ALVIN PANG (b. 1972) holds First Class Honours in Literature from the University of York in England and an Honorary Fellowship in Writing from the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program (2002).  His first volume TESTING THE SILENCE (Ethos Books, 1997) was listed as one of the Top Ten Books of 1997 by The Straits Times and was short listed for the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS) Book Award in 1998/9.  CITY OF RAIN (Ethos Books, 2003), his second volume of poetry, was the only Singaporean book to be named to the Straits Times Top Ten List for 2003.

He is the co-editor of the seminal volume, NO OTHER CITY: The Ethos Anthology of Urban Poetry (Ethos Books, 2000), one of the Straits Times’ Top Ten Books for 2000 and a key text on university syllabuses.  In 2001, he was one of a quartet of bilateral editors who developed a joint anthology of Singapore-Filipino love poetry.  It was released as LOVE GATHERS ALL: A Philippines-Singapore Anthology of Love Poetry (Ethos Books / Anvil Press, 2002), and won the Global Filipino Literary Award for Poetry in 2003.  He is also the Country Editor (Singapore) for the forthcoming Penguin Book of Southeast Asian Verse.

Pang was the Featured Poet in the Spring 2002 issue of the Atlanta Review (USA), a journal which counts Nobel Prize laureates Seamus Heaney and Derek Walcott among its contributors; he is also among the select few poets celebrated in its 10th Anniversary edition. His work has also been featured in journals such as the English Review (UK), Paper Tiger (Australia), Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature, Bonnier’s Literary Magazine, Slope (USA), Quarterly Literary Review Singapore and RHYTHMS: The Millennium Anthology of Singapore Poetry, for which he was also the English Language Poetry Editor.  His poetry has appeared at the Poetry Society and Poetry Library in London; it has also been exhibited in the Asian Civilisations Museum, screened on national television, and requested and read on BBC Radio.

A recipient of several Singapore International Foundation and National Arts Council grants, Pang frequently assists the National Arts Council in literary projects.  He served on the organizing committees of the Singapore Writer’s Festivals in 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003.  He is also a founder and coordinator of WORDFEAST 2004 – Singapore’s first international poetry festival.  In 2003, Pang co-founded The Literary Centre (Singapore), a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to literary development, where he still serves as a Director.

Pang has made several international appearances in support of Singaporean writing. He led a delegation of Singapore writers to Australia in July 2001, another to the Austin International Poetry Festival in April 2002, and read at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in 2003 as an invited international poet.  He has also featured at major literary festivals in Hong Kong, Bali, Malaysia and elsewhere.
A former teacher, civil servant, journalist, columnist and online producer, Pang is also the founder and editor of online poetry anthology, The Poetry Billboard (http://www.poetrybillboard.com), the Literary Singapore news website (http://www.writer.per.sg) and mailing list ((JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)). He also contributes an occasional column to the Straits Times commentary section on technology, culture, society and other issues.  Some of his articles, essays and commentaries are collected on http://www.verbosity.net .
Contact Details

ALVIN PANG KHEE MENG (SINGAPORE)

Books:
1997 - Testing the Silence (Ethos Books, 1997) - Poems
2000 – Co-editor, No Other City:  The Ethos Anthology of Urban Poetry (Ethos Books, 2000)
2002 – Co-editor, Love Gathers All : The Philippines-Singapore Love Anthology (Anvil Books/Ethos Books, 2002)
2003 - City of Rain (Ethos Books, 2003) – Poems

Also a commissioned editor of :
Rhythms: RHYTHMS: The Millennium Anthology of Singapore Poetry The Penguin Book of Southeast Asia verse (forthcoming)

Email:
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) / (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) / (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) / (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Publisher:
Ethos Books, c/o Pagesetters Services Pte Ltd, 
Block 2, Pasir Panjang Road, #11-01, Alexandra Distripark, Singapore 118481

PUBLICATIONS

1991

 
• Poems published in Crystal Is Waiting (VJ Times, 1991).
 
• Poetry collection co-published in In Search of Words (VJ Times, 1991).

1997

 
• Poetry Collection, Testing The Silence (Ethos Books 1997).
 
• Listed as one of top ten books of 1997 by Straits Times Books Page, nominated for NBDCS Book Awards.
   

1998

 
• Critical essay, ‘ “A World Too Immense”: Confinement, Escape and Space in Tan Mei Ching’s prose’. published in Interlogue: Studies in Singapore Literature (Fiction) (Ethos Books, 1998), edited Kirpal Singh.

2000

 
• Co-Editor, No Other City: The Ethos Anthology of Urban Poetry (Ethos Books, 2000) .
 
• Anthology of new and published poems about Singapore as a city, comprising over 100 poems. Features 65 new & established writers, including Simon Tay, Lee
 
• Tzu Pheng, Edwin Thumboo, Koh Buck Song, Alfian Saat, Daren Shiau.
 
• The anthology was listed as one of the Top Ten Books of 2000 by ST Life!, and is on the reading list for urban studies / literary studies at the National University of Singapore, and other varsities around the world.

2001/2

 
• Co-Editor, Love Gathers All: A Philippines-Singapore Love Anthology (Ethos and Anvil Books 2002)
 
• Groundbreaking bilateral anthology of new and published love poems from writers in Singapore and the Philippines.
 
• Co-editors Alfred Yuson and Rayvi Sunico (Philippines), Aaron Lee (Singapore)
 
• Winner, Global Filipino Literary Award for Poetry, 2003

2003

 
• City of Rain – Poetry volume (Ethos Books 2003)
 
• Book design received international design accolades in 2003. It is also the only Singaporean book named to the Straits Times’ Top Ten Books of 2003.

1998 -Present Various Poems, Articles, Reviews and Short Stories published in:

 
• The Straits Times, Singapore (various)
 
• Project Eyeball, Singapore (various, including a regular arts column)
 
• The English Review, September 99 issue (UK)
 
• Riding the Meridian (online literary e-zine)
 
• SilverKris, March 2000 issue (SIA in-flight magazine)
 
• Rhythms: A Millennial Anthology of Singapore Poetry
 
• Quarterly Literary Review Singapore
 
• Paper Tiger anthology (Australia)
 
• Slope (USA)
 
• Atlanta Review (US) – Featured Poet for Spring 2002 issue & included in the 10th Anniversary special issue.

2001 to Present Monthly DVD Review column for The Edge, Singapore
2004 -Present Commentary / Analysis fortnightly column for The Straits Times.