Insider's Kuala Lumpur

To appreciate a city fully is to understand the underpinnings of its past. A city's history is made up of a rich melange of events - some well-known and others well-hidden. The "Insider's" series acts as a companion for those in search of the what, why and when - to better understand the city and its history. Kuala Lumpur - cosmopolitan capital of Malaysia - sits comfortably and proudly among other capital cities of the world. Once a sleepy backwater of wooden houses standing precariously on stilts on the Klang River, the city has grown into a metropolis and is now one of Southeast Asia's most exciting destinations. The architecture is a mixture of old and new: its colonial buildings vie for attention among soaring skyscrapers; its noisy street markets compete with newly built, modern shopping centres. In this revised edition of "Insider's Kuala Lumpur", author Lam Seng Fatt explores the city's famous, as well as its not-so-famous landmarks. His collection of captivating stories will make the reader appreciate the city - from the gambling dens of the early years to the eclectic European-inspired mansions of rich Chinese tycoons; from the adventures of the colonial coffee planters to infamous criminals.