Catherine Lim facts for kids

Catherine Lim Poh Imm (born 21 March 1942) is a famous Singaporean author. She is known for her stories about life in Singapore and traditional Chinese culture. Many people consider her one of the most important writers in Singapore's history.

Lim has written many books, including nine short story collections and five novels. She has also written about her views on politics. In 1994, she wrote an article for The Straits Times newspaper. In it, she shared her thoughts on the government's plans.

Early Life and School

Catherine Lim was born in Kulim, which was then part of Malaya. As a child, she loved to read British books by authors like Enid Blyton and Richmal Crompton. She also enjoyed reading comics.

She went to the University of Malaya and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1963. Later, she moved to Singapore. She continued her studies and earned a PhD from the National University of Singapore in 1988. She also studied in the United States as a Fulbright scholar, a special program for talented students.

From Teacher to Full-Time Writer

Before becoming a famous author, Lim worked as a teacher. She also helped develop school lesson plans and taught at the Regional English Language Centre.

In 1992, she decided to leave her job to focus completely on writing. Her work became very well-known, and she received several awards. In 2003, France made her a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literature. She also received an honorary doctorate degree from Murdoch University.

Famous Books and Stories

Lim's first book was a collection of short stories called Little Ironies: Stories of Singapore, published in 1978. Another popular collection, Or Else, the Lightning God and other Stories, came out in 1980. These stories were so important that they were used in the Cambridge International Examinations for students to study.

Her first novel was The Serpent's Tooth, published in 1982. A major theme in her books is the role of women in traditional Chinese families and society.

Bestselling Novels

One of Lim's most successful novels is The Bondmaid (1995). It was a bestseller, selling 75,000 copies. Another interesting project was an e-novella, a book published online, called Leap of Love. People could buy it one chapter at a time. This story was later made into a movie called The Leap Years in 2008.

Lasting Impact

In 2015, The Business Times named Little Ironies: Stories of Singapore one of the top 10 Singaporean books in English written since 1965. A writer for The Straits Times also called it a classic. The stories in the book show how Singapore was changing and how people were adapting to a more modern life. One famous story, "The Taximan's Story," shows the different sides of ordinary people's lives.

A Selection of Her Works

Catherine Lim has written many books. Here are some of her most well-known titles.

Novels

• The Serpent's Tooth (1982)
• The Bondmaid (1995)
• The Teardrop Story Woman (1998)
• Following the Wrong God Home (2001)
• A Leap of Love: A Novella (2003)
• Miss Seetoh in the World (2011)

Short Story Collections

• Little Ironies: Stories of Singapore (1978)
• Or Else, the Lightning God and Other Stories (1980)
• O Singapore! Stories in Celebration (1989)
• The Best of Catherine Lim (1993)

See also

In Spanish: Catherine Lim para niños