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Scribbles from the Same Island
Scribbles from the Same Island, is the two-year-old sequel to local best-seller, Notes from an Even Smaller Island, which received 11,000 advance reservations before its release in 2001. Melody Tan finds out if the new book is worth its hype. The 1.92m-tall, self-professed "geek" from the British working-class housing estate of Dagenham, Essex, has lived and worked in Singapore for the past 7 years as a journalist. Despite his popularity as a regular columnist on the weekend edition of TODAY newspaper, Humphreys remains humble, contented with life under the shelter of a modest 3-room HDB flat in Toa Payoh, which he shares with his British fiancee, Tracy. Humphreys's eye for the ludicrous, amusing and outrageous side of the Singaporean life made his weekend column a success, leading to his first local publication, Notes from an Even Smaller Island, a compilation of his Weekend TODAY columns, interspersed with newer material. According to Channel NewsAsia, the book sold 17,000 copies and was reprinted 7 times, which is an impressive showing for any local author. If you're looking for a second round of mild guffaws and the occasional unforgivable pun, Scribbles from the Same Island is worth a read. On the other hand, if you're looking for that deliciously brittle, cutting sense of humour that the Brits are famous for, maybe a wiser choice would be a book by the late Oscar Wilde who doesn't exactly fall in the category of a British since he was Irish to begin with. Humphreys is undeniably proud of his born-and-bred working-class roots. Here in Singapore, he identifies strongly with the heartlanders. His affection for Toa Payoh and its residents shines through even when he's lampooning them endlessly. In Humphreys's world, a good old-fashioned ribbing is a sure sign of love - just look at the various names he calls his fiancee throughout each chapter. I won't list them all down, but suffice to say that "stupid woman" is a favorite. It's hard not to like Humphreys. After all, he wants to preserve Chek Jawa, feels compassion and outrage on behalf of the school-age prostitutes he sees in Geylang, and writes fondly of his family back home in England. He's just a goofy, funny white bloke earning an honest living. But make no mistake: underneath his gentle self-deprecating humour, he's really an angry white man. Humphreys's not-inconsiderable store of vitriol is reserved for ang mohs (Caucasians) who come to Singapore to perpetuate and take advantage of colonial mindsets, fiscally-minded Singaporeans who wrung their hands over the state of the economy instead of the lives lost and scarred by the Sept 11 attacks, lousy drivers and motorcyclists who don't abide by traffic rules and whoever comes up with government campaigns for various causes such as anti-spitting or making more babies. One feels inclined to take his side, only because Humphreys actually does have a point in all his rants. The only drawback is having to get used to his speed switching between comedy and serious ranting. Also, his essays tend to get a little tedious when read in large doses because - let's face it - he's no David Sedaris. In other words, he's funny, but not that funny. While some may question what right Humphreys has to question Singaporean ways and habits, Scribbles from the Same Island is still an important contribution to the national navel-gazing scene. Humphreys is a foreigner who has grown familiar and knowledgeable enough to serve as an interpreter and mirror to the Singaporean way of life. After all, what better way to take criticism than from an old friend? He may be crass, naggy and corny at times - but his honesty and fondness for Singapore makes him one helluva foreign talent. Neil Humphreys deserves at least a pint on the house for all he's given back to us. Rating: |
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Sarong
Party Girls, the Chek Jawa beach, queuing for freebies, "Romancing Singapore",
Geylang hookers and the slightly loopy denizens of Toa Payoh, Lorong
1 - Neil Humphreys has got all that covered in 
