Writing in Asia Series


Writing in Asia Series was a series of books of Asian writing published by Heinemann from 1966 to 1996. Initiated and mainly edited by Leon Comber, the series brought attention to various Asian Anglophone writers, like Shirley Geok-lin Lim, Western writers based in Asia like Austin Coates and W. Somerset Maugham and modern and classic stories and novels in English translation from the Malay, Indonesian, Thai and more. The series is also credited with contributing prominently to creative writing and the creation of a shared regional identity amongst English-language writers of Southeast Asia. After publishing more than 110 titles, the series folded after Heinemann Asia was taken over by a parent group of publishers and Comber left.

History

Inspired by the successful and pioneering African Writers Series, Leon Comber, the then Southeast Asian Representative of Heinemann Educational Books Ltd., founded the series as its general editor in 1966 in Singapore. Comber thought a similar series focussing initially on Southeast Asia was worth pursuing to "give a tremendous boost to creative writing in English...which was still regarded then as something of a cultural desert". He also wanted to publish the "tremendous body of local writers writing in their local languages" across the entire Asia in English translation "to make it available to a wider reading public" as he felt that existent publishers only focussed on their individual countries.
Buoyed by the profits made from textbook publishing, the series first published Modern Malaysian Chinese Stories in 1967. The anthology, whose stories were edited and mainly translated into English by Ly Singko with a foreword by Han Suyin, sold moderately, but Ly was to be detained without trial shortly after by the Singapore authorities under the Internal Security Act for supposed "Chinese chauvinism".
The series met with commercial success a decade later when two reprinted Austin Coates books in the series, Myself a Mandarin and City of Broken Promises, became bestsellers. The former was also serialised by the BBC, broadcast on Radio Hong Kong and had its film rights sold, while the latter was adapted into a play at the 1978 Hong Kong Festival of Arts. Other commercially successful titles were Tan Kok Seng's autobiography Son of Singapore, which sold over 25,000 copies, and Catherine Lim's short-story collection , which sold 8,000 copies. By 1988, about 15 titles in the series were used as supplementary textbooks in Singapore schools, guaranteeing sales in the thousands.
Significantly, as part of the series, Australian Harry Aveling translated Pramoedya Ananta Toer's novel The Fugitive and Iwan Simatupang's novel The Pilgrim from the Indonesian to English. The Pilgrim is considered the first modern Indonesian novel and won the first ASEAN Literary Award for the novel in 1977. The series also met with critical acclaim when Shirley Geok-lin Lim's debut collection Crossing The Peninsula & Other Stories won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize, a first both for an Asian and for a woman. The series also published the debut titles of pioneering Singapore poets like Edwin Thumboo and Lee Tzu Pheng.
In 1982, however, Charles Cher, the then General Manager of Heinemann Educational Books, confirmed that the series had stopped publishing poetry because of poor sales. In 1985, after publishing more than 70 titles, Comber left the series after Heinemann Asia was taken over by a parent group of publishers. In retrospect, Comber notes that in business terms, Heinemann made "very little" from the series, though it neither lost much, with textbook publishing sales subsidising the series. The series continued until around 1996, resuming publishing poetry and diversifying its focus beyond literary fiction to ghost stories.
Some Writing in Asia series titles have since been republished by other companies, like Lloyd Fernando's novel Scorpion Orchid by Epigram Books in 2014.

List of authors and books in the Writing in Asia Series

No.AuthorYearTitle and Details
1Ly Singko, ed.1967Modern Malaysian Chinese Stories. Anthology translated from the Mandarin Chinese by Ly Singko and Leon Comber with a foreword by Han Suyin.
2Lloyd Fernando, ed.196822 Malaysian Stories. Anthology. Contributors include Siew Yue Killingley, Goh Poh Seng and Stella Kon.
3Iwan Simatupang1969The Pilgrim . Novel translated from the Indonesian by Harry Aveling. Winner of the ASEAN Literary Award 1977.
4W. Somerset Maugham1969Maugham's Malaysian Stories. Edited and with an introduction by Anthony Burgess.
5Leon Comber, trans.1972'
6Tan Kok Seng1972Son of Singapore. First part of autobiography. Rendered into English in collaboration with Austin Coates.
7Wang Shifu1973The Romance of the Western Chamber. Translated and adapted by T. C. Lai and Ed Gamarekian, with a foreword by Lin Yutang. Originally published in 1200.
8Lee Kok Liang1974The Mutes in the Sun and Other Stories. Short stories and a novella.
9Tan Kok Seng1974Man of Malaysia. Second part of autobiography. Rendered into English in collaboration with Austin Coates.
10Jennifer Draskau, ed.1975'. Translated from the Thai and with an introduction by Jennifer Draskau.
11Pramoedya Ananta Toer1975The Fugitive . Novel translated from the Indonesian by Harry Aveling, originally published in 1950.
12Tan Kok Seng1975Eye on the World. Third and final part of autobiography. Rendered into English in collaboration with Austin Coates.
13Alan Ayling & Duncan Mackintosh, trans.1976'. Originally published in 1974.
14Edwin Thumboo, ed.1976'. With an introduction by Edwin Thumboo. Contributors include Ee Tiang Hong, Muhammad Haji Salleh, Wong May and Arthur Yap.
15W. Somerset Maugham1976Maugham's Borneo Stories. Selected by G. V. de Freitas.
16Lloyd Fernando1976Scorpion Orchid. Novel.
17Goh Poh Seng1976Eyewitness. Poetry.
18Raden Adjeng Kartini1976Letters of a Javanese Princess. Translated by Agnes Louise Symmers, edited and with an introduction by Hildred Geertz and with an introduction by Eleanor Roosevelt. Originally published in 1912.
19Ee Tiang Hong1976Myths for a Wilderness. Poetry.
20Harry Aveling, ed.1976'. Translated from the Indonesian by Harry Aveling.
21Lin Yutang1977My Country And My People. Originally published in 1935.
22Jan Knappert1977Myths and Legends of Indonesia
23Austin Coates1977Myself a Mandarin. Memoir, originally published in 1968.
24Robert Yeo1977And Napalm Does Not Help. Poetry.
25Edwin Thumboo1977Gods Can Die. Poetry.
26Arthur Yap1977Commonplace. Poetry.
27Goh Poh Seng1977The Immolation. Novel.
28Syed Waliullah1978Tree Without Roots. Novel. Originally published in 1948.
29Robert Yeo, ed.1978Singapore Short Stories. With an introduction by Robert Yeo and notes by Tan Swee Kheng. Contributors include Catherine Lim, Gopal Baratham and Goh Sin Tub.
30Muhammad Haji Salleh1978Time and Its People. Poetry.
31Cecil Rajendra1978Bones & Feathers. Poetry.
32Edith L. Tiempo1978'
33Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai1978Chemmeen: A Novel About India. Translated by Narayana Menon, with an introduction by Santha Rama Rau. Originally published in 1964.
34Chung Chong-Wha, ed.1978Modern Far Eastern Stories
35Iwan Simatupang1978Kering . Novel translated from the Indonesian by Harry Aveling, originally published in 1972.
36Danarto1978Abracadabra. Short stories translated from the Indonesian by Harry Aveling.
37Catherine Lim1978'
38Ediriwira Sarachchandra1978Curfew and a Full Moon. Novel.
39Edwin Thumboo1979Ulysses by the Merlion. Poetry.
40Yasmine Gooneratne, ed.1979Stories from Sri Lanka. With an introduction by Yasmine Gooneratne.
41Shahnon Ahmad1979Srengenge. Novel translated from the Malay by Harry Aveling. Originally published in 1973. Winner of the Malaysian Novel of the Year 1970.
42Yasmine Gooneratne, ed.1979Poems from India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore
43Robert Burdette Sweet1979Akbar the Great. Novel.
44Stanley R. Munro, ed.1979'. Translated from the Chinese by Stanley R. Munro. Contributors include Ba, J., Bing, X. and Ding, L.
45Tan Kok Seng1979Three Sisters of Sz. Novel. Rendered into English in collaboration with Austin Coates.
46Hwang Sun-Won1980The Stars and Other Korean Short Stories. Translated from the Korean and with an introduction by Edward W. Poitras.
47Kim Man-Jung1980A Nine Cloud Dream. Translated from the Korean by Richard Rutt.
48Arthur Yap1980Down the Line. Poetry.
49Ly Singko, trans.1980Reunion & Other Stories
50Shahnon Ahmad1980The Third Notch and Other Stories. Translated from the Malay by Harry Aveling.
51Umar Kayam1980Sri Sumarah and Other Stories. Translated from the Indonesian by Harry Aveling.
52Ruth Lor Malloy1980Beyond the Heights. Novel.
53Ishak Haji Muhammad1980The Prince of Mount Tahan . Translated from the Malay by Harry Aveling.
54F. Sionil José1980'
55Jan Knappert1980Malay Myths and Legends
56Lee Tzu Pheng1980Prospect Of A Drowning. Poetry. Winner of the National Book Development Council of Singapore's Book Award for English Poetry 1982.
57Chung Chong-Wha, ed.1980Modern Korean Short Stories
58Linda Ty-Casper1980Dread Empire. Novella.
59Catherine Lim1980Or Else, the Lightning God & Other Stories
60Shirley Geok-lin Lim1980Crossing The Peninsula & Other Stories. Poetry. Winner of the Commonwealth Poetry Prize.
61J. R. Haldar1981Early Buddhist Mythology. With a foreword by C. Sircar.
62Robert Yeo, ed.1981ASEAN Short Stories. Anthology. Contributors include Gopal Baratham, Stella Kon and Rebecca Chua.
63Lloyd Fernando, ed.1981Malaysian Short Stories. Anthology with an introduction by Lloyd Fernando.
64A. Samad Said1981Lazy River . Novel translated from the Malay by Harry Aveling. Originally published in 1967.
65Lee Kok Liang1981Flowers in the Sky. Novel.
66Michael Soh & Lim Yoon Lin1981A Son of a Mother. Originally published in 1973.
67Rebecca Chua1981The Newspaper Editor and Other Stories
68Lee Ding Fai1981Running Dog
69K.S. Maniam1981The Return. Novel.
70Heah Chwee Sian1981A Wisp of Bliss and Other Stories
71Wong Meng Voon1981'
72H. Jathar Salij1982Shadow Play and Other Stories
73Oh Yong-su1985'. Translated from the Korean by Marshall R. Pihl.
74Michael Smithies1985'
75Wong Swee Hoon1985The Phoenix and Other Stories
76Woo Keng Thye1986Web of Tradition. Novel.
77Arthur Yap1986Man Snake Apple & Other Poems
78Robert Yeo1986The Adventures Of Holden Heng. Novel.
79Goh Sin Tub1987Honour and Other Stories. Originally published in 1986 as The Battle of the Bands.
80Catherine Lim1987'
81Goh Sin Tub1987The Ghost Lover Of Emerald Hill And Other Stories
82Ediriwira Sarachchandra1987'. Novel.
83Nalla Tan1989Hearts & Crosses. Short stories.
84Goh Sin Tub1989The Nan-Mei-Su Girls of Emerald Hill. Novel.
85Woo Keng Thye1989Encounter and Other Stories
86Catherine Khoo1990Love Notes
87Goh Sin Tub1990Ghosts of Singapore!. Short stories.
88Othman Wok1991'
89Woo Keng Thye1991Winds of Change. Novel.
90Wong Swee Hoon1991A Dying Breed. Short stories.
91Goh Sin Tub1991More Ghosts of Singapore!. Short stories.
92W. W. Williams1991'
93Lin Yutang1992The Importance of Living. Originally published in 1937.
94Syed Adam Aljafri1992Ollie's Search For Golden Hope & Other Stories
95Jack Reynolds1992Daughters of an Ancient Race. Originally published in 1974.
96Judith Anne Lucas & Marsha Goh1992Tales of the Hungry Ghosts
97Helen Lee, ed.1992'. Contributors include Gopal Baratham, Arthur Yap and Nalla Tan.
98Catherine Lim1992Deadline for Love and Other Stories
99Catherine Lim1992Love's Lonely Impulses. Poetry.
100Judith Anne Lucas1993'
101Goh Sin Tub1993Goh's 12 Best Singapore Stories
102Toh Weng Choy1993'
103Catherine Lim1993The Best Of Catherine Lim. Short stories.
104Robert Raymer1993Lovers and Strangers. Short stories.
105Michael Smithies1993'
106Beth Yahp1993The Crocodile Fury. Novel. Originally published in 1992.
107Goh Poh Seng1994If We Dream Too Long. Novel originally published in 1972. Winner of the National Book Development Council of Singapore's Fiction Book Award 1976.
108C.C. Hu1994Silent Cries from the Dark. Short stories.
109Goh Sin Tub1994'
110Marie Gerrina Louis1994The Road To Chandibole. Novel.
111Douglas Lee1994A Rose Has Thorns. Novel.
112Woo Keng Thye1994Reincarnation and Other Short Stories
113Marie Gerrina Louis1995Junos. Novel.
114Syed Adam Aljafri1996'