Includes bibliographical references (pages 195-208) and index.

Prologue : the ruins of Champa -- The humanist dilemma -- China's Caribbean -- The fate of Vietnam -- The concert of civilizations? -- The good autocrat -- America's colonial burden -- Asia's Berlin -- The state of nature -- Epilogue : the slums of Borneo.

"Over the last decade, the center of world power has been quietly shifting from Europe to Asia. With possible oil reserves of several billion barrels, by some estimates nine hundred trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and several centuries worth of competing territorial claims, the South China Sea in particular is a simmering pot of potential conflict. In this intensely readable book, one of the world's most perceptive foreign policy experts explores the conflicts brewing in the region and their implications for global peace and stability. To understand the future of conflict in East Asia, Robert D. Kaplan argues, one must understand the goals and motivations of its leaders and its people. Part travelogue, part geopolitical primer, 'Asia's Cauldron' takes us on a journey through the region's boom cities and ramshackle slums - from Vietnam to Malaysia, Singapore to the Philippines. At a time when every day's news seems to contain a story - large or small- that directly relates to conflicts over the South China Sea, 'Asia's Cauldron' is an indispensable guide to a corner of the globe that will affect all of our lives for decades to come." -- Back cover