Southeast Asian history and historiography would be greatly handicapped if the writings of Nicholas Tarling (b. 1931), currently emeritus professor at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, were removed from the increasingly expanding literature. His books and articles have attained 'classic' status, never failing to be listed in students' 'Required Reading Lists'. In critically scrutinizing and analysing British imperial designs on the region, Tarling has contributed significantly to the historiography of Southeast Asia as Great Britain was a major player, if not the dalang (puppeteer) of events and developments on the geopolitical stage. Tarling's corpus of works, specifically his papers published in scholarly journals, is an essential guide to the politics and history of Southeast Asia.