Max West

Max West was born and raised in Singapore to an American father and a Chinese mother. After graduating from high school, he was called upon to perform National Service, a two-year military commitment required of every Singaporean son.

Enlisting into the Naval Diving Unit, the naval special forces formation of the Republic of Singapore Navy, he found himself thrust into a world wholly foreign. He was the only trainee who hadn't attended a local school, and was completely out of his element.

His first book, How to Forge a Frogman, is the candid firsthand account of his journey through nine weeks of Basic Military Training, chronicling the grueling training he and his coursemates endured, illustrating the intense camaraderie they crafted, and revealing what it takes to succeed as a naval diver in the Singapore Armed Forces.

Unrestrained in its frankness and compellingly told, How to Forge a Frogman is a unique coming-of-age story in a singularly Singaporean setting. Published by Marshall Cavendish.

Max currently attends Princeton University, where he studies English literature and creative writing.