Complete Notes from Singapore: The Penguin Omnibus

by Neil Humphreys

Almost 200 years ago, an Englishman by the name of Stamford Raffles landed on the shores of Singapore and the rest, shall we say, is history. A decade ago, another Englishman came to Singapore and left behind a wholly different kind of legacy. Notes from an even Smaller Island, Scribbles from the Same Island, and Final Notes from a Great Island are three widely-acclaimed offerings by Neil Humphreys detailing his own Singapore story of a man who came, who saw and who fell in love with the tiny tropical nation. Complete Notes from The Penguin Omnibus brings together all three best-selling books for an insightful account of one man's relationship with Singapore and Singaporeans that has spanned an entire decade, with a foreword by Colin Goh and a new introduction. Notes From an Even Smaller Island Knowing nothing of Singapore in the 1990s, a young Englishman, Neil Humphreys, arrives in the land of 'air-conned' shopping centres and Lee Kuan Yew. From the aunties in the hawker centres to expats dressed as bananas, from Singlish to kiasuism, and from Singaporeans at home to Singaporeans abroad, Humphreys explores all aspects of Singaporean life, taking in the sights, dissecting the culture and illuminating each place and person with his perceptive and witty observations. Written by someone who is at once both insider and outsider, the book is a wonderfully funny and disarmingly honest portrait of Singapore and its people. First published in 2001, Notes from an Even Smaller Island became an extraordinary success, selling tens of thousands of copies. It popped up on the national bestseller several times over the years and launched Neil’s stellar writing career. This 20th anniversary edition contains new material; Neil has gone back and re-evaluated his first book, looking at what he got right, what he definitely got wrong and updating readers on key characters, stories and crazy incidents. He also includes never-previously published photos to prove – once and for all – that every word of his irreverent work was true. Scribbles From the Same Island Neil Humphreys is back with more Scribbles from the Same Island. He is not rich, doesn't own an apartment, and doesn't have many expatriate privileges, but nonetheless manages to remain the same funny bloke happily living in the small estate of Toa Payoh in Singapore. One year after his best-selling, Notes From An Even Smaller Island had the whole of Singapore laughing helplessly, Neil Humphreys is still madly in love with his humble but stimulating existence on the sunny island of Singapore. So much, in fact, that he now makes a living poking gentle fun at every oddball aspect of Singaporean life. Expect to find more of his take on SPG, sex, doctors, toilets...all seemingly innocuous subjects but made hilarious through his witty observations. Romance campaigns? Public transport system? Nothing is safe from Neil's humorous scrutiny. Not even the unsuspecting creatures at the zoo, and certainly not the bawdy nightlife at Geylang. Final Notes From a Great a Farewell Tour of Singapore Singapore's best-selling author is back. After spending the best ten years of his life in Singapore Neil Humphreys has decided to move to Australia. But the British writer doesn't want to leave the island he fell in love with a decade ago without taking one final tour. Embarking on a valedictory tour from his home in Toa Payoh, Humphreys vows to explore Singapore as he did when he first arrived--a newcomer on foot and inexperienced--visiting his favourite places, from the glorious countryside of Lim Chu Kang to the serene beaches of Kusu island. From Sentosa to Sembawang Park, St. John's Island to Johor Bahru, Humphreys treks, cycles and even hitchhikes his way across this great island, encountering murderous dogs, dead cats, wild crocodiles and mad cyclists.

753 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 12, 2025

About the author

Neil Humphreys is a British humour columnist and author of three best-selling books about Singapore - Notes From an Even Smaller Island (2001), Scribbles from the Same Island (2003) and Final Notes from a Great Island (2006). The last of these was on Singapore's bestsellers list for several consecutive weeks, proving the popularity of his writings among Singaporeans. His latest book in this series - Return to a Sexy Island - was released in June 2012.

Brought up in Dagenham, London, England, Humphreys arrived in Singapore in 1996 and had initially planned on staying in Singapore for only 3 months. However, he instantly fell in love with the island-state and decided to settle there. Humphreys has always lived in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats in Toa Payoh, a public housing estate in central Singapore, despite moving twice. Although he is a foreigner, he has chosen to assimilate himself into the Singapore culture through living in HDB flats, eating at local kopitiams and trying out many things that the locals do. He often pokes fun at Western expatriates working in Singapore by comparing their living habits with his own, criticising them for their aloofness from the local society and their extravagant lifestyles.