Notes from an even Smaller Island

Two true incidents convinced Neil Humphreys to write his first book: a surreal void-deck funeral and a boob-baring landlady.

In 1999, he jotted down on a single piece of paper possible chapter ideas for a travel/humour book on Singapore.

The notes read: funeral, first impressions, aunties, big boobs, snake auntie, kiasuism, mad neighbours, education, cuckoo bird, US holiday, Ms Strawberry, arts and sports, plastic football and a few other notes.

Two years later, Notes From An Even Smaller Island was a national best-seller and its readers know the context of those scribbles.

Today, Notes From an Even Smaller Island is one of Singapore’s best-selling books of the past decade and has travelled beyond the city-state’s borders into Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan and across Australia and even the UK (although Neil’s mum bought most of those copies).

Recently, an Australian friend in Geelong, where Neil now lives, asked him if he inadvertently went to someone’s funeral on his first night in Singapore.

The incident happened 13 years ago and thousands of miles away and the void-deck funeral had followed Neil to Geelong, Australia.

The friend heard the story from someone at a local yoga class who once worked in Singapore.

Neil remembers sweating in his boxer shorts in a non-air-conditioned room in his three-room flat in Toa Payoh, typing out the story that only ended up being a couple of pages in the final publication.

Today, when he returns to Singapore, he still gets asked to tell the funeral story. He is seriously considering having it carved on his headstone.  

The back cover:
From the aunties in the hawker centres to expats dressed as bananas, from Singlish to kiasuism, and from Singaporeans at home to Singaporeans abroad, Humphreys explores all aspects of Singaporean life, taking in the sights, dissecting the culture and illuminating each place and person with his perceptive and witty observations.  

Written by someone who is at once both insider and outsider, the book is wonderfully funny and disarmingly honest portrait of Singapore and its people.

Book highlights:

  • Singapore’s national bestseller for over five years

  • Now in its 13th re-print, the book has been re-designed and re-released

  • Neil’s nephew took the books into school for his show and tell

What the media said:
“The book presents a warts-and-all view of the city-state and celebrates many of the things most often criticised.” - BBC World

 “He pokes fun at Singaporeans… but rather than bristle at his observations, you are likely to twitch with mirth. The ribbing is always cushioned by good-natured quips often sprinkled with hilarious anecdotes.” - The Sunday Times

“A thoroughly enjoyable read on the virtues (Or hazards) of living in Singapore through the eyes of a 6 foot 4 inch Briton whose style is so disarmingly honest, you will laugh at the things you once considered the bane of existence … Decidedly Singaporean, distinctly British.”
- Singapore FHM

“Humphreys’ laugh-aminute self-deprecating manner makes this book very entertaining … No punches pulled. Bravo!” - Malaysia’s Sunday Star

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