Peculiar Chris is a novel which deals with gay themes by Johann S. Lee, published in Singapore by Cannon International in 1992.

Peculiar Chris
First edition
AuthorJohann S. Lee
CountrySingapore
LanguageEnglish
GenreNovel
PublisherCannon International
Publication date
1992
Media typePrint (Paperback)
ISBN981-00-3557-8
OCLC29415955
LC ClassMLCS 92/05580 (P)

Lee wrote the book, his first novel,[1]: 54  while doing his National Service in Singapore at the age of 19. It was published a year later. The book recounts the coming of age, and coming out, of Chris through his experience with the deaths of his father and his lover Samuel,[1]: 54  the latter from AIDS.[2] Chris meets his first lover, Kenneth, in Singapore, where Kenneth has traveled from Indonesia to study; he meets his second lover, Jack, in Sydney after he travels to Australia to come out,[2][3] and leaves for London, the birthplace of Maurice, after Samuel's death.[2] It is also noteworthy for documenting how the military bureaucracy reacts when a soldier comes out in Singapore.[4]

The book was translated into Italian in 1997, under the shortened title of 'Chris'.

Singaporean playwright Alfian Sa'at adapted the novel into the play Happy Endings: Asian Boys Vol. 3. It was staged by W!LD RICE, a Singapore theatre company, from 11 to 29 July 2007.

It was reprinted in 2008.

References edit

  1. ^ a b Zubillaga-Pow, Jun (2017). "Kiasipolitics: Sagas, Scandals, and Suicides in Johann S. Lee's Peculiar Chris". In Yong Ade, Wernmei; Lee Ching, Lim (eds.). Contemporary Arts as Political Practice in Singapore. Springer. ISBN 9781137573445.
  2. ^ a b c Lim, Shirley Geok-lin (2003). "Regionalism, English Narrative, and Singapore as Home and Global City". In Bishop, Ryan; Philips, John; Yeo, Wei Wei (eds.). Postcolonial Urbanism: Southeast Asian Cities and Global Processes. Psychology Press. ISBN 9780415932509.
  3. ^ Woolcock, Geoffrey; Altman, Dennis (2009). "The Largest Street Party in the World: The Gay and Lesbian Movement in Australia". In Adam, Barry D.; Duyvendak, Jan Willem; Krouwel, Andre (eds.). The Global Emergence of Gay and Lesbian Politics: National Imprints of a Worldwide Movement. Temple U. Press. p. 341. ISBN 9781439901533.
  4. ^ Heng, Russell Hiang-Khng (2004). "Gay and Lesbian Literature (Singapore)". In Benson, Eugene; Conolly, L.W. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Post-Colonial Literatures in English. Routledge. p. 568. ISBN 9781134468485.