There are only so many books that I read or listen to in a year that I often try to give up on books early if I don’t feel like I’m getting value out of them. “How Asia Works” was a little different because whenever I’d consider throwing in the towel, I would come across a very interesting concept and keep listening. However, it wasn’t captivating enough to prevent me from switching to my regular podcasts every now and then.
The book felt very dense and long-winded. It was full of names, dates, people, places and didn’t follow a chronological order. This isn’t necessarily bad but is not the best format via which I retain information. When it comes to non-technical reading, I prefer to read about grand cohesive concepts interleaved with specific examples and anecdotes. This book had too much of the latter. I would often lose focus but not be interested enough to rewind back to the part which I missed.
On the bright side, understanding the impact and importance of land reform and manufacturing before a country can develop to have a “1st world economy” is extremely interesting. I kept thinking about how big of a role it played during the fall of the Soviet Union. Seeing how I’m from Russian, I finally understood why land and houses were freely distributed to all citizens when the communist party collapsed. In a way, this gave everyone startup capital and an incentive to grow the economy further. Putin aside, I believe that the land reform that took place during the formation of Russian in the early 1990s was vital in developing its current economy.
Overall, this book is good but not for everyone. I wouldn’t say it’s a must read unless you’re very interested in details of how modern Asia came to be.