Find the best of non fiction books to read this November. From understanding karma to healing from trauma, steps for self-development and career management – find our specially curated reading list here.
The Millennial Leader: Working across Generations in the New Normal
The Ultimate Guide for every Millennial who’s moving into management.
Business & Management||
Unlock Your Hidden Potential: The key to unlock your success
How to Unlock Your Possibilities: The key to unlock your real potential for success.
Self Development||
Add these non fiction books to your reading list today! Connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for updates about new title releases, events, contests and more!
This November we bring to you five book lovers and content creators from Southeast Asia and beyond, and talk to them about their passion for reading, their penchant for creating content and learn how they built a community online. Join us as we explore their journey, understand the platforms they prefer to talk about books and get some tips for building a digital presence.
Meet John Lloyd Canlas Dion, a bookstagramer from Philippines
bubbleswrapherbooks||Instagram
1) How did your bookstagram journey start?
During the pandemic, I started using bookstagram. I created an account as I had been stuck at home for a few months with nothing to do. It was one of my best decisions since I got to know other readers and make new friends, learn about their culture, and also grow as a person.
2) How long did it take to grow your audience on Instagram and connect with the reader’s community?
I had to wait over a year to see my audience grow. It is a difficult thing to achieve as I have to actively interact with my audience on the platform.
3) What is the best thing about bookstagram?
It is a place where you can meet friends who consider you as family.
A tip for fellow bookstagram influencers – Be active and interact with your audience. Make an effort to publish a post every week. Additionally, share your opportunities with them.
Your most recent read from our list – My most recent read was Vincent C. Sales’ The End of All Skies. I truly liked reading it since the storyline was so original and meaningful to me as a Filipino – it blew my mind.
Meet Sonia Singh, a book blogger from Malaysia
Brewing Writer||Blog
1) How did your blogging journey start?
During the pandemic, I was in my last semester at university and had nothing much to do, so I decided to rekindle my childhood hobbies such as reading and writing. Naturally, it made sense to put the two together and start book blogging!
2) How long did it take to build your platform and grow your audience? Do you have a preferred platform to create content?
When I first started, I knew nothing about the blogging world. I spent my hard-earned money on courses to learn more about getting readers to my blog. It took me a year and a half to finally achieve my first 50,000 readers because there were times I was not consistent in publishing. Imposter syndrome kicked in and made me feel like I’m not good enough to run a book blog because I can’t read hundreds of books a year like other book bloggers.
Soon, I realized it’s not about how many books you read a year but how helpful your content is to other readers. In all honesty, I prefer book blogging over booktok. It is the right platform for me because I do not like creating videos as I’m not comfortable being on camera.
I must admit though, I started off my book blogging journey with bookstagram which gave me the initial push to create content and be comfortable with putting myself out there. It has helped me meet like-minded readers in my country and make some friends! I will always be grateful to those who supported me in my early bookstagram days.
A tip for budding book bloggers – Create content consistently, have patience and be kind to yourself. You’re not going to go viral overnight, you might not even get 100 readers when you first start book blogging. It takes time to build a good bank of content to attract readers. Also, not everyone will like or agree with what you write and that’s okay. Finally, you are more than your blog metrics.
Your favourite from our list – My favourite would be Prisna by Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit. It was a heart-warming historical fiction romance written by a Thai princess during WWII. Fun fact, it was my first book blog post!
Meet Sandra Kleppe, a booktuber from Norway
Got A Thing For Things||YouTube
1) How has your journey on BookTube been so far?
I started my channel 7 years ago because I wanted a place to talk about the things I love. That later grew into just being a booktube channel. I think I have grown the most in the last 2 years. It took a long time for me to be brave enough to engage more with the community. The best thing so far has been making friends who also love books.
A tip for fellow BookTubers would be – Talk to people! That is how you will feel like you are a part of this amazing community. Don’t be scared to reach out and make friends.
Your current read from our list – The book I read the most recently is My American Sister by Judy Tham. It is a touching story with a lot of heart.
Meet Puty Puar, the founder of Buibu Baca Buku Book Club in Indonesia
Buibu Baca Buku||Book Club
1) How did the BBB Book Club start?
BBB in BBB Book Club stands for ‘Buibu Baca Buku’ which means ‘Mothers Read Book’. It was started in 2018 as a movement on Instagram because I thought, “Okay, we all want our children to be readers, but how would they do that if there isn’t any role model in the family?” I hope more mothers will read and enjoy it for themselves. Also, we realize that reading books is a habit that sharpens literacy skill, which is crucial for gaining knowledge. And knowledge is power. In short, we’re trying to empower women and more families through reading! 🙂
2) How has the journey been so far?
At first, we started posting book-related content on social media. When the pandemic hit, we started to engage in virtual discussions. To engage more people with a relatively small team of volunteers, we collaborate with other communities, publishers, and institutions to create awareness. It has been almost 4 years now and we have an audience of 30,000+ readers on social media, mostly women but not limited to mothers. We regularly create book-related content including book recommendations and reviews, we do discussions, competitions and also reading challenges. We hope that we can continue creating impact while spreading our love of books!
2) What is the most amazing part about leading a book club/being a part of a book club?
I think it is when someone said, “Oh you know what, it’s been a while since I read a book. After I discovered your content / joined your discussion, I started to read again.” Or when participants of our discussion said they got a new perspective. It feels amazing! I might be biased but I feel energized by the interaction sparked with curiosity and insight every time we hold a book discussion.
3) What’s a book from our list that you are excited about introducing to the book club?
The First Decade by Vivy Yusof. Personally, she’s a woman-crush, a fashion blogger who turned into a successful entrepreneur and a mother. Not to mention a funny one! So, yes, can’t wait to read everything from her POV!
Meet Jessica Tay, a bookstagramer and budding booktoker from Malaysia
Endless Chapters||TikTok
1) Tell us about your book blogging and booktok journey so far.
I started book blogging journey around 2016 but I wasn’t very consistent as I had just started picking up reading at that time. Soon, I discovered bookstagram in 2017. I was attracted to the visuals and the aesthetics that bookstagrammers provided. Plus, the community projects positive vibes. That’s how my bookstagram page was born. Over the time, I begin to focus more on reviewing books on my book blog and bookstagram. I’m still trying to figure it out BookTok! If you like to talk in front of camera and deliver brief yet compact book reviews, it is definitely the right place for you. Instagram is where my reading journey started and it the platform where I feel most welcome and find comfort in interacting with other readers here.
A tip for fellow content creators – I’ve made many good friends, who are all book lovers, from around the world. I think being genuine with others, creating honest content, reading at my own pace and not feeling the need to follow the trends all the time or stick to certain themes has given me the best time on these platforms.
Your current read is – I’m currently reading My Lovely Skull & Other Skeletons by Tunku Halim. So far, everything has been described vividly which helps me to visualise the gory details even better! (Not sure if this is entirely a good thing, especially for those who are faint-hearted.)
That’s all for today, folks! See you next time with some book recommendations for #NonfictionNovember
– by Garima Bhatt, Senior Executive – Digital & Marketing
‘This International Translation Day, we bring you the best of Southeast Asian literature and a word from their translators. Find out what goes on behind the scenes while translating a novel, and how the essence of the story is retained while adapting the book to make it ready for new readers.’
Jennifer Lindsay, the translator of REJECTION – A SUMATRAN ODYSSEY talks about keeping it real and true when translating the novel from Bahasa Indonesia to English:
Rejection – A Sumatran Odyssey||Ashadi Siregar
‘Translating is a mixture of slog and inspiration. It is an intense engagement with the language of the writer. To me, the creative part is in choosing words and phrases to reflect that language. After all, it can be done in many different ways. But, like Goldilocks, there comes to be one choice (on that particular day) that feels ‘just right’. That is the ‘aha’ moment, even though later you might change it when you edit. It is a deeply personal choice. I always pay great attention to the sound and rhythm of the original text. Sometimes I say it aloud as I work. How is the writer using the language, exploiting its possibilities? How can I reflect that?
When translating Rejection, I was very aware of the balance of Ashadi’s sentences, the poetry of his prose, and in the latter part of the book which has a different tone, the dialogue. In Rejection, Ashadi stretches the poetic narrative potential of Indonesian in a storytelling way. I learnt a lot about the Indonesian language from that. That is what translation is: learning.’
Watch Jennifer Lindsay talk about her journey while translating REJECTION here.
Click here to watch a special message from Ashadi Siregar for the new readers of his novel.
Danton Remoto, the translator of Filipino Classic novel BANAAG AT SIKAT (Radiance and Sunrise), shares how translations of classics can open it up to a whole new readership.
Banaag at Sikat||Lope K. Santos
‘I translated a novel that was written in florid Tagalog and published in 1906. I kept in mind that I was translating an English version for the 21st century reader. Thus, I used brisk, Anglo-Saxon words in my translation to make the novel read faster. I also edited repetitive words, phrases and scenes in the novel to make the pages turn. Moreover, I translated the dialogues to make it appear as if the characters are speaking originally in English and not in the florid Tagalog of the early 20th century. I also used the English equivalents of words (java plum for duhat) because I did not want to have a glossary at the back of the novel that would make the reader flip from the novel to the glossary with every new Tagalog word he or she would encounter. I also did not want a translation of the meaning put as a footnote, since this would be distracting on the page. I aimed at giving a 21st-century rendering of an early 20th-century novel. I hope I have succeeded in doing so.’
Explore some more translated books from our list:
The Sea Speaks His Name
The Sea Speaks His Name||Leila S. Chudori
Genealogy of Kings
The Genealogy of Kings (Sulalatus Salatin)||Muhammad Haji Salleh
Prisna Volume 1
Prisna, Vol 1||Chancham Bunnag
Prisna Volume 2
Prisna, Vol 2||Chancham Bunnag
The Great Flowing River
The Great Flowing River||Chi Pang-Yuan & John Balcom
Chronicles of A Village
Chronicles of A Village||Nguyen Thanh Hien
After Time
After Time||Fahd Razy
Migrantik
Migrantik||Norman Wilwayco
Keep an eye out for the following works of translation coming soon to bookstores near you:
The Preying Birds
The Preying Birds||Amado V. Hernandez
The Fabulist by Uthis Haemamool, translated by Palin Ansusinha
Table for One (Mesa Para Una) by Caro Saracho, translated by Sharmila Bhushan.
Add these translated books to your shelf today and explore diverse voices from Southeast Asia and beyond.
Happy reading!
By Garima Bhatt, Senior Executive – Marketing & Digital, Penguin Random House SEA.
I was a pre-teen when I picked up Puffin Book of World Myths and Legends by Anita Nair from my father’s bookshelf. It introduced me to the many, many characters and stories that encouraged me to make a habit of picking up random books and reading them during our library hours at school. Reading the social science books, especially history, started to feel just like reading stories when I reached high school. I was the book nerd, and I had my circle of book nerds. We read about everything, borrowing books from each other, discussing them on our way to and from school, extra classes, sometimes on the back bench in the classes too. As I moved to University, there was no doubt that I wanted to continue my passion for reading, no matter how much I score on papers assessing my reading material. I no longer care if I received 68% in my graduation because, I am here, talking to you about my love, excitement, and adoration for Reading, while I work at the world’s largest publisher of stories.
As someone who has often wondered and been frustrated by how few hours there are in a day to make time for reading for leisure, I implore on you, dear fellow reader, to not be hard on yourself. The joy of consuming stories has many avenues now. It can come from shorter pieces on some topic, from turning back to books you have already read (Rick Riordan is a returning favourite of mine), from reading a recommended chapter in a Classic. Reading for me has often become more about spending time with a few chapters, absorbing the words, reflecting on the sentiments, and finding inspiration, than about finishing the damn book. So, when I am recommended a Sally Rooney, I read a few chapters and put the book down, notice when I wonder about what happened next in the story and then I know, I know I like the writing.
As working in publishing gets me all the access I may need to an unending pile of unread books, I am often torn between new author, old stories, beautifully produced, gold-foiled, heat-stamped leatherbacks, and quick reads which I can finish on my way to a holiday. So, I browse catalogues, I pay keen attention whenever new projects are discussed and for the next few months, I have my eyes open for the following few books,
1) The Light of Stars by Leslie W coming out this November. It is the second book in The Night of Legends Trilogy.
The Night of Legends|| Leslie W.
2) The First Decade by Vivy Yusof coming out this December!
The First Decade||Vivy Yusof
3) No Wonder, Women by Carissa Foo is an ode to women—to hearts that love fiercely and feel deeply. A glimpse into the lives of women who are trying to love without unloving themselves. Releasing in early 2023.
4) Sweet braised Duck by Chew Ngee Tan is about a young man paying homage to his hometown cuisine, Teochew lor ark png (braised duck rice) to change the life of his family. The story will provide insights in the hawker culture in Singapore, and I am intrigued! Releasing in early 2023.
5) Mami Suzuki: Pearl City Private Eye by Simon Rowe is the adventure of a quick-witted, intuitive, and follows her ‘gut instinct’ private investigator. Releasing in early 2023.
I have learnt that our reading habits change as we navigate through life. We can reminisce of days when finishing seven hundred pages in one night was normal, but I have stopped regretting having shorter attention spans for the words on a page. Bookstagram and Booktok can create a lot of FOMO and we may feel there is not enough that one is reading from a favourite author or about an important, trending topic, or expanding our boundaries by trying new genres. My learning has been to read at the pace which inspires you than what can become a demanding chore. It is ok if you read one book a year. It is ok if you read ten. It is ok if you prefer the OTT adaptation of a book you have been meaning to read. The ideal purpose of stories is to inspire, so align your expectations and actions with that.
Happy Reading!
– By Ishani Bhattacharya, Senior Publishing Executive, Penguin Random House SEA
By Rupal Vyas, Assistant Editor, Penguin Random House SEA
With freedom in the air and celebrations all around, we come together to celebrate the 57th National Day with our fellow readers. Seeing the nation grow from strength to strength has only brought in more compassion and hope; and has kept the spirit alive to move ahead #StrongerTogether. Bringing to you from our beloved shelves some exciting reads:
The Votive Pen: Writings on Edwin Thumboo
The Votive Pen || Nilanjana Sengupta
A rivetting look at the fiercely original, intellectually brilliant mind of Singapore’s unofficial Poet-Laureate, Edwin Thumboo. Born of Tamil and Teochew parents, he embraced the Protestant faith late in his life. He has a self-confessed fetish for Yeats and Pound and yet completed his doctoral thesis on post-colonial African poetry. He taught himself the Ramayana and I-Ching but found traces of the Odysseus in the shadows of the Merlion. He is brusquely vocal about poetry with a purpose and yet appears a hopeless romantic in his poems about his wife. What happens when a mind which is such a melting pot of brilliant ideas and contrary emotions tries to unscramble the identity of a country like Singapore which is complex, multiracial, has known a fierce economic growth that has often elbowed aside everything else?
The Votive Pen sets out to see Edwin Thumboo’s poetry – steadily and see it whole – without the intervening static of earlier critical writing and with an intense alertness to the text.
Beyond Storms and Stars – A Memoir
Beyond Storms & Stars || Noeleen Heyzer
How did a young girl who rose from underprivileged circumstances in post-war Singapore become a trailblazer of women’s global leadership at the United Nations? Noeleen Heyzer was the first woman from outside North America to be appointed as Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the first woman Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). In these memoirs, Noeleen Heyzer reflects on her remarkable journey – from the challenges of her childhood and youth, her intellectual development at the University of Singapore and the University of Cambridge, to her groundbreaking work on women’s empowerment and her meteoric rise to the position of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. It is a book that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the courage of individuals, communities, and societies to transform structures of discrimination and injustice.
Softer Voices
Softer Voices || Reuben Peter
Philip Montfort is a man of contradictions. He is an Anglo-Indian born in British India and torn between his Part-Caucasian heritage and his Indian identity. Born into a vanishing aristocratic family with fading fortunes, his life is a struggle to reconcile his circumstances with his desires and to render a true account of himself. He is irreligious but a seeker of truth and authenticity. After studying law at Cambridge, and being denied a place in both England and India, he seeks instead to make life anew in the Colonies – specifically in the bustling, ecstatic British outpost of Singapore.
There, he is drawn into the orbit of young, privileged intellectuals like himself who seek truth just as he does, while gorging and stupefying themselves with layers of luxury. They call themselves the Asiatic Club and commission themselves to doing civic works in the lead up to the War. More secretive however are their preparations to form a stay-behind auxiliary in the event that Singapore is occupied.
When War reaches Singapore in the early forties, the excess is stripped away and each member of this exclusive coterie is forced to confront their true selves as they make sacrifices and compromises of character. While fighting as a reserve officer in the British Indian Army’s III Corps, Philip is captured as a prisoner-of-war. Thereafter, he is convinced to join the Axis-collaborationist Indian National Army under its mercurial but brilliant leader, Subhas Chandra Bose.
Raffles Readers: A Century of Adventures
Raffles Readers || Mark Yong
Raffles Hotel is the best known, oldest and most elegant hotel in Singapore. When it was first built in 1887, it stood on Beach Road, opposite the sea. Nowadays, Beach Road is in the middle of a thriving, modern city. There are many tales of weird and wonderful events at this beautiful hotel. And hundreds of famous people have stayed there. Here, in the Raffles Readers, you will meet some characters who maybe, just maybe, could have stayed in the hotel. Who knows?
Stories spanning from the 1920s to 2000s, these imaginative tales draw in the young readers to the wonderous world inside the iconic Raffles hotel and the adventures of its eclectic guest list.
Celebrate the spirit of inclusivity, strength and hope with us as we grow #StrongerTogether and commemorate the 57th National Day of Singapore. Add these exciting reads from our bag of books to your #TBR today!
By Nora Nazerene Abu Bakar, Publisher, Penguin Random House SEA
Before you get to –
12 reasons to read these books this year
5 ways to become a book blogger
7 top tips to begin writing your first book
10 secrets to choosing the right book
Here are 3 reasons to follow our blog page-
#1 For the love of books
Our blog celebrates books and book lovers, and we don’t just do this because we publish books. We do this because we too love books! Everyone in the Penguin team reads books, reviews, collects and adores books. We understand books like they are our companions. As book lovers ourselves, we know what can click and what can tick other book lovers! Our blog is an extension of who we are, and we are putting together a space for books and all things bookish that is creative, crafty, and curated.
#2 For the ideas
Going on a holiday and don’t know which book to bring to keep you company?
Do you feel you do not know enough about a topic and wonder where to start?
Want to build your collection and explore new genres?
Our blog is a cornucopia of ideas. From what to read to where to get them, you will find everything right here, all in one place. Fearless and fun, our ideas stop at nothing. We will talk about beach reads, mental health, international politics, travel, socio-cultural issues, human interest stories, language barriers and so much more.
From the uninitiated to the experts, everyone’s questions will be answered, and we welcome your ideas too. Just DM us on Facebook or Instagram and our blog team will get cracking on it!
#3 For the inspiration
Southeast Asia is vast and varied and no one celebrates its literature as Penguin does. Covering a range of themes and topics while still staying true to the rich history and culture of the region, our list of books features a carefully curated mix of new and established, local and international voices across English-language adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction categories, ensuring representation from Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, and beyond.
This blog is a platform for these voices to interact with the readers. Find out what our authors have to say about their books, their writing, their trade secrets and their challenges. Get an exclusive window with an uninhibited view into an author’s life and mind.
Occasionally, one of us may drop by to say hello and share insights on what goes on behind the scenes in the making of your favourite books, and you’ll understand why we love doing what we do.
Our blog is a wonderful new addition to the blogging world, and we are excited to put together content that will open minds, address different viewpoints and add to the joy of discovering new books and authors. So, follow us on Instagram and Facebook, if you haven’t already, and get updates on our upcoming blog posts.
