In a night of firsts, Singapore’s oldest ongoing literary prize awarded its first female winner for English poetry and dished out double wins in both Chinese and English fiction. Marylyn Tan made history as the prize’s first winner for her debut collection Gaze Back, which delves into taboo subjects like menstruation and sexuality. The judges praised its “clarion call for gender and linguistic reclamation, searing in its sassy confidence and universal appetite”.
In the English non-fiction category, historian John Miksic beat out a strong field with his book Singapore And The Silk Road Of The Sea, 1300-1800. His synthesis of 25 years of archaeological research on Kampong Gelam reveals how the village’s trade links with the world beyond its shores shaped modern Singapore.
The judges for the NUS Singapore History Prize described it as a remarkable and readable book that demonstrates a deep commitment to Singapore’s past. It reframes the understanding of Singapore’s place in the region and its global history, while also challenging some of our existing assumptions.
Founded in 2014 to mark the nation’s 50th anniversary, the Singapore Prize is an annual award of S$50,000 that recognises outstanding publications that have made a lasting impact on our understanding of the history of Singapore. The Prize is open to works of any time period, theme or field so long as they address Singapore in a meaningful way.
Former diplomat Kishore Mahbubani, who chairs the prize’s five-member jury, says the biggest challenge for Singapore is no longer in the realm of economics but in building a common identity through a shared sense of history. The prize aims to help readers engage with Singapore’s history broadly understood, including pre-1819 histories, and promote a wider awareness of our country’s unique heritage.
A total of 17 writers, translators and comic artists walked away with prizes in the various categories of the Singapore Literature Prize, awarded by the Singapore Book Council across four languages. Self-published Cockman (2022) by Kenfoo — about a chicken from another dimension who is stranded on Earth in human form and must find a way home — took top honours for the inaugural English comic or graphic novel category. Jeremy Tiang won the translation category for his work with Chinese author Zhang Yueran’s Cocoon (2022).
Other winners include Straits Times journalist Akshita Nanda’s debut novel Nimita’s Place, about two women navigating society’s expectations in India and Singapore; and speculative short story collection Lion City by Ng Yi-Sheng. Epigram Books also scored a double win in the Chinese fiction category, with Kia Joo Ming’s SG50-centric novel Kian Kok and Wong Koi Tet’s short story collection Dakota. Each prizewinner receives $3,000, a trophy and a 12-month Storytel audiobook gift subscription. The prizes were announced at the launch of Earthshot Week, a new series organised by the Singapore Book Council that showcases innovations and solutions to reversing climate change.