Old Singapore was an eclectic trade emporium, where an ethnically and culturally diverse populace coalesced, and sometimes clashed, under the aegis of the British Empire. It was a fascinating world filled with traders of all nations, roving bands of pirates, murderers running amuck and even the occasional flesh-hungry tiger. Using a patchwork of words and images from Singapore's residents and visitors of yesteryear, author Iain Manley brings old Singapore's colourful colonial past back to life with striking clarity.