Though it might seem a no-brainer, this investment primer proves to be a careful study of current economic development in Asia that includes some surprising findings. The authors debunk current fears of Asian hegemony (which echo Americans' 1980s "turning Japanese" angst) and suggest shrewd investments. Among other compelling observations, Mostrous and company note the numerous obstacles both China and India face in becoming first-world economies. For one thing, neither society is consumer-based, as are the West and Japan. For China and India to be able to support a first world economy, their domestic consumption would need to radically increase. However, the authors sidestep the troubling question of whether the planet can support consumption of the magnitude China and India would bring the bear. Equally disturbing are the authors' assertions that the U.S. will have to drop security commitments to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan in order to embrace China, and that India will have to be recognized as a "responsible nuclear power." Certainly, money is to be made in Asia's rise, namely in commodities like wheat and fertilizer, and in the burgeoning goods markets of developed economies, including processed foods and frozen meats. An excellent overview of projected Asian (and global) economic and geopolitical development, this book suggests far-sighted strategies for the clever investor.