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New Beginnings

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Promise of a new beginning in Malaya.

"New Beginnings" takes the readers on an emotional journey through the historical events of the Taiping Rebellion and Opium War in China, leading them to the promised land of Malaya. It tells the tale of one man's fight against the scourge of opium and rise to fortune, offering a unique insight into the struggles faced by our ancestors and their triumphs. A must-read for history enthusiasts and those seeking inspiration.

Sale

New Beginnings

Regular price ₱300.15 ₱209.70 30% off
Unit price
per
ISBN: 9789814408615
Authors: Chan Ling Yap
Date of Publication: 2013-11-07
Format: Paperback
Goodreads rating: 3.96
(rated by 74 readers)

Description

In the southern Province of Guangxi amidst the turmoil of the Taiping Rebellion and the Opium War, a woman is kidnapped and her husband shipped out as a coolie to Singapore. Yet from despair came good fortune. Seen through the eyes of one family, this is a moving story of the scourge of opium and one man's plight and rise in fortune in British Malaya. Chan Ling Yap s third novel has all the assurance of her first two successes and more. A strong story line, deftly rendered in brief and readable instalments, takes us from the turbulence of a China unmercifully exploited with opium by the western powers in Victorian times, to the race and clan rivalries of an emerging Singapore and Malaya. The beautiful and tragic figure of Hua might serve as a metaphor for the suffering sub-continent; and that of her husband Ngao for the resilience of the Chinese themselves. The refinement and the thuggery of China alike, the bustle of Singapore and the tropical potential of Malaya in those days are all made to feel familiar rather than foreign, the high emotions to be shared rather than differentiate us. The characters are entirely believable, the degree of background colour is perfectly judged, and the pace seductive: don t be surprised if you find you read this book at a sitting. Bill Jackson, Editor, The Corporal and the Celestials, Ulster Historical Foundation
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Promise of a new beginning in Malaya.

"New Beginnings" takes the readers on an emotional journey through the historical events of the Taiping Rebellion and Opium War in China, leading them to the promised land of Malaya. It tells the tale of one man's fight against the scourge of opium and rise to fortune, offering a unique insight into the struggles faced by our ancestors and their triumphs. A must-read for history enthusiasts and those seeking inspiration.