I have been exploring the National Library Board, Singapore’s excellent mobile app (https://bit.ly/2jYm5RE). It lets you borrow ebooks to read on your phone or tablet, wherever you may be. Best of all no late fees, as the ebook is automatically returned when it is due!
As today is World Book Day, I thought you might be interested to see the books I have currently borrowed:
[ 我的终身大事 ]
It is less than a fortnight to the centenary of the May 4th Movement, a seminal event in China’s modern history. 我的终身大事 is a brief playlet by 胡适, one of the leading figures in the Movement. It is not a major work, but gives a flavour of the times.
[ Our Story 平如美棠–我俩的故事 by Rao Pingru 饶平如 ]
A moving and beautifully illustrated story of the author and his wife Meitang, from their childhood until old age. The author wrote the book and drew the illustrations as a tribute to his wife after she died. It evokes China before the Japanese invaded, through war and revolution, and the hardships and joys as the couple grew old apart (they were separated for 22 years, because Pingru was sent away for reform through labour) and together.
[ Raffles and Hastings ]
This is a collection of letters which Stamford Raffles wrote to Lord Hastings, the Governor General of India, around the time Raffles came to Singapore. They give an insight into Raffles' thinking, how Hastings and others influenced the decision to set up a trading post in Singapore, and how the Dutch government and the British authorities in Penang (then the Prince of Wales Island) opposed this move. Interesting reading in the Bicentennial year.
[ Singathology ]
A collection of writings by Singapore authors for the SG50 year. Many different genres – poetry, prose, plays, and in different languages too. We often pick up books by foreign authors, but we should remember that there is lots of good Singapore writing too!
[ Black and White Digital Photography ]
This will hopefully help me improve my photo taking skills. :)
[ The Nature of Space and Time ]
I was moved to borrow this ebook by the recent publication of the picture of the supermassive black hole in the M87 galaxy. It is a set of lectures by Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose, both experts in general relativity and particularly black holes. I don't understand the math in the lectures, but hope to get some flavour of the debate between Hawking and Penrose.
– LHL
