What happens when English fluency isn't enough?

In this powerful collection of real-world stories, Mike Liu takes us deep into classrooms, offices, and quiet crises across Southeast Asia—where language ability meets cultural illusion. From Singaporean professionals who bluff their way through grammar, to Vietnamese mothers translating with heart, and NTU PhDs struggling with unreadable dissertations, Beyond Fluency reveals what test scores can't.

With calm precision and unflinching honesty, Liu dismantles the myths surrounding "good English" in elite academic and corporate settings. These stories aren't just about language—they're about power, pride, and the silent wars that unfold when communication breaks down.

For readers of language, education, or cross-cultural conflict, Beyond Fluency is both a warning and a quiet act of resistance.