The Rose of Singapore, a gripping blockbuster, won the author, UK born Peter Neville, the honour of being one of the two authors chosen to represent the USA at the Man Hong Kong International Literary Festival, 2007. The other was Amy Tan, the celebrated Chinese/American author.
The extraordinary The Rose of Singapore is a fictionalized account of the true experiences of Peter Neville, who served with the Royal Air Force during the early 1950s in Hong Kong, Malaya, and RAF Changi, Singapore. He had just turned eighteen when he received his posting to Asia during the so-called ‘Emergency’ a time of active communist terrorism in Malaya.
In a vividly descriptive style, Peter Neville captures and recounts the young protagonist Peter Saunders first impressions of the Far East, from the famous Tiger Balm Gardens to the Infamous Bugis Street.
At Changi Beach, Peter meets and falls in love with the beautiful Lai Suoy Ming, a much sought after prostitute known as The Rose of Singapore, who takes him to her home and there, realizing that this is his first sexual experience seduces him and then decides to accept him as her lover. Peter remains in blissful ignorance of Rose’s true profession for some time; his discovery and reconciliation is beautifully told.

Cover image courtesy of Jazmin Asian Arts, Singapore.

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