Book on Mr Lee puts together essays, photos and tributes

A BOOK about the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew - featuring essays, photographs and tributes - will go on sale today.

Lee Kuan Yew - A Tribute features articles penned by colleagues, friends and family members, and political journalists, which ran in The Straits Times in the days following his death at the age of 91 on March 23.

Published by The Straits Times Press, the 148-page full-colour book comprises five sections that cover the key milestones in the former prime minister's life.

Founding Father documents Mr Lee's work with the unions in the early days and the British pullout.

Former president S R Nathan wrote about working with Mr Lee when he was a junior civil servant in the early days of independence.

"He would grill anyone he met for ideas that could be useful - many a time I saw foreign dignitaries and other experts emerge from a meeting with him in a state of exhaustion," said Mr Nathan.

The second section, Party Man, covers Mr Lee's foray into politics and his work on the campaign trail through the eyes of those who worked closely with him, such as former ministers S. Dhanabalan, George Yeo and Abdullah Tarmugi.

The third section, Nation Builder, shows Mr Lee's contributions to Singapore - from developing the port and building homes to growing the economy.

The fourth section, Foreign Policy Architect, explains his strategies in helping Singapore gain a presence on the world stage and his role as a trusted adviser to world leaders in his later years.

Contributors include Ambassador-At-Large Tommy Koh and former United States secretary of state Henry Kissinger, who said his friendship with Mr Lee was one of the great blessings in his life.

"He developed into a world statesman who acted as a kind of conscience to leaders around the globe," wrote Mr Kissinger.

The final section, Family Man, explores Mr Lee's role as a devoted husband and caring father. It includes essays from his siblings, Ms Monica Lee and Mr Lee Suan Yew, and his children, Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang.

The book is on sale from today at major bookstores for $25. DBS Bank contributed to the production cost of the book.

ameltan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 21, 2015.
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