Socio-economic interpretation of political realities among peoples of Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

KIRKUS REVIEW

Facts interpreted with experience and understanding can make most puzzlements ""scrutable,"" which is exactly what this expert New York Times-man manages to do with the political enigmas of Southeast Asia. Asian politics finds its own special home in its history, socio-economic conditions, and above all, in the peculiarly Asian character and attitudes that become apparent in the author's analyses of the different countries. Over seventeen years of Far Eastern reportage qualify him well in his discussions of Sukarno's chaotic Indonesia, the Tungku's new Malaysian assemblage, Burma's political challenge, the Philippine's mestizo inheritance, Thailand's ambiguous smile, the ""Monseigneur-King"" of Cambodia, and even South Vietnam's Dragon Lady and her ex-cohorts. Focussing on ""the Great Game"" between East and West with Southeast Asian stakes, Trumbull demonstrates the problems and how the United States is handling or mishandling them, with Communist China on the other end of the political see-saw. The impression remains that if our foreign policy-makers had as clear a view of the area as is presented here, they might avoid the inscrutability that causes so much error and misunderstanding. Excellent journalism, and more than that: 20-20 Western vision of a crucial Eastern scene.