Lancing Girls of a Happy World & the Singapore Writers Festival this November 11

I’m delighted to be doing an event with Adeline Foo, author of Lancing Girls at the Happy World, at the Singapore Writers Festival this coming November 11th discussing the underworld and entertainment links between old Shanghai and old Singapore – Resurrecting the Bad Old Days: Researching the Dark Side of Pre-war Shanghai & Singapore. Adeline’s book is a great read for those who want a fuller story of Shanghai’s entertainment industry and its regional reach before and just after the war…

“Dancing was fun; it didn’t seem like a job but a party every day.”

“They practised dancing seriously; it was their life!”

“It is an ugly profession; to prostitute oneself… is a commonly accepted practice.”

Glitz, glamour, and sleaze is what people may remember of the cabaret girls of yesteryear. With curiosity and an open mind, Adeline Foo sets out to uncover the lives of these women and how, even with few dreams and hopes to strive for, these women lived with much heart and courage despite society’s disapproving eye. The music of the dance hall may have faded away, but this book carries the echoes of their dance steps, connecting us with a forgotten past that was inspired by faith, hope and charity.