Born into a Peranakan family in Malacca, Malaysia, at the end of WWII, a time when few women worked outside the house, the world of Swi’s female relatives revolved around the home – their husbands, their children and most importantly the kitchen. Not only did Swi take advantage of increasing educational opportunities for women after the war but she herself taught for 40 years in schools and institutes of higher learning and in this intimate collection of autobiographical essays that every woman should read, she offers stories of deep reflection that relate to the tears and laughter, the rise and fall, and the love and pain felt by women in Malaysia and Singapore over the last 75 years. Swi recalls the convent sisters in Malacca who educated her classmates about sex, the camaraderie among girlfriends, and desires fulfilled. She explores issues of life and death and shares memories of the unforgettable men in her life. Swi holds in high regard the mothers under banana leaf umbrellas who dreamed great dreams for their children, reminisces about her unique experiences as a teacher in rural schools of old, and cheers today’s senior citizens Zooming during times of Covid. These are stories from the heart.
