Soulprints I - BreakThrough and Benjamin Franklin - A bright spark! were launched on 17 January 2006 at The POD, at the new Singapore National Library.

The launch date was chosen to coincide with the 300th birth anniversary of Benjamin Franklin. And the library venue was also chosen because it was Franklin who started what is possibly the world's first public lending library.

Dr N Varaprasad, chief executive of the National Library Board, was Guest-of-Honour at the launch.

George Tan presented Benjamin Franklin - A bright spark! to Dr Varaprasad

Among the more than 80 other guests was: Prof Kirpal Singh, Associate Professor of English Literature and Creative Thinking at the Singapore Management University.

Author George Tan also gave an opening speech at the launch. Click here to read the full text of his speech.

The occasion was made special by a number of readers who shared their reviews of the two books. Click below to read the reviews by:

• Lovell Lim, an 11-year-old schoolgirl in Primary 5

• Nicholas Ang, a 15-year-old schoolboy in Secondary 3

• Wong Shengnan, a 17-year-old school girl in Pre-University I

• Mrs Eileen Wang (Shengnan's Mother)

• Mr Seow Hwye Tiong, Dean of Affective Studies at Hwa Chong Institution.

Prof Steve Miller, Dean, School of Information Systems, Singapore Management University, also shared a review of Benjamin Franklin – A bright spark!

Prof Miller is an American and a great fan of Franklin. He had also come from the University of Pennsylvania, the University that Franklin founded in 1751.

He related how he was disbelieving when he was introduced to author George Tan a few months ago as someone who had written a book about Franklin. George was not a historian, not a scholar, not even an American. So how could he possibly write a book about Franklin?

When Prof Miller finally read the book, however, he realised that George had adopted a fresh and novel approach in presenting the life of Franklin within the context of a life skills model for success. He felt that George had written the book in a way that he never thought possible.

• Mr George Tan, Author of Soulprints I - BreakThrough and Benjamin Franklin - A bright spark!



• Ms Veronica Scarborough, Representative of American Embassy
  
  
  
• Mr Tan Kian Chew (second from left), CEO of NTUC Fairprice




• Mr Lee Seng Kong and Mr Gary Lee (second and third from the left), Mr Gregory Vijayendran (right)
  

Lovell Lim, Nicholas Ang, George Tan, Mrs Eileen Wang, Prof Kirpal Singh, Shengnan, Mr Seow Hwye Tiong

Ms Mas Haryani Mosran, from MPH Distributors (S) Pte Ltd

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Hwa Chong Institution

Second book launch was held on 19 January at the Jing Xian Library of Hwa Chong Institution, the alma mater of author George Tan which is today one of Singapore's top secondary schools and junior colleges.

The occasion also marked the launch of the Hwa Chong Literary Fund and Talents @ Hwa Chong.

The Literary Fund is a fund specially created to encourage reading, writing and other literary activities among Hwa Chong students while Talents @ Hwa Chong is a new section near the entrance of the library that showcases the published works of former Hwa Chong students. Author George Tan is among the sponsors for both projects.

About a hundred people, including Hwa Chong students, staff and alumni, attended the launch.

Speech by Mr Ang Wee Hiong, CEO and Principal of Hwa Chong Institution 

Click here to read: Speech by George Tan  

Speech by Mr Seow Hwye Tiong, Dean of Affective Studies at Hwa Chong Institution