"Musings gives the reader an enthralling lesson in Asian civilization, history, culture, traditions,
philosophy, religion and political thought. His musings reflect a brilliant and intellectual mind,
always curious and inquisitive. This is the George Yeo I know and admired as a colleague in the
Singapore Armed Forces, a boss in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a good friend. A man destined
for bigger things. Though not written as a biography, it gives a fascinating insight into his life,
especially his Teochew identity and his strong attachment to his ancestral home in China. This book
has something for everyone and is a must-read for every Singaporean."

Winston Choo
Former Chief of Defence Force and Diplomat

"George Yeo is a distinguished public figure of international stature. He is a widely respected thinker
with a deep understanding of history. He has a great zest for life. This monumental work is a
treasure trove. He shares the rich experiences of his life's journey and discusses a wide range of
matters relating to our times and the human condition. His observations are wise and perceptive.
His insights are profound and illuminating. Readers will find Musings thought provoking and
enriching and will learn a great deal from it."
THE ESSENTIAL TRADE BOOK FOR YOUR SHELVES

The Honourable Andrew Li Kwok-nang
First Chief Justice of the Hong Kong SAR of the People's Republic of China

"George Yeo is widely read, widely travelled and widely admired, as you will find from this book. I
have met few people like him who live and enjoy every moment of life with unflagging intellectual
curiosity and interest. His abiding love for China, because of his roots, is understandable but his
love affair with India led me to remark once that in his previous birth he must have been an
Indian!"

P Chidambaram
Member of Parliament, Former Finance Minister of India

"George Yeo writes from both the head and the heart. He is sympathetic with human vulnerability
but also champions what the human spirit can achieve. I have known George since I was the
Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea and the Secretary General of the UN and seen how he has
always tried to bring East and West together. His 'Musings are those of a cultural envoy and a
peacemaker."

Ban Ki-moon
Former United Nations Secretary-General

"George Yeo is brilliant. Singaporeans know this. Now, through this delicate mingling of personal
stories, insightful anecdotes and deep historical and philosophical reflections, George Yeo allows the
soul of Singapore to shine through in these pages. The exceptional economic success story of
Singapore is well known. George Yeo has done his fellow Singaporeans and the world a great
service by sharing this extraordinary rich Singapore soul. Like Lee Kuan Yew's memoirs, these
musings will be read and reflected on for generations. An absolute must read. And, amazingly, a
very easy read, accessible to all."

Kishore Mahbubani
a Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore
is the author of Has China Won?

"By sharing intimate thoughts about his world, George Yeo shows us how plural a 'Singaporean' can
be. He relates every connection in life that he finds memorable — whether at work, at home, or at
play — and a complex diversity shines through. The simple strokes he makes on this canvas
illustrate an exceptional Chinese Singaporean as but one intriguing part of a multi-coloured national
mural. Reading his musings reminds us how much more there is to tell about this new island state."
Wang Gungwu
University Professor

"We live in a complex world and a turbulent era. Mere analyses do not seem to offer us much
certainty. We need wisdom that is grounded in real-world experience. George Yeo's diverse Musings
are woven into a masterpiece of insights so relevant to our world today. Myriad contradictions — in
cultures, identities, history and realities — are treated with sensitivity and thoughtfulness. What one

gains from the series are not references and models, but a deep sense of understanding that would
be very useful when we navigate our unpredictable future."

Eric Li
Shanghai Venture Capitalist and Political Scientist

"A vivid remembrance by a visionary statesman of the search for his Chinese heritage and his
impassioned exploration of Asian connections that bind Southeast Asia with both South and East
Asia. George Yeo's evocative Musings provide an intellectual foundation and a moral compass for
politics in our time, showing how scholars and statesmen can celebrate diversity and strive together
for an Asian renaissance."

Sugata Bose
Gardiner Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs, Harvard University

"Musings is an easy, entertaining, and yet educational book. Especially for people like myself who
live in the generally homogeneous society of mainland China, Singapore's diversity, as richly
presented by George Yeo, serves as an epitome of mankind. For students of international affairs,
George Yeo in this pictorial volume teaches us how to integrate strategic vision, intercultural
knowledge, and diplomatic skills to contribute to his own country and indeed the whole world."
Wang Jisi
President, Institute of International and Strategic Studies, Peking University

"George Yeo's beautifully written memoir is both highly informative about the world (not least about
India and Singapore) and fun to read. Yeo's variety of experiences as a military officer, leading
statesman and public thinker are all striking, but in addition he shows an exceptional ability to
recount past events entertainingly and also explain why the recounted events may be important.
One of the intellectual developments on which Yeo throws exceptional light concerns the attempted
revival of the oldest university in the world, Nalanda, established under Buddhist leadership in the
fifth century.
Yeo was, from the beginning of the efforts in reviving Nalanda, a member of the mentor group and
played a powerful role. Yeo's account of the political events which led to his resignation as second
Chancellor cannot be read without a sad realization of what India lost as a result."

Amartya Sen
Thomas W Lamont University Professor at Harvard University

Over sessions which lasted two to three hours each time, every week for half a year, George Yeo
met and mused over a wide range of topics with writer Woon Tai Ho and research assistant Keith
Yap. Speaking from notes, he began with himself and his hope for Singapore, and then spanned
over a wide range of subjects — from the importance of human diversity and Singapore's reflection
within itself of the world, to history, politics, economics, philosophy, taijigong and religion. He gives
his views on India, China, ASEAN, Europe, the US and other parts of the world, and how Singapore's
history and destiny are connected to all of them. The style is conversational and anecdotal.

George Yeo: Musings is exactly that — musings. Some themes recur throughout the book which
reflect his view of life. But there is no grand theory. He does not expect all of his reflections to be of
interest to everyone, but he hopes that everyone will find something of interest.
This is the first of a three-part series.
Readership: Readers from Singapore, China, India and Southeast Asia who are interested in
George Yeo's perspective on history, politics, economics, philosophy, and other related topics.
Key Features:
 Tells George Yeo's story in a casual format
 Includes personal anecdotes from his childhood, his hobbies, and talks about his
schizophrenic eldest brother for the first time
 Includes George Yeo's thoughts on his parents, on suffering and God, and his latest insights
about China, India, Southeast Asia, China, Europe and the US

Over sessions which lasted two to three hours each time, every week for half a year, George Yeo
met and mused over a wide range of topics with writer Woon Tai Ho and research assistant Keith
Yap. Speaking from notes, he began with himself and his hope for Singapore, and then spanned
over a wide range of subjects — from the importance of human diversity and Singapore's reflection
within itself of the world, to history, politics, economics, philosophy, taijigong and religion. He gives
his views on India, China, ASEAN, Europe, the US and other parts of the world, and how Singapore's
history and destiny are connected to all of them. The style is conversational and anecdotal.
George Yeo: Musings is exactly that — musings. Some themes recur throughout the book which
reflect his view of life. But there is no grand theory. He does not expect all of his reflections to be of
interest to everyone, but he hopes that everyone will find something of interest.
This is the second of a three-part series.
Contents: The Three Popes; Vatican-China Relations; Glimpses into Islam's Struggles; The
Diversity of the Ummah; European Smorgasbord; The European Experiment; Europe's De-
Christianization; Changing Tides: Europe, Africa and Latin America; Changing Tides: Japan;
Changing Tides: Korea; Changing Tides: Rest of Asia; Schooling in the US; Saved in the US;
THE ESSENTIAL TRADE BOOK FOR YOUR SHELVES

Singapore-US Relations; US-China: Protracted Struggle; Whither Pax Americana?; ASEAN Dalam:
Indonesia; ASEAN Dalam: Malaysia and Brunei; ASEAN Gamelan: Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia
and Laos; Myanmar and Vietnam;
Readership: Readers from Singapore, China, India and Southeast Asia who are interested in
George Yeo's perspective on history, politics, economics, philosophy, and other related topics.

Key Features:
 Tells George Yeo's story in a casual format
 Includes personal anecdotes from his childhood, his hobbies, and talks about his
schizophrenic eldest brother for the first time
 Includes George Yeo's thoughts on his parents, on suffering and God, and his latest insights
about China, India, Southeast Asia, China, Europe and the US