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Conversations With Lee Kuan Yew: Citizen Singapore: How to Build a Nation (Giants of Asia Series) Hardcover – December 1, 2010
- Print length211 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherMarshall Cavendish Intl
- Publication dateDecember 1, 2010
- Dimensions5.5 x 0.75 x 7.75 inches
- ISBN-109812616764
- ISBN-13978-9812616760
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Editorial Reviews
Review
A scintillating insight into the private - and brutally candid - beliefs and thoughts of the 86-year-old Minister Mentor on a wide range of topics, from his temper and children to various countries and his 'authoritarian' ways. These are captured in a writing style that is fast-paced and conversational over 24 chapters that are peppered with Mr Plate's views --Zakir Hussain IN The Straits Times (of Singapore)
There are two types of courage among journalists. Some might risk their lives crossing paths with an IED on an arid back road in Afghanistan. Many fewer risk their reputation by going against the herd of conventional opinion. Tom Plate, America's only syndicated columnist who focuses on Asia, has taken the second risk in his Conversations with Lee Kuan Yew. And it has been a risk well worth taking. His book could not be more relevant at a moment when recession, debt and dysfunction are plaguing the West while Asia strides boldly into the future. Much to the credit of Plate's talent, this book reads breezily, despite its heavy themes. It is broken into many easily digestible chapters with titles mimicking movies or television shows. Overall this was the right choice to make what could easily have been a wonkish drudge into an enjoyable read. Lee Kuan Yew's wisdom makes sense. Tom Plate has done a fine job of conveying it for a Western audience that ought to be paying attention --Columnist Nathan Gardels in The Huffington Post
A scintillating insight into the private - and brutally candid - beliefs and thoughts of the 86-year-old Minister Mentor on a wide range of topics, from his temper and children to various countries and his 'authoritarian' ways. These are captured in a writing style that is fast-paced and conversational over 24 chapters that are peppered with Mr Plate's views --Zakir Hussain IN The Straits Times (of Singapore)
There are two types of courage among journalists. Some might risk their lives crossing paths with an IED on an arid back road in Afghanistan. Many fewer risk their reputation by going against the herd of conventional opinion. Tom Plate, America's only syndicated columnist who focuses on Asia, has taken the second risk in his Conversations with Lee Kuan Yew. And it has been a risk well worth taking. His book could not be more relevant at a moment when recession, debt and dysfunction are plaguing the West while Asia strides boldly into the future. Much to the credit of Plate's talent, this book reads breezily, despite its heavy themes. It is broken into many easily digestible chapters with titles mimicking movies or television shows. Overall this was the right choice to make what could easily have been a wonkish drudge into an enjoyable read. Lee Kuan Yew's wisdom makes sense. Tom Plate has done a fine job of conveying it for a Western audience that ought to be paying attention --Columnist Nathan Gardels in The Huffington Post
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Marshall Cavendish Intl (December 1, 2010)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 211 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9812616764
- ISBN-13 : 978-9812616760
- Item Weight : 15.1 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.75 x 7.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,916,163 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #70,411 in Politics & Government (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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The books are basically transcripts of dialogues with the specific subject in each chapter. They are easy to read. For those of you who don’t like to read, these books are quite entertaining as the author descriptively explained the background, situation, and his thoughts as if you were on the set meeting with these leaders.
I learnt that Lee Kuan Yew was a utilitarianism. He’s also a Confucian who believes in Wu-Lun (Five Relationships). I like his definition of Public Policy, which is the greatest good for the greatest number. I was happy to learn that his son, the current Prime Minister of Singapore, Hsien Loong, is known as PM Google because of how knowledgeable he is. Overall, Tom Plate concluded Lee Kuan Yew can be characterized as ‘Plato meets Machiavelli’, in that he’s searching utopia on earth but also realistic enough to get things done.
I was surprised to find that during Mahathir’s leadership tenure of 22 years, there was no terrorist bombing such as the one in Bali, Indonesia. Mahathir is a Muslim Fundamentalist and he was very big on affirmative action programs, which instituted a more fair distribution program for the Malays, indigenous population of Malaysia, who generally have lower income than the Chinese. This was Mahathir’s way to reduce poverty and prevent violence. In the end, Mahathir was able to maintain peace and create economic progress.
It’s interesting to read about a self-made billionaire who became the prime minister of a country, especially in Thailand, ruled by a monarch. The book talks about how Thaksin ruled Thailand like a CEO of a company. There are many good things he did for the country. For example, providing interest free loans for three years for the poor, giving out 800,000 scholarship, using lottery profit to fund capital for the poor, and many more. However, his way of conducting in politics, forgetting to act diplomatic to the Privy Councilors, who serve as advisors to the monarchy, caused the coup in September 2006. His sister, Yingluck, became Prime Minister in 2011. It’d be interesting to read Conversation with Thaksin 2.0 and see how Thailand is doing now.
From two soft-authoritarians to a democratic leader to a diplomat, Ban Ki-Moon. It was fascinating to learn of the Secretary General (SG) of United Nation devotion to public service started from being inspired by a meeting with JFK when he was a Junior Red Cross representative. He was never in private sector or university appointment. He’s very positive and hardworking. He uses both quiet and public diplomacy. Many criticize him in the media. I like the author’s recommendation in the beginning of the SG term to hire outside media image team. Unfortunately, the SG did not do so. In conclusion, people had too high an expectation of the United Nation, which only has limited power and resources. Utopia is not around the corner, but Tom Plate’s conversation enables the reader to picture Ban Ki-Moon doing his best as the humblest of international public servant who appear to be running the world.
They are all recommended reading! Enjoy!
Of particular interest were LKY's discussions about his pragmatic view of governance and what has transpired to get Singapore where it is today. You can fully appreciate this point of view when looking at security issues given Singapore's small size and precarious position within the region and its economic prosperity in spite of a lack of size and appreciable natural resources.
Overall the book was an enjoyable read that provides a glimpse into the history and the man who is the driving force behind modern Singapore. Given my limited knowledge of Singapore, I found myself conducting additional research to better understand many of the issues raised in the book and I would state that as a compliment rather than a criticism. I will likely reread the book once I have a better understanding of Singapore and will likely appreciate LKY's commentary even more. I should note that readers should be prepared for more author commentary than might be expected, but some of it is helpful contextually and the rest shouldn't distract from LKY's narrative.
Not about LKY, but about the author speaking with him.
Top reviews from other countries
Coined a “soft-authoritarian”, (great) results oriented, he balances between public and corporate interest as individual and people interest.
Page 47
“LKY watching over the massive multinationals, to keep their predatory practices to a minimum.”
He also navigates from tradition to modernity with a rare psychological insight on individual motive, community dynamics and social norms.
page 58
“He also shares the view with Toynbee that a culture or country that lacks a driving, highly educated elite deeply committed to public service is doomed to be slow to respond—perhaps tragically and even fatally slow.
Without any political correctness, he judges, scales, and criticizes bigger countries, their political members and even entire civilization. And the only fact that his opinion matters on a global scale is already an indication of his success and the stature he brought Singapour to.
Page 62
“that Singapore’s importance must transcend its size and population.”
As a point of comparison, his lack of political correctness also reflects on our own level of susceptibility… and wondering if this so called political correctness is still a shield or became a veil.
On the down side, the book is very slow to start, too much small talk, scene description, and most of all, too many jokes and comments on the very jokes tentative and failure. Almost feels like reading the report of a clown on a mission.
Makes me wonder if the journalist ran short of content and thickened the book like he could...
Three particular irritations:
- Entire pages spent on describing the ambiance of the interview room in the palace, or LKYs coughing or fiddling with a heat pack. We get it. LKY was ill at the time. Tell us once, and move on.
- Lines of questioning which go nowhere. When the interviewer isn't making foolish or obsequious remarks (which clearly irritate LKY) and actually hits on an important issue, LKY sometimes gives a mordant reply. The interviewer is thereupon stumped, and wanders off on some navel-gazing exercise of his own. When the conversation resumes, it's on some entirely different topic.
- A peculiar obsession with Isiah Berlin's "The Hedgehog and the Fox", repeated references to it, and attempts to fit LKY into either the Hedgehog or Fox category, which (again) seems to irritate LKY.
Ultimately one is left with an impression of a poor writer and a poor conversationalist. A horribly botched opportunity which will never again present itself.



