Seeking Home Reflections on Family, Culture, and Identity

An evocative chronicle of a woman’ s homecoming, searching for family history and identity through the changing landscapes of modern Singapore and Malaysia. On the brink of her thirties, Amanda Oon moved with her ang moh husband from London to Singapore— the country of her mother’ s childhood; neighbour to the bustling streets of Kuala Lumpur, the white cliffs and colonial shophouse streets of Ipoh, and its surrounding areas where her father grew up. As they carve a new life in an unfamiliar country, she tracks down her family’ s history and shares their stories of growing up in Singapore and Malaysia. The food, culture, and people that shape the identities of these two countries paint a vivid and nuanced portrait of their life and culture. This is a story of family, race, identity, and self-discovery. But, above all, it is a cultural portrait of Singapore and Malaysia’ s rich heritage and history.

Amanda Oon is an editor, journalist, and author. She writes on social issues, lifestyle, and culture, with a focus on East–West connections.