Singapore Is Not an Island by Bilahari Kausikan

Singapore, Singapore

I've been really interested in Singapore over the past few years. They are a relatively progressive country with strong environmental policy on a beautiful island (Singapore actually IS an island...). My desire to go there was strengthened even more after Top Chef Season 7 went there.

So, being someone with interest in going to Singapore, I came across this simply-sounding title with an obnoxiously colored cover (seemingly there to draw in readers). It sounded like a great way to learn more about Singapore. I mean, if you didn't even know if Singapore was an island or not, then the book should be basics about the culture, people, etc., right? Wrong.

Singapore Is Not an Island is an academic book written for Singaporian college-aged students interested in a career in foreign policy. That is not me.

I can't give this book a fair review because it simply wasn't made for me. If I didn't have the compulsion to not put down a book once I've picked it up, I simply would have stopped reading it. I did pick up a couple interesting tid bits, but honestly this book isn't going to be one I think about very often. The one thing that made it easier for me as a complete outsider (but could be annoying to someone with more background knowledge) is that this book is a series of articles and speeches written by Kausikan, so many of his ideas are repeated.

I can't even do a "Review by the Numbers," that would be unfair to Kausikan. But, if you are a Singaporian interested in foreign policy, this book could be a nice read!

- Singapore (Reading My Way Around the World Challenge)

- A Book About Asian/Middle Eastern Experiences (My Diversity Challenge)

- South Asia (Book Voyage Challenge)

- The Book on Your TBR List with the Ugliest Cover (It's not THAT ugly, but I'm a little bitter that the cover made the book seem like a different genre than it is) (2021 PopSugar Reading Challenge)