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The Straits Times Weekly Bestsellers Aug 9

The Straits Times Weekly Bestsellers Aug 9

Straits Timesa day ago
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Fiction
PHOTO: EPIGRAM BOOKS
1. (1) The Passengers On The Hankyu Line by Hiro Arikawa; translated by Allison Markin Powell
2. (-) Hakuda Photo Studio by Har Tayeon; translated by Shanna Tan
3. (6)
Strange Houses by Uketsu; translated by Jim Rion
4. (7) The Mystical Mister Kay by Meihan Boey
5. (-) Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson
6. (-) Crime And Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
7. (10)
What God Took Your Legs Away by Wahid Al Mamun
8. (9) The Convenience Store By The Sea by Sonoko Machida; translated by Bruno Navasky
9. (-) The Odyssey by Homer
10. (-) Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Non-Fiction
PHOTO: FOCUS PUBLISHING
1. (1) I Am Not Good Enough by Ismail Gafoor and Low Shi Ping
2. (4) Why Palestine? Reflections From Singapore by Walid Jumblatt Abdullah
3. (2)
The First Fools: B-Sides Of Lee Kuan Yew's A-Team edited by Peh Shing Huei
4. (-) From Beirut To Jerusalem: 40th Anniversary Edition by Dr Ang Swee Chai
5. (-) Retire With More Money by Tan Ooi Boon
6. (9) The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
7. (10) Atomic Habits by James Clear
8. (-) The Psychology Of Money by Morgan Housel
9. (8) The Last Fools: The Eight Immortals Of Lee Kuan Yew edited by Peh Shing Huei
10. (-) Murdle Volume by G.T. Karber
Children's
best09 - I Can't Do Many Things by Chua Hui Ying, illustrated by Isabelle Tan PHOTO: WORD IMAGE
PHOTO: WORD IMAGE
1. (-) I Can't Do Many Things by Chua Hui Ying, illustrated by Isabelle Tan
2. (1) Jemma Dreams Of Sushi by Mark Chen, Ruo-Ting Goh, illustrated by Cynthia D. Suwito
3. (-) The Little Prince (Puffin Clothbound Classics) by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
4. (-) The Little Singapore Book (New Edition) by Joyceline See Tully and Sim Ee Waun
5. (-) The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright
6. (-) National Geographic Kids Almanac 2026 by National Geographic Kids
7. (3) The World's Worst Superheroes by David Walliams
8. (2) Lottie Brooks Vs The Ultra Mean Girls by Katie Kirby
9. (-) Percy Jackson And The Olympians: Wrath Of The Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan
10. (-) Pokemon Super Duper Extra Deluxe Essential Handbook by Scholastic Inc
This is The Straits Times' compilation of bestseller lists from Kinokuniya, Epigram, Wardah Books, Book Bar, Afterimage and Bookshop.sg bookstores.
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Rock band Oasis reunion tour set to worsen UK inflation woes

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Taylor Swift announces new album called ‘The Life of a Showgirl'
Taylor Swift announces new album called ‘The Life of a Showgirl'

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Taylor Swift announces new album called ‘The Life of a Showgirl'

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The official release date of the album would be announced later. Music superstar Taylor Swift on Aug 12 announced her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. Swift, who has won 14 Grammys including an unprecedented four trophies for album of the year, announced the album in a podcast episode with her boyfriend Travis Kelce. 'This is my brand new album, The Life of a Showgirl,' Swift said while holding a blurred-out version of the album cover, in a clip of the New Heights podcast on Instagram. Swift's website said the official release date of the album would be announced later. The vinyl version of the album is available for pre-order on Swift's website at US$30 (S$38). The cassette version costs US$20, and a CD with a poster of Swift is available for US$13. The megastar, whose record-breaking Eras tour was the first to surpass US$1 billion in revenue, announced the album after she purchased the master recordings of her first six albums in May, giving her control of all of her music after a dispute with her former record label. REUTERS

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