Tanamera (Hodder Great Reads) [Paperback]

Noel Barber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2007 | Series: Hodder Great Reads

This is the story of two lovers and two great dynasties—one British, the other Chinese—and of the society that separated them and the passion that bound them. Opulence, terror, and forbidden passion prevail in 1930s Singapore. The country is as rich as its climate is steamy, and its bright future seems all but assured. Against all the unwritten canons of Singapore life, a wealthy British man falls in love with the daughter of an aristocratic Chinese family. Their love grows despite opposition from both of their families—and the imminent outbreak of war.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'An astonishing fictional debut ... A great read' -- Daily Mail 'An exceedingly good book, and one of the can't put down variety ... a winner' M M Kaye, author of The Far Pavilions -- M M Kaye, author of The Far Pavilions 'Noel Barber has always done everything in a big way, with style, panache and a dash of adventure. But he has never written a story of such dimensions, such a sense of history and imagination as this first novel ... it is an intensely gripping and convincing story' -- Manchester Evening News 'Barber is a master' -- Mail on Sunday

About the Author

Noel Barber is the author of six bestselling novels that draw upon his experience as a foreign correspondent from the 1940s to the 1960s, including The Black Hole of Calcutta, The Other Side of Paradise, and A Woman of Cairo. He died in 1988.

Product Details

• Paperback: 736 pages
• Publisher: Hodder Headline (September 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340938323
• ISBN-13: 978-0340938324
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.1 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #330,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best story of the War in the Pacific, February 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Tanamera: A Novel of Singapore (Paperback)

The best historical fiction ever written about the II World War and the action of the allied and axis forces in the Pacific. A MUST read for every one who is interested in this part of the XXth Century.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A TALE OF FORBIDDEN LOVE IN WAR-TORN SINGAPORE, May 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Tanamera: A Novel of Singapore (Paperback)

THE NOVEL REFLECTS THE SENTIMENTS OF THE 30'S AND 40'S ABOUT INTER-RACIAL RELATIONSHIPS IN SINGAPORE SOCIETY. IT SHOWS THAT TRUE LOVE, DESPITE THE WAR AND SOCIETAL NORMS, HAS NO BOUNDARIES. THE NOVEL HAVE THE SCENIC BACKGROUND OF MARGARET MITCHELL'S "GONE WITH THE WIND" COMBINED WITH THE MYSTICISM OF THE SOUTHEAST AND THE PASSIONATE ROMANCE OF SHAKESPEARE'S "ROMEO AND JULIET." ____________________

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A BEAUTIFULLY TOLD, EVOCATIVE STORY OF "UM AMOR PROIBIDO", July 22, 2004

By 

MONTGOMERY (WASHINGTON, DC - U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tanamera: A Novel of Singapore (Paperback)

"TANAMERA" --- along with "TAI-PAN", "SHOGUN", and "THE THORN BIRDS" --- is one of the best "epic" novels I've ever read. This is a novel you simply will not be able to put down! Noel Barber gives the reader a rich, earthy feel and insight into the history, culture, and development of Singapore from the late 19th century up to the late 1950s through the interconnected lives of 2 families - the Dexters and the Soongs.

Mainly "TANAMERA" is a tale of a constant and abiding love between John Dexter and Julie Soong and the struggles and pain they endure through war and separation. In reading about their lives, I felt deeply for them and the world as it was changing around them.

Barber is a consummate writer who knows his subject well. In "TANAMERA", you experience life vicariously, its ups and down, its joys and sorrows. Never a paragraph is wasted.