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  • Published: 21 October 2025
  • ISBN: 9789815323719
  • Imprint: PRH SEA
  • Format: Paperback
  • RRP: $29.99

Merdeka Generation Groovers and Other Stories




A heart-warming collection of stories featuring Merdeka Generation Seniors who had lived through the challenging development of pre-independent Singapore to its present day; and yet are now facing new challenges

This collection of short stories celebrates the Merdeka Generation. These are the baby boomers born a little after the Second World War, following the heels of the Pioneer Generation. These Seniors experienced the development and growth of modern Singapore. They were the people who lived through four National Anthems: God Save the King, God Save the queen, Negara-Ku and Majulah Singapura. The majority of them had helped built this nation.

During the colonial period and pre-independent days, many Singaporeans were poor and were living in adverse conditions, without running water, electricity and amenities. Before HDB flats were built, they had been living in kampungs. These shaped their mind-set. Most of them struggled to work hard so that their children would not suffer as they had suffered.

In the 21st Century, this band of the population is in their seventies. New problems surfaced for them as their children became smarter than them, or some moved abroad. There are many MG Seniors without their children and grandchildren in this country. This collection attempts to highlight some of the issues facing this group who had to cope with such emotional issues, modern technology and the fast pace of life in modern Singapore. They are an admirable group as they had the resilience to progress as this nation had progressed.

This book also celebrates the music industry of the 1960s and 70s, both locally and internationally.

  • Published: 21 October 2025
  • ISBN: 9789815323719
  • Imprint: PRH SEA
  • Format: Paperback
  • RRP: $29.99

About the author

Josephine Chia

Josephine Chia has published one children’s book, Queen of the Sky, for Penguin Random House SEA. This is her second book that is published by PRH SEA. Josephine loves listening to stories and writing them. She enjoys escaping to the dream-world of writing. She has published 12 books of fiction and non-fiction in UK and Singapore. She likes to weave anecdotes of her kampong days, Peranakan heritage, food, yoga and Singapore’s history into her stories and books.
In this book, Emman, Time Traveller : The Redhill Tragedy, Josephine has taken a story from the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals), fusing it with the modern to create an exciting adventure.
Goodbye My Kampong is her sequel to her 2014 Singapore Literature Prize book, Kampong Spirit, Gotong Royong. Her first YA Fiction Novel, Big Tree in a Small Pot won the 2019 Singapore Book Awards for Best Middle Grade/Young Adult Title.
Josephine has won literary prizes and awards, both in the UK and Singapore, and has spoken at several international writing festivals. She also mentors aspiring writers.

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