A History of Modern Singapore, 1819-2005 Paperback – January 1, 2009

Good book

This is a scholarly history that very carefully covers numerous topics in lengthy chapters. This is the definitive work of Singapore history, and Turnbull is the subject of the forthcoming book "Studying Singapore's Past" on the historiography of Singapore. Turnbull tells Singapore's remarkable story, from the excitement of colonial times to the horrors of the Japanese occupation, with appropriate detail and authority. The Further Reading section in the back of the book is an excellent annotated bibliography that provides a wealth of material for those interested in individual aspects of Singapore's history.This is a newly revised edition of the book that first appeared in 1977, and independent Singapore does not appear until page 299. Unfortunately, the broad focus of the early chapters is somewhat absent, and the last two chapters are heavily focused on the careers of individual politicians. Topics like education and economics are touched on briefly, but the history of the People's Action Party really dominates the last third of the book. I was also disappointed that there was no coverage of fiscal policy. Turnbull briefly discusses how the PAP invested heavily in schools and infrastructure following independence, but figures are sparse, and Turnbull never mentions tax policy or budget matters. Neither of Singapore's large sovereign wealth funds Temasek or GIC were ever mentioned. These complaints are very minor considering how well the preceding eight chapters cover Singapore's past. This is a must read for those interested in the subject.