The Desire For Elsewhere

by Agnes Chew

A girl who nearly meets with death while on board a plane from Paris to Marrakech; a boy who fills her arms with paper animals under the open skies of rural China; her doppelgänger whom she meets in the Middle East; a question she was once asked, and the answer she only finds three years after.

The Desire For Elsewhere takes you on an intimate journey to explore the interiors of the museum of the narrator's being, where otherwise ordinary artefacts reveal the stories they contain within. Travelling to the past, parallel planets, and the future, it tells a story of stories that explores the universal themes of love and loss, time and transience, and travel and wanderlust.

Enchanting and evocative, the tales of Agnes Chew transport you to places that run on lost time, missed opportunities, and deep-rooted aspirations. These are voyages fuelled by a sense of nostalgia, possibility, and hope. Ultimately, this debut collection raises fundamental questions on the ways in which we live our lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, Literature, Travel, Poetry, Contemporary

124 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2017

About the author

Agnes Chew is the author of the fiction collection, Eternal Summer of My Homeland (2023), which was longlisted for The Asian Prize for Fiction, shortlisted for the POPULAR Readers’ Choice Award, and a national bestseller in Singapore; and the essay collection, The Desire for Elsewhere (2016). Her fiction won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize (Asia), and has been published in Granta, Necessary Fiction, and Best New Singaporean Short Stories, among others. An honorary fellow of the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa, she has received scholarships from the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, Tin House, Granta Writers' Workshop, and more. She is currently working on her first novel, which was longlisted for the Goldfinch Novel Award.

Reviews

[Kin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a kind of love-hate relationship. What I enjoyed very much is that it seems quite Buddhist to me when the author talked about the transient and ephemeral nature of life, about 'the evanescence of connections' which strikes us like a strong wave from nowhere and then simply vanishes. However every time I read this kind of story, a traveller taking a trip to explore one's existence, I always found myself locked in a very estranged place, hovered over by blue clouds crying for me who have no such a desire to travel 'leisurely' from one place to another. I love how the author travels through times to investigate her own 'suffering returns' (nostalgia), but I feel disconnected from her journeys to any geographical 'elsewhere'.

I am not a 'wanderluster' in any ways, by any means. Although 'here' is not always a comfort place for anyone who still stay because he/she has nowhere to go on, buried with seemingly-infinite responsibilities; for many wanderlusters I knew, they think others live easily 'here' and will learn nothing about the real meaning of life which one can acquire only by travelling 'elsewhere'. That's why I feel detached from travel literature of any kind.

Though I delight in the author's endeavour to recognize that 'the hallmark of a true traveller lies not in the number of places one has visited,' and this book is lyrically written, it is my fault that I cannot relate myself to the story tinted by her passion to explore the world with 'its geography' and 'its topology'. Her desire for elsewhere is different from mine, if any, in its very nature. While she wanders, for the most part, to appreciate and learn from the fleeting 'great outdoors,' I, as a 'non-Fernweh', aim at running away from my 'here', my home. Just run away to elsewhere, anywhere.

[Isabelle Techawatanasuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was pure magic in paperback form. Beautiful yet easy to read, the author has such a way with words and I found her portrayal of short introspective stories through a museum of artefacts utterly original. The book reveals an author whose interests and talents are diverse from loving math, economics, music to appreciation of art and travel. The writing is unpretentious, yet beautiful and left me mentally highlighting the entire book in yellow just so I could remember some of the quotable ways she strings words together... Overall, the book brings any adult through a journey of life’s biggest questions and leaves you reflecting in peaceful surrender to the universe and all it has to offer! Definitely going to be gifting this to friends and family.

[Peggii · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in a vending machine in Singapore and have not been able to put it down from that moment. The writing is spectacular and thought provocative. She is inspiring to slow down, breath, reflect and embrace live to its fullness.

"For every reality that is, there exits a hundred other parallel realities. Which one we perceive depends therefore on how we choose to see"

[Artemis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know why it took me so long to get through this book when I could've finished it in one day, in two sittings. I actually read a few pages of this book last year but put it down (oops) so I tried picking it up again. The thing that drew me in was first and foremost, its ~poetic~ title, and then its beautiful Tiffany blue. I think elsewhere is a lovely word. Full of wanderlust and wonder and mystery.

I actually thought of my creative nonfiction writing class whilst reading this book, so I was pleasantly surprised to find out that, indeed, it was a collection of travel essays. I love the way the author took her time in explaining her thoughts that interspersed with her travel. I liked the pacing and the way she asked all those existentialist questions that also haunt me. Lol.

Some parts were a tad confusing, like the many characters. I was pretty sure Kavinda appeared at least twice, but I was too lazy to flip back and find out where, or to figure out which essay came earlier.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the poetry snippets! The poem "I Fear the Moment When Everything is Said" felt like a personal attack to me because it hit a little too close to home. Haha. Look:

I fear the moment when everything is said
for we of that time would then begin to fade
and no longer for us would there be paths ahead;
could you see the ghosts that gradually take shape?

Too often I have let the what-ifs run amok in my head than actually take action in real life – all because I'm too scared to find out what the truths may be.

Anyway. The author definitely loves language! One of my favourite passages was (I typed this all out okAy please appreciate because I really loved the starting and ending lines of this):

Because writing enables me to live life with an unparalleled intensity, not just once, nor twice, but an infinite number of times; I live not only in the moment, but in continuous retrospection, as I immerse myself, again and again, in the significant, defining moments, with my lenses shifting and refocusing as I handle their fragility and vulnerability with an affectionate tenderness that makes me come alive, composing the image of which I would render immortal with my words, through poetry or prose, and reliving them again thereafter, as the words resound in my head and flutter from my lips.

Because you exist. Because writing allows me to discover myself, even parts of me that had previously lay hidden, dormant, that I had never before known existed. Because writing is a medium that knows no boundaries, thereby allowing me room to grow and free rein to explore, unleashing the creativity from deep within. Because writing has helped me find myself, to validate the crystallising words in my head, and most of all, to become the person I am today.

I write, therefore I am.

I mean, that ending!!! It gave me a joyous thrill because I also love writing. I love living life an infinite number of times – as one of my favourite quotes goes,

"We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect." – Anaïs Nin

I think the author and I might hit it off were we to meet in real life. I, too, dwell too much on questions like, 'Have you ever met a stranger with whom you wished your paths could have intersected for a longer period of time than what had been?'

Why, yes. In fact, I once asked myself the opposite: Would it have been better to not have met you so I would have never known what I missed out?

The answer to that question when it comes to this book is: Don't miss this book out! It's worth a try, even if some sentences are a little long to get through (I think my eyes glazed over at some parts oops), but her sincerity shines through and this book makes you miss travelling. And I liked that she uses kinda uncommon (maybe even obscure) words HAHA like alfalfas, ineluctable, impervious, laundered, and forevermore.

After all, we could all relive our own travels a little through this book.

[Sharm · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could describe this book as anything, it would be a ticket - a pass - a permission to take a dive into our deepest thoughts & emotions. To rediscover, reconnect & explore the past, present and future intimately. I have never been one who is too keen on picking up a sing-lit (Singapore literature) out of whim. But this book appealed to me just based off its summary. Now that I’ve taken my dive in it, here are my other thoughts:

It is a mix of fiction & non-fiction; Agnes Chew’s exploration of a wanderlust theme & her own travel stories around the globe, meeting all kinds of beings & seeking their opinion on certain topics. This book rummaged through my thoughts & enabled a reflection on how I view my memories & experiences. It made me realise that memories with friends and loved ones are often seen through rose tinted glasses - but is it bad? That depends. But it doesn’t matter to anyone else but you because it is yours to begin with.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the easy to read & beautifully (and almost magical) written phrases. I appreciate that I could build a connection with it. I felt touched & comforted by this book. The child within myself, this trying-adult & constantly at existential crisis bean that I am, feels heard & am mustering up some courage to take on my next adventure. Thank you Agnes Chew!! The Desire For Elsewhere has been a wonderful read & this is only the beginning of my book journey with local authors!

Here on I leave a couple of my favourite highlights:

“Were we all to create and curate a museum illustrating the Essence of our beings, how might each one of these museums look like? Each article cradled within the museum’s walls, perceived through the eyes of the visitor as so plainly ordinary, in fact wields the power to evoke intense emotions redolent of lost lives, if we only ventured to uncover their stories.

Come along with me. Let us go wandering. There are countless stories awaiting our discovery.” (Nostalgia, The Archaeology Of Our Beings)

“One of the hardest things in life is the act of saying goodbye. If only it were as simple as saying goodbye for now, and see you again. Would it still be the same you I see, the next time we meet? Or the same me, for that matter? For to part with a person or place often also means having to say goodbye to a particular state of being or phase in your life.” (Nostalgia, The World We Leave Behind)

“For every reality that is, there exists a hundred other parallel realities. Which one we perceive depends therefore on how we choose to see.” (Parallel Planets, Other Ways Of Seeing)

[Crookedtalks · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept behind The Desire For Elsewhere is pretty interesting, and is also kind of misrepresented by the blurb. It’s a debut work by the author and “the sole creative nonfiction representative of the National Arts Council Mentor Access Project 2014/2015″, and is actually a collection of short essays and anecdotes describing and detailing the history behind certain “artifacts” within the “museum” of the author as “curated” by her, that (I quote) “illustrate the essence of our beings”. The contents of the book is split into 3 sections with a different theme, “Nostalgia” , “Parallel Worlds” and “The Vast Unknown”.

I have to say that while it was an ok read and I enjoyed it, it wasn’t for me and I didn’t like it as much as I thought it would, which might be because this is the first creative nonfiction I’ve read. This book is a personal introspection by the author on her experiences and the people she met in her travels (a lot of the essays in this book are travel anecdotes) so a lot of what she discusses is a little abstract and maybe slightly wishy-washy. The language used is very pensive, ruminative, and beautifully poetic as some points. However, I have to agree with other reviews on this book that sometimes it gets a bit too much, especially with word choice. Sometimes it feels like the author went out her way to choose the most difficult/convoluted vocabulary possible just to sound more perceptive, which is made worse when those words were used repeatedly. There were also a lot of rhetoric (much like a A level GP essay) and rhetorical questions, which I personally did not like (I prefer that they are used as sparingly as possible.) Obviously they were used to invite the reader to reflect together alongside the author, but I feel that it was used too excessively for my taste.

Full review at: http://crookedtalks.tumblr.com/post/1...

[Kira Amin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m surprised by the low ratings I’ve seen on here because I personally loved this book. The concept was an extremely clever way to structure a book that blends poetry and prose that is so introspective as well as retrospective. The desire for elsewhere is something that I can relate to so strongly at the moment that this book felt like a remedy for the pangs I feel to escape my reality. A lot of the topics that Agnes Chew muses over, such as death and knowing yourself, are things that I too have thought about and I agree with a lot of what she says. She has a beautiful way of describing her memories and she sees a lot of beauty and wonder in the world she explores and the people she encounters

[Joanne Amarisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing and the stories of this book may not be suited for everyone but it was definitely right up my alley. It aligned with the type of book my soul loves to read the most. I loved the eloquent, somewhat poetic use of vocabulary, and the endlessly fascinating storylines following the different themes and segments inside the book. There were so many valuable lessons I picked up from this and so much of the words just resonated with how I felt about life and travel and just anything in between. Five stars!

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

9th book of 2020: #thedesiredorelsewhere by Agnes Chew. This is a book that reflects the wanderlust nature of the author, and may very much appeal to the adventurous travellers. Although I may not be the most adventure-loving being in the world, I think this is a beautiful collection that helps me slow down my pace in life. Instead of speed reading to catch up with the plot, this book forces you to slow down and think about the idea of human connection and how we can see from another perspective. This book really came on time because it reminds me to love the little things in life and cherish what we have. Here’s to being a better, kinder, more generous human being!!!

[Seri Qadijah · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love the essays, the flow of writing, the thoughts provoking readers to wonder and reflect. the snippets of experiences, although short but speak volumes of the feelings and meaningful interactions the writer has during her travels. if i could write, i want to write like Agnes. and i feel like everyone should read this refreshing collection of short stories. i would buy copies and give them out as gifts to friends who love to read.

i don't mind rereading it to delve deeper into the meanings behind her stories.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

R gifted this from Singapore, and I brought it with me to a visit to Baler. Read this by the beach with a bottle of green grape soju; while in line at a seafood grill; on a chair by a seaside balcony. It came to me at the right time (probably why I rated it so highly). More than once I had to pause to take it in. Well-written and at times incredibly striking. Grateful for this book, grateful for these words.

[Sarina Nain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book in a hotel lobby and did not expect much from it. However, it turned out to be a very pleasant read and I do recommend it to those who love spiritual writings. Agnes Chew makes us re-evaluate our lives by asking ourselves big questions such as: What is the meaning of life? What happens if we die tomorrow?

The book isn't everyone's cup of tea but who cares. I enjoyed it.

[Weiling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a while to read this book not gonna lie. I mean it’s a series of short stories so it didn’t really make me wanna continue reading it as much. But it’s good! The writer is so talented the way she strings words together my god. It is definitely deep and makes me think about life.

[Vera · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Desire for Elsewhere is a collection of the author’s musings while she travelled the world. I love travelling, I love reading about people’s interesting epiphanies, but even though it was a really slim book, I struggled through it.

I couldn’t connect with her writing style. It all felt very exaggerated and I wonder if it was due to her choice of words. Adjectives and verbs tended to feel too bombastic, too extra, too much. Flipping to a random page, “An unsettling unease reverberated within me” when it was a realisation that the girl she met on OCSP could have led very similar lives with her. Could this be a cause for such an ominous feeling? Idk. Maybe? But I really couldn’t connect.

There were certain points raised that made me pause and reread to think about it a little more, which I appreciated. But those were few and far between.

P.S. I recently saw this on an author’s profile “I only leave reviews for books that are 5 stars” and maybe she does to avoid hurting the feelings of authors? I feel bad when I write negative reviews because the authors probably did their best, and well this was only her debut book. I hope she doesn’t read this and feel upset.

[Sushma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Rye · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second try on Singapore Literature book and thankfully bought this one. From the very first page i started reading it, i could not put it down anymore until i finished reading it. In this current situation where everyone is confined in the comfort of their homes, and travel is a luxury we can’t afford at the moment, this book gave me a glimpse of what it feels like to explore, experience and wander the world. The author’s stories of people she met along her journey and their own life stories, was very moving, compelling. There’s so much wisdom about life, loss, experiences on its own, that this book can offer you. Highly commendable.

[Camille Abaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5-3 stars (in summary: yes to the contents, no to the writing)

I liked the premise, and the stories themselves were really interesting - the way she connected experiences, people, and reflections to seemingly mundane objects. The concepts and ideas the narrator discusses are things I personally resonated with - I believe I too have the desire for elsewhere she so often talked about.

BUT what made me like this book less than I thought I would was the writing. To me it sounded as if it was trying to hard to sound deep and profound, when the ideas and emotions the author was talking about already were. I felt like there was too much of an attempt to sound poetic. Which is a shame because I think the book would have been much more impactful, and yes, profound, if it was written in much simpler language.

Don't get me wrong, I generally love lyrical language, but I felt it didn't work as well in this book (because the themes and ideas could stand for themselves I think), or at least it was much too overdone.

[Bri B · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What would you, my fellow traveller, do with the single canvas of your life?" Agnes Chew poses some very interesting questions about the way we live our lives. She writes in a way that is enchanting and beautifully poetic. The people she comes across in her travels and how they have shaped her own life will inspire the wanderlust in us all.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short stories so I've been reading this book really slowly. Sometimes it feels like I am reading a model essay book because of the writing style and use of words in the stories (like those you were asked to read in secondary school) but it is overall still a good read with several quotes from different stories that I really like.

[Shimma · Rating 5 out of 5]

would go so far as to state that this is my most favourite book that i'd bring everywhere with me. i never imagine i would enjoy a piece of local literature this deeply (singapore literature). haven't been able to relate to most nationalistic themed ones. a pity that it is no longer in print. i might have bought the last twenty copies back in 2018 - it was a perfect gift, at least an imposed one *chuckles*

first read it in 2018 and have had multiple casual re-reads since. this is only the second contemplative read. brought me to the same serene and ruminating place where you drift between the physical and the spiritual. although i am able to fully immerse myself in the profound lightness of the book's essence, i can see how, for a brief second, it can be too self-indulgent in its own state of reverie. perhaps it is the kind of book one relies on to provide the comfort of everyone's shared experience when one needs the assurance and validation. nevertheless, Agnes Chew is well acquainted with words and her writing seeps into your skin, allowing you to enter her mind palace. she invites you to contemplate the metaphysical while joining her on her life's journey around the world.

[kale · Rating 3 out of 5]

whimsical and heartwarming, with lovely prose. the expository sections felt a bit frivolous but i loved each recollection of the author's encounters – they embody the the warmth and sacredness of human connection in such a lovely way (i want to experience the world the way she did).

[Sara Watson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn’t get past the overwrought language and style. #abandoned

[Hubert Han · Rating 3 out of 5]

The overarching wannabe philosophical framework never really got going. Would have worked better as a travel journal.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this - it was a beautifully written exploration through someone else’s thoughts.

[Lavalette · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 for its soothing effect

[Astrid Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somehow I found it beuatifully written, but it wasn’t really my cup of tea.

[Leean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fave section: Nostalgia (the first part), especially where she talks of good byes and returning to special places

[Venetia M.A · Rating 4 out of 5]

for people who always run off only to end up back where you stared, but fresh & anew

[Seigfreid Uy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5