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Set in Penang, the well-heeled Sze family, initially loving, disintegrates as the parents become increasingly absorbed in their own pursuits. Their three children—two of whom are Western educated and one Chinese educated—are, increasingly, forced to think for themselves as they grow up without parental guidance or love. The novel portrays the conflict between different systems of education as well as different value systems, particularly as they all occur within one family. First published by Heinemann Asia in 1979.
“This novel is a very welcome addition to the growing volume of Singaporean literature, an ‘insider’s’ accurate portrayal of the mind and the mores of the Chinese. It is undoubtedly a more mature and adventurous work than the author’s earlier trilogy and probably signals even better things to come.”
—Ilsa Sharp, The Straits Times

“Three Sisters of Sz is a novel which can be read by different people in different ways, every reader responding according to his own temperament, ‘ethnic origin’ or dialect group! [....] And this kind of readability is, surely, one of the tests of a good novel.”
—Sheila Agyei
Tan Kok Seng is the well-known author of a trilogy of books based on his life: Son of Singapore, Man of Malaysia and Eye on the World. His fourth book is a novel, Three Sisters of Sze, originally published by Heinemann Asia in 1979.

Tan’s books were all written first in Chinese and afterwards ‘rendered into English’ in a collaborative effort with his former employer, Austin Coates, for whom Tan worked in Malaysia and Hong Kong. Although his four books were reprinted several times since their first publication, they were out of print for many years. The books are now available from Epigram Books.

Tan resides in Singapore with his family.

Autographed Editions

Three Sisters of Sze