This volume collects together and reprints two groundbreaking publications from the 1950s by Dr Leon Comber: "Introduction to Secret Societies"; and "Traditional Mysteries of Chinese Secret Societies in Malaya". The volumes were written to initiate laypersons to the mysterious world of Chinese secret societies. Secret societies were originally founded on the bedrock of blood ties, kinship, mutual help and rebellion against repressive regimes and especially relevant to the immigrant communities of the Nanyang (overseas) Chinese as they integrated into new homelands. To that extent, many of their rituals, codes of conduct and history held true to original ideals. Over time however, many secret societies later turned to crime and have become synonymous with criminal organizations serving their leaders and gang members purposes rather than the wider community. Now republished in one paperback volume with new setting and design, "The Triads" provides a new readership with a fascinating glimpse into a world which continues to capture the imagination for both older and younger generations of students of an overseas Chinese community in Asia.

The Triads: Chinese Secret Societies in 1950s Malaya and Singapore

Leon Comber

Talisman Publishing/Singapore Heritage Society

The Strange Cases of Magistrate Pao is an engrossing collection of six of Magistrate Pao's cases. They are traditional Chinese detective stories in the tradition of the 'Judge Dee' stories of the late Robert van Gulik, who was a friend of author Leon Comber. Through them you are led into the fascinating world of old China. Imagine yourself sitting in an expectant crowd around a storyteller in a public market, which used to happen, too, in past times in Singapore and Malaysia before the days of television. It is dusk, the storyteller is reading from an old book he has in his hand by the light of a flickering hurricane lamp.

The Strange Cases of Magistrate Pao: Chinese Tales of Crime and Detection

Talisman Publishing

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Books by Leon Comber

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Leon Comber. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Triads: Chinese Secret Societies in 1950s Malaya and Singapore

The Strange Cases of Magistrate Pao: Chinese Tales of Crime and Detection