The book was inspired by an international conference, Encounters & connected histories : prelude to 1819, which was held at the National Museum of Singapore (NMS) on 26-27 September 2019. The book explores the colonial interests and the local perspective of events that took place in the 200 years leading up to the establishment of the British East India Company trading settlement in Singapore in 1819. The story begins in the East Indies in the early 17th century, wgere trade and culture flourished. During that period , the East Indies referred to the area that corresponds roughly to the territories covered by Indonesia, Malaysias and Singapore today. The European entry into the region, hoever, was only part of a longer history of Sinbgapore and the surrounding region, and the events that took place 400 years ago continue to have an impact on the region today.

The European perspective of the East Indies was a "New World" ripe for discovering and harvesting, while the locals saw this as an "Old World" that had already existed and thrived long before the arrival of the Europeans. The book aims to get readers to reflect on the region's legacy and see its relevance today, Singapore's maritime heritage and its strong position in international trade today were shaped by historical events, its deep connection with its neighbours Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as its strategic geographical location on the global trading routes.