Areca
Books
120 Armenian Street
10200 Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +60 4 2620123
Fax: +60 4 2633970
Email: arecabooks@gmail.com
Website: www.arecabooks.com
Areca
catechu - the Latin
name for the betel-palm
or pinang tree.
Penang or 'Pulau Pinang'
means betel-nut island.
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Areca Books
is a rapidly-growing niche publisher based in Penang, Malaysia.
A number of our publications are pioneering works in trans-local
history, cultural heritage and environment. Our books are well-researched
and richly-illustrated, appealing to popular readers as well as
academic researchers of Malaysia and Southeast Asia. |
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Released on 7 July 2011 in conjunction with the anniversary of the UNESCO World Heritage listing of George Town, Penang. |
Heritage
Trees of Penang Simon Gardner, Pindar Sidisunthorn and Lai Ee May Price
RM100 A celebration of 200 trees which form an integral part of the natural, cultural and urban heritage of Penang. This unique book covers a wide range of both forest and cultivated species, each with a special story to tell. Taken as a whole Heritage Trees of Penang weaves a rich tapestry of the past and present that demonstrates why Penang is such a remarkable place. Richly illustrated with 72 original watercolours and over 1,200 photographs, this invaluable guide is a beautiful and authoritative companion to Penang's botanical inheritance. 'a first publication of its kind in Malaysia' - Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang 'timely and valuable publication on the identification of the trees in Penang' - Kanda Kumar, Malaysian Nature Society Book Launch Heritage Trees of Penang was officially launched by TYT Tun Dato' Seri Utama (Dr) Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Abbas, The Governor of the State of Penang on 7 July 2011 at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang - as part of the third anniversary celebration of George Town as a world heritage site. Exhibition A small exhibition of watercolours by Pindar Sidisunthorn from Heritage Trees of Penang is on display at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel (7-31 July 2011) and then permanently at Penang Botanic Gardens. |
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Portraits
of Penang: Little India Price
RM 100 In 1979 Ooi Cheng Ghee spent a year exploring the streets of Little India, Penang with a particular way of seeing and his trusted Leica camera. It was not only a journey of discovery but a kind a conversation with the diverse community that inhabited the enclave. Juxtaposing people and streetscapes, his images capture the essence and dynamism of a singular place. With accompanying essays and commentaries on the photographs, this beautifully designed volume both documents and celebrates Little India with affection and humanity. This
is a beautifully designed, hardcover book with 160 black-and-white
fine art photographs and accompanying essays and commentaries on
the images. Portraits of Penang: Little India is destined
to become one of the classics of social documentary photography.
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Perak
Postcards 1890s-1940s Price
RM120 'This is a beautifully produced book, with many postcards never seen before. If you want a first-class record of Perak's past then this is where you should invest your money. It beats any other volume produced so far' - IpohWorld 'One of the glories of this book is that the authors' expertise is brought to bear on every image, each one carefully sourced, dated and historically interpreted. It’s ... like a rolling story that you can dip in and out of at your leisure' - Ilsa Sharp 'The
book leaves no doubt in anyone's mind that at one time Perak really
did have an amazing array of heritage buildings, streets, public
gardens, recreation areas and a wide array of grand landscapes.
Anyone who buys this book will therefore have no need for faded
memories as it covers all that any could wish for regarding our
heritage' - Ian
Anderson, *Ipoh 'A lovely volume ... offering all sorts of historical byways which will be mined for years to come.... a real contribution to Perak history (as well as of course philatelic and postal history)' - Geoff Wade Dr
Geoff Wade is an historian with interests in Sino-Southeast Asian
historical interactions and comparative historiography, based at
the Institute of South East Asian Studies, Singapore. |
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Giving
Our Best:
The Story of St George's
Girls' School, Penang, 1885-2010 Price
RM100 |
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The
Sara Saga Price
RM40 |
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Hail,
Penang! Price
RM40 |
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Penang
under the East India Company Price:
RM 110 |
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George
Town SPECIFICATIONS Click
here for price list |
George
Town World Heritage Site Map •
Provides accurate and useful information about the World Heritage
Site |
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Penang
and Its Region Price:
RM45 |
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Fatimah's
Kampung Price:
RM65 Price:
RM95 |
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IPOH
When tin was king Price:
RM120 |
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Heritage
Houses of Penang Penang
famed as the Pearl of the Orient, has been the meeting place of
cultural currents from India and China, as well as insular and mainland
Southeast Asia. As a key commercial port of the British East India
Company from 1786, it was drawn into the international trading route.
Ship captains and seafaring merchants chose to retreat to this strategically
situated island, while miners and planters who made their fortunes
in neighbouring lands built their incredible homes here. Penang’s
capital, the port city of George Town, is now a World Heritage Site,
reflecting its rich history, vernacular architecture and its own
unique version of multiculturalism. This book celebrates the distinctive
architecture and lifestyle of the heritage houses of Penang. |
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English-Penang
Hokkien Pocket Dictionary Penang Hokkien is a unique dialect that is widely spoken on Penang Island. Settlers from the Fujian Province in Southern China brought their language to the formerly British trading port. In this melting pot of languages and cultures, Hokkien is exposed to a diversity of influences. The enriched vocabulary and colourful local expressions give Penang Hokkien its distinct character. The
English-Penang Hokkien Pocket Dictionary provides the tourist,
student and native speaker with a practical reference for Penang
Hokkien words and phrases. Hokkien is written in the established
missionary spelling (POJ). With over 4,000 entries and supplementary
chapters on words by theme, phrases and grammar, this accessible
dictionary will prove invaluable to anyone wishing to speak Penang
Hokkien. |
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Sun
Yat Sen in Penang ‘You can help shoulder the responsibility of saving our country by donating your money, while our comrades in our country are sacrificing their lives.’ — Dr. Sun Yat Sen in Penang, 1910 The Second Guangzhou Uprising (also called the Canton March 29 Uprising), a turning point of the 1911 Chinese Revolution, was planned from a place 2,400 km away — in Penang in present-day Malaysia. As a young revolutionary, Dr. Sun Yat Sen travelled widely and lived amongst the Chinese communities abroad, including Japan, North America and Southeast Asia. He mobilized the overseas Chinese with the dream of saving the Chinese nation. In
1910, when success seemed most remote, Dr. Sun turned to his followers
in Penang. The Penang Philomatic Union became the Tongmenghui party's
Nanyang Headquarters, raising funds and fighters for the Second
Guangzhou Uprising and acting decisively to help consolidate the
Xinhai Revolution.
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Helen
Ong's Great Dining in Penang Freelance
writer and food reviewer Helen Ong has come up with a book to show
that the island has many more culinary delights to offer apart from
hawker food. … ‘nicely illustrated and attractive…’ |
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Bestowing
Luck & Prosperity On All Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple was founded in 1844 for the worship of Toa Pek Kong, patron saint of the Kian Teik Tong. The latter is the Hokkien Secret Society which challenged the Ghee Hin secret society in the Penang Riots of 1867. The commemorative publication celebrates the completion of the restoration of the temple. It contains a brief historical essay by Tan Kim Hong, and an essay on the architectural significance by Tan Yeow Wooi, who is also responsible for the wonderful photography. The timeline of the temple is researched from land titles and other historical documents. The lists of festivals, trustees, and affiliated associations provide insight into 19th century Hokkien socio-religious organisations in Penang. The
book is extensively illustrated with photos of the archaeology and
restoration process, building plans, temple architecture, calligraphic
plaques, altars and ceremonies. A meticulous piece of documentation,
it is essential reading for anyone interested in Chinese religions,
Overseas Chinese traditions and Penang history. – Khoo Salma |
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Chinese in Penang: A Pictorial History …an
important contribution to Malaysian history… should be incorporated
in history lessons taught in schools. ...offers
interesting insight to the growth of the Chinese community in Penang. |
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Days
Gone By: Growing Up in Penang A
patriarch makes a fortune in tin-mining and the next two generations
squander it.... This classic Malaysian Chinese family saga makes
a compelling biography. …lively
anecdotal style …first-hand perspective… |
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Road
To Dawn: Filming in Penang PLUS Special
gift pack! RM40 |
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Streets
of George Town, Penang: Fourth print, 15,000 copies sold! To
really understand this fascinating port, buy a copy of Khoo Su Nin's
guide... …made
Khoo a local celebrity and helped rekindle civic interest in documenting
and preserving the island's rich architectural heritage. …an
eye-opening guide, particularly for children of Penang who know
little, or nothing, about its lively history. …sets
the gold standard for history-freighted local guide books… using
it on a recent stay on the island, I found my walks about the place
positively enriched. |
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Penang
Postcards Collection: 1899-1930s Khoo Salma Nasution & Malcolm Wade Price: RM120 ISBN: 983-2885-00-0 Every
once in a while, a book comes along that surpasses expectations…
Serious collectors or scholars of postcards (deltiologists, as they
are called), as well as casual readers, are sure to delight in this
richly illustrated and beautifully designed volume. …one
that you would read again and again [for] its captivating and rare
images. …important
for schools and history studies in Malaysia… |
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Penang,
Through Gilded Doors …gorgeous
and lavishly illustrated book. …offers
not only a magical 'tour' of Penang's famed sights, but gives detailed
insights into the life of the island's people… superb
photographs… a guide-book for the more discerning tourist and for
the more constricted Penangite. French
edition! |
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…a 'must read' for fans of public transport in the colonial era. David Hope, UK Magazine Classic Bus, May-June 2006 The
pivotal role played by the transport network in the growth of the
island's economy, social and cultural life is showcased by the authors
with great detail and painstaking research. …excellent
book…truly amazing… |
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More
Than Merchants A History of the German-speaking Community in Penang 1800s-1940s Khoo Salma Nasution Price: RM 60 Price in Germany: Euro 29 ISBN: 983-42834-1-5 The
book serves more than simply serving tribute to the close-knit German-speaking
mercantile community… Khoo has also successfully conveyed their
courage and fortitude as merchants in facing the fate that befell
them and their enterprises caused by the international repercussions
of European politics. |
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Kinta
Valley: Pioneering Malaysia’s Modern Development A
local history that brings a region alive again and, for me, one
that makes you re-live what you have left behind, has done its job.
This is such a book. Kinta's
story is central to that of modern Malaysia, and this "local
history" is thus a contribution to national history as well. This
handsomely produced book provides the fullest account ever written,
or likely to be written, on the history of the Kinta Valley. Lucky
the district to have its history so comprehensively and excellently
catalogued as has been done for Kinta. In
all, an excellent book to read from cover to cover… |
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Raja
Bilah and the Mandailings in Perak: 1875-1911 …
an important watershed in the local and national historiography
of Malaysia … It has undoubtedly set a high standard for scholarship
on the writing of Malaysian local histories that is deserving of
emulation. This
fact-stuffed, quickly paced biography… goes considerably beyond
a simple narration of a life. Therein lies the volume's value to
scholars of both Indonesia and Malaysia-nations… …an
unexpectedly rich and interesting account of an important period
in Malay history …a rare indigenous viewpoint of events… …a
welcome and perhaps overdue study …[an] excellent monograph. |
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TULILA:
MUZIK BUJUKAN MANDAILING Author/Pengarang: Edi Nasution Price/Harga: RM30 / Rupiah70,000. ISBN: 978-983-42834-4-5 The story of the tulila and its impending demise as an art form and a cultural practice is a reminder to all Malaysians of how fragile and precious the cultural treasures we still have are. Himanshu Bhatt, New Straits Times, February 3, 2008 |
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Water
Watch - A Community Action Guide Lubis
compiles water facts which everyone should know. ….a
source-book aimed at raising popular awareness of water problems
and at empowering communities and individuals with simple ways of
conserving and managing their water. ….
presents a step-by-step guide on how to map out our watershed and
how to adopt a stream. …
highlights simple projects that can be undertaken by community-based
organizations and school groups, and includes practical hints on
how to make best use of water resources. |
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Our
Malaysia: Multi-Cultural Activity Book for Young Malaysians Yazdi Jehangir Bankwala & Dr. M. Nadarajah Price: RM18 ISBN: 983-42472-0-6 2005.
Published by Arpitha Associates (M) |
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The
house of lIzards - Natu the Chichak ...a
delightful read for children in Malaysia… In the same way that
Beatrix Potter brings to life little animals in a very English
atmosphere, Natu The Chichak … easily plunge readers into a world
of jungles, lush foliage, and colourful creepy crawlies lurking
everywhere. One can almost hear lizards calling and insects buzzing. Batik
meets folk art in this book about a house lizard, or cicak, called
Natu. For orders, please email areca@streamyx.com
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One
Man's Will: A Portrait of Dato’ Sir Onn bin Ja’afar Price:
RM30 |
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Learn
to Speak... Penang Hokkien Dialect Price:
RM20 |
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Loghat
Hokkien Pulau Pinang Price:
RM18 |
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Penang
Hokkien Dailect for Tourists & Penangites Price:
RM23 |
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A
Tapestry of Baba Poetry (CD Attached) Price:
RM37 |
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