As a senior civil servant and mandarin from 1959 to 1999, the author served with the founding generation of political leaders and contributed to Singapore's economic growth. In this book, he shares his personal anecdotes and perceptive insights. He also questions some of the policies of government and emerging trends in the country.

Singapore's success story has increasingly been recognised but few have told it from the perspective of an insider. As a senior civil servant and "mandarin" from 1959 to 1999, Ngiam Tong Dow served with the founding generation of political leaders and contributed to the country's economic growth. In this book, he reflects on these experiences, sharing personal anecdotes and perceptive insights of the early decades. He also boldly questions some of the policies of government and emerging trends in the country to suggest how Singapore must change to survive and thrive in the future.