Literary journal QLRS celebrates 20 years with an exquisite box-set. Editors, publisher Dakota Books and contributors will speak at launch.
Why a physical iteration of Quarterly Literary Review Singapore when the content is already online? There was a change of heart when Fong Hoe Fang, founder of Ethos Books, approached the QLRS editors in early 2021, right in the midst of a raging pandemic.
“QLRS was arguably the first regular online literary journal in Singapore and had consistently brought new Singaporean and global voices and writers into the public domain,” says Hoe Fang. “While it had its reasons to remain in digital form, this had deprived readers who preferred physical books from enjoying the writings posted.”
A year later, Quiet Loving, Ravaging Search — 20 Years of Quarterly Literary Review Singapore became a reality, more than two decades after the beta issue appeared online in August 2001.
The four editors – Toh Hsien Min, Yeow Kai Chai, Yong Shu Hoong and Stephanie Ye – perused more than 1,700 contributions over almost 80 issues. Each editor would curate his or her own collection – hence, four arching narratives based on four themes which make up the initials of the journal: QLRS.
This anniversary boxset, published on Hoe Fang's new imprint, Dakota Books, comprises about 100 works chosen and edited by the editors, including poems, stories and essays newly commissioned for this compendium. Priced at 69 SGD, it will be launched on 10 June (Friday) at 7pm at the auditorium on 10 Square at Orchard Central with some words by the editors, the publisher and a special reading by several contributors.
Come celebrate this auspicious launch of the anthology as well as the debut of Dakota Books!
VENUE: Orchard Central
ADDRESS: 181 Orchard Road,#10-01, Orchard Central, Singapore 238896
EVENT WEBSITE: Facebook
DATE AND TIME
17 Jun 2022, 7pm-10pm