Singapore's literary scene has grown steadily over the past three decades, producing authors who write in English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. While the island's total population is around 5.45 million (2023), its English-language literary output punches well above its weight. From speculative fiction that reimagines Southeast Asian history to gritty crime novels set in Geylang and Tiong Bahru, Singaporean authors offer perspectives that are at once local and universal.
Below is a curated list of ten Singaporean writers whose works are widely available in bookshops and libraries across the island. Prices cited are from Kinokuniya Singapore (Ngee Ann City) and BooksActually (Tiong Bahru) as of early 2025. All books are in English unless noted.
1. Sonny Liew, The Art of the Graphic Novel
Sonny Liew (born 1974) is a comic artist and writer best known for The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye (Epigram Books, 2015), which won three Eisner Awards in 2017, including Best Writer/Artist. The book retails for $38.00 at Kinokuniya and is often displayed in the graphic literature section at BooksActually ($36.90). Liew's work blends fictional biography with actual Singaporean history, covering the country's political evolution from the 1950s to the present. His other titles include Malinky Robot (First Second, 2011), priced at $28.00, and Shadow Hero (First Second, 2014), co-created with Gene Luen Yang. For readers interested in how Singaporean writers use comics to explore national identity, refer to our complete guide to Southeast Asian books, authors, translations, history, and reading resources.
2. Kevin Kwan, Satire of the Ultra-Rich
Kevin Kwan (born 1973) rose to international fame with Crazy Rich Asians (Doubleday, 2013), the first book in a trilogy that also includes China Rich Girlfriend (2015) and Rich People Problems (2017). The trilogy has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and was adapted into a major 2018 film. Kwan's novels focus on the excesses of Singapore's elite families, with scenes set in the Marina Bay Sands and the Tanglin Club. The paperback edition of Crazy Rich Asians costs $18.90 at Popular Bookstore, while the boxed set (three paperbacks) sells for $54.00 at Kinokuniya. Kwan's writing is notable for its footnotes explaining Singlish terms and local customs to international audiences.
3. Amanda Lee Koe, Experimental Literary Fiction
Amanda Lee Koe (born 1987) won the Singapore Literature Prize in 2014 for her short story collection Ministry of Moral Panic (Epigram Books, 2013), which sells for $22.00 at BooksActually. Her debut novel Delayed Rays of a Star (Doubleday, 2019) was longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. The novel features three real historical figures, actress Marlene Dietrich, photographer Lee Miller, and Nazi filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, connected through a single photograph. Koe's prose is dense and lyrical, and her work often challenges conventional gender roles. For readers interested in the broader landscape of Southeast Asian literary fiction, explore our complete guide to Southeast Asian books.
4. Jeremy Tiang, Translator and Novelist
Jeremy Tiang (born 1978) works as a novelist, translator, and playwright. His novel State of Emergency (Exactlyinfinite, 2017) is set in Singapore and Malaysia during the Emergency period (1948-1960). The book retails at $25.00 on the Exactlyinfinite website. Tiang has translated works by Chinese authors such as Yan Lianke and Zhang Yueran into English, and his translation of Yan Lianke's The Four Books (Chatto & Windus, 2015) won the 2016 International Man Booker Prize nomination. Tiang's own fiction is known for its restrained, precise language and its engagement with political history.
5. O Thiam Chin, Short Story Specialist
O Thiam Chin (born 1979) has published three short story collections: Never Been Better (Ethos Books, 2012), The Woman Who Turned into a Vending Machine (Math Paper Press, 2014), and Love, or Something Like It (Epigram Books, 2017). His stories frequently appear in The Straits Times and Quarterly Literary Review Singapore. The collection Never Been Better was shortlisted for the Singapore Literature Prize in 2014. Prices range from $18.00 to $22.00 at BooksActually. O's stories are usually under 3,000 words and focus on everyday lives of ordinary Singaporeans, taxi drivers, office workers, retirees in Ang Mo Kio.
6. Cyril Wong, Poet and Mainstream Cross-Over
Cyril Wong (born 1977) is Singapore's most prolific English-language poet, with nine collections published between 2001 and 2024. His book The End of His Own Life (Math Paper Press, 2023) is priced at $24.00 at Kinokuniya. Wong won the Singapore Literature Prize in 2006 and 2014 for poetry. His poem like a seed with its singular purpose was set to music by composer John Sharpley and performed at the Esplanade Concert Hall in 2019. Wong also writes fiction: his novel Meditations in an Emergency (Epigram Books, 2021) sold 2,000 copies in its first month. For readers curious about how Southeast Asian poets navigate mainstream publishing, refer to our complete guide.
7. Adeline Foo, Children's and Young Adult Fiction
Adeline Foo (born 1971) writes for children and teenagers. Her most famous series is The Diary of Amos Lee (published between 2013 and 2022), a set of three illustrated novels that sold over 30,000 copies in Singapore alone. Each paperback sells for $14.90 at Popular Bookstore. The series follows the adventures of a 10-year-old boy in Singapore, covering topics such as National Service, the haze, and Chinese New Year. Foo's work is used in several MOE primary schools as supplementary reading material.
8. Balli Kaur Jaswal, Crime and Diaspora
Balli Kaur Jaswal (born 1983) writes crime novels set among the Punjabi Sikh community in Singapore. Her book Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows (HarperCollins, 2017) was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller, and the film rights were optioned by Chernin Entertainment in 2018. The paperback retails for $18.00 at Kinokuniya. Jaswal's other novels include Inheritance (2013) and The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters (2019). Her work is notable for portraying Singapore's Indian community, often overlooked in mainstream literary coverage.
9. Ng Yi-Sheng, Speculative and Historical Fiction
Ng Yi-Sheng (born 1980) is a poet, playwright, and fiction writer. His speculative novel The Lion City (Epigram Books, 2018) is a collection of interconnected short stories reimagining Singapore's history as a series of fantastical events, a magical tree that grants wishes, a time-traveling haiji (Muslim pilgrim), and a submarine that sinks in the Singapore River. The book retails at $24.90 at BooksActually. Ng also wrote SQ21: Singapore Queers in the 21st Century (Math Paper Press, 2006), a pioneering work of nonfiction on the LGBT+ community in Singapore, priced $28.00 at Kinokuniya.
10. Clarissa Wei, Food Writing and Cultural History
Clarissa Wei (born 1989) writes about food and culture in Singapore and across Southeast Asia. Her book Made in Singapore: Food, Heritage, and the Stories Behind the Hawker Centres (Marshall Cavendish, 2023) was shortlisted for the 2024 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. The hardcover sells for $45.00 at Kinokuniya's food section in Ngee Ann City. Wei has also written for Lonely Planet and The New York Times. Her work traces the migration of recipes from China, India, and the Malay archipelago to Singapore's hawker stalls. For a wider view of food writing in the region, see our complete guide to Southeast Asian books.
Where to Buy Books by Singaporean Authors
The following bookshops in Singapore stock the titles listed above, along with many others from local writers.
- Kinokuniya Singapore, 391 Orchard Road, Ngee Ann City, #04-20/21, Singapore 238872. English literature section on Level 4. Prices range $18, $55.
- BooksActually, 5 Yong Siak Street, Tiong Bahru, Singapore 168643. Specializes in Singaporean literature. Open Tue, Sun, 10am, 7pm.
- Popular Bookstore, Multiple locations including Bras Basah Complex and Jurong Point. Carries mass-market paperbacks. Prices $10, $20.
- Ethos Books, 991D Alexandra Road, #01-07, Singapore 119973. Also an online store at ethosbooks.com.sg. Lists many of the poets and fiction writers above.
Prices noted in this article are from early 2025 and may change. For readers outside Singapore, the same titles are often available through bookdepository.com (now closed) or Amazon.sg.
Why Read Singaporean Authors
Singaporean literature offers perspectives that are distinct from other Anglophone writing. The island's history as a British trading post, its multiracial society (74% Chinese, 13% Malay, 9% Indian, according to the 2020 census), and its rapid modernization from a fishing village to a global financial hub create a rich vein of stories. Many authors address themes of displacement, identity, and memory. The use of Singlish (Singapore Colloquial English) in dialogue adds a layer of authenticity that international readers might initially find challenging but soon rewarding.
For educators and librarians building a collection of Southeast Asian works, the ten authors above represent a starting point. The National Library Board (NLB) Singapore holds most of these titles in its public libraries, free for loan with a membership card.
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