The author was born in Ipoh in 1939 and this book recounts some of the challenges of growing up amidst two periods of colonialism, two major wars, and one minor war. The 15 years after 1957 were some of the happiest years for him, as being a persevering scholar won him scholarships that took him to the US and UK. There was peace, there was prosperity, there was very little discrimination and there was meritocracy.