The country's best-selling author is back. After spending the best 10 years of his life in Singapore, Neil Humphreys has decided to move on to the land Down Under because he really wants to spend time living among the world's most poisonous snakes and roo poo.
But the British writer doesn't want to leave the island he fell in love with a decade ago without taking one final, kaypoh look around the place. Embarking on a valedictory tour from his Toa Payoh home, Humphreys explores Singapore as he did when he first arrivedon foot and unawaretaking in his favourite places, the ti/u haunts, the green spots, the clean parts and the dirty bits, and the nation's underbelly and its belly dancers.
Honest, insightful and funny, Final Notes From a Great Island is a warm, uplifting tribute to Singapore and every Singaporean (and tourist, employment pass holder and permanent resident for that matter) should read it.
Final Notes From a Great Island is great read... full of little scenarios that we can relate to in our daily lives. Far from trying to tackle the big issues. Humphreys is adept at capturing those tiny idiosyncrasies that make us who we are as a people!' IS Magazine
Notes from an Even Smaller Island - Knowing nothing of Singapore, young Englishman Neil Humphreys arrives in the land of 'air-conned' shopping centres and Lee Kuan Yew. From the aunties in the hawker centres to expats dressed as bananas, from Singlish to kiasuism, and from Singaporeans at home to Singaporeans abroad, Humphreys explores all aspects of Singaporean life, taking in the sights, dissecting the culture, and illuminating each place and person with his perceptive and witty observations.
Written by someone who is at once both insider and outsider, this first book of three shows Singapore through the then young Brit's eyes. Notes From an Even Smaller Island is a wonderfully funny and disarmingly honest portrait of Singapore and its people.
Notes From an Even Smaller Island (2001) - Not rich, didn't own a condo, and no expat privileges. Nonetheless he managed to remain the same funny bloke happily living in the rtlan of Toa Payoh. One year after his best-selling Notes From an Even Smaller Island (2001) had the whole of Singapore laughing helplessly, Neil Humphreys continued to poke gentle fun at every oddball aspect of Singaporean life. Scribbles From the Same Island (2003) is Neil's just-as-popular sequel.