TASH AW
Five Star Billionaire
A Novel
Copyright
First published in Great Britain in 2013 by
Fourth Estate
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
Copyright © Tash Aw 2013
Cover credit © Jack Smyth; Figure photo © Tim Robinson / Upsplash; Stones © Jeremy Cai / Unsplash
The right of Tash Aw to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.
Source ISBN: 9780007494187
Ebook Edition © February 2013 ISBN: 9780007494170
Version: 2019-02-20
For Aw Tee Min and Yap Chee Chun
Suppose one can live without outside pressure, suppose one can create one’s own inner tension – then it is not true that there is nothing in man.
CZESŁAW MIŁOSZ, The Captive Mind
Contents
Foreword: How to be a Billionaire
2. Choose the Right Moment to Launch Yourself
3. Bravely Set the World on Fire
4. Forget the Past, Look Only to the Future
6. Perform All Obligations and Duties with Joy
7. Calmly Negotiate Difficult Situations
8. Always Rebound After Each Failure
9. Pursue Gains, Forget Righteousness
10. Never Lapse into Despair or Apathy
11. Inquire Deeply into Every Problem
12. Work with a Soulmate, Someone Who Understands You
13. Luxuriate in Serendipitous Events
14. Even Beautiful Things Will Fade
15. A Strong Fighting Spirit Swallows Mountains and Rivers
16. Beware of Storms Arising from Clear Skies
17. Cultivate an Urbane, Humorous Personality
18. Be Prepared to Sacrifice Everything
19. There Can Be No Turning Back
20. Anticipate Danger in Times of Peace
21. Adopt Others’ Thoughts as Though They Were Your Own
22. Boundaries Change with the Passing of Time
23. Nothing Remains Good or Bad Forever
24. Embrace Your Bright Future
25. Know When to Cut Your Losses
26. Strive to Understand the Big Picture
27. Nothing in Life Lasts Forever