Book description
The story of Singapore's amazing transformation told by it's charismatic and controversial founding father, Lee Kuan Yew. Lee Kuan Yew is one of the most influential leaders in Asia. In this illuminating account, Lee writes frankly about his disapproving approach to political opponents and his often unorthodox views on human…
Why read it?
2 authors picked From Third World to First as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I had no idea Lee Kuan Yew was such a good writer! This is everything a political memoir should be, not just because it explains Singapore's extraordinary rise, but also because LKW does not miss the chance to share a lot of dishy anecdotes that only he would know. His account of playing golf with Burma (now Myanmar)'s leader is hilarious. His insights about how Singapore riveted together a succesful multi-racial culture are quite astonishing. I read this a few weeks before visiting Singapore for a professional project, and it did a great deal to illuminate all the many factors…
No one can deny that the story of Singapore is a modern-day miracle. From a third-world port city in the mid-20th century to the first-rate nation we know today, Singapore has adopted progress as a creed. Lee Kuan Yew, the very founder of modern Singapore, reflects on his achievements and the many challenges he’s faced along the way in this enticing book.
From Burnaby's list on The best books to understand modern Asia.
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