Frog under A Coconut Shell [Paperback]

Josephine Chia (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2002

This book is based on the author's true story of how her own mother struggled for her right to educate her daughters despite her own parochial existence in a small kampong. This highly nostalgic and evocative book pays tribute to her mother's courageous journey from the bloom of youth to her affliction with Alzheimer's disease in old age.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Josephine Chia is a Peranakan and is very proud of her heritage. She was born and raised in Kampong Potong Pasir. She was an Assistant Nurse (Dental) before she went to the University of Singapore and graduated with a BA (Hons).

She migrated to England in 1985 and read for a Masters in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University. She won several prizes for her short stories in the UK, including the prestigious Ian St James Award and her stories have been published in two UK anthologies. Her novel and short stories were published in Singapore.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Non Basic Stock Line (August 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9812323988
• ISBN-13: 978-9812323989
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,209,789 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Frog under a Coconut Shell, October 29, 2002

By 

Rebecca Poston (Republic of Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Frog under A Coconut Shell (Paperback)

The Frog under a Coconut Shell

This is a celebration of the love between Soon Neo, a newly-poor village woman and her first surviving daughter. Soon Neo wants all her children and especially this daughter, Phine, to be educated. She does not want them to be like frogs under coconut shells, with no understanding of the world outside their own narrow environment. The early struggles of this gracious, gifted woman are made more moving by her final unwilling retreat under the `coconut shell' of Alzheimer's disease.

This book describes an extended family coping over vast distances with the traditional problems of aging parents and hostility between step-relatives. It also gives an interesting insight into the culture of the Straits Chinese or Peranankan people: A Chinese group who incorporate many Malay customs into their culture.

The book is dedicated to those whose loved ones have Alzheimer's. It is also a good companion for those remembering the humiliations of childhood poverty and definitely a fascinating read for those wanting to know about life in South-East Asia in the 1950s and 60s.

4.0 out of 5 stars Out of the coconut shell, December 13, 2002

By 

Captain Manzur (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Frog under A Coconut Shell (Paperback)

Josephine Chia's book `Frog under a coconut shell' is a wonderful book. This book is indeed a tribute to her mother's courage, vision, and perseverance under daunting circumstances. She writes that she is her mother's hope and dreams and the readers of this book will agree that she has fulfilled her mother's dreams.

I have been living here, in Singapore, for the past 27 years and yet it is fascinating to read about Josephine's account of her life and experiences in Singapore during the 1950s and 1960s. There's no doubt Josephine is a master storyteller. She glides smoothly from one decade to another with amazing ease. Her superb skill in describing places and events is evident throughout the book. She tells the story in a captivating manner in her unique voice. It is a very interesting, informative, and touching book. Every good book is supposed to leave a lasting impression on reader's mind and this book does it beautifully.

4.0 out of 5 stars A promise fulfilled, November 27, 2002

By 

Marcella Lacey (Haslemere Surrey England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Frog under A Coconut Shell (Paperback)

The book is a tribute to a mother, who had the foresight, despite her own limited circumstances, to see that only eduction could offer her daughter the chance to escape from the confinement of village life in Singapore in the60s. Her conviction is so strong that she defies her husband, who believes that educating women is a waste if rice money.
The book therefore is a journey. For the daughter and her siblings it is a journey from poverty to being well off. For the mother it is a journey from fighting for her children to the sadness of Alzheimer.
It is obvious that it is a book written from the heart and the special relationship that exists between the eldest surviving daughter and her mother is wonderful to read. Although Ms Chia writes very honestly about the ravages of Alzheimer, the book is never depressing. Instead the reader encounters love, hope and the determination to overcome all difficulties, whatever the hardships on the way.
At the same time Ms Chia paints a picture of a Singapore that few Europeans will have encountered, even if they happened to be there at that time. It is a lifestyle lost forever but all the more worth recording.