Yup. Another review of a book no one read (but should have). If I remember right, Sherry's bad luck was having this book published simultaneously with the onset of the Gulf (not)War. This book was poised for moderate success when WHAMMO! America's jingoistic instincts rose up with the Gulf (not)War and no one wanted to hear about how to NOT be sent off to kill our pigment enriched brethren. Anyway, this book contains an excellent cross section of attitudes about not getting drafted, including a very direct and cogent essay by Muhammad Ali. Generally, this is a mix of interesting and amusing anecdotes involving everything from peanut butter to letting animal scratches fester before you take your physical. The author spent a lot of time and effort on this book and it is a crime that it didn't sell better.

The first thing that hits you about this book is its price. I got mine in 1996 , and am glad I did. As time goes on, this book will become more and more scarce, so buy it now before the price doubles again in another six years.

Yes, it's expensive, but worth it. This is an invaluable reference, a must-have addition to the library of any scholar of Southeast Asia. The book is a gem, a wonderful combination of cartography, fine book binding, printing and production, and unique scholarly content. For a person like myself who enjoys maps, fine books, and Southeast Asia, this book is a treasure. This is a book that will be a family heirloom 100 years from now, and worth more than it's current purchase price.

The book is large-format, measuring 12 ½ inches high by 9 ¾ inches wide. But, it is not a massive or heavy book. It's actually rather thin, coming in at only about 150 pages.

The introduction is interesting in that it goes on for 51 pages. Pluvier simply uses the introduction to individually introduce each map. He states that his book "by no means (should) be considered a survey of South-East (sic) Asian history." The introduction is very nicely cross-referenced, in terms of time periods and countries/regions.

Following the introduction is a brief alphabetical list of all of the rulers and governors listed in the introduction text. Then follows a "selection of literature on South-East Asian History." Pluvier refers specifically to D. G. E. Hall's 1961 Historians of South-East Asia for pre-European information. The simple bibliography is very well done, providing information on historiographies, and is further sub-divided by modern country names, making it easy to find specific listings.

There are then two separate indices, one of personal names, and the other of geographical names. Both indices are highly detailed and reference both the introduction as well as the maps.

Strangely enough, the list of rulers and select bibliography are not listed in the table of contents, so readers do not know they are there unless they happen upon them inside the book. This is a minor editorial oversight.

The final portion of the book is its heart, a collection of 98 maps, diagrams, and charts in 64 pages. All are full-color, beautifully rendered and easy to follow. Note that the legend for each map is unique to that map alone; there is no overarching legend for all of the maps. Therefore, the reader must be careful to be familiar with the legend of the individual map in question.

In conclusion, this is a must-have reference for the Southeast Asian scholar, as well as a wonderfully well produced book to add to the collection of any lover of fine books. But its price is close to prohibitive, and I recommend its purchase only for those scholars who definitely will have reason to use it and appreciate it on a regular basis.

First of all, many thanks to Scarecrow Press for its Asian Historical Dictionary series. These are fantastic references.

This volume is now eclipsed by the new edition. Haven't yet seen the new edition, but I anticpate many updated and new entries since the 1990-92 work done on this still-useful resource.

This is not to say this book is perfect. For a country as abbrevation- and acronym-dependent as Indonesia is, this abbreviation/acronym list is woefully inadequate. This being said, a comprehensive abbreviation/acronym listing is not practicable as acronym dictionaries available in Indonesia are themselves hundreds of pages long. What is needed is a much more in depth compilation, edited for use primarily by foreign students and scholars.

The map section is also disappointing. For a reference costing as much as this does, the maps should be full-color glossies, better annotated, and more detailed. The best solution would be fold-out maps to best show the detail that is needed to complement such a fine reference.

The dictionary portion is excellent, very well cross-referenced, with thorough entries for each item. The numerous appendices are also superb, with leadership and governmental ministers listings for the colonial period as well as the post-revolution period.

The true gem of this dictionary is the 118-page bibliography, listing other references and bibliographies, works sorted by discipline and subject, as well as important periodicals and journals.

This has been and will continue to be an indispensable part of my Southeast Asia/Indonesia collection. Although overtaken by the new edition, this is an unparalleled reference, an essential tool for the Indonesia student and scholar.

Compiled and edited by Claude Markovits (Director of Research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France), A History Of Modern India 1480-1950 is an impressively scholarly and immensely detailed chronological text of the rich and diverse history of India from the Moghuls to the Raj. Discussing such diverse issues of economics, social dynamics, politics, war, societal fragmentation periods, strife between religious communities, and a great deal more, A History of Modern India 1480-1950 is a welcome and strongly recommended contribution to World History collections in general, and India History reference shelves in particular.

nice and substantial! it really does give a brief history of my country.

Homestyle Southeast Asian Cooking is an inspiring compendium of dishes that are exotic put easy to prepare. From Tiger Lily's Special Sweet & Sour Sauce, Biriyani (Savory Rice with Meat), and Sri Lankan Lamb & Spinach Curry, to Indonesian Spicy Omelet, Stir-Fried Squid with Vegetables, and Steamed Butter Cake, Homestyle Southeast Asian Cooking will turn ordinary family dining into a gourmet affair. Homestyle Southeast Asian Cooking is enhanced with a meal planning guide, lists of essential and alternate ingredients, glossary, and index.

Author Nguyen Xuan Phong used to be a governmental Minister, Ambassador and Peace Negotiator of the South Vietnamese regime.

He is not related to me and I've never known him until I met him at the Vietnam Center's Symposium [Texas Tech University-Lubbock.]

I saw myself and founded HOPE in this book. The Hope and Vanquished Reality was written by Author's Head, his Heart, his hands and of course his HOPE.

If you don't have HOPE, read this book. If you don't know HOPE, find out HOPE in this book, and if you don't believe in HOPE, meet the author of HOPE : Nguyen Xuan Phong [Xuan : Spring, and Phong : Wind]

...

God bless and HOPE you read this book....

Wonderful recipes which can be made hotter or milder according to your tastes. I'm using this book as part of a Thai cooking basket which I have prepared for wedding gifts for friends. You'll find a perfect sampling of delicious soups and entrees, among other things. Standards like Pad Thai are covered, but you'll be impressed with the other dishes, which, with a base of 8-10 ingredients such as garlic, jalepenos, fish sauce and chili paste (all which can be found in most comprehensive grocery stores), can be easily whipped up in a wok or just a plain large pan on top of your stove. Healthy and hot as you like, plunge right into Asian cooking with the help of this well-thought-out collection of recipes

This is THE book on the history of Cambodia in that era and the Khmer Rouge. There are very few Western scholars who know the Khmer language and are therefore able to do serious research. Ben Kiernan is one of those few. His book is well documented, an excellent introduction with many suggestions for further reading.