A solid and digestible introduction to Southeast Asia at a certain time in history. Interesting that the summary and evaluation of European imperialism, nationalism, communism and the role of the overseas Chinese is not matched by a comparable analysis of the US intervention in Vietnam (which is noted more than once) even though the book was written in 1967. Of course the Vietnam War was not yet over (and maybe the hopelessness of the war was not yet evident), but then some of the other themes were also ongoing. No doubt regardless of whatever intentions the author may have had, Time-Life did not have any appetite to get into taking a position on US foreign policy in a book intended to be an introduction to a region.