Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Books
Until fairly recently books about Cambodia fell into two categories: dry,
factual tomes about the temples of Angkor, and harrowing Khmer Rouge-era
autobiographies. Coverage of culture and the rest of Cambodia's history was
relatively sparse, and novels hardly existed. Now, however, there's an ample
choice of contemporary books, but it's still worth seeking out older titles if
you are interested in pre-Khmer Rouge history. Titles marked
are
particularly recommended.
NOVELS, TRAVEL AND CULTURE
Liz Anderson Red Lights and Green Lizards . Moving
account of early 1990s Cambodia through the eyes of a
British doctor who volunteered in the riverside brothels of
Phnom Penh and set up the city's first-ever clinic for
prostitutes.
a missing-in-action team search the Cambodian
countryside for lost comrades; while deep in the jungle a
deserted temple gradually gives up the secrets of a
disappeared GI patrol, but not without wreaking revenge
on those who dare to venture there.
Walter Mason Destination Cambodia: Adventures in the
Kingdom . Entertaining and insightful travelogue, set
mainly in Phnom Penh and featuring an eclectic cast, from
Vietnamese transsexuals to monks with dark pasts. A lot
better than its lame title would suggest.
Robert Casey Four Faces of Siva . Eminently readable
1920s travelogue, in which the author weaves fact and
fantasy into his personal discovery of Cambodia's hidden
cities. The compelling description of the author's foolhardy
trek to explore the remote Preah Khan in Kompong Thom
province still resonates today.
Henri Mouhot Travels in the Central Parts of Indo-
China (Siam), Cambodia and Laos . The first Cambodian
travelogue, Mouhot's diary contains a fascinating account
of the “discovery” of Angkor Wat in 1856 and was
responsible for sparking off Cambodia-fever in nineteenth-
century Europe.
Toni Samantha Phim and Ashley Thompson Dance
in Cambodia . This compact guide crams in information on
the history and styles of Cambodian dance, along with a
pictorial glossary of traditional musical instruments.
Colin Poole and Eleanor Briggs Tonle Sap: Heart of
Cambodia's Natural Heritage . Superb photographic record
of life, people and nature on the Tonle Sap lake.
Karen J. Coates Cambodia Now: Life in the Wake of
War . Insightful, anecdotal tales from the time the author
spent in Cambodia as a journalist on the Cambodia Daily ,
portraying the lives of ordinary Cambodians and showing
how they survive in often distressing circumstances.
Amit Gilboa Off the Rails in Phnom Penh . Self-styled,
voyeuristic “guns, girls and ganja” foray into the seedy side
of Phnom Penh in the mid-1990s.
Gillian Green Traditional Textiles of Cambodia: Cultural
Threads and Material Heritage . Full-colour study of
Cambodian textiles; comprehensively researched and
containing a wealth of information on why and how
textiles are produced.
Christopher J. Koch Highways to a War . This novel
embraces the war in both Cambodia and Vietnam; the
conflict is given a human touch through the experiences of
its intrepid, war-photographer hero.
Norman Lewis A Dragon Apparent: Travels in Cambodia,
Laos and Vietnam . Though light on Cambodia content,
what there is gives a fascinating, all-too-rare glimpse of
the country around the time of independence; best of all
are the observations of the people and everyday events.
Carol Livingstone Gecko Tails: Journey Through
Cambodia . Lighthearted account of the life of a would-be
foreign correspondent during Cambodia's free-rolling
UNTAC era; a bit of politics, some history and a lot of human
interest wrapped up in a sensitively told yarn.
Jeff Long The Reckoning . Novel with a supernatural bent:
Geoff Ryman The King's Last Song . Page-turner of a
novel about the discovery of an ancient diary etched in
gold. The story cleverly interweaves the intrigue of the
twelfth-century Angkorian court with the lives of its
present-day heroes, an ex-Khmer Rouge soldier and a
young moto driver.
Lucretia Stewart Tiger Balm: Travels in Laos, Vietnam and
Cambodia . A sizeable chunk of this topic is taken up with a
visit to the poverty-stricken and oppressed Cambodia of
1989, when only the bravest of travellers ventured there;
the characters the author meets along the way make this a
good read.
Jon Swain River of Time . Part love affair with Indochina
and part eyewitness account of the fall of Phnom Penh,
written by a respected war correspondent.
Connor Wall and Hans Kemp Carrying Cambodia .
 
 
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