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Books to read if you're planning a vacation in "Southeast", sorted by average review score:
Southeast Asia Specialties (Culinaria)
Published in Hardcover by Konemann (April, 1999)
Average review score: 
south-east asian eating delightsThis book is one of the best south-east asian cookbooks I've ever seen. There are plenty of pictures to show you what each dish should look like and there is an index of all the different ingredients you will have to find. The directions are easy to follow and the recipes that I've tried are wonderful. Just like being back in Malaysia. Even my mother has bought the book and she's Malaysian and a great cook! This book is also just a great book to learn about the different culture in south-east asia, but turning the pages will make your mouth water. Great recipes like penang laksa, assam chicken and rojak will make any meal authentic and delicious.
One of my favourite cookbooks!When I got this for Christmas, 1999, I thought it was interesting...but more of a coffe table book than an actual working cookbook. And to some degree I was right: the print is rather small, making it hard to use in the kitchen, the recipes are the bare minimum and assume you absolutely know what you are doing, and the book is more photos of scenery than photos of dishes. But some of the recipes intrigued me, so I gave it a shot...and wow! I have not made a thing in here I didn't like. The Indonesian stuffed squid in spicy sauce ("cumi-cumi isi") is fabulous, and the Malaysian mutton in soy sauce with onions and tomatoes ("kambing kecup") is now a standard of mine -- I make it whenever I have some meat (I use any kind, including fish) and I can't be bothered to be ingenious! Another thing that makes me very fond of this book is the photos of ingredients, like galangal and kaffir limes leaves and candlenuts, with the names of things in several Asian languages, which I have found indispensible.
A Journey for the tastebuds!After having spent 6 months in Hong Kong and enjoying the regional cuisine of Southeast Asia, I was hungering for an authentic book on the subject. I have found it through Culinaria. I have since purchased the other editions in the series. The photography is stunning and the recipes are quite authentic and varied. I have never disappointed a guest using these recipes. A must read!
Special Men: A Lrp's Recollections
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Ivy Books (September, 1994)
Average review score:
The detail of what makes a True WarriorFoley is a professional writer, now, and it shows in the vivid clarity of his words and the mental images they evoke. He takes his own experiences in the Army (enlisted recruit to Lt. Col.) at a critical point in its existence and gives us the grunt's view, but with the insight of an outstanding staff officer. He points out the many failings of the staff and leadership in the 1960's Army (as only a grunt can) and how men like those he served with on the ground in the 101st, LRPs, and Green Berets made up for those failings. His stories of going from PFC into MCO school, into OCS are full of the details that add dimension to his later activities and service in the jungle. And he points out his own failings. A refrain that repeats itself goes along these lines: "I thought such-and-such, but how wrong I was."
He also gives insight into the workings of the upper echelons, and how good men and women in those ranks worked to shove the Army into the later 20th century. Unfortunately, he left the Army before the results of those efforts really paid off in the desert and the many interventions and peace-keeping efforts we send our people into. But for a solid, well written account of Viet Nam, and one guy's experiences there, "Special Men" is one of the best written, most balanced accounts I've read, and I've read a lot of them. For another view of the evolution of the Army in the crucial 20 years between Viet Nam and Desert Storm, I recommend Fred Franks' "Into The Storm."
rayjoy@ipa.netDennis has done it again. I think that I have read all his books, and can say without fear of contridiction that his book keeps you spell bound.
He write with the auhority of one who has been there done that. Would have given 8 stars but five was the most I could givein this rating system.
Roadrunner 6 out
Read this book.Dennis Foley is a master in the field of writing. He is able to create vivid scenes in your mind. Reading his novels takes on the same qualities as watching a movie. He is able to describe the action and scenes in a manner that will compel you to visualize the scene in your head.
Whether you were opposed to Vietnam or anxiously cheered our men from the sidelines, this book is a must read. If you know very little about the war, this book will give you realistic insight into the battle. It is a very thought provoking novel.
When you order this novel, you may as well order his other books as well and save on shipping. The true gripping drama and details in his story will leave you craving more.
250 Essential Kanji for Everyday Use
Published in Paperback by Charles E Tuttle Co (September, 1998)
Average review score:
Overall ExcellentThere were a few minor issues with this book that border annoyances more than practicality. The information is excellently presented, large clear examples of the Kanji provide an easy to view example where the intricate portions are quite explicit.
The seperation of this book's chapters are presented in a logical manner, although the subject matter sometimes feels a little inane.
My particular favorite feature of this book is every Kanji is presented in several uses as part of the presentation of new Kanji. This helped my vocabulary and further reinforced the written word itself. In addition, the multiple use presentation of the Kanji provides hiragana readings, which displays the phonetic reading of the Kanji in different situations.
One very minor complaint is the provides several boxes which are left empty in the area displaying stroke order. This is a waste of space and in a somewhat compact book as this it could have been used much better, such as presenting a typed vs handwritten comparisons (which can sometimes seem unrelated with come handwriting).
This is the best book I have come across for kanjiI have tried a number of books for learning kanji, but this one is the most effective that I have used so far. It is good because it provides real-life examples of the very kanji that you are learning, such as housing applications, grocery store listings, and Japanese computer menus. I would highly recommend this book, along with Vol. 1.
Bali: Morning of the World
Published in Hardcover by Periplus Editions (September, 1997)
Average review score:
Bali: Morning Of The WorldDo you still think that Bali a utopia? Do you still feel that Bali is a magical place? Or you just not sure? Read this book! A book full of excellent and colorful pictures and words of the morning of the worlds. If you are the romantics, touched by the island nature, arts and spiritual atmosphere, you are certainly not alone. Whoever you are you'll find in this book the reason why more and more people attracted by this lovely island. Currently more than a million people a year visit this tiny island.
Beautiful Book on Bali and Beautiful with lovely PhotographsThis book is a very lovely book for sure with wonderful photographs as well as archive pictures on Bali. Even though the book briefly covers sections and aspects of Bali I still find it very amazing that the island hasn't been spoilt to such an extent therefore Bali's culture is still intact. The book shows both the modern and the ancient world living in harmony together which balances but never tipping the scales. Great photo shots of the temples, mountains and most of all it's people the Balinese... I found it very enjoyable to flip through the pages and reading the passages talking about Bali and how wonderful the island is. Yes for me Bali is a "Gift from the Gods" themselves.
The Bridge at Dong Ha
Published in Paperback by United States Naval Inst. (October, 1996)
Average review score:
Down in the dirt: first person at warThis is the story of a genuine hero, one of uncountable many that America produces and, thankfully, continues to produce. Someone said: Freedom isn't free and this is amply demonstrated in this book. The story of one person's dedication to duty is vibrantly told.
There is a bridge, a heavy, strong, and a very capable bridge. Ironically, built by the US Army several years before. It is the only big strong bridge across a river separating North Vietnam from the south.
A formidable armored column from the north is approaching, intending to use this bridge as their avenue to overtake the south. It is somewhat late in the war, and America is pulling out ("Vietnamizing" the war), but there is a lot of pain and agony still to go through. The destruction of this bridge slowed the advance of the northern armies by three years.
The book is written on the detail level and therein lies its fascination. We see that Capt Ripley climbs over barbed wire fences, swings across the under girding of the bridge, and fights this battle from street to foxhole around the little town of Dong Ha (just a few miles from the DMZ). The writing is wonderful and gripping, putting you face-to-face with the action as it unfolds hour by hour.
This book does lack a few essentials. The full context, with appropriate maps, in time and space is missing. Additionally, the reader is sometimes lost (as I was) in the minute details of the action at the bridge. A very local map or two would have helped.
The heroism of Capt Ripley is focused on his action in moving around under the bridge, while under direct small arms and cannon fire. It is difficult for a reader to appreciate this without almost an engineering drawing of the undersides of the bridge. We read of channels, stringers, girders, piers, all three stories above the river. Capt Ripley was swinging, crawling, and hauling explosives. I (and maybe this is the engineer in me coming out) would have loved to see drawings showing the design of the bridge, with little arrows and annotations ('crawled from here to here', 'pulled xx pounds of explosvie across this girder', 'I was here when the rifle bullets came in', 'the tank shell hit here').
Finally, we note the very emotional and wonderful human touches, the radioman, the commander of the South Vietnames unit, the commander's bodyguard, are described very well; their humanity is very apparent, as is their own dedication to their country. While we learn a little about them, more would have been a great addition. Similarly with Capt Ripley's American compatriot, Major Jim Smock (USA, Armor), who was with him at the bridge.
The book is 186 pages long; it could have been twice that and welcome.
There is a bridge, a heavy, strong, and a very capable bridge. Ironically, built by the US Army several years before. It is the only big strong bridge across a river separating North Vietnam from the south.
A formidable armored column from the north is approaching, intending to use this bridge as their avenue to overtake the south. It is somewhat late in the war, and America is pulling out ("Vietnamizing" the war), but there is a lot of pain and agony still to go through. The destruction of this bridge slowed the advance of the northern armies by three years.
The book is written on the detail level and therein lies its fascination. We see that Capt Ripley climbs over barbed wire fences, swings across the under girding of the bridge, and fights this battle from street to foxhole around the little town of Dong Ha (just a few miles from the DMZ). The writing is wonderful and gripping, putting you face-to-face with the action as it unfolds hour by hour.
This book does lack a few essentials. The full context, with appropriate maps, in time and space is missing. Additionally, the reader is sometimes lost (as I was) in the minute details of the action at the bridge. A very local map or two would have helped.
The heroism of Capt Ripley is focused on his action in moving around under the bridge, while under direct small arms and cannon fire. It is difficult for a reader to appreciate this without almost an engineering drawing of the undersides of the bridge. We read of channels, stringers, girders, piers, all three stories above the river. Capt Ripley was swinging, crawling, and hauling explosives. I (and maybe this is the engineer in me coming out) would have loved to see drawings showing the design of the bridge, with little arrows and annotations ('crawled from here to here', 'pulled xx pounds of explosvie across this girder', 'I was here when the rifle bullets came in', 'the tank shell hit here').
Finally, we note the very emotional and wonderful human touches, the radioman, the commander of the South Vietnames unit, the commander's bodyguard, are described very well; their humanity is very apparent, as is their own dedication to their country. While we learn a little about them, more would have been a great addition. Similarly with Capt Ripley's American compatriot, Major Jim Smock (USA, Armor), who was with him at the bridge.
The book is 186 pages long; it could have been twice that and welcome.
Stop what you're doing and read this NOW!In his desperate attempt to blow up the bridge at Dong Ha and keep some 30,000 men and 200 tanks at bay, Ripley endured three hours of direct fire to rig more than 500 pounds of explosives. Handwalking the beams beneath the bridge, crimping detonators with his teeth, and racing the burning fuses back to shore, he saved his comrades from certain death. This earned Ripley the Navy Cross. He is a 1962 graduate of the United States Naval Academy - - yet another fine American produced at Annapolis.
Tamil for Beginners
Published in Paperback by U C Regents (December, 1992)
Average review score:
Best introduction to Tamil I've seen yet!I highly recommend this book to anyone trying to learn Tamil, especially since any books about Tamil, much less one as well-written as this one, are very hard to find outside of India. Nice aspects include: explanation of alphabet, lengthy and quite useful vocabulary lists, fun easy-to-read stories in Tamil, and lessons that are easy to follow and not too overwhelming. My only hesitations are that the grammar section is not always totally clear (though better than anything else I've seen) and that there isn't anything about spoken Tamil variations, but these are small complaints. Mrs. Hart teaches Tamil at UC Berkeley and this book is her text. I had the pleasure of studying Tamil with her for a year and I made fast progress. I wish the same to anyone else who tries to learn this beautiful and often underappreciated language.
Best book on Tamil I have foundFinding a good book on Tamil is very difficult. I haven't made my made through this whole book, but it is clearly written and strikes a good balance between teaching formal and informal Tamil. It is far superior to anything else I have found. Now, if only volume 1 were also available!
Excellent for classroom learning or self-teaching.This is an excellent book. After years of trying to make sense of the confusing "learn Tamil in 30 days" or similar books one can get in India, I found this book to be very helpful. The only book I have found which comes close to it is the "Microwave Approach" (only sold in India, I believe), which puts more emphasis on the spoken version but leaves out most of the written elements. As to what the other reviewer has said -- my copy of this book has a small section detailing the differences between written and spoken Tamil, but maybe they've changed it since then!
To Catch a Tartar: A Dissident in Lee Kuan Yew's Prison (Monograph 42/Yale Southeast Asia Studies)
Published in Paperback by Yale Univ Southeast Asia Studies (October, 1994)
Average review score:
Important material obscured by opaque languageMy wife and I are Americans who recently honeymooned in Singapore, and we were quite impressed by how clean, orderly, and efficient it was. Yet we knew there had to be a catch, and none of the locals we met were willing to talk about it. So, upon returning home, we bought this book and also "Singapore's Authoritarian Capitalism," by Christopher Lingle, to find out. (To be fair, we bought Lee Kuan Yew's "The Singapore Story" as well, but haven't read it yet.)
After reading these books, we now understand Singapore's dark side. And it goes way beyond the prohibition on chewing gum and being caned for vandalism. Both of these books are important reads for those seeking to understand Singapore and authoritarian governments in general.
My only criticism of both books is that they are written for those who can sit down and finish the NY Times Sunday crossword puzzle in 20 minutes or less. The vocabulary, diction, and syntax are unnecessarily tortured (so to speak) in both books. Granted, they're both written by scholarly gentlemen, but I have an Ivy League education, and I can't help but think that both authors' voices would be better heard if their prose was more accessible to the general public. Seow's detention was especially dramatic, but he describes his interrogation by heavy-handed, chain-smoking thugs with a Shakespearean lilt that is completely at odds with the material.
Nevertheless, they're good reads, so make a pot of coffee, grab your dictionary, and dive in.
A Look at the Darker Side of LKY's SingaporeAs a Singaporean, I heard about Francis Seow when I was younger. I remember him as a very eloquent speaker and a potential contender for Lee Kuan Yew's PAP government. I also remember how he was constantly potrayed by the local media as a 'dishonest' tax-evader, a 'collaborator' with the Americans to disrupt Singapore's political stability, a 'womaniser', etc. This book looks into the darker side of Singapore's politics from Seow's point of view. It begins with Seow's account of his early career as a government official, his clash with LKY after becoming president of the Law Society, and his 72-day detention without trial under Singapore's Internal Security Act in the late 1980s. Seow's book is a first-hand account of how a Singaporean has suffered under the PAP government's use of biased legislation and media manipulation to maintain political hegemony. Parts of LKY's speeches in the 1950s and 1960s were cleverly quoted by Seow to show the irony of LKY's government, demonstrating how LKY has become almost everything he used to be against since he came into power. Although the economic success of Singapore since independence is indubitable and has often been attributed to the great leadership and foresight of LKY, this book looks into the lesser known aspects of LKY's regime, and will no doubt, raise many questions for the reader.
A Must Read to Understand SingaporeFrancis Seow is a Singapore hero. By Singapore standards, however, he was flawed in that he was compassionate as he gave legal assistance to political detainees in Singapore. By so doing, Mr. Seow became a detainee, himself.
His account of his imprisonment by the Singapore police is as harrowing as anything written by Kafka. No one so articulate as Mr. Seow has described what it is like to be a detainee in Singapore.
I am an American, but was living in Singapore at the time of Mr. Seow's detention. I was in charge of the computer department of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS). Many of my colleagues at IRAS were disturbed by the million-dollar budget had been allocated to investigate Mr. Seow's tax matters. Naturally, IRAS determined that Mr. Seow had a considerable tax debt.
Mr. Seow was and is a charismatic and brilliant individual. He had become Solicitor General of Singapore, and President of the Law Society. Had he gone along with the dictates of the Singapore system, he could be living a very distinguished life in Singapore today, in high political office. He now lives in the United States, but has not been forgotten in Singapore.
His generosity, which shows so clearly in his book, was extended to my wife (a Singaporean), and myself recently with his kind review of our book on many of the same subjects, entitled "Escape from Paradise."
Trial by Fire: The 1972 Easter Offensive, America's Last Vietnam Battle
Published in Hardcover by Hippocrene Books (November, 1994)
Average review score:
A fascinating, informative readThe author's dedication to thorough research and personal interviews with survivors guaranteed a fascinating, informative read. I am virtually ignorant of the history of our participation in Vietnam (we never seemed to get past WWII in either High School or College). Even though I was unfamiliar with history or geography in Vietnam, this book was easy to understand. The included maps were helpful. I do agree with the previous reviews that more detailed maps (showing each location mentioned) would have been nice. I finished this book with vivid pictures of American advisors caught in the heat of action, US bombers bailing out the ineffective S. Vietnam army, and perhaps a taste of the sickening feeling the S. Vietnamese felt as they watched the US troops leave. A good read.
Excellent & detailed account of the Easter OffensiveThis is a excellent account of the 1972 Easter Offensive in Vietnam during the final stages of the American troop withdrawals. This is a story of courage, stupidity, cowardice and of major and minor fire-fights and battles. The courage of those American advisers and the South Vietamese troops they assisted during this brutal offensive is awe inspiring. Not to forget their enemies who took massive punishment from US airpower but carried on the fight! This is a well researched and written piece of military history which I think has been forgotten due to the fact that it was at the tail end of a unpopular war. The author has done a great job to remind us that the war didn't finish when all the troops got home, that people continued to fight & die long after. Well worth the time to read with over 500 pages of text, however the author could have provided some better maps.
An extremely well written book.This book is very well done. It puts together a large group of references to present a descriptive picture of the 1972 Easter Offensive. A suggestion to prospective readers; obtain a copy of "A Bright Shining Lie" by Neil Sheehan. The maps are invaluable as an aid to this book, and if you haven't read "A Bright Shining Lie" already, you should read it also. The two book tie together in 1972.
Vietnam at 24 Frames a Second: A Critical and Thematic Analysis of over 400 Films About the Vietnam War
Published in Hardcover by McFarland & Company (November, 1994)
Average review score:
Very informative, Devine demostrates superior knowledge.Upon reading this book for a class assignment, I was not very interested in the topic. However, after reading this informative masterpiece my interest in the vietnam era grew. I found this book to be very well written, and it fully shows the diversity in films made about the war.
OUTSTANDING DETAIL AND COMPLETE HISTORYA COMPLETE BOOK, giving full detail of the most popular films produced on the vietnam era. It also gives great detail on films almost forgotten or even unheard of. This is an important book in our history, it points out facts that might be missed otherwise.
if you want the complete history this has it all outstandingA complete guide to an era of turmoil. Nobody realized the amount written on this subject. This book brings it all together and discusses the individual movies.
Vietnam: Spirits of the Earth
Published in Hardcover by Bulfinch Press (November, 2001)
Average review score:
An Educating Glimpse of VietnamVietnam: Spirits of the Earth by Frances Fitzgerald, Mary Cross (Photographer) is definitely another one to add to your South-east-Asia booklist. The book is divided into essentially two sections: the first includes the commentary; the second - the photography. The commentary discusses several "down-to-earth" issues and aspects of Vietnamese life and culture and manages to cut through their (only seemingly) simple fabric; the mix of subjects chosen is surprisingly (and refreshingly) esoteric (and authentic). The photography is good, although a bit on the grainy side. All in all - a recommended book for the South-east-Asian culture enthusiast!
Vietnam: Spirits of the EarthVietnam: Spirits of the Earth, photographs by Mary Cross and text by Frances FitzGerald, a book of surpassingly beautiful images by the distinguished American photographer and a thoughtful, radiantly intelligent text by the National Book Award-winning author and historian, bringing us the news, not entirely expected in some quarters, that since the devastation of the Vietnam War years, Vietnam has shifted to a market economy that has allowed for a "fascinating resurgence of traditional culture"; another work of surpassing beauty and ambition.
Joyce Carol Oates
Vietnam: Spirits of the EarthEver since serving in the Army from 1967-71 I have been curious about what Vietnam is really like. I was never sent over while in the army so all I know was what I read and heard. This book is informatively writen and beautifully photographed. This book is not about the war, it is about the country today. Extraordinary in every sense!