"But that is not to suggest that Lee set out to write a self-satisfied testimonial.

"He devotes his first chapter to his biggest failure: Malaysia's 1965 decision to expel Singapore after two years of  contentious union.

"Cut off from its hinterland, devoid of resources, Singapore has managed to prosper nonetheless (the subject of Lee's  next volume).

"But the Malay sea is churning again around the little island, as Malaysia to the north and Indonesia to the south  slide toward turmoil.

"Singapore's game goes on, and Lee Kuan Yew, elder statesman, still cannot afford to rest his fears.'
-- Newsweek's review of the memoirs titled The Survival Game, in its Sept 28 issue

"While the memoirs will be read avidly by historians, they are also accessible to the general reader, though the  excessive detail may make some eyes glaze over.

"The book's easy style is peppered with Lee's sharp, sometimes witty, commentary about people in his life, among them  his strict father.'
-- Asiaweek's cover story titled War Of Words, which appeared in its September 25 issue

"The 680-page volume is a reminder of how deeply Singapore is defined by Lee's personality, his experiences and his  perceptions of the region's history.

"The gripping and candid, if self-serving, narrative shows how his methods of dealing with crisis and his authoritarian  style of governance have shaped today's Singapore.

"His associates and successors may fine-tune it, but they haven't changed Lee's basic approach.'
-- The Far Eastern Economic Review's introduction to the Senior Minister's memoirs, titled Politically Incorrect, in  its September 24 edition

"Well, there are several types of accusations. One of the accusations is that he timed the publication of his book to  hurt Malaysia at a time when Malaysia is hosting this major Commonwealth Games.

"And that's a silly accusation because, first of all, the publication of the book is timed to coincide with Lee's 75th  birthday, which happens to be Sept 16.

"Besides, the publication of a book is such a long process that it was impossible for anybody to guess that by the time  the book comes out, that the region would be in turmoil and Malaysia would have its difficulties.'
-- Editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review Nayan Chanda, in an interview with cable news network CNBC last  month