"Tigers Tamed," "The Trouble with Tigers," "Asian Contagion." It's hard to miss a touch of what seems like gloating in the attempts to chronicle Asia's recent misfortunes.
Of course, the way that some Asian leaders trumpeted the essential differences -- and the superiority -- of their socioeconomic models makes it hard to resist the temptation to get a few kicks in. But the human cost of the "Asian crisis" and the potential effect on the world financial system should quickly restore a little perspective. This isn't merely an "Asian crisis," nor is it about bragging rights. It is about the prospects and living standards for half of humanity.
Robert Garran, a longtime student of Asian affairs whose bylines have appeared in The Australian, The Age and the Australian Financial Review, does his profession justice in "Tigers Tamed." His assessment of the events of the last two years is balanced, informed and well-written. His conclusions are not likely to surprise many people, although his inclination to blame the Japanese for creating the conditions that led to the crunch in the summer of 1997 will irritate decision-makers in Tokyo.