Shortlisted for 2019 Singapore Books Awards Best Illustrated Non-Fiction Title
The labyrinths of the heart are as complex as the network of the soil. We begin small, like seeds. We absorb from the world around us—the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful—much like how the roots take in nutrients from its environment. We grow and spread our wings like the branches of the trees that lend themselves to the crowning glories, even if sometimes we falter. We learn to bend like the willow and face the storms like the great oak. If trees could talk, what stories would they tell?
50 Shades of Love chronicles one woman’s endeavours through the different seasons of love and celebrates the unique relationship between humans and trees.
Anthea Indira Ong likes to wear hats—many of them at a go, in fact. She is a mover and shaker in the local volunteerism scene, having spearheaded several ground-up movements in service of humanity. Most notable of these initiatives is Hush TeaBar, Singapore’s first silent tea bar that employs the Deaf, as well as persons-in-recovery from and those with mental health issues, empowering them to reintegrate into society. She is passionate about educating others about social inclusion in the workplace and community, mental health and volunteerism, topics which she will be bringing to the table in her capacity as a Nominated Member of Parliament to the Republic of Singapore. It will be a tall hat she wears in this public service role.
When she is not a corporate mad hatter as managing director of an international strategy consulting group for banks and financial institutions or as a life coach, Anthea can be found hugging trees, meditating in a kaftan off the cliff of some place exotic where her globe-trotting legs will take her or practicing yoga with the Antarctica penguins if they would allow her. 50 Shades of Love is her first published book to celebrate her 50 years of life-loving.
