The first installment of Lee Kuan Yew's memoirs, published in 1999, covers the road to Singapore's independence as told by the leader who made the small island state internationally consequential.

Lee writes at close range about the three sets of opponents he contended with: colonial administrators, communists, and those mobilizing along communal lines. He describes maneuvering among them with considerable political skill, at times drawing an adversary into cooperation and at times confronting him outright, with Singapore's advantage always the object.

Among the episodes recounted are his leadership of unionists on strike against the colonial authorities and the relationships he cultivated over tea and rounds of golf.