

We are an independent publisher of literary fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

Established in 1997, Ethos Books, an imprint of Pagesetters Services Pte Ltd, creates fresh, different and enduring books that reflect the ethos of our changing times.
Giving voice to emerging and exciting writers from diverse backgrounds, we help foster an environment in which literature and the arts not only survive, but thrive. In short, we nurture the growing literary community in Singapore and Southeast Asia.
Featured
Delicious Hunger
Winner of the PEN Translates award
Available in paperback and e-book format. Paperback + E-book bundle available below: Get the e-book at 50% off with each purchase of a paperback.
From 1976 to 1989, Hai Fan was part of the guerrilla forces of the Malayan Communist Party. These short stories are inspired by his experiences during his thirteen years in the rainforest.
Struggling through an arduous trek, two comrades pine for each other but don't know how to declare their love; a woman who has annoyed all her comrades finally wins their approval when she finds a mythical mousedeer; improvising around the lack of ingredients, a perpetually hungry guerrilla makes delicious cakes from cassava and elephant fat. The rainforest may be a dangerous place where death awaits, but so do love, desire and hope.
Delicious Hunger is a book about the moments in and between warfare, when hunger is so palpable it can be tasted, and the natural world becomes an extension of the body. Deftly translated by Jeremy Tiang, Hai Fan's stories are about a group of people who chose to fight for a better world and, in the process, built their own.
Past Conversations

Teh Tarik with Walid IRL - Independent Art Spaces with Fong Hoe Fang, Prashant Somosundram
Dec 28, 2023
Access the full transcript of Teh Tarik with Walid IRL - Independent Art Spaces with Fong Hoe Fan...
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"he can’t recognise the Singapore that I’m talking about, but I can" | Home, Community and Hope: Book launch of The Singapore I Recognise
Dec 4, 2023
Access the full transcript of Home, Community and Hope: Book launch of The Singapore I Recognise
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"Do we adjust our own moral compass, or do we rebel?" | The Rise and Fall of an Anti-Hero: Book Launch of catskull
Aug 29, 2023
Access the full transcript of The Rise and Fall of an Anti-Hero: Book Launch of catskull here.
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Attunement
Is life hustling you out of tune? As the week roars by, we invite you to a slice of attunement penned lovingly by us, our authors and friends. Freshly delivered with care. Intimacy guaranteed. Read selected letters below.

Touch Some Grass
May 7, 2025
We’ve traded that sense of freefall for control, but maybe in the process, we’ve lost the autonom...
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Anguish and Optimism
Apr 23, 2025
It is rare that an author wishes for their work to be irrelevant soon after it is written, but th...
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Cherished Spaces
Mar 18, 2025
In the next month, the monsoon willing, our work will come to fruition.
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News
"Learning and growing from my experiences—that’s what gives me a fulfilling life." | Delicious Hunger Book Launch
May 14, 2025
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Touch Some Grass
May 7, 2025
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Anguish and Optimism
Apr 23, 2025
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Cherished Spaces
Mar 18, 2025
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Constancy
Feb 24, 2025
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Kindred spirits after all
Feb 8, 2025
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Ethos Publishing Calendar 2025
Jan 20, 2025
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Stepping out, and into 2025
Jan 13, 2025
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Ethos' Favourite Picks of 2024
Jan 6, 2025
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Finding Our Feet
Dec 16, 2024
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Turning the page
Dec 9, 2024
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Reflections on a Bus Back to KL
Dec 9, 2024
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Trust the process of change
Dec 9, 2024
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Neverness and Resonance
Oct 22, 2024
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Grief and Love
Oct 22, 2024
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I'll share your time, for a time
Aug 19, 2024
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Education
Whether you're a reader who is keen to dig deeper into our books, or a teacher looking to bring our authors into your classroom, Ethos Books believes in supporting and enabling knowledge-sharing, discussion and community building through literature. Check out our school programmes on this page, as well as recommended reading lists and our free book club starter packs to start your very own book club today!