includes bibliography,index

Great discussion of South East Asian history; the cultural influences that shaped each country; the progress of each nation in the 19th/20th centuries; their relationships with China, America, Europe, Oceania, and East Asia; the progress and events that ASEAN was involved in; and how ASEAN compares to the other major regional organisation - the EU.

The book is not biased to any particular ASEAN country, and focuses on the Indian/Hindu, Chinese, Islamic, and European influence on the region. A few conflicts were raised, more prominently regarding Vietnam (Vietnam War, Vietnam-Cambodia, and Vietnam-China conflicts), and how ASEAN decided integrate Vietnam.

There are a lot of history, events, and policies mentioned in the book that are rarely discussed in media or in pre-university textbooks, so it has been quite an eye-opening read. ASEAN indeed has done a fair bit of moderation in geopolitical tension in SEA, as the trade and foreign affairs ministers consciously try to make decisions to protect the peace of the region. It certainly lacks power, but plays the role of a platform for civil discussion, and as a show of solidarity against foreign powers who would play nations against each other for their own short-term benefits.
For anyone who enjoys reading about history and politics, I would recommend taking a look at South East Asian history and ASEAN, instead of always gazing over at Europe, East Asia, or America.