Horatio Archibald Marmaduke What My Father Wanted to Name Me

A graphic memoir depicting one Peranakan’s humorous and poignant stories about her multigenerational family in Singapore.

Horatio Archibald Marmaduke: What My Father Wanted to Name Me is Pauline Gan’s tribute to her parents who grew up in pre-independence Singapore. Broken into vignettes, this personal journey (illustrated by award-winning artist Anngee Neo) takes us back to a time when boys were favoured for higher education and families huddled in their homes during the Japanese Occupation.

“Horatio Archibald Marmaduke charms as an unclouded peek into the quaint era of Pauline Gan’s youth. All her memories penned here and brightened by the art of Anngee Neo present a warm tribute to parents, family, and fleeting things.”
—Gwee Li Sui, Poet, artist, critic

“Cherita rumah tangga (household tales) lies at the heart of Peranakan culture, reflecting the vibrant lives of extended families that have flourished in Malaya for generations. In Horatio Archibald Marmaduke: What My Father Wanted to Name Me, Pauline Gan captures glimpses of that world—presented in a light and entertaining manner. Its importance is often understated, yet it documents a fast-disappearing way of life—the Peranakan past glory, the war years, Singapore’s developing stages... Beyond its ludicrous pantang larang (superstitions), many pearls of wisdom can also be found. A lazy afternoon spent reading it also acquaints us with the personal and living archives of Singapore.”
—Dr David Neo, Senior Lecturer, College of Creative Arts, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia