Customer Reviews
A true Asian success story. - By: , 17 Nov 2001 
Lee Kuan Yew transformed what was a poor, decrepit colony into a shining, rich, & modern metropolis. He is credited for laying much of the foundation behind Singapore's present-day success story. As one of Asia's most prominent leaders, he has also done much to help promote closer economic ties among the countries of Southeast Asia as a whole.
Few gave tiny Singapore much chance of survival when it was granted independencein 1965. How is it, then, that today the former British colonial trading post is a thriving Asian metropolis with not only the world's number one airline, best airport, & busiest port of trade, but also the world's fourth-highest per capita real income?
The story of that transformation is told here by Singapore's charismatic, controversial founding father, Lee Kuan Yew. Rising from a legacy of divisive colonialism, the devastation of the Second World War, & general poverty & disorder following the withdrawal of foreign forces. Singapore now is hailed as a city of the future. This miraculous history is dramatically recounted by the man who not only lived through it all but who fearlessly forged ahead & brought about most of these changes.
Delving deep into his own meticulous notes, as well as previously unpublished government papers & official records, Lee details the extraordinary efforts it took for an island city-statein Southeast Asia to survive at that time. Lee explains how he & his cabinet colleagues finished off the communist threat to the fledgling state's security & began the arduous process of nation building: forging basic infrastructural roads through a land that still consisted primarily of swamps, creating an army from a hitherto racially & ideologically divided population, stamping out the last vestiges of colonial-era corruption, providing mass public housing, & establishing a national airline & airport.
In this illuminating account, Lee writes frankly about his trenchant approach to political opponents & his often-unorthodox views on human rights, democracy, & inherited intelligence, aiming always "to be correct, not politically correct." Nothingin Singapore escaped his watchful eye: whether choosing shrubs for the greening of the country, restoring the romance of the historic Raffles Hotel, or openly, unabashed persuading young men to marry women as well educated as themselves. Today's safe, tidy Singapore bears Lee's unmistakable stamp, for which he is unapologetic: "If this is a nanny state, I am proud to have fostered one."
Though Lee's domestic canvasin Singapore was small, his vigour & talent assured him a larger placein world affairs. With inimitable style, he brings history to life with cogent analyses of some of the greatest strategic issues of recent times & reveals how, over the years, he navigated the shifting tides of relations among America, China & Taiwan, acting as confidant, sounding board, & messenger for them. He also includes candid, sometimes acerbic pen portraits of his political peers, including indomitable Margaret Thatcher & Ronald Reagan, the poetry-spouting Jiang Zemin, & ideologues George Bush & Deng Xiaoping.
For more than three decades, Lee Kuan Yew has been praised & vilifiedin equal measure, & he has established himself as a force impossible to ignorein Asian & international politics. This novel offers readers a compelling glimpse into this visionary's heart, soul & mind.
Theme from Harry's Game, Part Two - By: , 14 Nov 2001 
Having livedin Singaporein the late 90's, under the regime of Harry Lee Kuan Yew, & having read Francis Seow's A Prisonerin Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore, & Christopher Lingle's Singapore's Authoritarian Capitalism, I did not find this book of any practical use,in terms of informing an interested westerner as to what Singapore is really like.
All one gets here is some highly Aesopian & elliptical language (to put it mildly) to explain some awfully repressive behaviour. The rubbishin Singapore is certainly collected efficiently, & Western businessmen certainly genuflect towards Lee through their marketing departmentsin order to do businessin Singapore. But where, for instance, is therein this book a candid assessment by "Senior Minister" Harry Lee Kuan Yew, of "the fear that even the most highly-educated Singaporeans feel" for their government, as author Stan Sesser putsin in his wonderful book, The Lands of Charm & Cruelty, containing a wonderful critical essay on Lee & Singapore (the description of Sesser's face-to-face confrontation with Harry, pulling banned books critical of Singapore out of his briefcase, & asking the flustered Senior Minister why no one can buy themin S'pore, is worth the price of the book alone). The Singapore I knew matched Sesser's description - my local neighbors were afraid to even discuss politics, let alone critcize Lee. But there is no franknessin Lee's book about this (nor the way Malays & Indians privately admit to feeling second-class citizens).
Other books readers may wish to read along side this enormous, uninformative memoir include Ian Buruma's The Missionary & the Libertine, with a famous essay on Lee's Singapore, "The Nanny State of Asia," & Buruma's other book, likewise with a S'pore chapter, God's Dust. Lastly, Paul Theroux's Singapore novel, Saint Jack, though setin the seventies, contains many surprisingly modern bits,in terms of the actions & attitudes of the Asian & Expat characters, still recognizable on the streets of S'pore a few years ago, & no doubt today. All these books are (at least to this former expat) far more informative of the actual Singapore of existence than Harry's fanciful autobiographical junk.
An excellent read - By: , 09 Feb 2001 Could not put the book down. Definitely a must for anyone interestedin geopolitics.
An insight to a world leader's mind - By: , 08 Dec 2000 If there is anyonein this world who can say he has it all, it's Lee Kuan Yew. This is a book that tells you how to have it all whether it's career, politics or even bringing up children. Whether you like him or not LKY is one of the most prominent leaders of this century. The autobiographer is forthcomingin conveying his views of not only Singapore but world affairs. However, going forward one can not help question his success formula which may be too inflexible to cope with globalisation where not only efficiency counts but also entrepreneurship & creativity. His strict dealing with the media may not work nowadays where anyone can generate negative publicity about his country & not accountable for. His obsession with academic achievements does not reflect well with the current success of those self made college dropouts who thrive on the new economy.
A great leader and a great book - By: , 21 Oct 2000 I read with great interest the book written by Mr. Lee. The position of Singapore is akin to Israel but through his tact & diplomatic skills he not only avoids serious conflicts with his Muslim neighbours but manages to make Singapore the envy of South East Asia. Looking at the position of Middle East at the moment, I only wish the people of Israel has the good fortune of having a leader like Lee Kuan Yew. A must read for anybody interestedin politics
