A random selection of Singapore-focused books in the Hon Sui Sen Memorial Library collection

Koh W. 2015. The Top Toast: Ya Kun and the Singapore Breakfast Tradition (2nd ed.). Singapore: Cengage Learning. [call no. HD2346.12 Koh 2010]

TopToast

Written by one of our very own Business School professors, the book looks at Ya Kun, a renowned Singapore brand. In addition to tracing the roots and development of Ya Kun from a small coffee shop in Telok Ayer to an Asia-spanning franchise, the book also delves into the organizational structure and culture of the company, provides a SWOT analysis, and looks into the leadership and human resource management of the company.

 

Chuan A. 2008. Towkay Ho Seh Boh: How to Become a Successful Towkay. Singapore: Rank Books. [call no. HF5349.12 Ah 2008]

This is a whimsical book on how to be successful in business, written in a down-to-earth fashion. Pithy advice is given out in Hokkien, which makes it rather quaint but very shiok (Singlish for feel- good). Some examples, kang lang ma si lang (Workers are humans too), lao sit si pun ji (Honesty is your Capital), and my personal favourite,  liu lian tua liap boh bao chiat (A big durian is not guaranteed to be ripe).

LuLian

 

Hon J. 1984. Relatively Speaking. Singapore: Times Books International. [call no. DS599.51 Hon.H]

 

The book is a biography of Hon Sui Sen, the former Minister of Finance and one of the founding fathers of modern Singapore. Written by the eldest daughter of Mr Hon Sui Sen, the story begins in Balik Pulau, a rural village in Penang where Hon Sui Sen’s grandfather settled after leaving China. It ends with a newspaper article reprint of the building of the Hon Sui Sen Memorial Library to commemorate Hon Sui Sen’s contribution to Singapore after his death. In between, Joan Hon wrote not only about her father, but also about their many relatives and friends.

LibrarynamedHSS

The many photographs in the book also provide a glimpse into Hon’s public and private life. A bonus is a 1948 photo of a very young Lee Kuan Yew with Hon Sui Sen and Maurice Baker.

Joanbaby

 

NB: All three books are available at the Hon Sui Sen Memorial Library and Central Library.

Kho Su Yian
Business Resource Librarian
110C team

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *