she is excited about Terengganu's heritage and culture.

Kulit Manis took three years to complete, juggling her roles as a housewife and mother, and interviewing strangers for recipes and history. She made many friends as she discovered new secrets about her home state. And the more she learned, the more she loved Terengganu.

Labels: Society

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qur'an and cricket: Travels through the madrasahs of Asia and other stories by Farish A Noor. RM40.00

This book is a travelogue by Farish Noor that spans the period from 2004 to early 2009. Versions of many of these pieces have appeared elsewhere before, but many have been completely rewritten. Here is an excerpt from the book:

However, in the course of the same research I have also visited some rather dodgy institutions that can hardly be called madrasahs. Once in Pakistan I had to interview some students while in the corner of the room played a videotape of the gruesome murder and decapitation of the American journalist Daniel Pearl. The boys I was speaking to were between seven to ten years of age, and were smiling and laughing -- while others lay asleep. I tried to look away as long as I could, resisting the urge to puke.

Farish A Noor, academic, activist, traveller extraordinaire, visits, lives and interviews students (and others) in 'jihad factory' madrasahs (Islamic seminaries) from Patani to Pakistan and from Kashmir to Cairo, and comes away dazed and confused. In attempting to make sense of it all, he ends up confronting his own demons and nightmares.

This is a book that only Farish A Noor will attempt and can write. He visits locations we would like to avoid even in our worst nightmares. Although he writes with his sense of humour firmly in place throughout, that does not obscure the seriousness of the subject. Is the world ready for some truth?

quran and cricket is now available in all major bookstore in Malaysia, or you may buy it online from http://www.silverfishbooks.com/buybooks/index.php

Also available (at Silverfish Books only) are a set of six postcards with photographs and drawings by Farish A Noor. These are priced at RM5.00 a set, but will be given away free with every purchase of quran and cricket (at Silverfish Books only) while stocks last.

Labels: Politics, Society

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Overwhelming Terror: Love, Fear, Peace and Violence Among Semai of Malaysia by Robert Knox Dentan (RM 30.00)

This powerful ethnography of a people believed to be the least violent in the world explores how they maintain peaceful relations even under the most dire circumstances. Robert Knox Dentan, the world's foremost scholar of Semai, brings its members vividly to life. His book includes translations of their poetry, dramatized accounts of particular events, and narratives in their own words. Throughout, the author highlights the mechanisms and costs of peace, underscoring their relevance to everyday life in all societies. Students and scholars of peace studies, conflict revolution, ethnography, and Southeast Asia will find this unique work an invaluable and compelling study.

Labels: Society

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Toni Kasim: A Tribute edited by Kua Kia Soong -- RM20.00

Zaitun Mohamed Kasim, better known as Toni Kasim, served the community on a broad range of issues for more than twenty years, fifteen of those years in Malaysia. She firmly believed in the principles of justice and equality for all, regardless of differences in gender, race, religion, sexualities, disabilities and access to wealth and resources.

Toni Kasim ran as the first independent women's parliamentary candidate in the 1999 General Elections on a gender platform. Instead of narrowing her advocacy to political party priorities, Toni Kasim raised issues that reverberated across communities and constituents, such as discriminatory laws, health issues, employment and wealth distribution.

A tireless leader, Toni Kasim devoted much of her life advancing the rights of diverse communities in Malaysia, and no one's reality was too marginal to be captured in her advocacy for collective justice. She was going to run for elections in 2008 when she had to be hospitalised. After months of battling cancer, she left us at the dawn of Wed 4 June, 2008, 5.30am, in her sister's arms. She was 41.

Labels: Society

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The Malaysian Indian Dilemma by Janakey Raman Manickam (Hardback - RM 62.50 / Paperback - RM 50.00)

This book delves into the existence of the Indian community since the time of their arrival in Malaya as indentured labour 150 years ago, to the present day. It is an explication of the struggles, pain, agony that they suffered as a result of treachery, deception, trivialization and contempt by those who claimed to have their best interest at heart. This account exemplifies the vicious cycle of the loss of faith, hopelessness, frustration and decadence experienced by the Indian community for the 150 years of dwelling in this country. It is an Indian attempt to seeking the wound gangrenous that afflicted his people. This is the voice of an ailing community.

Other new books / items:

Taxi Tales on a Crooked Bridge by Charlene Rajendra (RM 28.00)
Slaughter and Deception at Batang Kali by Ian Ward and Norma Miraflor (RM 55.00)

Malaysian Gods: A Year that Shook the Nation (DVD) by Amir Muhammad (RM 20.00)
Ah Kew the Digger (VCD) by Khoo Eng Yow (RM 14.00)

The Elephant and the Sea (DVD) by Woo Ming Jin (RM 20.00)

Labels: Politics, Society

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Kisah Dongeng dan Cerita Rakyat Malaysia& Jerman edited by Holger Warnk & Volker Wolf (RM 30.00)

Antologi dwibahasa ini memperkenalkan pembaca kepada kisah dongeng dan cerita rakyat Malaysia dan Jerman. Kisah dongeng dan cerita rakyat Malaysia dan Jerman ini membantu pembaca memahami budaya lain di samping memberikan keseronokan estetika apabila yang tersembunyi dalam aliran peristiwa sehari-hari yang dilukiskan melalui kisah yang dipaparkan. Buku ini diselenggarakan oleh Holgar Warnk dan Dr Volker Wolf dan diterbitkan oleh Institut Terjemahan Negara Malaysia dengan kerjasama Goethe-Institut Malaysia.

Other new books:

• Tribal Communities in the Malay World edited by Geoffrey Benjamin & Cynthia Chou (RM 145.00)
• Unmasking Najib by Lim Kit Siang (RM 20.00)
• Najib's Challenge: Glory or Oblivion by Barry Wain (RM 10.00)
• Malaysia at the Crossroads: A Socialist Perspective by Jeyakumar Devaraj (RM 15.00
• Ceritalah 3: Malaysia A Dream Deferred by Karim Raslan (RM 32.00)

Labels: Society

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Susuk: the Evil Within by Amir Hafizi -- Marshall Cavendish -- RM 29.90.

Beauty has a price. Soraya is a young trainee nurse who is starting to feel disaffected by her life. A chance introduction to the world of glamour piques her ambition to be a star. She does nor succeed at first, but then she is told of the forbidden practice of susuk. Should she stay the way she is, or cross the line? Meanwhile, Suzana is a dive with an air of mystery. She has long used the extreme susuk keramat. Every time she violates a taboo, a human life is required. We follow the eventful lives of these two women until we get to the secret of this dreaded charm.

Susuk is the forbidden practice of inserting and embedding foreign objects under a person's skin to increase their allure. The wearer will have to respect a few taboos, failing which the consequences will be dire. More dangerous is a variant called susuk keramat.

Susuk is also available in Malay, written by Nizam Zakaria (RM 24.90)

Labels: Society

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Malaysia Human Rights Report 2007: Civil and Political Rights by SUARAM (RM 22.00)

SUARAM publishes its Human Rights Report on Malaysia every year without fail. This report is now widely recognised as the most objective, comprehensive and dependable source of information on the state of human rights in Malaysia.

In this 2007 report, we note that on this 50th year of Malaysia's independence, the state institutions intended to safeguard human rights failed to deliver...

The SUARAM Human Rights Report on Civil and Political Rights 2007 documents these human rights violations and the unrelenting struggles of human rights defenders to promote democracy and human rights in Malaysia.

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Iban Ritual Textile by Traude Gavin (RM 75.00)

Iban ritual textile draws on years of fieldwork and the author's documentation of the hundrds of Iban cloths. Topics include the ritual functions of Iban ikat-patterned fabric; the technical aspects of producing such cloths, as well as the dynamics of the complex of weaving (the power and efficacy of cloth patterns, dreams and charms) that can be subject to human interpretation and regulation. The main focus however is on the cloth patterns themselves and on the names assigned to them. Here the author challenges some long held misconceptions, in particular the notion of designs as a 'primitive form of language'. From this novel perspective, the role of weavers as technicians is set off against the power of patterns as an index for a weaver's relative rank. The study moves on to examine the
association of female prestige and weaving with the parallel structure of male status and headhunting. Findings further are discussed in the context of former and more recent intellectual frameworks.

Iban ritual textile is the first in-depth study of the ikat-patterned cloth based on extensive field research and should be of interest to anthropologists, art historians and scholars with an interest in the textile tradition of Southeast Asia.

Dr Traude Gavin is a freelance researcher and lecturer and lives in Great Britain.

Labels: Art, Society

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East of Kinabalu by Leslie Davidson (RM 30.00)

Datuk Leslie Davidson, one of the giants of the oil palm industry in the second half of the twentieth century is the best known for his leading role in introducing to S.E. Asia the pollinating weevil. This has saved the industry millions of dollars annually in assisted pollination.

He was also responsible in the 1960's for bringing oil palm to Sabah on a commercial scale, opening up Tungud Estate for Unilever on what was then the remote east coast.

This volume relates his pioneering experiences in the development. Davidson's account contains episodes which are by turn hilarious, deeply moving, and important from both historical and literary points of view. They also attest to his leadership in creating out of a disparate range of races and religions, a stable and harmonious estate community.

The book vividly captures the atmosphere of Sabah before and immediately after it became part of Malaysia.

Labels: History, Society

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Malaysian Human Rights Report 2006: Civil and Political Rights by SUARAM (RM 19.00)

The year 2006, the third year of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's term in office, was marked by a continuing lack of resolve tp improve civil liberties despite his pledges to fight corruption and to reform the police force ... Throughout the year, blatant abuses of power by enforcement personnel were rampant. The police continue to act with impunity, resulting in scores of unlaeful detention, deaths in custody, police brutality and various other forms of police misconduct ... As in previous years, the government continued to use restrictive and repressive laws, including the Internal Security Act (ISA), the Ememrgency Ordinance (EO), the Police Act, the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA), the Official Secrets Act (OSA), the Sedition Act, and the Universities and University Colleges
Act (UUCA), as tools to suppress voices of dissent ... A particularly disturbing trend witnessed during the year was the growing intolerance in matters of religion. There was also an increase in human rights abuse against migrants in the country.

The SUARAM Human Rights Report on Civil and Political Rights 2006 documents the human rights violations and the relentless struggles of human rights defenders that took place in Malaysia over the course of the year. The book is published to serve as an important reference to the aspiration of enhancing and promoting human rights in Malaysia.

Labels: Politics, Society

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Understanding the Ethnic Chinese in Southeast Asia by Leo Suryadinata (RM 69.00)

About 80 per cent of the ethnic Chinese outside China (also known as "Chinese overseas") live in Southeast Asia including Malaysia. This book examines that community in the context of both national and international dimensions. It first discuss the ethnic Chinese and China, addressing the issues of migration, nationality, business success and ethnic conflict; second, Chinese cultural adaptation and various identities; and third, case studies of the Chinese in Indonesia, external actors, the state and ethnic Chinese politics. The book throws light on the complexity of this diverse and important ethnic community.

While the bulk of the book examines the Chinese situation in Indonesia, a significant part of the book looks at the pernakan Chinese of Macacca, Singapore and Penang. These 15 essays, by the author were written from 1987 to 2006, ranging from ethnic politics, economy, ethnic and national identies to China ethnic-Chinese relations.

Labels: Politics, Society

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I am Muslim by Dina Zaman

I am Muslim is a selfish journey of faith. Dina meets shamans, nationalists, moderates and gets into all sorts of scrapes, to discover what it means to be Muslim in Malaysia. Heartbreaking, angry and downright funny.

A Noor. I am Muslim is Dina Zaman's first work of non-fiction.She has written for the media since 1994. Her first column, Dina's Dalca was published in the New Straits Times and she has had her share of brickbats. Her works of fiction and poetry have been published locally and abroad.

Dina Zaman's articles about being Muslim in Malaysia today captures the multifaceted aspects of difference and alterity in normative religios life better than many academic studies ...Dr Farish


Tanah Tujuh: Close Encounters with the Temuan Mythos by Antares

Tanah Tujuh is what a large number of Orang Asli tribes call our planet. Tanah Tujuh: Close Encounters with the Temuan Mythos chronicles Antares' initiation into a fast vanishing aboriginal cosmo-mythology that offers an alternative view of reality. Copiously illustrated with sketches and photographs, foreword by eminent anthropologist, Robert Knox Dentan.

Antares is a writer musician and visionary who moved out of the city in 1992 and found himself living amngst the Temuan (the second largest of the peninsular Orang Asli tribes) in the rainforest.


Adam's Dream by Salleh ben Joned

This is Salleh ben Joned's first book of poems since Sajak Sajak Saleh (or Poems Sacred and Profane) and it is entirely in English. Salleh says in his forward that, although English is not his first language - he only learned it in his teens - he has two main reasons for writing in English. Firstly, he thinks that a big majority of his readers seem to be non-Malays, and, secondly, "My satires in Malay, the use of humour, parody, irony ... puns ... and othr forms of word-play seem to have been taken wrongly by most of the Malay readers."

Adam's Dream is an intensely personal collection of poems, to make you laugh out loud or cry or to ponder over.

Salleh ben Joned was born in Melaka. He spent many years Down Under where he became a student of leading Australian poet James McAuley. His first collection of bilingual poetry, Sajak-Sajak Saleh (Teks) was published in 1987. [A second enlarged version was published by Pustaka Cipta in 2002.] It was followed by A book of essays, As I Please (Skoob, 1994) and Nothing is Sacred (Maya Press, 2003).

For free delivery anywhere in Malaysia. Click here.

Labels: Poetry, Politics, Society

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