Here lie the memoirs of Ponsenby who has a great propensity for being in the wrong place at the wrong time - thereby seeing, hearing and experiencing so much and all with a difference. He travels through history and time, across vastly differing landscapes and delves into the most mysterious places of all... human endeavour, beliefs, culture and society. Ponsenby is a British-Indian medic – or sawbones as he describes himself – a livelihood that perceives both the serious and sombre perspectives on life, and always with a wry twist of humour. Oh, and another place to go: contemplation and reflection – “And a beautiful sadness filled our hearts. And because we could not leave it, the sadness slowly and inexorably turned into compassion. We felt the sorrow of the whole world, of little frightened children, of the blind, the halt and the lame, and of those separated from their loved ones...”

At age 21, William (Bill) Mackenzie Lowcock enlisted in the AIF and found himself in Singapore. A few months later, just shy of his 22nd birthday, he found himself a Prisoner of War. What followed for Bill was three years of forced POW labour on the infamous Thai-Burma Railway (the Death Railway). This is his story. --//-- from the Back Cover --//-- Sixteen-year-old William (Bill) Mackenzie Lowcock enlisted in the militia and, at the breakout of World War II, served on guard duty on various key infrastructures in Sydney and its surrounds. Keen to serve Australia, at age twenty-one, Bill joined the AIF and soon found himself in Singapore, serving as a Private in the 2/19 Infantry Battalion, Administrative HQ. Known to his comrades as “Lofty” thanks to his 6’2” height, Bill’s experiences in Singapore and Malaysia tell—in a matter-of-fact way—the realities of day-to-day military life. This all changed when in 1941, Japan entered the war. Just a few months later in 1942, just shy of Bill’s twenty-second birthday, he found himself a Prisoner of War when Singapore surrendered to the Japanese. What followed for Bill was three years of forced POW labour on the infamous Thai-Burma Railway. Known as the Death Railway, of the 13,000 Australians forced to work there, almost 3,000 perished. Despite many close calls, Bill emerged as one of the lucky ones. Bill’s story charts his experiences throughout this period, retold in Bill’s characteristically understated, humble tones, a candid story of survival—but told with humour and free of pessimism or woe despite obviously horrendous conditions. This book is dedicated to the memory of Private Bill Lowcock, and to all those who have served.

In this heart-warming tale, Eli helps Punchinello understand how he is - no matter what other Wemmicks may think. Children will learn a vital lesson - regardless of how the world sees them, God loves each of them just as they are.

It is 1819 and the seaport of Singapore has developed a magnetic appeal. As merchants, traders, and migrant workers emigrate to seek their fortunes, the untouched land develops into an elegant town managed by British East India Company. Included in those who flock to Singapore are three men who have no idea that their destinies are about to bring them together in a rudimentary Chinese community where secret societies hold the power. Yong Huat is a Hokkien from Malacca determined to become a rich merchant. Mong Seng is a Teochew from South China who is a loyal friend and hard worker. Kum Tat is a Cantonese who works for a trading company. As the three men begin to acquire wealth, their paths intertwine as momentous events rock the land of fortune. Fearless secret societies, clan fights, vicious tigers, the evils of opium and gambling, and a cultural divide soon transform their friendship into a sworn brotherhood. But as a hostile confrontation brews between the Teochews and Hokkiens, now only time will tell if the friendship will survive. In this historical tale of early Singapore, three friends unite with the hope that their sworn brotherhood will help them not only endure the challenges, but also achieve their dreams.

Originally published by Piccadilly Press.

A man seeks resolution when the spirit of his abusive mother calls from the grave. A sex worker finds temporary salvation with a returning Australian tourist professing his love. The afterlife plays host to a vast museum dedicated to jetsam from the living world. In this debut fiction collection, these imagined worlds are set variously in plural Singapores, Southeast Asia and beyond, and illuminate the urgent need to connect even after death.

This open access book highlights Singapore’s development into a city in which water and greenery, along with associated environmental, technical, social and political aspects have been harnessed and cultivated into a liveable sustainable way of life. It is also a story about a unique and thoroughgoing approach to large-scale and potentially transferable water sustainability, within largely urbanized circumstances, which can be achieved, along with complementary roles of environmental conservation, ecology, public open-space management and the greening of buildings, together with infrastructural improvements.