When I first got hold of Tony Green's beautifully produced Kapal Haji: Singapore and the Hajj Journey by Sea, back in late-September 2019 I knew immediately I would enjoy it. It helped to have heard Tony talk about his concerns when writing the book and the engaging lay-out and organisation of the text made it perfect for dipping into on an almost casual basis, knowing that something of striking interest would most likely emerge from every segment. And such was the case.
But despite having immersed myself (dippingly) in the tome pretty thoroughly at that time, I felt it important to give the work its due with a cover-to-cover reading, and I'm glad I did. Somehow doing so over the last couple of weeks helped bring together what is necessarily, by virtue of its sheer geographical and historical range, a fragmentary text. One aspect captured of the many, many individual experiences of the pilgrimage is the quiet heroism displayed - or, rather, implied, for those undertaking the journey were not prone to display in any of its forms - hence the disregard History has shown them.
It's good to know that, finally, attention has been paid.
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