Singapore, City of the Lion, but also the Manhattan of the Far East. Smoke rises from joss sticks burning in the temples of Chinatown up towards bold, glittering skyscrapers in which modern international businesses flourish. The combined efforts of unstoppable progress and highly diverse but peacefully co-existing ethnic communities, each with its own history and traditions, make this tiny city-state one of the world's most successful cities.

The Singapore story is one of perseverance and determination. This book attempts to capture the spirit of a thoroughly modern nation that still retains much of its old world charm.