Confrontation

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Mohamed Latiff Mohamed, three-time winner of the Singapore Literature Prize, brilliantly dramatises the period of uncertainty and change in the years leading up to Singapore’s merger with Malaya. Seen through the unique perspective of the young Malay boy Adi, this fundamental period in Singaporean history is brought to life with masterful empathy. In the tradition of Ben Okri’s The Famished Road and Anita Desai’s The Village By the Sea, Confrontation is an incredible evocation of village life and of the consequences that come from political alignment and re-alignment. “Confrontation is a ‘must-read’ for anyone keen to experience the anxiety and loss of the Malay community leading up to the separation of Singapore from Malaysia. Latiff’s deep exploration of shattered dreams and alienation in one’s own land recalls a time and place that no longer exists, with characters who are indelibly memorable.” —Isa Kamari, Cultural Medallion recipient and author of The Tower