Book reviews on Wang Gungwu’s Memoirs

Home is not here

I haven’t been writing book reviews since Covid ended, here goes my first two for the year.

I saw this book actually twice, in the same bookstore in Penang where I walked past during my holidays. I decided that this was a sign that I should take a serious read of this book.

I found an e copy from the NLB app and began my read.

This was a pretty easy read, his life began on the pre world war 2 era but just one day before the last Emperor was overthrown.

His book follows this journey of his where he grew up in Ipoh mostly as a man with Chinese identity and often questioned his own eventual identity.

I found this book more insightful than the next, mainly it explains some of the struggles I have as well growing up.

The book is an exciting read into a life that our grandparents lived through during those turbulent times of Japanese invasion and eventual formation of the federation of Malaysia of Malayan states.

I will leave it to the readers to uncover the mysteries of how Chinese settlers developed the early industries and how British influenced the entire peninsular from the perspective of a man who has seen it all, even more as a historian.

Home is where we are

This is actually also not a bad read about how he has to relocate himself and his family due to his career decisions.

It was more of an explanation on how throughout his decades of living in many countries. Some over 10 years, that he has made homes in many places.

This reminded me that I should not restrict myself to Singapore. Life should not be only establishing a home out of a place but rather decisions that can bring you to live your life to the fullest.

Although I do fully respect his wife for supporting his career choices throughout everywhere he went. It was amazing to see that both were resilient to changes geographically and supportive of one another.

They often had to move homes and rebuild their homes from scratch, each time a better one from before.

It reminded me that when the time comes for me to write a story about what is home truly, I should give a detailed story of how I felt at each inflection point of my life.

The book was a little hard to read when explaining his struggles over choosing a part of history that he wants to focus on, but eventually found his calling when opportunities presented so.

I strongly recommend everyone to also listen to his lectures, balanced and fair views are getting rarer these days and such perspectives of the wise observation is a real treat.

Next book:

Home in the world — Amartya Sen