tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36614753417794742012024-03-12T23:24:37.698-07:00YK Book ReviewsReviewing books, books read, Book Reviews by Yoong Kheong FongFong Yoong Kheonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04121648000301880687noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-90357670933364037122009-04-18T08:57:00.000-07:002009-04-18T09:27:40.190-07:00Diplomacy of a Tiny State by Lee Khoon Choy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWN-IXJ1dTEgf4ZK1uw9_zxsnO1daF8I7jGQUx1NCYW0UJZ3U0tJ4Qt1cm1NdklIX3HIeycRNHzinEpe6_tpTFKiqr9FK8xRm_wCr6LPlOE7jCuUf_8t_twFuVzrWDjHH6rRum6oPJsEI/s1600-h/Diplomacy+of+a+Tiny+State.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 99px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWN-IXJ1dTEgf4ZK1uw9_zxsnO1daF8I7jGQUx1NCYW0UJZ3U0tJ4Qt1cm1NdklIX3HIeycRNHzinEpe6_tpTFKiqr9FK8xRm_wCr6LPlOE7jCuUf_8t_twFuVzrWDjHH6rRum6oPJsEI/s400/Diplomacy+of+a+Tiny+State.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326061717076576722" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The Author is the first elected politician since Singapore's independence to be sent overseas as an ambassador halfway through his elected term. In his book he narrates his experience as the ambassador of Egypt, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Yugoslavia, Indonesia, Korea and Japan.<br /><br />Lee Khoon Choy is frank in the sharing of his experience. It was not an easy task for a diplomat of a young country. It was not as glamorous a job as what Ministry of Foreign Affairs is right now.<br /><br />This book is a good read for anyone who wants to understand how it's like to be an ambassador and the many little details that could affect diplomatic ties positively or negatively.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Overall Rating: <span style="font-size:180%;">10/10</span></span><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-61258451795118221402009-04-11T23:09:00.000-07:002009-04-11T23:20:13.770-07:00Beyond the Age of Innocence by Kishore Mahbubani<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapCz82rd54MFNcKFkCC-ecYNake7zhFjTVV4CWb-vBrZC93CnM16mjXsfM8w3Va-GCNvi9Va4h6ASfEPy8dIOPI08sgonGmEpglHPuQ_GLULXfHdj5s0jTWQe0dqKiLBfHVhxTc9dvHM/s1600-h/Beyond+the+Age+of+Innocence.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapCz82rd54MFNcKFkCC-ecYNake7zhFjTVV4CWb-vBrZC93CnM16mjXsfM8w3Va-GCNvi9Va4h6ASfEPy8dIOPI08sgonGmEpglHPuQ_GLULXfHdj5s0jTWQe0dqKiLBfHVhxTc9dvHM/s400/Beyond+the+Age+of+Innocence.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323683550250957906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Beyond the Age of Innocence</span> is a book that explains how America benefits the World and has harmed it concurrently. The Author, Kishore Mahbubani, is a Singapore's former Ambassador to United Nations.<br /><br />By exploring into the topics of America and Islam, America and China, the nature of American Power and Managing American Power, Kishore Mahbubani writes about the unintended consequences of American policy actions.<br /><br />He then wraps up by suggesting the direction for the way ahead.<br /><br />The book is simple to read and good for Political Science dummies.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Overall Rating: <span style="font-size:180%;">9/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-26656455989401095042009-04-06T18:56:00.000-07:002009-04-06T22:37:59.328-07:00March 8 The Day Malaysia Woke Up<div align="justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM64ru8HcG2NzscRRkBuYOwETaLJGLHenHe3bIhTDpIUOpGZdMGdALiZvdzT7AfY1BW_HaODl2rVj4LCLP6m5-67HMmayVX0PcgyOyrSYOhiW65-XPJjsd8Q1ErIf7h1bcxv5k441hDv4/s1600-h/March+8+The+Day+Malaysia+Woke+Up.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321762588124943458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 269px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM64ru8HcG2NzscRRkBuYOwETaLJGLHenHe3bIhTDpIUOpGZdMGdALiZvdzT7AfY1BW_HaODl2rVj4LCLP6m5-67HMmayVX0PcgyOyrSYOhiW65-XPJjsd8Q1ErIf7h1bcxv5k441hDv4/s400/March+8+The+Day+Malaysia+Woke+Up.jpg" border="0" /></a> Kee Thuan Chye is a noted dramatist, poet and journalist. His high level of enthusiasm in the March 8 event is evident in his compilation of writings and interviews in this book. <div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div></div><div align="justify"><strong>So what happened on March 8?</strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">For the first time since 1969, the rakyat (citizens) denied the ruling coalition (Barisan Nasional) the two-third majority in Parliament. With the absence of a two-third majority, the ruling coalition would not be able to amend the Constitution at will.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><em>March 8 The Day Malaysia Woke Up</em> is highly biased against the Barisan Nasional. With articles contributed from Malaysians, most of them were filled with emotions. Some even had expletives.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Even the interview questions were posed in a way to put BN at a negative light.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">This could be a good reading material for people who share the same grievances towards BN. Otherwise, time could be better spent understanding Malaysian politics from other books.</div><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em><strong>Overall Rating: <span style="font-size:180%;">3/10</span></strong></em></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-31590072339920561092009-04-06T18:37:00.000-07:002009-04-06T18:55:12.802-07:00Across the Causeway: A Multi-dimensional Study of Malaysia-Singapore Relations<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dzHZYJcAGGiiVqGPRGYTBCJabHscQ-ul_AU77VLFg3sYZ2NP5efj2xyoRWL-BD8A3sTkEzXAR1bTK-6MQ5WGgtlpBzXd-3EI4yW35VACImr8kL_J6zj9GVEtgp-VRHIIPeCuluNhPLc/s1600-h/Across+the+Causeway.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 138px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dzHZYJcAGGiiVqGPRGYTBCJabHscQ-ul_AU77VLFg3sYZ2NP5efj2xyoRWL-BD8A3sTkEzXAR1bTK-6MQ5WGgtlpBzXd-3EI4yW35VACImr8kL_J6zj9GVEtgp-VRHIIPeCuluNhPLc/s400/Across+the+Causeway.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321757771169599906" border="0" /></a><strong style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Across the Causeway</span> is a compilation of essays by Singaporean and Malaysian academia, edited by a Japanese, Takashi Shiraishi</strong>.<br /><br />This is an ideal book for anyone who wants to learn more about the history between Singapore and Malaysia and how history had played a dominant role in present bilateral relations between both states.<br /><br />Not to fret if you do not have prior political knowledge as the book starts with the history of both states, focusing mainly on the merger and separation. It then proceeds on to essays pertaining to more current bilateral boons and banes.<br /><br />It is a good read, and I personally can't put it down once I read it.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Overall Rating: <span style="font-size:180%;">9.5/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-49710222765775920582008-11-25T04:48:00.000-08:002008-11-25T05:19:56.483-08:00Make it Right for Singapore by Joshua Benjamin Jeyaratnam<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rPAJ6iTRLgBbWjbqD_D1DIlXcGJfpXEKjyhMcMWUaKd6NcTqmyLk2o-UvRZhNMQKwWwk5ResNZ7Tmh5yTzTOMl0w8z8Hlgbi9IZ0YmQW3WEvHnKmSA6mr5uHHGCYP1t1fDBSda9nl3E/s1600-h/DSC00664.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rPAJ6iTRLgBbWjbqD_D1DIlXcGJfpXEKjyhMcMWUaKd6NcTqmyLk2o-UvRZhNMQKwWwk5ResNZ7Tmh5yTzTOMl0w8z8Hlgbi9IZ0YmQW3WEvHnKmSA6mr5uHHGCYP1t1fDBSda9nl3E/s400/DSC00664.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272576422725817026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Make it Right for Singapore</span> is a compilation of Parliament speeches made by Joshua Benjamin Jeyaratnam (or more affectionately called JBJ) when he was a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament. JBJ was the first opposition leader to break the dominant one party system when he won the Anson by-election against a PAP candidate.<br /><br />He was disqualified from being an MP when he insulted the judiciary and was charged in court. In the 1997 General Elections, he was the best loser in the Cheng San GRC ward and thus was appointed as NCMP.<br /><br />After reading this book, I feel that he had made many repetitive speeches regarding political freedom in Singapore. The speeches were very rhetorical in nature and lacked focus on the bread-and-butter issues concerning most Singaporeans.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Overall Rating: <span style="font-size:180%;">7/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-61307336720355824752008-11-21T21:39:00.000-08:002008-11-21T21:59:39.321-08:00Mao Zedong by Delia Davin<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5gDgUTG3hEMRiPwolQgNwnz5UGEvx3pLTdu459l5O8w6oIVg_cl8vllEqwL37jxsuwBmK0OxZfOtD9Lydf_Ls7tgh67iS6nU6FVHk3vZCh0i2ETbmeKkyescoeXXPeVmaVhcvu0TOsI/s1600-h/DSC00663.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5gDgUTG3hEMRiPwolQgNwnz5UGEvx3pLTdu459l5O8w6oIVg_cl8vllEqwL37jxsuwBmK0OxZfOtD9Lydf_Ls7tgh67iS6nU6FVHk3vZCh0i2ETbmeKkyescoeXXPeVmaVhcvu0TOsI/s400/DSC00663.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271356257545733490" border="0" /></a>There has been many books written about the great revolutionary figure, Mao Zedong. This book focuses on the family aspect of Mao Zedong.<br /><br />With about 150 pages, it is impossible for the book to completely cover the nitty-gritty details of Mao's life. Hence this book makes a good starter for people to understand this revolutionary leader and take a look a little in depth into his marriages and love life.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Overall Rating: <span style="font-size:180%;">7/10</span></span><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-11131458050913271252008-11-13T12:13:00.000-08:002008-11-13T12:27:26.199-08:00Singapore's Authoritarian Capitalism - Asian Values, Free Market Illusions and Political Dependency by Christopher Lingle<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiT_Jp-3G6a5OWi600m4KU_tlqQa6-KmU_4hguB2OIshpSigwsrPLvrcWz_nUUJU8HCFI-2Kl-EBpwg04ogs0NctTAnqu7OhAMpsG0UQmPbOo2miUYT3AwvlBNL_e97bbeP1zLEbYhtsk/s1600-h/DSC00648.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiT_Jp-3G6a5OWi600m4KU_tlqQa6-KmU_4hguB2OIshpSigwsrPLvrcWz_nUUJU8HCFI-2Kl-EBpwg04ogs0NctTAnqu7OhAMpsG0UQmPbOo2miUYT3AwvlBNL_e97bbeP1zLEbYhtsk/s400/DSC00648.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268238674765844130" border="0" /></a>Author Christopher Lingle was previously a lecturer in National University of Singapore. After he wrote an article, in which alleging that the judiciary of Singapore is not independent, he was interviewed by the police. He later fled Singapore in fear that he would be heavily penalised by the government.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Singapore's Authoritarian Capitalism - Asian Values, Free Market Illusions and Political Dependency</span>, Christopher Lingle sought to expose the fallacy of Asian Values and how the region is vulnerable in the near future.<br /><br />The book is severely biased against Singapore's government and the reader would easily detect how the author routinely attempts to defend himself by condemning Asia Pacific states.<br /></div><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Overall Rating: <span style="font-size:180%;">4/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-26086986466029129782008-10-15T08:17:00.000-07:002008-10-15T09:00:32.406-07:00Representative Bureaucracy - Classic Readings and Continuing Controversies<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2x8z0WJ79E1lfH65eKprR3u1ezI96ybOZNJrYfqfITpH6YOrA1g_-0mqimmps1apjQqeYPmRmJt6TEVOeFCW6aP-NqvXM1D231-0aZBv0MiE0nrzCJsHxcobF6IvJGEJfVx6TmyXdPo/s1600-h/Representative+Bureaucracy+-+Classic+Readings+and+Continuing+Controversies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2x8z0WJ79E1lfH65eKprR3u1ezI96ybOZNJrYfqfITpH6YOrA1g_-0mqimmps1apjQqeYPmRmJt6TEVOeFCW6aP-NqvXM1D231-0aZBv0MiE0nrzCJsHxcobF6IvJGEJfVx6TmyXdPo/s400/Representative+Bureaucracy+-+Classic+Readings+and+Continuing+Controversies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257406252984234178" border="0" /></a>Edited by Julie Dolan and David H. Rosenbloom.<br /><br />Should the Bureaucracy be a representation of the population or the dominant forces of the population? Does the minority group compete with females to being represented in the Administration? This book has it all.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Representative Bureaucracy - Classic Readings and Continuing Controversies</span> focuses on the United States of America as a context.<br /><br />There are hypotheses and statistics to explain all about Representative Bureaucracy. Each chapter starts with a brief overview of the various views on a certain issue.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Overall Rating : <span style="font-size:180%;">5/10</span></span><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-25255267166149047172008-10-14T21:02:00.000-07:002008-10-14T21:44:07.775-07:00When Presdients Lie by Eric Alterman<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEzjeK0K1VWKYg4LrFZxip_ILQA5owpB11xbyKaKOj-DZB_tQsErotamGBTqQa_W9P0E3-4rG1EOxS8GUo8hyphenhyphenFxIN7ycaFl1ZxBJLLvU3zCYhAUjnsZYOgLUyHe4ffTgvxz7-6otA9aY/s1600-h/When+Presidents+Lie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEzjeK0K1VWKYg4LrFZxip_ILQA5owpB11xbyKaKOj-DZB_tQsErotamGBTqQa_W9P0E3-4rG1EOxS8GUo8hyphenhyphenFxIN7ycaFl1ZxBJLLvU3zCYhAUjnsZYOgLUyHe4ffTgvxz7-6otA9aY/s400/When+Presidents+Lie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257230931172354770" border="0" /></a>Eric Alterman digs into the history of official deception and its consequences in his book, <span style="font-style: italic;">When Presidents Lie</span>. He recognises the necessity of Presidents to lie under certain circumstances but dread the lies that result in war and subsequently the cause of unnecessary deaths. Yet those lies were created by American Presidents for self politically motivated purposes.<br /><br />The case studies include Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman and the Yalta Conference; John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis; Ronald W. Reagan, Central America and the Iran-Contra Scandal; George W. Bush and the Post-Truth Presidency.<br /><br />Eric Alterman draws on many sources in this heavily footnoted book to display a convincing portrayal of the Presidents. After reading <span style="font-style: italic;">When Presidents Lie</span>, I felt disgusted and remained puzzled why someone of great power would want to wrest it this way...<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Overall Rating : <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >10/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-61889881540596652282008-10-06T22:54:00.000-07:002008-10-06T23:31:44.766-07:00The Future Role of Singapore by Dick Wilson<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbHbGSB1eSQ3ZMxXN35CSQ2wMKpmVX-UtYmpafCFadTPv7-a1qsYPRIQ0UYPx0X6xpseSQYnWo-LcqZhvJJH2CHLFK2toO7OSn581HcGHx0GUgc090tv5tBCFdN7z6_XElLJxqmvvhek/s1600-h/DSC00569_2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbHbGSB1eSQ3ZMxXN35CSQ2wMKpmVX-UtYmpafCFadTPv7-a1qsYPRIQ0UYPx0X6xpseSQYnWo-LcqZhvJJH2CHLFK2toO7OSn581HcGHx0GUgc090tv5tBCFdN7z6_XElLJxqmvvhek/s400/DSC00569_2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254286471934404274" border="0" /></a>Published in 1972,<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Future Role of Singapore</span> depicts the problematic issues of the newly independent island-state republic. As the title of the book suggests, Dick Wilson analysed the trend of developments in Singapore and expressed his views on the future role of Singapore amidst a region that is catching up with development as well.<br /></div><br />Dick Wilson believed that Singapore would be a step further from its neighbours while ensuring that they do not lag behind in terms of development. Singapore could contribute in their development as well.<br /><br />Even though the book was published more than 3 decades ago, it is still relevant. The vulnerability of a small state with the absence of natural resources and geopolitical factors are going to stay on.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overall Rating:<span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" > 8.5/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-41770184553228817522008-09-24T08:11:00.000-07:002008-09-24T08:50:57.995-07:00What if There Had Been No Lee Kuan Yew? by Anthony Oei<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLjglaZNKcAsZZbNGHXGD56PC2rYeBlGAmwDDVYzNORMpbZe8l6JCGAtvJk-_JXtNYitxtkX2ZqfpaXVpVGsYFZA8jIZ5nj9XUuQbtxzyY0RcQVL2EMS1MXu77s17p3EIuO_qVPQjhgQ/s1600-h/What+if+there+had+been+no+Lee+Kuan+Yew.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLjglaZNKcAsZZbNGHXGD56PC2rYeBlGAmwDDVYzNORMpbZe8l6JCGAtvJk-_JXtNYitxtkX2ZqfpaXVpVGsYFZA8jIZ5nj9XUuQbtxzyY0RcQVL2EMS1MXu77s17p3EIuO_qVPQjhgQ/s400/What+if+there+had+been+no+Lee+Kuan+Yew.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249607356898519154" border="0" /></a>From the condition of the book, you can see that this book had been read by many. The title of the books builds up our curiousity as readers. However, the title is misleading...<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">What if there had been no Lee Kuan Yew?</span> by Anthony Oei, the only mention of the question in the title lies in the last paragraph of the book.<br /><br />Oei traces the life of Lee Kuan Yew from his childhood days to the formation of PAP and beyond. The last few paragraphs highlighted the main criticisms of Lee by his critics.<br /><br />Oei is a former journalist who has worked for The Straits Times and Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, as well as for the Far Easter Economic Review of Hong Kong as its Singapore correspondent, and other magazines. He subsequently became the head of the EDB's Public Relations and Implementation Assistance Units.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Overall Rating: <span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">7/10</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-663529427618488272008-09-21T08:28:00.000-07:002008-09-21T08:37:07.771-07:00The European Union : a guide through the EC/EU maze by Alex Roney and Stanley Budd<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSolcDiFs5VmwPB96OYA-o_17dQ3cyi_cqC7S7yjPyprPpOGLm4E19hPH7Q4Iff6KTAQewvjrKNKPHhRRRmM4S_tBf3tPfnpEULrq-hqC2en_4a56U5P2mxMd4YrtNGWO4PKE_UocdKA0/s1600-h/The+European+Union.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSolcDiFs5VmwPB96OYA-o_17dQ3cyi_cqC7S7yjPyprPpOGLm4E19hPH7Q4Iff6KTAQewvjrKNKPHhRRRmM4S_tBf3tPfnpEULrq-hqC2en_4a56U5P2mxMd4YrtNGWO4PKE_UocdKA0/s400/The+European+Union.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248497626557651314" border="0" /></a>After reading <span style="font-style: italic;">The European Union: a guide through the EC/EU maze</span>, I found myself slightly overwhelmed by the complexity of the European Union.<br /><br />This book is useful for one to derive a basic understanding of the European Union, i.e. hierarchy, institutional bodies, memberships, etc.<br /><br />For me, I thought that it served better as a reference than a leisure read due to the dryness of the writings.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Overall Rating: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >3/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-89510178654634398792008-09-18T20:59:00.000-07:002008-09-21T08:37:48.497-07:00From Kuan Yew to Chok Tong and beyond by George Nonis<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_WUgmqkfaWqbAkAt-zarQP5VSPMOWFpN_5d9TlWEmyRG2Bmz8CzrPYsO3LjNaekh30L2Sf6xEVYq7upZhHyURMdL9XmWq5USWi5udRCD3U6Mkrbsdt9cY9kx36OeXpptKUuYcxJNrho/s1600-h/DSC00534.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_WUgmqkfaWqbAkAt-zarQP5VSPMOWFpN_5d9TlWEmyRG2Bmz8CzrPYsO3LjNaekh30L2Sf6xEVYq7upZhHyURMdL9XmWq5USWi5udRCD3U6Mkrbsdt9cY9kx36OeXpptKUuYcxJNrho/s400/DSC00534.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247577587307842050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">From Kuan Yew to Chok Tong and beyond</span> is one of the few books that carry political caricatures. In Singapore, cartoon drawings of political figures are seldom seen on newspapers due to the more restricted political expression within the state.<br /><br />This is a comic book and carries jokes about Singapore. There is a previous comic book by George Nonis, entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">Hello Chok Tong, Goodbye Kuan Yew</span> which caused some stir when it was released.<br /></div><br />Meet the Cabinet Ministers aka players in the Singapore Young Lions as illustrated by George Nonis.<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIP9RNWVz7iaKmXg2HeroCymjyyiNDNsOvtyWZQJFCF3y9-v4Z5Z-bhXAXDUPIN6T9RL24JQMfWXf24c0Z9QHS2gTgQdAGCno1P0_wX4ZXVFb4omocT0yO_16mw-SZOj633V_OVG3OvU/s1600-h/DSC00535.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIP9RNWVz7iaKmXg2HeroCymjyyiNDNsOvtyWZQJFCF3y9-v4Z5Z-bhXAXDUPIN6T9RL24JQMfWXf24c0Z9QHS2gTgQdAGCno1P0_wX4ZXVFb4omocT0yO_16mw-SZOj633V_OVG3OvU/s400/DSC00535.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247577592905766162" border="0" /></a>Bottom (from left): Abdullah Tarmugi - Mr Rock Steady, Lim Boon Heng - Mr Cupid, Lee Boon Heng - Best Trainee, Mah Bow Tan - Mr Goal 2010, Lim Hng Kiang - Young Player of the Year, Wong Kan Seng - The Singer, Lee Yock Suan - Mr Drama, Yeo Cheow Tong - Mr IT (intelligent tackles)<br />Top (from left): Goh Chok Tong - Mr Golden Boots, Teo Chee Hean - Mr Long Beans, George Yeo - The Thinker, Lee Hsien Loong - The Super Sub, Tony Tan - The Swinging Sub, Richard Hu - The Paymaker, S. Jayakumar - Mr Smiley, Lee Kuan Yew - Old Player of the Year<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Overall Rating: <span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">7/10</span></span></span><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-86214224051416868362008-09-11T19:25:00.000-07:002008-09-21T08:38:22.861-07:00Foreign Policy and International Law by Charles G. Fenwick<div style="text-align: justify;">Published in 1968, <span style="font-style: italic;">Foreign Policy and International Law</span> is written by Charles G. Fenwick, a member of Pan American Union.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Foreign Policy and International Law</span> looked into the following:<br /><ol><li>Character and Scope of Foreign Policy</li><li>The Community of Nations</li><li>Who speaks for whom in the World of Nations</li><li>National Security: 1776-1920</li><li>National Security: 1920-1942</li><li>The United Nations</li><li>The Rule of Law under the Charter, 1945-1968</li><li>Problems of National Self-government: Citizenship</li><li>Responsibility of the State for the Protection of Aliens and their Property</li><li>Special Obligations towards neighbouring States</li><li>Titles to Territory; National Boundaries</li><li>The High Seas</li><li>International Cooperation in the Enforcement and Administration of National Law</li><li>Treaties and Conventions</li><li>Diplomatic Agents; Consuls</li><li>Economic and Social Problems</li><li>The Settlement of International Disputes: Arbitration and Judicial Decision</li><li>Forcible Procedure by War</li></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Foreign Policy and International Law</span> is written from an American perspective and majority of it relates to the foreign policies of the United States.<br /><br />Referring to case studies, Fenwick poses many questions for the reader to stipulate and think about the irrationality and abnormacy of certain acts by states.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Overall Rating: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >7.5/10</span></span><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-31563783956914335632008-08-13T19:54:00.000-07:002008-08-13T20:12:28.612-07:00Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21R2XEDBP3L._SL500_SS90_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 110px; height: 110px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21R2XEDBP3L._SL500_SS90_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Emphasising on the power of the individual to make a change on oneself is the main theme of <span style="font-style: italic;">Awaken the Giant Within</span> by Anthony Robbins. In the more than 500 pages, Anthony Robbins literally talks to you as a reader.<br /><br />More than just a motivational book, Anthony Robbins show readers how to better manage relationships, health, concerns from how to reduce crime rates to global warming. What's marvellous is that Anthony Robbins draw all the reference from the first part of the book, in which he explained how the human mindset worked.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Awaken the Giant Within</span> gives a clear scope of how the brain works, how emotions work and how we can take control of them instead of the other way round.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Overall Rating: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >10/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-40961190347201807502008-07-31T00:05:00.000-07:002008-08-02T09:13:59.347-07:00How to Talk to Anyone - 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships by Leil Lowndes<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i25.tinypic.com/2elb2uh.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://i25.tinypic.com/2elb2uh.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The 92 Tricks for Big Success in Relationships are categorised into the following 9 parts:<br /></div><br /><ul><li>How to intrigue everyone without saying a word?</li><li>How to know what to say after you say "Hi"</li><li>Hot to talk like a VIP</li><li>How to be an insider in every crowd: what are they all talking about</li><li>How to sound like you are peas in a pod: "Why, we are just alike!"</li><li>How to differentiate the power of praise from the folly of flattery</li><li>How to direct dial their hearts</li><li>How to work a party like a politician work a room</li><li>How to break the most treacherous glass ceiling of all: sometimes people are tigers</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">Leil Lowndes, in her book, not only covered on how to talk to anyone, but it also revised and inspected some old methods and critically offered an updated alternative to them.<br /><br />I really learnt a lot from her book. Every little thing count. You never know when you are going to be in a situation and you are not equipped with these tricks. Never waste your interviews or lose a prospect client ever again!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overall Rating: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">10/10</span></span></span><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-19713381152485821012008-07-15T09:47:00.000-07:002008-07-16T09:33:57.542-07:00From Lee Kuan Yew to Goh Chok Tong by Shin Min Daily News<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBa8OtYY59-Y-kkQBP8mOtq7tclZuNslajeBF7KD_lZLFfyB4o4udCgyB1SkrVWhVZ14HMTmAhimvnqpkKXA-xPMFn-NXOKRZ2UZJMad3EJoSRnp4nOMTUbo_w3wVUDHFjQU9ZQVofP3U/s1600-h/DSC00275.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBa8OtYY59-Y-kkQBP8mOtq7tclZuNslajeBF7KD_lZLFfyB4o4udCgyB1SkrVWhVZ14HMTmAhimvnqpkKXA-xPMFn-NXOKRZ2UZJMad3EJoSRnp4nOMTUbo_w3wVUDHFjQU9ZQVofP3U/s400/DSC00275.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223651005030111730" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">From Lee Kuan Yew to Goh Chok Tong</span> is a compilation of news publications by Shin Min Daily News, a newspaper under the Singapore Press Holdings Corporation.<br /><br />The first part of <span style="font-style: italic;">From Lee Kuan Yew to Goh Chok Tong </span>provides coverage on Mr Lee Kuan Yew. From how he became the leader of Singapore, the book then interviewed the grassroots leaders and various individuals that had worked with him.<br /><br />The second part of <span style="font-style: italic;">From Lee Kuan Yew to Goh Chok Tong </span>then focuses on Mr Goh Chok Tong. Interviews from people who knew him before he stepped into politics shed some light into the nature and character of this great leader.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overall Rating:</span> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">7/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-38673143187131571812008-07-14T23:29:00.001-07:002008-07-15T10:39:55.734-07:00I Can Make You Rich by Paul McKenna<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLI8-WEcAAn8UKUf0mdHFYeU5OQ_2VdMR731V2OuJeuqSMlhQy51nCqVz_hb72jlVVb2jh73z4IWwtQw1xRezHDWMIfx3jGSRDEzoEL9WKGlSUduz2PNSp3j54gt20GR2Pw3NVY1lr5M/s1600-h/I+Can+Make+You+Rich.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLI8-WEcAAn8UKUf0mdHFYeU5OQ_2VdMR731V2OuJeuqSMlhQy51nCqVz_hb72jlVVb2jh73z4IWwtQw1xRezHDWMIfx3jGSRDEzoEL9WKGlSUduz2PNSp3j54gt20GR2Pw3NVY1lr5M/s400/I+Can+Make+You+Rich.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223124533553842610" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I Can Make You Rich</span> consists of two parts - The Psychology of Wealth & Let's Go Make Money!<br /><br />In the first half of the book, The Pyschology of Wealth includes methods of revamping your financial blueprint. McKenna adapted some concepts from Napoleon Hill's <span style="font-style: italic;">Think and Grow Rich</span> as well as Robert Kiyosaki's <span style="font-style: italic;">Rich Dad Poor Dad</span>. The book is equipped with a free hypnosis CD to be used in conjunction with the various book exercises. Part I of the book seeks to unravel all the negative thoughts about money that one could have, so that one is ready for the next part of the book...<br /><br />Part II, Let's Go Make Money! consists of the following chapters:<br /><ul><li>How to Make Money</li><li>Assembling your Wealth Team</li><li>A Proven Formula for Success</li><li>The Simplest Business Plan in the World</li><li>The Three Skills that Lead to Riches</li><li>The Secrets of Living Rich</li></ul>I Can Make You Rich is a very simple book to read. It is centred around the psychology of the human mind and how influencing the mind could lead you to a richer (not necessarily in the money sense) and happier life.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overall Rating: </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >9/10</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-35587579611560347462008-07-08T18:36:00.000-07:002008-07-08T20:21:45.278-07:00Business The Dell Way by Rebecca Saunders<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvRhywcQbolXyR5n9d74twYxeuDWSBrBhWS7PaZpwTIzZ_CXt-kXnfNdAeOzwMxxzB_nV0SUdKLjA7QkDZ1D7TOTSgk77kQOZRd6k-n1DF9fD3VfFKNNxHDmn0Uu6Ke1AHy0sNgy5Tk4/s1600-h/DSC00275.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvRhywcQbolXyR5n9d74twYxeuDWSBrBhWS7PaZpwTIzZ_CXt-kXnfNdAeOzwMxxzB_nV0SUdKLjA7QkDZ1D7TOTSgk77kQOZRd6k-n1DF9fD3VfFKNNxHDmn0Uu6Ke1AHy0sNgy5Tk4/s400/DSC00275.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220823194119614434" border="0" /></a>Revealing the 10 Secrets of the World's Best Computer Business:<br /><ol><li>Mass Customise!</li><li>Get rid of Inventory</li><li>Love your Suppliers...</li><li>... But Love Your Employees Even More</li><li>Be Direct!</li><li>You Are Your Customers</li><li>Never Stop Improving</li><li>Think and Act Global</li><li>Stay True to Your Talents</li><li>Manage Hypergrowth<br /></li></ol><span style="font-style: italic;">Business The Dell Way</span> is published in year 2000 but the content itself is still much relevant to date.<br /><br />Rebecca Saunders provided an informative analysis on the success of Dell by quoting articles from various business analysts. She also added a summary of the pointers of success at the end of each chapter, which makes it easy for future reference.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overall Rating: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >8/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-85250296168292218072008-06-21T01:51:00.000-07:002008-06-21T02:03:30.781-07:00Comparative Politics: A Theoretical Framework by Gabriel A. Almond, G. Bingham Powell, JR. Robert J. Mundt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuECtyl8BLF2G88-5lu2Jf6QeXsgCpd9c2x72LIDHlIb1gHb6ZquMNCmWSKl1blhq3H5xh0gKzhpcLBpX3qnTzQ5oJv4a18ZnqLYO1JbKdDp2rI1k0mAOT2C8_bs58ThuGtJH9hHCsEQ/s1600-h/DSC00230.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuECtyl8BLF2G88-5lu2Jf6QeXsgCpd9c2x72LIDHlIb1gHb6ZquMNCmWSKl1blhq3H5xh0gKzhpcLBpX3qnTzQ5oJv4a18ZnqLYO1JbKdDp2rI1k0mAOT2C8_bs58ThuGtJH9hHCsEQ/s320/DSC00230.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214256511958652786" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comparative Politics: A Theoretical Framework</span> is a good text to study for an introduction into comparative politics.<br /><br />Contents:<br /><br />The Study of Comparative Politics<br />The Environment of the Political System<br />Political Socialisation and Political Culture<br />Political Recruitment and Political Structure<br />Interest Groups and Interest Articulation<br />Interest Aggregation and Political Parties<br />Government and Policymaking<br />Public Policy<br /><br />Overall Rating: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">8.5/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-21020627711896129842008-06-17T22:45:00.000-07:002008-06-21T01:51:03.640-07:00The Politics of Policy-Making in Singapore by Ho Khai Leong<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsActjY_r6y10kUZ9S0-TFSJkf-xe5Pd4MeokHRtmyVowFWklqoQt85WNtAdTu7GRU0u0G6zrUCxKoN1yu8zqLt2E-65PnHDisMmgvWVsS0TRe1JjmlP_nYP0RThCGJpNylxGpKzpeOrM/s1600-h/tmp_75_150_25557306337a3fa99aae923430430be6_896-the-politics-of-policy-making-in-singapore-ho-khai-leong-singapour-oxford-university-p.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsActjY_r6y10kUZ9S0-TFSJkf-xe5Pd4MeokHRtmyVowFWklqoQt85WNtAdTu7GRU0u0G6zrUCxKoN1yu8zqLt2E-65PnHDisMmgvWVsS0TRe1JjmlP_nYP0RThCGJpNylxGpKzpeOrM/s320/tmp_75_150_25557306337a3fa99aae923430430be6_896-the-politics-of-policy-making-in-singapore-ho-khai-leong-singapour-oxford-university-p.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213093719186410914" border="0" /></a>The Author is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, National University of Singapore. He has also taught in the Master in Public Policy programme at NUS.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Politics of Policy-Making in Singapore </span>offers a critical analysis of the political dynamics that shape Singapore's public policies. It suggests that policy-making in Singapore involves a complex process of interaction among political institutions, and that the distribution of power among these institutions is hierachical and precarious. Thus, the book argues that the contestation of political interests occupies a central position in these stratified interactions, and this has been largely responsible for the types of policies and their impact.<br /><br />Overall Rating: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">9/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-88170414709107031432008-05-29T21:24:00.000-07:002008-05-31T00:31:43.497-07:00Elections in Singapore by Pugalenthi SR<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:180%;" >E</span><span style="font-style: italic;">lections in Singapore</span> is a narrative summary of all the elections in Singapore from the Legislative Council General Elections of 1948 right up to the Presidential Elections of 1993. It encompasses all the By-Elections as well.<br /><br />The book is easy to read and filled with quotes from the various politicians standing for elections. The purpose of the respective elections, the number of seats contested, the duration of political campaigning and the parties contesting were recorded in each chapter. Pugalenthi SR also pointed out the main issues that were debated during the Elections. Of course, each chapter ended with the results of the Election.<br /><br />This book is a good read for people who want to see the whole big picture of Singapore politics via elections. However, readers would need to be equipped with some knowledge of Singapore politics before they could fully appreciate the contents.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overall Rating: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >7.5/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-26104768058816353332008-05-24T02:02:00.000-07:002008-05-25T10:47:17.774-07:00The Dynamics of One Party Dominance: The PAP At The Grass-roots by Chan Heng Chee<span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">A</span></span>t time of writing Prof Chan Heng Chee was a lecturer with the Department of Political Science, University of Singapore (now called National University of Singapore). She is currently the Singapore Ambassador at United States.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Dynamics of One Party Dominance: The PAP At The Grass-roots</span> is a micro-study of the politics in Singapore and focuses on 5 constituencies - Chua Chu Kang, Bukit Panjang, Telok Ayer, Kg Kembagan, Crawford. These 5 constituencies represent the rural and the urban settlements in Singapore and thus acted as good range of reference for the study.<br /><br />In this book, Prof Chan first described Singapore as an "administrative state", which would be frequently used by other authors and academics when they refer to the Singapore state.<br /><br />Other issues covered in the book also include an analysis of the Opposition, grassroots composition at the different constituencies, as well as the voters' concerns at the domestic level.<br /><br />As <span style="font-style: italic;">The Dynamics of One Party Dominance: The PAP At The Grass-roots</span> is authored at around 1976, many of the issues covered might not be relevant now. In general, however, there are good sources of reference if one were to research for the domestic issues affecting Singaporean voters at the period of time.<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overall Rating: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >7.5/10</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-84735815535098957452008-05-17T00:00:00.000-07:002008-05-17T03:36:14.807-07:00Thinking Allowed? Politics, Fear and Change in Singapore by Warren Fernandez<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKX3QURwvXCKy-sMjDJkDgdSgn8BVMoe09bZmXiM8gesdPPdRyTYZyff6ZaeWOPtjHM8dBEiEhltiVhzDELhhthvAiKQxWNESdcpr2TfNvHDX9rSwWy9cvTqC8Uxr97VC4Whphhdp8cI/s1600-h/DSC00148.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKX3QURwvXCKy-sMjDJkDgdSgn8BVMoe09bZmXiM8gesdPPdRyTYZyff6ZaeWOPtjHM8dBEiEhltiVhzDELhhthvAiKQxWNESdcpr2TfNvHDX9rSwWy9cvTqC8Uxr97VC4Whphhdp8cI/s320/DSC00148.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201241964275214370" border="0" /></a><br />At time of writing the book, Warren Fernandez was the Foreign Editor of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Straits Times</span>, Singapore's leading English-language daily. Currently, he is the Deputy Editor and Foreign Editor.<br /><br />Thinking Allowed? is a compilation of Warren Fernandez's articles written for <span style="font-style: italic;">The Straits Times</span>. He had written for the column "Thinking Aloud". Arguing that there is politics in Singapore, Warren Fernandez illustrated his point with his viewpoints in various current affairs events related to local politics.<br /><br />The Author expressed his moderate views and opinions in regard to government actions.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overall Rating:</span> <span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">6/10</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3661475341779474201.post-30516923667754077342008-05-14T10:31:00.000-07:002008-05-14T11:12:51.184-07:00Singapore Politics Under the People's Action Party by Diane K. Mauzy and R.S. Milne<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvbEr-4_AgLgmTs1NkCkCWtpFX37RU2ky0sHlAdBe4ez3Z0Ss2cM1PFkmZU6LbMotYeGINHvo5VfZW0kercFCnw5Jai9dmR20BkOchiklEeGuUAbP5OGbyCY2-5k8cJOkyw3d0_ZCPwk/s1600-h/book.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvbEr-4_AgLgmTs1NkCkCWtpFX37RU2ky0sHlAdBe4ez3Z0Ss2cM1PFkmZU6LbMotYeGINHvo5VfZW0kercFCnw5Jai9dmR20BkOchiklEeGuUAbP5OGbyCY2-5k8cJOkyw3d0_ZCPwk/s320/book.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200298097967278098" border="0" /></a><br />This is a comprehensive overview of politics in Singapore since its independence in 1965 to the publication of the book in 2002.<br /><br />The Authors present a moderate and balanced view in their depiction of the politics in Singapore under the PAP rule.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Singapore Politics Under the People's Action Party</span> covers the following topics:<br /><br />What is remarkable about Singapore?<br />How Singapore became independent: Lee Kuan Yew and the PAP<br />Locations of power: the state and the government<br />The PAP: the structure and operation of a dominant party<br />Ideology of the leaders and for the populace<br />Economic policy for an independent Singapore<br />Supplying social services to the people<br />The dictates of ethnicity: language policy, education, and self-help<br />The successors: leadership trends in the PAP -- the search for top talent<br />Authoritarian aspects of PAP rule<br />Elections, electoral innovations, and the Opposition<br />The growth of civil society<br />Deterrence and diplomacy<br />Singapore in the future<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overall Rating:</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" >9/10</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0