This is the witty and inspirational early-life memoir of Singapore tour guide, Cathy Ross. As a mixed-race child from a Chinese Catholic family, she lived with her paternal grandmother and was bounced around to various extended family members throughout her youth. She further happened to live amidst Singapore’s upheaval from a sleepy, colonial outpost to a bustling, global metropolis that took off during her childhood years. Hers may not be a full-blown 'rags to riches’ story-after all, she is still seeking the latter. Rather, perhaps her experience is more a 'missing parents to middle class’ tale, which may be even more relatable to her fellow, first-generation Singaporeans.
In many ways, Cathy’s personal story parallels that of Singapore, albeit immensely scaled up. She and her country both experienced growing pains, setbacks, lessons learned, hard-won accomplishments, and steadfast perseverance to reach some version of success. Most important, both Cathy and her national leaders remained staunch optimists, dreaming of a brighter future. A Daughter of Singapore weaves these narratives together into a heartwarming story of one woman’s love for her nation and her desire to share that love with the rest of us.
Spis treści
Author’s Notes
Preface
1. Mama’s Corner
2. The Busybody
3. Life Inside the Teapot
4. Errol’s World
5. A Phantom Grandfather
6. The Rich Auntie
7. Being Errol’s Daughter
8. Visiting the Kampong
9. Eating Potatoes
10. A Catholic in Singapore
11 The House of Durians and Incense
12 Across the Strait
13. Filial Piety at Tiger Balm Gardens
14. A New Hope
15. The Promoter
16. Breaking Out
17. The Clubbing Years
18. Selling Singapore
19. A Coveted License
20. A Second Reunion
21. Precious Earrings
22. Four Cultures and a Wedding
23. Into the Suburbs
Select Topics: Around Town with Cathy
Guiding Behind the Scenes: An Interview
Supporting the Troops
The Lighters: Cleansing the Singapore River
The Hungry Ghost: Cathy and the Paranormal
The Backstory of Crazy Rich Asians
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
O autorze
Thomas (Tom) Paradis is professor of geography and community planning at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, where he teaches a full slate of courses on urban, cultural, and historical geography, world regional geography, urban design and planning, and architectural history. He has also taught and led study-abroad programs in Siena, Viterbo, and Rome, Italy. His two previous books focus on Appalachian geography and music in the Hunger Games saga, while earlier books highlight the centuries-old horse race in Siena, Italy, the Palio.