Singapore, Singapura: From Miracle to Complacency
Nicholas Walton
(Author)
21,000+ Reviews
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Description
Modern Singapore is a miracle. Half a century ago it unwillingly became an independent nation, after it was thrown out of the Malay Federation. It was tiny, poor, almost devoid of resources, and in a hostile neighborhood. Now, this unlikely country is at the top of almost every global national index, from high wealth and low crime to superb education and much-envied stability. But have these achievements bred a dangerous sense of complacency among Singapore's people? Nicholas Walton walked across the entire country in one day, to grasp what it was that made Singapore tick, and to understand the challenges that it now faces. Singapore, Singapura teases out the island's story, from mercantilist Raffles and British colonial rule, through the war years, to independence and the building of the current miracle. There are challenges ahead, from public complacency and the constraints of authoritarian democracy to changing geographic realities and the difficulties of balancing migration in such a tiny state. Singapore's second half-century will be just as exacting as the one since independence--as Walton warns, talk of a "Singapore model" for our hyper-globalized world must face these realities.
Product Details
Price
$29.95
Publisher
Hurst & Co.
Publish Date
April 05, 2019
Pages
224
Dimensions
5.7 X 1.3 X 8.6 inches | 1.1 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9781787380103
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About the Author
Nicholas Walton is a former BBC World Service journalist who worked and reported from around the world for fourteen years before moving to the European Council on Foreign Relations. He previously lived in Singapore; now based in the Netherlands, he reports on education and the media for the Economist Intelligence Unit. His Genoa, 'La Superba' is also published by Hurst.
Reviews
"By traversing this island city state on foot, Walton explores questions worth asking . . . he is clear-eyed and unflinching in his portrayal of Singapore and its people."--he Times Literary Supplement
"When Nicholas Walton moved with his family to Singapore, he began a voyage of discovery into the history of the city-state. Join him on his journey across the length and breadth of the island, from the fourteenth century to the present day."--Mark Leonard, Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations
"A rare jewel of a book--enchanting, illuminating and at times bloody funny. Much more than a travelogue or history, this is the story of a grand adventure, told in the tradition of Conrad with the eye of Theroux and the wit of Bryson. Brilliant."--James Brabazon, journalist, documentary filmmaker and author of The Break Line
"Walton vividly traces the roots of Singapore's miraculous emergence as a global economic hub, warning that its past successes may blind it to the need to evolve in tune with a rapidly changing world. This fascinating book is an evocative guide to the past and future of a remarkable country."--Alex Beard, author of Natural Born Learners
"In this lively account of the republic. . . [Walton] writes engagingly . . . with a light touch and with a sense of humour, making judicious use of anecdotes which reveal the subterranean cracks in Singapore's society."--South China Morning Post
"Walton writes fluently and engagingly . . . his book is an excellent one-volume primer on the country."-- Literary Review
"What better way to discover Singapore than to walk across it? In this splendid book, Walton serves up riches of the island's history, geography, economics, and, most of all, serendipity."--Tyler Cowen, author of The Complacent Class and Average Is Over
"When Nicholas Walton moved with his family to Singapore, he began a voyage of discovery into the history of the city-state. Join him on his journey across the length and breadth of the island, from the fourteenth century to the present day."--Mark Leonard, Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations
"A rare jewel of a book--enchanting, illuminating and at times bloody funny. Much more than a travelogue or history, this is the story of a grand adventure, told in the tradition of Conrad with the eye of Theroux and the wit of Bryson. Brilliant."--James Brabazon, journalist, documentary filmmaker and author of The Break Line
"Walton vividly traces the roots of Singapore's miraculous emergence as a global economic hub, warning that its past successes may blind it to the need to evolve in tune with a rapidly changing world. This fascinating book is an evocative guide to the past and future of a remarkable country."--Alex Beard, author of Natural Born Learners
"In this lively account of the republic. . . [Walton] writes engagingly . . . with a light touch and with a sense of humour, making judicious use of anecdotes which reveal the subterranean cracks in Singapore's society."--South China Morning Post
"Walton writes fluently and engagingly . . . his book is an excellent one-volume primer on the country."-- Literary Review
"What better way to discover Singapore than to walk across it? In this splendid book, Walton serves up riches of the island's history, geography, economics, and, most of all, serendipity."--Tyler Cowen, author of The Complacent Class and Average Is Over
