Commonwealth

$20.00

One of Singapore’s oldest public housing estates, the name “Commonwealth” also gestures to the long tail of the British Empire and still-potent dreams of equitable distribution. Theophilus Kwek’s Commonwealth uncovers rich seams of history, replete with conquests, tragedies and shared visions of the future. Taking its starting-point as the massive Bukit Ho Swee fires of the 196os – an event as deeply seared into the history of the poet’s family as the nation’s own – Commonwealth traces the dislocations and relocations that have come before it, and in its wake.

Theophilus’s earlier poetry collections dealt with questions of personal rootedness and larger-scale displacement. With his signature adeptness in poetic form, Theophilus embarks on a new departure with Commonwealth, drawing on a wide array of documentary and oral history sources to address upheavals of individual and collective lives within our densely populated city.

76 in stock

SKU: 9781800174832 Category:

Description

Commonwealth is a collection that speaks to layers of interconnection with the British empire, as well as continuing departures from empire. Published by Carcanet UK, it is now available here, for Singapore and Southeast Asia readership, via a publishing partnership deep in significance.

 

About the Poet

Theophilus Kwek has been shortlisted twice for the Singapore Literature Prize. He is the youngest recipient of the Cikada Prize, for poetry that “defends the inviolability of life”, and part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2024. With Ethos Books, his publications include Giving Ground, They Speak Only Our Mother Tongue, and UnFree Verse.

 

About Pagesetters

Pagesetters Services is a content specialist focusing on print and digital publications. Our work is driven by powerful concepts derived from a deep understanding of our clients. With our network of trusted collaborators, we build each project to reach its defined audience.

We run the Ethos Books imprint, an independent publisher of non-fiction, fiction and poetry.

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Additional information

Weight0.3 kg
Dimensions21.6 × 13.5 × 0.5 cm