Reviews (1)

Siam's travelers from centuries past recount their adventure
This book is both a scholar's and an arm-chair traveller's delight as you travel through Thailand (and Burma) through the eyes of travellers from different times and places. I found the differing views of daily life veryinteresting. There is also much to read about in the areas of wats/bots(temples) and asian art. It's not an easy read, though, and I found theprint too small for prolonged sampling. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast Asia    2. Description And Travel    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Thailand    7. Travel    8. Asian / Middle Eastern history    9. History / Southeast Asia    10. History, World | Asian    11. Places & peoples: general interest    12. Political structure & processes   

Reviews (1)

The Best Book Ever
I haven't read it yet, but he was my professor for a course in comparitive asian history, and was amazing.Give it a read, I will. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Eastern - General    3. Food supply    4. Japanese Philosophy    5. Philosophy    6. Rural population    7. Thailand    8. Villages    9. Asian / Middle Eastern history    10. Japan    11. Non-Western philosophy   

Reviews (2)

Fascinating topic, difficult reading
Although one of my favorite movies of all time is "Bridge on the River Kwai," I knew that much of the details were fiction. That's why I purchased this book, hoping to learn -- as promised -- the real story behind the Burma-Siam railroad. Forget that Alec Guinness/William Holden stuff!
This book tells the true account of the building of the 'Death Railway' through Burma and present-day Thailand, in which thousands of Allied POW's died at the hands of the Japanese. Told from many perspectives, including the native laborers who worked and died alongside the British, Dutch, American, and Australian prisoners of war. I recommend this book to all. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Atrocities    2. Burma-Siam Railroad    3. Conscript labor    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. History: American    7. Military - General    8. Military - World War II    9. Prisoners Of War    10. Prisoners and prisons, Japanes    11. Prisoners and prisons, Japanese    12. World War, 1939-1945    13. Asian / Middle Eastern history: Second World War    14. Europe    15. European history: Second World War    16. Myanmar (Burma)    17. Second World War, 1939-1945    18. Thailand    19. War & defence operations   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Asia - Southeast Asia    3. Business & Economics    4. Business/Economics    5. Economic Anthropology    6. Economic History    7. History - General History    8. Asian / Middle Eastern history    9. Thailand   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Asia - Southeast Asia    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. History: World    6. Khabuan Seri Thai    7. Khabåuan Såeråi Thai    8. Military - World War II    9. Modern - 20th Century    10. Thailand    11. Underground movements    12. World War, 1939-1945    13. Asian / Middle Eastern history: Second World War    14. History / Modern / 20th Century    15. Military intelligence    16. Second World War, 1939-1945   

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Asia - Southeast    3. General    4. Special Interest - General    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    8. Places & peoples: general interest    9. Thailand   

Reviews (1)

The Other Thailand
Northern Thailand, the location of the ancient kingdom called Lan-na whose capital was at Chiang Mai, is less well-known than Bangkok and the south. However, now that interest and tourism in this area is increasing, there is more of a need for information about this part of Thailand; Freeman's book is both timely and welcome.Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Asia - Southeast    3. History    4. History: World    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Thailand    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Travel / Pictorials   

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Asia - Southeast Asia    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Social Classes    7. Third World Development    8. Asian studies    9. Cultural studies    10. Indonesia    11. Philippines    12. Thailand   

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast Asia    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: American    5. Military - World War II    6. Asian / Middle Eastern history: Second World War    7. Thailand   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Contemporary Economic Situations And Conditions    4. Development - Economic Development    5. Economic Conditions    6. Political    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Southeast Asia - History   

Subjects:  1. 1884-1968    2. 20th century    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Hartzell, Jessie MacKinnon,    8. Historical - General    9. History    10. Missionaries    11. Missions    12. Missions & Missionary Work    13. Presbyterian Church    14. Religious    15. Thailand    16. United States    17. Women   

Subjects:  1. 1881-1925    2. History    3. King of Siam,    4. Nationalism    5. Thailand    6. Vajiravudh,    7. Vajiravudh   

Reviews (1)

Not So Impressed
Having been to Thailand many times I thought this would be a worthwhile book to have as it covers many of the sights I've seen there.Unfortunately, the pictorial content looks average, and the sections I've read all seem only moderately inspired at best.But what really disappoints me is the cheap cardboard cover.Given what I've paid for the book it really should be a cloth-covered (or "buckram") hardback.Instead, this is the cheap-type cover you see on the discounted books at your local bookseller.I'm afraid the craft of fine book-making is declining even in these so-called fine art books.This is very unfortunate. A good book should be an investment, especially at this price, and this book is not a compelling product for the money.I'd rather have a nice paperback than a cheaply done hardback. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Art, Thai    4. Asian    5. History Of Fine Arts    6. Reference    7. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    8. Oriental art    9. Thailand    10. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Asia - General    3. Biography    4. History    5. History & Theory - General    6. History: World    7. Political Repression    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Politics and government    10. Pridi Banomyong    11. Prime ministers    12. Southeast Asia - History    13. Thailand    14. ASIA    15. Asian studies    16. Other prose: from c 1900 -    17. South East Asia    18. Thai (Siamese)   

Subjects:  1. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    2. Environmental Science    3. Environmental Studies    4. Environmental conditions    5. Environmental degradation    6. Environmentalism    7. Essays    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Thailand    11. Conservation of the environment    12. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS   

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Buddhism    3. Buddhism - History    4. Doctrines    5. Economics    6. History    7. History: World    8. Religious aspects    9. Religious life    10. Santi Asok (Organization)    11. ASIA    12. Religion / Buddhism / History   

Reviews (1)

Most Readable Book on the Tragedy of 1828
This is an excellent book that covers a neglected, but extremely important historical event, namely the holocaust of the Kingdom of Vientiane by the Siamese armies of Rama III in the earlier part of the 19th century.TheDrs. Ngaosyvathn are apparently very accomplished researchers, and left nostone unturned in chronicling the event.This is a book that no seriousscholar of Thailand, Laos or Southeast Asia can afford to ignore. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast Asia    2. History - General History    3. Politics/International Relations    4. History    5. Laos    6. Foreign relations    7. Thailand    8. Vietnam    9. Political Science    10. International Relations - General   

Subjects:  1. Civil rights    2. History: World    3. Marginality, Social    4. Poor    5. Social conditions    6. Thailand    7. Human rights    8. Poverty   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Buddhism - General    3. Cama (Legendary character)    4. Cåama (Legendary character)    5. Folklore    6. Folklore & Mythology    7. History and criticism    8. Lamphun (Province)    9. Legends, Buddhist    10. Religion    11. Religion - World Religions    12. Thailand    13. Criticism & exegesis of sacred texts    14. Other prose: 16th to 18th centuries   

Reviews (5)

Anna's back...
I recently listened to an unabridged version of this book on CD.There was surprisingly little time spent on actual personal happenings between Anna, the king and the court.She really does get into the history, culture, art, customs etc. of Siam in the 1860s.Three quarters of the book is taken up with this verykind of detailed and endless information. Nadia May, with incrediable skill and a voice that is as prim and English as Anna's, adds to the diminsion of this narrative.Her amazing ability at pronounciation helps capture a real sense of time and place. If one is looking for the glamous story from broadway or the movies--be ready for a disappointment.For a person fascinated by the culture and history of this country as well as interested in the English view, then, get your walking shoes on and have a nice listen to Anna's story.

Mostly fiction, euro-centric w/ very little truth or facts
I am thai, and I feel that it is my obligation to make a comment about this book. In all fairness, I think it is a 'fun' book to read, providing that the reader is aware that it is mostly fictionalized. Anna wrote a much distorted story of her time as an English tutor in the royal court of Siam, mostly glorifying herself without concerns for any real accuracy. When I was younger I was fascinated because this book was/is banned in Thailand, and so I wanted to find out more and did an extensive research. I learned that Anna's account is mostly ego-centric, euro-centric, and sensationalized. She created many fictional details of her own life to make herself sounding glamorous (for example, she said she was a daughter of a high-ranking British army officer and a genteel lady,when in fact she was a ... child of a petty soldier and an indian prostitute. Her husband was a drunk, etc.) If anyone would bother to do more research, he/she would also find that King Mongkut (Rama iV) was a wise, gentle, highly educated monach with a supreme, long-ranged vision to lay the foundation to modernize Thailand and prevent the country from being colonized by European Imperialism. He was a priest and a scholar,who rather chose/preferred to live within religious confinement for many many years before he had to finally ascend to the throne as an old man after his brother passed away. FYI, With fine, white hair, he was a very thin and fragile-looking man---not at all what all the musicals and movies have portrayed him to be. Because of him Thailand is the only country in Asia that has never been colonized. And King Monkut would have done it with or without Anna being around! Mongkut's son, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) indeed carried on his father's legacy. Wise, modern, and highly educated(a result of his father's effort), King Chulalongkorn abolished slavery, created the first public university/public elementary and secondary school system and railroad and telecommunication system, reorganized the government and army infrastructure, etc---that is why he became one of the most beloved king in the Thai history. But all of this could not have happened without King Mongkut's vision in the first place. Anna's portrayal of King Monkut as a temperamental, insensitive tyrant/barbarian/womanizer is therefore downright offensive and insulting to the thais, NOT because we can't stand any criticism of our royal family, but simply because we know that most of her account is not true! About the violence/punishments/the concubine 'harem' of the royal court, please remember that this was a very different time. Such practices were common in many cultures and countries and not just in Thailand.

Fact or fiction? We will never know for sure. Worth reading
Anna Leonowens is a controversial figure even now. Her name may not even have really been Leonowen (but the more common Welsh Owens), her husband not dead from heatstroke in a tiger hunt, but from drink, and not a British army officer at all. Nevertheless, her account of her time in Siam as the royal governess is ever popular and fascinating reading.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1804-1868    2. 1834-1914    3. Asia - General    4. Biography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Educators    7. Governesses    8. Historical - British    9. History    10. History: American    11. King of Siam,    12. Leonowens, Anna Harriette,    13. Mongkut,    14. Southeast Asia - History    15. Thailand    16. Women    17. History / Asia    18. History, World | Asian