Non-historians often do not realise the importance of history to the present and future directions of nations. Lee Kuan Yew, the legendary Senior Minister of Singapore summed it up best when he once stated "to understand the present and anticipate the future, one must know enough of the past, enough to have a sense of history of a people". A Short History of South-East Asia, now in its sixth edition, is written around that quote and is primarily for businessmen and other non-historians.

"If one could only have one book on South-East Asian history, this incisive and accessible book will fill the gap admirably. It offer in a nutshell and interesting historical perspective of each country." — Dato Zaid Ibrahim, Member of Parliament for Kato Bharu, Malaysia

"A Short History of South-East Asia is one of my best references whenever I need to look for factual information and explanation about major events in South-East Asia, covering the most recent period and going back more than a thousand year." — Narongchai Akrasanee, Former Thailand Minister of Commerce

"Any businessman doing or wanting to do business in SE Asia must understand the history of the area if he is to be successful. The history of each country plays an important part in understanding the country’s culture and behaviour. This easily read book provides this invaluable information - ignore it at your peril." — Mike M. Courtnall, President, Asian Building and Manufacturing Markets, BHP Steel Limited

"Succinct, reliable, historical surveys of each state of ASEAN, reaching right up to the present day. Such a country-by-country approach has real value for the business visitor of the tourist moving around this complex region. No one seeking to identify opportunities and dangers in Southeast Asia can ignore the historical processes that shape the different societies." — Anthony Milner, Basham Professor of Asian History, Australian National University

"This authoritative, concise, balanced and accessible history neatly fills the gap between the tourist guides and the weighty academic tomes. It gives the reader an authentic "feed for history", so necessary to understand the present." — Stephen Grenville, Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia

"The interpretation of events in this book has managed to capture to a considerable degree South East Asian perceptions of history. To have achieved this in such a brief text is impressive." — Nono Anwar Makarim, Founder and Counsel to Makarim and Taira, Jakarta, Indonesia

"Peter has invaluable insights as a result of his many years living, investing and working in South East Asia. It is clear through his writing that he has taken the time to really get a deep understanding of local people, systems and conditions and thereby provides a balanced view of the historical development of each individual country. He is one of my favourite 'go to' commentators on the countries in our region." — Dane Chamorro, CFE, Senior Partner, Head of ASEAN, Control Risks

"A masterful overview of South East Asian history in a single volume." — Ronachai Krisadaolarn, Managing Director, Bangkok International Associates, Thailand

"Peter Church's book is ideal for those wanting to learn why South East Asia countries operate the way they do by understanding their interrelated histories. It is also a great refresher and reference for those familiar with South East Asia." — Michael Mann AM, Former Australian Ambassador to Laos and Vietnam, Chancellor, Torrens University, Australia

"The countries that make up the trading bloc known as ASEAN are not homogeneous and they vary vastly in culture, religion and peoples. Hence, a successful business strategy for one country will not necessarily succeed in another. Any businessman wanting to do business in South East Asia must understand the history of the area if he is to be successful. This easily read book provides this invaluable information – ignore it at your peril." — Valeriano del Rosario, Managing Partner, Del Rosario, Raboca, Gonzales, Grasparil, Manila, Philippines

"The countries comprising South East Asia are historically, culturally and politically diverse. Yet, this short book manages to pull these different strands together to provide readers with an easy to understand "feel" for the past and present of these countries and a glimpse into where they might be heading in the future. A must read for those wishing to go beyond tourist guides and get a deeper understanding why certain things are where they are now in these countries." — Lai Voon Keat, Managing Partner, Greater China, Stephenson Harwood, Hong Kong

"[T]he book has achieved its aim – that is, to generate a strong interest in South-East Asia’s history and make the reader reflect on its implications for the present and future of a region that is increasingly crucial for the destiny of the world." — Giuseppe Gabusi, Assistant Professor, University of Turin, Head of Program, T.wai – Torino World Affairs Institute.

Copies of the sixth edition of A Short History of South-East Asia are available to purchase through Amazon, as both an e-book and a paperback, and via its publisher, Wiley.

The second edition of the book is available to view online here: http://www.afgventuregroup.com/a_short_history_of_south_east_asia/