“Rivers of Iron provides insights on a central issue of our time: building railways and other modes of transport. It goes beyond building connections. It is about stirring growth and sharing prosperity. The authors’ vivid account of the construction of railways between individual Southeast Asian countries and China has indeed captured these and more.”—Mahathir bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia "This book deserves to become an instant classic. Its approach is to consider everything significantly connected to its subject, from the making of Chinese foreign policy to the desires and doubts of each of its prospective partners, all the while keeping the rails in focus. The authors provide a definitive study of a major component of China's Belt and Road Initiative and a credible picture of the ongoing transformation of the economic geography of East Asia."—Brantly Womack, Professor of Foreign Affairs, University of Virginia "A highly compelling read. This book is thoroughly researched, well constructed, and well argued, but more importantly, it is a balanced and impartial account of China’s railway expansion in Southeast Asia, providing much-needed fact-based evidence for current debates on China’s global commercial diplomacy.”—Agatha Kratz, Associate Director, Rhodium Group