Adventures and Encounters, Europeans in Southeast Asia  •  J.M. Gullick ANTHOLOGY •  1996 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES This anthology offers a diverse selection of European accounts of Southeast Asia. The writers range from 16th century explorers and mariners to 19th century naturalists and modern literary travelers. Complemented by engravings and archival photographs. (INS20, $60.00)
Arts of Southeast Asia  •  Fiona Kerlogue ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES A handsome guide to the art, architecture, textiles and crafts of Southeast Asia, featuring 183 illustrations, 102 in color. Organized thematically, this concise book includes chapters on Hindu, Buddhist and indigenous art. A volume in the World of Art series. (SEA45, $16.95)
Brother Number One, A Political Biography of Pol Pot  •  David Chandler BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1999 •  PAPER  • 264 PAGES The definitive history of the Pol Pot era by the author of the History of Cambodia. (CBD23, $32.00)
Buddhism and Society, A Great Tradition and Its Burmese Vicissitudes  •  Melford E. Spiro RELIGION •  1982 •  PAPER  • 560 PAGES This scholarly book, based on field work in the 1960s, is a surprisingly good introduction to the practice -- and impact -- of Buddhism in Burma. Spiro stars out with a clear and useful introduction to Theravada Buddhism. (BMA34, $35.50)
Buddhist Art and Architecture  •  Robert Fisher ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1993 •  PAPER  • 216 PAGES A wide-ranging, illustrated survey of Buddhist art, architecture and iconography in the excellent World of Art series. It includes examples from throughout Asia. (ASA30, $18.95)
The Buddhist Handbook  •  John Snelling RELIGION •  1992 •  PAPER  • 345 PAGES Subtitled, "The Complete Guide to Buddhist Schools, Teaching, Practice and History, " this even-handed book is a concise primer covering the history, philosophical foundation and practice of Buddhism. It gives a basic overview of the teachings and practice of Buddhism, including a who's who of contemporary teachers and list of useful addresses around the world. (ASA08, $16.95)
The Burma Road, The Epic Story of the China-Burma-India Theater in World War II  •  Donovan Webster HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES The tale of the building of the 700-mile supply route to China under impossible circumstances over difficult terrain during WWII. It's a heroic tale of daring pilots and workers, both local and American, many of them black soldiers, dramatized in the movie The Bridge over the River Kwai. The book, by a former editor at Outside magazine, is part history and part adventure. Donovan draws on archival materials, military history, interview and travel in recreating the harrowing events surrounding the building of the Burma Road and the connecting Ledo Road from 1942-1945. General Joseph (Vinegar Joe) W. Stilwell gets a starring role. (BMA41, $14.95)
Burmese Supernaturalism  •  Melford E. Spiro RELIGION •  1996 •  PAPER  • 300 PAGES Spiro, a scholar of Buddhism and the author of Buddhism and Society, A Great Tradition and its Burmese Vicissitudes examines the folk religions of Burma and their relationship to Buddhism, as well as the origins of religion in general in this overview of ancient (and ongoing) Burmese religious tradiitons. (BMA48, $29.95)
Cambodia  •  Michael Freeman CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2004 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES A political and cultural history of Cambodia by writer, photographer and keen observer Michael Freeman. (CBD40, $27.00)
Cambodia and Laos Map  •  ITMB 2003 •  MAP A full color map of Laos and Cambodia for the traveler at a scale of 1:800,000. With an index, and small inset maps of central Phnom Penh and Vientiane. (LAO07, $11.95)
Lonely Planet Myanmar  •  Joe Cummings  •  Michael Clark GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 428 PAGES A practical guide to Burma featuring 66 maps, a good overview of culture, history and nature, and good information on excursions, accommodations and sightseeing. It also includes 32 pages of color photographs. (BMA20, $23.99)
Cambodia's New Deal  •  William Shawcross HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 106 PAGES (CBD14, $9.95)
Cambodia, A Shattered Society  •  Mark W. Mcleod  •  Marie Martin HISTORY •  1994 •  HARD COVER  • 383 PAGES A political and cultural history of post-Pol Pot Cambodia for a scholarly audience. (CBD22, $65.00)
Cambodian Culture Since 1975  •  May Ebihara HISTORY •  1994 •  PAPER  • 194 PAGES A scholary collection of articles on Cambodian culture since the violence of Pol Pot's regime in the 1970s. (CBD21, $22.95)
Children of Cambodia's Killing Fields: Memoirs by Survivors  •  Dith Pran  •  Ben Kiernan  •  Kim DePaul BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1999 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES A series of eyewitness testimonies of the Cambodian genocide of the 1970s. Dith Pran, the photojournalist whose story was told in the film The Killing Fields, compiled 29 accounts, all told by people who were children during Khmer Rouge's reign of terror. (CBD33, $19.50)
Classical Dance and Theatre in South-East Asia  •  Jukka O. Miettinen CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1993 •  HARD COVER  • 228 PAGES An illustrated introduction to disappearing traditions in dance, theater, and puppet theater in Vietnam, Burma, Thailand, Java, and Bali. (SEA54, $85.00)
Collected Short Stories, Volume 4  •  W. Somerset Maugham LITERATURE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 464 PAGES Maugham can evoke turn-of-the-century colonial Asia like no other. This collection of stories features many set in Malaysia and other southeast Asian locales, including the well-known tale "The Letter." (SEA01, $17.00)
Culture Shock! Myanmar  •  Saw Myat Yin GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 234 PAGES A lively, straight-forward guide to customs and business etiquette, culture and manners in Burma. (BMA53, $15.95)
Down the Rat Hole, Adventures Underground on the Burma Frontier  •  Edith Mirante BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2005 •  PAPER  • 200 PAGES Further tales by the American activist in Burma. (BMA50, $21.95)
A Dragon Apparent, Travels in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam  •  Norman Lewis TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 358 PAGES • FAVORITE • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE A classic account of travels and adventure during the last years of French Indochina, strong on atmosphere and including wonderfully detailed descriptions of local cultures and archaeological treasures. Originally published in 1951, this was the first title by John Hatt and the estimable Eland books. (SEA40, $33.95)
The Ends of the Earth, A Journey to the Frontiers of Anarchy  •  Robert D. Kaplan TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 476 PAGES Kaplan, a veteran foreign correspondent and wonderful writer, journeys though much of the third world in this far-ranging, insightful report on sociopolitics, the future and other big topics. Organized geographically, he hops from West Africa to the Nile, Balkans, Central Asia, China and Southeast Asia. Two large sections are devoted to Iran and the former Soviet republics of Central Asia. (WLD26, $16.00)
First They Killed My Father, A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers  •  Loung Ung BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2001 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES By the age of eight, Loung Ung had survived the deaths of both her parents and two sisters at the hands of Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge. Loung Ung and her brother were eventually rescued by humanitarian workers and brought to the U.S., and here she retells the harrowing story of those brutal years spent in Cambodia as a young girl. Written in the present tense, it's an eye-opening eyewitness account of the atrocities suffered by millions of Cambodians from the perspective of a survivor. (CBD13, $13.95)
Flame Tree, A Novel of Modern Burma  •  Keith Dahlberg LITERATURE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES The dramatic wartime tale of George Daniels, an unassuming teacher in Burma who finds himself in the midst of a war between the Burmese dictatorship and the rebel forces of the hill armies. George's status as an innocent observer is threatened when his wife is held hostage. (BMA45, $15.95)
Flavors of Burma, Cuisine and Culture from the Land of Golden Pagodas  •  Ssusan Chan FOOD •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 130 PAGES A guide to the culture and traditions of Burma, and especially its food, featuring 76 recipes. In addition to an good sampling of dishes and meals, Chan includes an overview of food and markets, ingredients, customs, language, and festivals. (BMA37, $22.50)
Footprint Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos  •  Jack O'Tailan  •  Claire Boobbyer  •  John Colet  •  Andrew Spooner GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 560 PAGES A detailed, practical guide to Bangkok, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, filled with maps, background on attractions, practical information on transportation, food, activities and lodgings, and a handful of well selected photographs. About half the book focuses on Vietnam, but there is an extended chapter on Angkor and about 100 pages on Laos. (SEA52, $24.95)
Forgotten Armies: The Fall of British Asia, 1941-1945  •  Christopher Bayly  •  Timothy Harper HISTORY •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 608 PAGES A gripping history of Britain's WWII campaigns in India, Burma and Malaysia by two Cambridge University historians. The authors draw on multiple perspectives, including that of the Japanese, in this authoritative history of famous and horrifying battles. With 34 black-and-white photographs and seven maps. (ASA45, $29.95)
A Fortune-Teller Told Me, Earthbound Travels in the Far East  •  Tizanio Terzani TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 371 PAGES Grounded for a year, the peripatetic journalist (Italian-born, writing in German, and based in India) sets off by any other means to complete his rounds through Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Thailand, Mongolia, China, Japan and other far-flung destinations. The result is this warm, anecdotal account of the character of the region. It's got to be the book most recommended to us on contemporary Asia. (SEA35, $14.95)
The Gate  •  Francois Bizot BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2004 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES In this chilling account Bizot, a French ethnologist married to a Khmer woman, tells of his remarkable, terrifying years during the reign of the Khmer Rouge. Bizot is the only Westerner imprisoned by the Khmer Rouge to have been released alive. (SEA48, $14.00)
The Gods Drink Whiskey, Stumbling Toward Enlightenment in the Land of the Tattered Buddha  •  Stephen T. Asma TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES Asma, a university professor and a Buddhist, writes with verve and humor of his stint teaching at the Buddhist Institute in Phnom Penh. The book is both an introduction to Theravada Buddhism and a portrait of contemporary Cambodia. He confesses in his preface quite pointedly that it is his mission to take "California" out of Buddhism and his earthy account of his (mis)adventures is refreshingly free of cant and high-minded prattle. He is also acutely aware of his position as a western scholar in a Buddhist country (albeit one where Buddhism was outlawed by the repugnant Khmer Rouge). (CBD46, $14.95)
A Guide to Khmer Temples in Thailand and Laos  •  Michael Freeman GUIDEBOOK •  1998 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES • COMING IN A compact guide to Khmer temples throughout the region, both famous and little-visited, featuring color photography, maps, temple plans and diagrams. It includes many remarkable sites near the border with Cambodia that are open to the public for the first time. (TLD20, $19.95)
Himalayan Enchantment, An Anthology  •  Frank Kingdon-Ward EXPLORATION •  1990 •  HARD COVER  • 288 PAGES An anthology of writings by the great Himalayan explorer and plant-collector Frank Kingdon-Ward, who undertook 25 expeditions to the region from 1909 to 1953. The selections balance his interest in plants with his interest in geography, birds, beasts, insects and its variegated inhabitants, not only Tibetan and Chinese, but also the hill tribes -- Abors, Darus, Dulengs, Kachins, Lisus, Lutzus, Marus, Mishimis, Nungs and others -- in whose life he took such an affectionate interest. (HML03, $19.95)
Hindu Art  •  T. Richard Blurton ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1993 •  PAPER  • 239 PAGES A beautifully illustrated large paperback of excellent quality, this book is a good introduction to the complexities of Indian painting, sculpture and sacred architecture. The author is a curator at the British Museum. (IDA35, $33.00)
A History of Cambodia  •  David Chandler HISTORY •  2007 •  PAPER  • 312 PAGES An excellent, scholarly history from early civilization through the rise of Angkor, shift to Phnom Penh, French colonial period, Vietnamization of Cambodia, the rise and fall of the Khmer Rouge and Coup de Force of 1997. In a third, expanded edition, Chandler is frank in his criticism of political regimes since WWII. He has also written "Brother Number One, A Political Biography of Pol Pot." (CBD27, $35.00)
In Buddha's Land  •  Moe Min RELIGION •  2007 •  HARD COVER  • 208 PAGES This beautiful, illustrated portrait of monuments, monasteries and rituals is both a striking visual overview of Buddhism as practiced in Burma, and a splendid introduction to the country. (BMA52, $35.00)
In Search of Southeast Asia: a Modern History  •  David P. Chandler  •  David J. Steinberg HISTORY •  1988 •  PAPER  • 590 PAGES Written by seven historians of Asia, this scholarly overview of the social, economic and political history of Southeast Asia is an excellent introduction to the region. A popular text for courses on modern Southeast Asian history, the organizing theme of the book is the region's cultural adaptation to change. Parts 2, 4 & 5 are organized by country. (SEA18, $30.00)
In the Land of the Blue Poppies, The Collected Plant Hunting Writings of Frank Kingdon-Ward  •  Frank Kingdon-Ward  •  Tom Christopher  •  Jamaica Kincaid ANTHOLOGY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 242 PAGES An anthology of the plant hunting adventures of the intrepid Frank Kingdon-Ward (1885-1958) as presented by Tom Christopher. The collection communicates all Kingdon-Ward's excitement of discovery at the turn of the century in Tibet, China, Burma and Southeast Asia. A geographical explorer as well as horticulturist, Kingdon Ward writes of the people, landscapes and experiences trekking in the Himalayas. (ASA35, $19.00)
Insight Guide Laos & Cambodia  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER This beautiful guide features wonderful photographs and essays prepared by experts on Laos and Cambodia's attractions, history, culture and nature. With dozens of excellent color maps. (SEA44, $23.95)
Insight Guide Southeast Asia  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 302 PAGES • COMING IN A profusely illustrated overview of Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Phillippines, featuring concise essays by well regarded authors on history, politics and culture, as well as hundreds of photos and maps and some limited practical information. (SEA51, $22.95)
It's Easier Than You Think, The Buddhist Way to Happiness  •  Sylvia Boorstein RELIGION •  1997 •  PAPER  • 145 PAGES Boorstein -- a practitioner of Buddhist meditation, psychotherapist and Jewish grandmother to boot -- here relates the basic tenets of Buddhism in her warmly engaging, anecdotal style. It's a good introduction to Buddhist teachings by a self-deprecating master. (GEN264, $13.00)
Jewelry of Southeast Asia  •  Anne Richter ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 304 PAGES An in-depth analysis of Southeast Asia's jewelry tradition that spans from the Neolithic and Bronze Age to the present, complemented by 350 full-color illustrations. Richter showcases more than 300 prized pieces and provides insightful commentary. (SEA25, $75.00)
The Killing Fields  •  Roland Joffe 1984 •  DVD Haing S. Ngor won an Oscar for his role as Dith Pran, the Cambodian assistant to a New York Times reporter who experiences the horrors of the Khmer Rouge. Based on a true story, it's a harrowing portrait of Cambodia in the early 1970s, where political unrest and the specter of the Vietnam War ultimately led to genocide . (CBD42, $19.98)
The Lady: Aung San Suu Kyi  •  Barbara Victor BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2003 •  PAPER  • 296 PAGES A biography of the Nobel Prize-winning dissident Aung San Suu Kyi. Victor had to overcome tremendous odds in writing this book (her trip to Myanmar was strictly controlled by the military junta, and she never did get to interview Aung San Suu Kyi), but she nonetheless has constructed a balanced and compelling account of Ms. Kyi -- and the Burmese junta. With a new afterword covering events since the book was first published in 1998. (BMA14, $15.00)
The Land of the Great Image  •  Maurice Collis HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER The tale of the 17th-century Portuguese Friar Manrique and his adventures in the kingdom of Arakan along the Bay of Bengal (now Rakhine State in western Burma). Originally published in 1943, Collis was a British administrator in Rakhine in the 1920s. The title of the book refers to the colossal Buddha for which the region is known. (BMA38, $19.95)
Lands of Charm and Cruelty, Travels in Southeast Asia  •  Stan Sesser TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 306 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE Originally published as separate long articles in the "New Yorker," this wonderfully written book is a report on the region by a talented foreign corespondent and traveler. In it he ranges from Singapore to Laos and Cambodia, Burma and Sarawak. It brings to life the people and places of these nations, a heartwrenching portrait of the politics and tremendous potential of what Seser clearly believes are some of the most fascinating places on Earth. It's essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of Southeast Asia. (SEA04, $19.00)
Letters from Burma  •  Aun San Suu Kyi  •  Heinn Htet HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 209 PAGES A collection of weekly newspaper articles on Burmese culture, daily life, and politics written by Burma's Nobel Prize-winning human rights leader shortly after her release from (BMA49, $16.00)
Life in the Valley of Death, The Fight to Save Tigers in a Land of Guns, Gold, and Greed  •  Alan Rabinowitz NATURAL HISTORY •  2007 •  HARD COVER  • 296 PAGES Conservationist and adventurer Rabinowitz sets out to establish the world's largest tiger preserve in Burma's remote and rugged Hukaung Valley, running afoul of warlords, corrupt officials and his own mortality along the way. (BMA54, $25.95)
Lonely Planet Burmese Phrasebook  •  Lonely Planet LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2001 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES A palm-size dictionary and guide to the Burmese language for travelers with common phrases. (BMA36, $7.99)
Lonely Planet Cambodia  •  Daniel Robinson  •  Tony Wheeler  •  Chris Taylor GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 374 PAGES A comprehensive practical guide to Cambodia in the hallmark Lonely Planet style featuring maps, a good overview of culture, history and nature and much nuts-and-bolts information on excursions, accommodations and sightseeing. With a section of color photographs and excellent travel information. Geared for the independent traveler. (CBD04, $21.99)
The Lover  •  Marguerite Duras LITERATURE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 117 PAGES A haunting tale of coming-of-age in Indochina during the 1930s, beautifully evoking the period and place and the complex emotions of a young girl, her family, and her wealthy Chinese lover. (CBD09, $11.00)
The Making of Modern Burma  •  Thant Myint-U HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 291 PAGES A well researched and balanced account of political and economic development in 19th and 20th-century Burma with a particular focus on the legacy of British colonial rule. The author, a grandson of the former UN Secretary General U Thant, argues persuasively that Burma's failure as a democratic nation can be attributed to the haphazard drawing of national boundaries and political vacuum left by the British. (BMA21, $32.99)
Mantles of Merit: Chin Textiles from Myanmar, India and Bangladesh  •  David Fraser  •  Barbara Fraser ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2005 •  HARD COVER An abundantly illustrated study of the textiles of the Chin peoples of southern and eastern Asia. With more than 600 color illustrations. (ASA46, $60.00)
Moon Handbook Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos  •  Michael Buckley GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 730 PAGES A great resource for the independent traveler, this guidebook, mostly focused on Vietnam, features a thorough introduction to the land, history and culture, as well as astonishing practical detail on getting around, where to go and where to stay. It has a few unobtrusive color plates, as well as a small fold-out map on the inside back cover. (SEA09, $21.95)
Myanmar (Burma) Map  •  Nelles MAP A convenient double-sided map of Burma at a scale of 1:1,500,000, with an inset of Rangoon. (BMA02, $10.95)
The Naga of Burma: Festivals, Customs and Way of Life  •  Jamie Saul  •  Dominique Viallard CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  PAPER  • 212 PAGES The Naga are an ethnic minority with a population of almost four million, found in Burma and parts of China and India. In this handsomely photographed anthropological study, Jamie Saul presents a well-informed overview of the Naga people, their social structures, religious traditions, art and architectural styles. With photographs by Dominique Viallard, who worked as a doctor and photographer in Burma for the last five years of Saul's study. (BMA47, $36.00)
The Naked Tourist, In Search of Adventure and Beauty in the Age of the Airport Mall  •  Lawrence Osborne TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES • NEW "It came upon me suddenly," Osborne reports, "like a mental disorder unknown to psychiatry: the desire to stop everything in normal life, to uproot, leave." And so he does, taking off on a six-month journey from Dubai to India, Bangkok, Bali and Papua New Guinea on the "Asian Highway." Osborne is not just interested in travel, but also in the reasons why we travel, layering his own entertaining adventures with ruminations on Shangri-La, The Grand Tour, the exotic and primitive. (SEA50, $14.00)
The Politics of Heroin, CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade  •  Alfred McCoy HISTORY •  1991 •  PAPER  • 634 PAGES An expanded version of McCoy's groundbreaking "The Politics of Heroin in Southeast Asia." This second edition includes the relationship between drug merchants, and intelligence and law enforcement agencies from Southeast Asia, to Central America and Afghanistan. The author is a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin. (LAO09, $32.95)
Red Dust, A Path Through China  •  Ma Jian  •  Flora Drew TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 324 PAGES An astounding, thoughtful memoir of an urban poet, painter and writer on the road to Tibet in the mid-1980s. At low ebb personally, and censured by his propaganda work unit, 30-year-old Ma Jian abandons his disintegrating life in Beijing for a remarkable three-year trek south and west to Guizhou province, Burma and Tibet. This first-rate account offers a vibrant portrait of Deng's People's Republic of China, and an extremely useful testimonial to the plight of Chinese artists therein. With kudos by Barbara Crossette, Jonathan Spence and others, this first book by Jian, who now lives in London, is drawing a lot of attention. (CHN150, $15.00)
River Road to China, The Search for the Source of the Mekong, 1866-73  •  Milton Osborne EXPLORATION •  1999 •  PAPER  • 247 PAGES An excellent modern account of a 19th-century French expedition 4,000 miles from Vietnam and Cambodia into unknown regions of China in search of the source of the Mekong. With a selection of 19th-century engravings and color illustrations from the expedition. Originally published in 1975. (SEA29, $16.00)
Rough Guide Cambodia  •  Beverley Palmer GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 376 PAGES A practical, comprehensive travel guide to Cambodia in the British series. Features a detailed look at Phnom Penh and Angkor, tips for traveling to the rural villages, an overview of the country after the fall of the Khmer Rouge and 24 maps. (CBD34, $29.99)
Sacred Angkor, The Carved Reliefs of Angkor Wat  •  Vittorio Roveda GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 184 PAGES A richly illustrated guide to the myth and meaning of the intricate relief carvings at Angkor. With a few pages on each principal site, outstanding color photographs, maps and detailed floor plans. (CBD06, $30.00)
Sihanouk: Prince of Light, Prince of Darkness  •  Milton Osborne BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1994 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES Osborne follows, with a critical eye, the roller-coaster career of this important Asian leader -- from king to exile to king again -- and shows him as an energetic and determined, but also self-absorbed, individual. (CBD20, $17.95)
The Sorrow of War, A Novel of North Vietnam  •  Bao Ninh LITERATURE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 213 PAGES A powerful novel by a former North Vietnamese soldier, now translated and available in the United States. This short book captures the appalling conditions of war, alternating vivid scenes from the front lines with flashbacks from the protagonist's rural youth. An unusual and compelling view from the "other side" of the war. (VNM07, $14.00)
South Southeast  •  Steve McCurry ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 160 PAGES A remarkable portfolio of images taken in and around Afghanistan, Burma, India, Pakistan and other sites in South and Southeast Asia over a career in photojournalism spanning twenty years. The photographs, saturated with color, life and light, are beautiful. You can preview some of his striking photographs online at http://www.stevemccurry.com. (ASA34, $59.95)
Southeast Asia in the New International Era  •  Clark Neher HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A good general history of the entire region and its place in the world. Written by a seasoned scholar, the book is now in its third edition. (SEA17, $38.00)
Southeast Asia, A Concise History  •  Mary Somers Heidhues HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES A lively, illustrated history of Southeast Asia, covering the politics, economics, society and culture of Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines. With 131 black-and-white illustrations and 11 maps. (SEA26, $19.95)
Southeast Asia, From Prehistory to History  •  Peter Bellwood  •  Ian Glover HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES Geared for students, this popular textbook outlines the cultural history of the region from Neolithic and early metal periods to the major Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms. (SEA53, $190.00)
Stay Alive, My Son  •  Pin Yathay BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A harrowing account of life in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge and particularly the evacuations of Phnom Penh, written by an engineer for the Ministry of Public Works. (CBD44, $21.95)
Tragedy of Cambodian History: Politics, War and Revolution since 1945  •  David Chandler HISTORY •  1993 •  PAPER  • 408 PAGES A scholarly history of Cambodian politics and society from World War II to the late 1970s, covering the Vietnam War and the rise of the Khmer Rouge. The author, a professor and noted historian, draws from his own experiences as a foreign service officer in Phnom Penh. (CBD45, $28.00)
A Traveller's History of Southeast Asia  •  J.M. Barwise  •  Nicholas J. White HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES A compact history of the region, including the Khmer and other ancient kingdoms that produced Borobudor, Angkor and other architectural marvels. The authors include the history of diverse nations from Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia, to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. (SEA36, $14.95)
The Treasures of Angkor  •  Marilia Albanese GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  FLEXI-BOUND  • 288 PAGES A compact, illustrated guide to the history, art and architecture of Angkor. With suggested itineraries, site plans and notes on visiting individual temples. (CBD48, $24.95)
Twilight over Burma, My Life as a Shan Princess  •  Inge Sargent  •  Bertil Lintner BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1994 •  PAPER  • 216 PAGES A memoir (though told in the third person) of Inge Sargent, an Austrian who in 1953 married Sao Kya Seng, the princely leader of Shan, an ethnic enclave in the hill country of northeastern Burma. She immersed herself in Burmese culture, and lived together with her husband and daughters at the palace in Hsipaw until he was executed in a military coup in 1962. A fascinating story. (BMA11, $14.95)
Vanishing Histories, 100 Endangered Sites from the World Monuments Fund  •  Colin Amery ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 207 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE A stunning portrait of 100 threatened archaeological and cultural monuments around the world from Angkor, Pompeii, and Mesa Verde to lesser known buildings and sites, all listed by the World Monuments Fund. Organized geographically, each building or site gets at least a full page, usually two. Founded in 1996, the New York-based organization is dedicated to publicizing, preserving and protecting endangered examples of historic art and architecture around the world. (GEN219, $60.00)
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia Map  •  Nelles 2006 •  MAP A convenient, double-sided map of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam at a scale of 1:1,500,000, with city maps of Hanoi, Vientane, Ho Chi Minh City, Luang Prabang, and Phnom Penh. (SEA16, $10.95)
Visions from the Golden Land: Burma and the Art of Lacquer  •  T. Richard Blurton  •  Ralph Isaacs ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  PAPER An illustrated survey of the art and history of lacquer in Burma from the collection of the British Museum. (BMA32, $45.00)
When Broken Glass Floats, Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge  •  Chanrithy Him BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2001 •  PAPER  • 330 PAGES Chanrithy Him, who as a girl lost her parents and five siblings to the Khmer Rouge, explains that she wrote this moving account in an effort to "be worthy of the suffering" that she and her family endured. (CBD32, $14.95)
The Wisdom of the Buddha  •  Jean Boisselier RELIGION •  1994 •  PAPER  • 191 PAGES A pocket-size primer of Buddhism, this book is an illustrated history of the sixth-century Indian prince and his quest for enlightenment. With 207 illustrations, 160 in full color. (IDA55, $12.95)
A Woman's Asia  •  Marybeth Bond ANTHOLOGY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 310 PAGES These thirty-five personal, often hilarious accounts of women's adventures from China to Sri Lanka to Turkey to Bhutan, not only illuminating the everyday, oft-overlooked cultural practices of Asia, but also giving a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of the female traveller. Featuring selections from Jan Morris, Pamela Logan and Alison Wright. (ASA49, $17.95)
A World Overturned, A Burmese Childhood 1933-1947  •  Maureen Baird-Murray BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1998 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES Shuttling between her mother's Burmese village, an English convent -- and then witnessing the Japanese occupation of her homeland as a nine-year-old, Maureen Baird-Murray had an eventful childhood. She captures the disorientation and drama of those years in this fine memoir. (BMA30, $13.95)
World Religions: Eastern Traditions  •  Willard G. Oxtoby RELIGION •  2002 •  PAPER  • 515 PAGES A clear and insightful introduction to Eastern religions by a team of scholars. It's a handsomely produced concise overview of Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist, and East Asian traditions, as rewarding for the general reader as the student. This second edition features additional suggested reading, photographs, glossary and thought-provoking review questions. (ASA07, $64.95)