While I am unclear where I first heard of the novel The Great Reclamation, I am glad to have read it this past week. Set in a small fishing village outside Singapore, the novel moves from the early twentieth century when it was occupied by Britain, through the Japanese occupation, to the fights over its future, to its final iteration as a self-ruled republic. Focusing on two characters the novel deftly contrasts various responses to “progress.”
Sometimes I am grateful for learning about a part of the world about which I knew next to nothing. Sadly my only knowledge of Singapore was that it outlawed chewing gum. Others may have a more solid underpinning when they approach the novel. While the writing itself is adequate, I didn’t find it as lyrical or well phrased as much fiction I read. But the book made up for that by introducing me to the “great reclamation.”
At a time when land all along our coastlines is disappearing into the ocean, in stark contrast the project undertaken in Singapore during the last century was to create land. Immense amounts of sand was used to fill in wetlands and create “solid” land for factories, housing, airports and businesses. I was and remain intrigued by the determination to create what wasn’t there to fulfill dreams of how it “should” be.
Of course the same focus has dominated much of the history of the United States. From damming of rivers, filling in wetlands, strip mining mountains, and building houses on beach cliffs, humans seem determined to try to transform nature into man made ideals. The novel helpfully allows us to consider the cost on both the environment and the people. Here we seem to keep calling floods and landslides “acts of God.” I think God is getting scapegoated!
Saved By Words 
My uncle did his Army service in Singapore, and talked fondly of it. So in 2002, Julie and I went there on a trip. We loved it, from the first day to the last. It is a place I could easily live in, if I was rich enough to afford the property prices.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I live in the UK in an area that is mostly below sea level and was ‘reclaimed’ from marshland in the 17th century with the help of the Dutch (who had experience in such things).
My husband spent some time in Singapore during his working life and remembers it as being truly multicultural and very clean (with draconian punishments for littering). He was impressed on both counts.
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I’ve always been interested in Singapore & it’s leader of many years Lee Kuan Yew (now deceased) having lived in Malaysia on attachment with the Australian Defence Forces forst sparked this interest. I have visited Singapore a few times & am always fascinated by its history Elizabeth.
Blessings, Jennifer
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Looking forward to reading this one. I found a copy online. I remember Nate’s first trip abroad was in Singapore, their 7th birthday gift to him three years ago.
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Thank you for this excellent review, Elizabeth. I champion your last paragraph.
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Hi Elizabeth, I agree that God is getting scapegoated. Gif tends to get blamed whenever humanity mess up. Right now we are reaping what we’ve sewed.
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We learn so much from books. Thank you for sharing.
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