Book Description
Thailand’s Bhumibol Adulyadej, the only king ever born in the United States, came to the throne of his country in 1946 and is now the world’s longest-serving monarch. The King Never Smiles, the first independent biography of Thailand's monarch, tells the unexpected story of Bhumibol's life and sixty-year rule—how a Western-raised boy came to be seen by his people as a living Buddha, and how a king widely seen as beneficent and apolitical could in fact be so deeply political and autocratic.
Paul Handley provides an extensively researched, factual account of the king’s youth and personal development, ascent to the throne, skillful political maneuverings, and attempt to shape Thailand as a Buddhist kingdom. Handley takes full note of Bhumibol's achievements in art, in sports and jazz, and he credits the king's lifelong dedication to rural development and the livelihoods of his poorest subjects. But, looking beyond the widely accepted image of the king as egalitarian and virtuous, Handley portrays an anti-democratic monarch who, together with allies in big business and the corrupt Thai military, has protected a centuries-old, barely modified feudal dynasty.
When at nineteen Bhumibol assumed the throne, the Thai monarchy had been stripped of power and prestige. Over the ensuing decades, Bhumibol became the paramount political actor in the kingdom, silencing critics while winning the hearts and minds of his people. The book details this process and depicts Thailand’s unique constitutional monarch—his life, his thinking, and his ruling philosophy.
Customer Reviews:
Accurate and dispassionate.......2007-09-23
This book is scholarly and engaging; I have to believe that Handley was barred from entering the Kingdom as persona non-grata after publishing it. I gave it 4 stars only because it takes a lot of coffee to get through the minutia. But without that level of detail, the author would be at risk of being ridiculed for trying to do a hatchet job on Thailand's Royal Family. The reality is, the King is a product of his time, working in a country beset by ignorance and self-serving "influential families." Most Thais would be horrified to read this book, and will probably reject it out of hand. But their school system and indoctrination will never allow them to read this dispassionately. Having lived in Thailand, I understand why Thai's who have reviewed this book are horrified by it, but as a Westerner, I just view it as a solid piece of historical inquiry. I enjoy life in the Kingdom and the unique Thai conviviality and sense of fun; this book just gives me a better perspective on the reasons for Thailand being the way it is today.
Why write this book?.......2007-09-10
When I first saw this book on the shelf, I had to go borrow money from my wife to buy it. I was immediately transfixed on this book and saw in it the makings of a well-written, and well-needed epoxy for the fragments of knowledge of the Thai King possessed by the average Westerner. That being said (and after reading the book in its' entirety), I can't help but question the motives behind the tenor set for this work.
Though I agree that our common knowledge of the Thai Monarchy here in the West is sketchy at best, I take serious issue to the need for the author to "intimate" his so-called "revelations" regarding the falability and the humanity of the Thai King (both as a person and as an institution). If one looks at the total sum of King Rama IX's body of works with respect to the general Thai populace (even taken into account a probable healthy dose of dramatic inflation on the part of loyalists), there seems to arise no justification for this "attack of truth" that could have no other motive than to either try to damage the integrity of the Thai Monarchy, or (even less palatable) simply serve as a vehicle on which the author seeks some measure of notoriety and monetary benefit.
There is a curious and institution-damaging notion in the West (one which the traveller possessing a modest degree of knowledge of non-Wester cultures will instantly spot as a weakness) that the general populace in a given society would be better served to be in the possession of "the whole truth and nothing but the truth" (as the saying goes) in all matters of personal, private, and even governmental matters. Somehow the state of transparency of all interactions has become (in many minds) a God-given right, a commodity that is owed to the general public. This curiously western view does not hold to all cultures, and (in my humble opinion) is one of the reasons I think Western Civilization will soon (historically speaking) see its demise.
The general Thai person neither perceives the need or the desire for such information regarding governmental and Monarchical matters. This is one of the strengths of the Thai (and indeed South, and South-east Asian country's) cultures, and here one must not make the common mistake of equating a strong culture with a prosperous one. They don't spend the majority of their time trying to understand whether or not their leaders are justified in their actions, and I believe they are a much stronger society for it.
That being said, there is some good historical and Monarchical information in this book as long as the reader is willing to wind their way through the mine-field of "attack the ideal of the Thai Monarchy" droppings that polute the literary grounds of this book.
Que?.......2007-07-23
Bought this as a present for someone and had it sent to them. Not sure why I'm being asked to review it.
Long Live The King.
Biased, but should be read by the Thais still..........2007-07-02
This is a good and comprehensive read for all Thais. If you grew up learning the history from the Ministry of Education's standardized textbooks without much chance of reading about Thai history anywhere else, this is a must, especially in this time when the same episode of military coup repeated itself again last year (and is still going on). Ajarn Pasuk's history book is also a comprehensive one, although it does not dwell into the subject of royalists' interests and influences, which is the main interest of this book. Overall, the book did a fine job in reviewing the modern history of Thailand from the royalists' perspective. However, the chapters on family affairs are too much like those Brit tabloid columns on the royal family.
I am not saying, however, that the writer has convinced me entirely on the thesis of the book--the idea of Dhammaraja king--which is repeated way too many times, as if the readers are dumb and do not remember what the author wants to convey. For me Dhammaraja itself represents one fine concept for a leader. The king's adherence to those principles are not the problems per se. The way the king has become such a revered figure must be credited to the palace's marketing scheme. People have been amazed at Thaksin's new way of political marketing. They forgot the powerful marketing from the palace completely. The palace's marketing channels are so ingrained in the society that people hardly think about it anymore. It's all about presentation, afterall.
I also agree with many other reviewers that the author does not need to be so disrespectful of the king. Afterall, he is the King of Thailand, and should be referred to as King Bhumibol, and not just Bhumibol (same for Queen Sirikit and others in the book). These choices the author made convey much of his bias. There are also many shaky references and vague guesses that have weak evidence. Many names of famous figures are incorrectly spelled, and sometimes the author seems to forget part of their names. These little details make it rather annoying and also make the story less credible.
tke king never smile.......2007-06-08
this is a good book to lean the truth story what was going on the event that happen in Thailand. After I hac read the book I know Iwas brain washed by government and the royal people. It opened my eyes and my heart to see the reality the politic action of the government and the monarchy.I think all Thai people or/and people who are interesting in Thailand should read the book.
One indepedent Thai fom Dallas, texas
Book Description
Covering the past three centuries of Thai history, this book reveals how a landscape of sparsely populated forest and jungle was transformed into villages and paddy fields, with a rural society of smallholder peasants and an urban society populated mainly by migrants from southern China. It demonstrates how throughout the twentieth century, Thailand has been drawn into the international system, the American camp in the Cold War, the economic gambit of rising Japan, and more recently, the forces of globalization. The authors also survey the country's transformation accompanying massive social evolution over recent decades. (Control of the nation state is still contested between forces with a patriarchal belief in change from above, and advocates of democracy and liberal values.)
Customer Reviews:
A History of Thailand.......2007-10-01
This book is primarily a history from the current line of kings (roughly 1800) through the present. Thus, if you want to learn how modern Thailand was formed, it is an excellent source. If you are looking for earlier information, it is very sketchy.
One of the best history book on Thailand .......2007-03-08
I am a Thai and since my childhood I have read many history books on our nation. All of those books is written by Thai, mostly in the view of historians. This book looks into Thai history from the view of economist. That makes it unique and more interesting (at least for me). For the readers who want to know about Thai history, this book should be the first one to read.
Great read.......2007-03-01
I knew nothing of this country s history and now I m confident of boring people to death on the subject.
The three factors that make the nation; Buddhism,the Monarchy and rice agriculture, are covered in clear detail.
From the first chapter, the early years unfold through early settlers,land reclaimation and conflict.
Later chapters explain the use of Western advisors brought in to modernise and the final creation of a Nation State only some 100 years ago.
I bought based on other reviews against other books on the subject and have not been disapointed.
An excellent book!.......2007-02-07
The defects of David Wyatt's book have long been evident; it is my own private theory that the man simply cannot write (he spent 20 years -- two decades! -- revising his first edition, and didn't improve it much).
This book, on the other hand, is lively and obviously interested in its subject! Perhaps most importantly, the authors know how to select and organize the information presented to the reader.
Anyone who asks me for a recommended history of Thailand in the future will get a recommendation for this book.
excellent and balanced look at one of the lesser Tigers.......2006-08-08
The authors of this compact Cambridge University Press history of Thailand deliver on their promise. This is a vintage CUP product: balanced, full of measured opinion, error-free in typography and layout, sweeping without shallowness.
There is not a better one-volume entrance to this fascinating but lesser-known South East Asian Country.
Taking the nation-state seriously, the authors show how an ethnically diverse region with formidable Chinese influence and lineage gradually took shape as the somewhat mythical 'Thai people'. Known as Siam until modern times, Thailand was an ally of the US during its Vietnam era with mixed results when the GIs arrived for R&R and even more traumatic adjustments when they took their dollars and left.
Later the hot money of the greater Asian Tigers moved here from Taiwan and Japan, only to migrate to China when cheaper labor became available to foreigners in that country.
The Thai are nothing if not survivors. Nor were they ever fully colonized, a badge of honor in a region that knew perhaps too much of European and Asian pretenders to do just that.
Book Description
Despite its 1941 alliance with Japan, Thai leaders managed to establish clandestine relations with China, Britain and the United States, each of which had ambitions for postwar influence in Bangkok. Based largely on recently declassified intelligence records, this narrative history thoroughly explores these relations, details Allied secret operations and sheds new light on the intense rivalry between the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS).
Book Description
From the beaches of the south to the mountains of the north, Thailand is a beautiful and diverse land. Thailand: The Golden Kingdom encapsulates Thai history, culture, and art in one compact volume. It gives an endearing portrait of Thailand's multi-ethnic population, the people's beliefs and ways of life and sets it in an historical and cultural context. Over 140 stunning color photographs illustrate the clear, insightful text about all aspects of one of Asia's most fascinating places.
Customer Reviews:
Thailand: The Golden Kingdom.......2006-08-23
This was a gift for a friend that loves Thailand and lived and traveled there extensively. He loved this book. It is a great reminder of all he loved about such a beautiful country.
The Golden Kingdom.......2000-08-26
This is a great coffee table book! At a reasonable price. It is loaded with beautiful photography of many different aspects of Thailand. If you love Thailand you will love this book. If you know nothing of Thailand this book will make you want to learn more. When your friends see it they will be ooing and aawing.
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read for All -- An Insightful Account of His Majesty King Bhumipol's Reign.......2007-08-29
I really love this book, as it gives such an insightful look into the sacrifice and dedication of His Majesty during his reign. I highly recommend this book to all who are interested and intrigued by His Majesty. There is no other monarch who has done so much for His people.
As I have grown up in the States, and now have lived in Thailand for 11 years, it is very difficult to explain how lucky Thailand is in having King Bhumipol and Queen Sirikit. It is the culture, and all Thais revere Their Majesties, not out of having to do so, but wanting to do so. Some foreigners like Paul Handley try to make it almost a crime that Thai people think of Their Majesties as the father and mother of the country. Such culture is a difficult thing for Paul Handley to grasp, as he was not brought up with Thai culture -- but my question to Paul Handley and Yale University Press is, why write such an offensive book? What is wrong with someone else's belief? Does Paul Handley tell Catholics not to believe in Jesus Christ, or Muslims not to believe in Allah? It's hard to believe Yale University Press would publish such an offensive book, which is rumoured by many Thais to be the political motivation of the recently deposed Thaksin.
William Stevenson's book however, tells the story in a way its up to the reader to make the conclusion about unexplained or unproven events in Thailand. It is definitely intriguing and gives a picture to foreigners what it may be like to be His Majesty, and all the events he has lived through.
What I love about this book is the style, the reflected thinking, the way its told. It is like a puzzle that unfolds. His Majesty is truly dedicated to the country, and that is in deep contrast with the recent political events where the country is put 2nd place to those trying to gain political power, and benefit themselves. What a shame if the country cannot benefit from all of His Majesty's lifelong dedication and sacrifice to saving the country and teaching -- and all is lost, due to greed! Even in this modern day, it is only the King that worries about flooding and has to tell officials what to do to prepare for it! It is the King that worries if there is natural disaster such as earthquake, if the country has the equipment to cut through the rubble to save lives. It is the King that teaches farmers how to divide their land, so they can grow rice to sell, but also raise fish to eat. Thailand's strength is in agriculture, and many of His Majesty's projects are open information and example for all to follow. What other monarch has invented artificial rain? and reason for doing so, because of worry of drought in parts of the country? He has earned the respect of Thais by nature. When one does good, it will be recognized.
I really, really wish William Stevenson would write an updated version of the book, to include more current events, to include HM receiving the very first United Nations Development Programme Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award:
"H.M. the King of Thailand: A Lifetime of Promoting Human Development
This first UNDP Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award is given to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand for his extraordinary contribution to human development on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of his accession to the throne.
At his coronation, His Majesty the King uttered the Oath of Accession: "We shall reign with righteousness, for the benefits and happiness of the Siamese people". Ever since, His Majesty has selflessly devoted his time and effort to the wellbeing and welfare of the Thai people.
During his 60 year reign, His Majesty the King of Thailand has tirelessly promoted rural development and helped improve the lives of poor people across Thailand. For His Majesty, the people come first, and he has relentlessly travelled across the entire country visiting communities even in the most remote areas, making him the most widely travelled king in Thai history.
With emphasis on small-scale agriculture, appropriate farming technologies, sustainable use of water resources, conservation, and flood and drought mitigation, His Majesty the King's projects have brought benefits to millions of people in rural areas across Thailand, regardless of their citizen status, ethnicity or religion.
His Majesty's achievements include successful integrated rural development projects in Northern Thailand that have helped to significantly reduce the production of opium harvests through crop substitution. This has greatly benefited ethnic groups living in the mountainous areas along the borders with Myanmar and Lao PDR, and brought improvements to their access to heath care and education."
I wish William Stevenson would also include His Majesty's self sufficiency theory which other countries are using as role models. I enjoyed William Stevenson's writing and and really wish he would also finish the book on the late Princess Mother's life, King Bhumipol's mother.
the revolutionary king.......2007-06-08
I had learnded a lot about the king RAMAiX 'life,his idea and opinions and actions. I am knowing more about the royal children and the Queen.The author give a fair biography of the King in spite he was invited by the King to write the biography. This book is good book to Thai people to read.
Only Rama V did better what dont you like about this book?.......2006-07-19
This book was authorized by the Thai king, there is no ban on it
he gave interviews for it now you dont love you King?
By the book or go to the library and read it.
Thais must start to open their minds and eyes
They have been taught for too long to onlylisten and not speak.
The hangups and the cultural baggage they carry is sad for
a people who believe in the good things vs the bad things,
You king is a human being not a deity and for sure not
immortal.
Anytime you speak of Bhumibol you must be careful not to offend
the Thais believe what they were taught that he is immortal
Next to worthless.......2006-06-09
Without doubt, this is one of the worst books in recent memory -- and not just books about Thailand. The author, who can't write coherently and is even worse at fact checking, had unusual access and wasted it shamelessly. Your rating system should make it possible to rate items with no stars at all!
Inaccurate.......2006-05-24
This book is riddled with inaccuracies it boggles my mind how it was published.
This book does nothing but to reveal how ill researched it was, even simple geographical facts were incorrect.
If the author can't open a map to verify geographic information one can only imagine what other aspect of the book contains inaccuracies.
Book Description
"It is very rare that you get this kind of expertise . . . with this level of communicative ability."-
Daily Yomiuri
Asian Extreme cinema is hot, and this book lays it out in all its gory glory. Patrick Galloway, who last looked at samurai movies in his well-received
Stray Dogs and Lone Wolves, now takes on Asian masters of suspense, exploitation, the supernatural, and bone-chilling, blood-curdling fear and evil. The films featured here are pan-Asian, including Korea and Thailand, and represent a mix of classics and the contemporary cutting edge. Included are viewing tips and overviews of genres and cultures.
Customer Reviews:
A Great Read - Setting the Record Straight.......2007-05-19
As an aspiring writer who was extremely impressed by the author's tone and style, as well as a fan of many of the films reviewed in Asia Shock, I am rather bemused by comments made by Vegan Viking from San Francisco. She writes: "Galloway mentions how Western audiences might not find cannibalism in Hong Kong such a stretch to imagine ... he shrugs it off by rationalizing along the lines of 'the Chinese eat a lot of weird food anyways,' implying that because the Chinese occasionally enjoy snake soup, it's only logical that they would break the universally held taboo against eating human flesh. I found this magnificently ignorant." These comments are just plain wrong. The movie in question is Three Extremes, a fictionalized account of real-life events in mainland China, and nowhere in his review does he say "Western audiences might not find cannibalism in Hong Kong such a stretch to imagine." Rather, Galloway discusses Chinese medicine's reliance on the body parts of some endangered species, then writes (pg. 69): "Such regrettable disregard for life has led many in the West to make the misguided leap of logic that Chinese people must not mind eating their own as well, whereas in reality, cannibalism is no doubt as abhorrent to Chinese people as any other group." Where Vegan Viking got the impression that Galloway was saying the exact opposite is beyond me!
Luckily most readers who love these movies and are interested in learning more will get so much from Asia Shock that I can't recommend it enough.
Enthusiastic Summary of Extreme Asian Cinema.......2007-03-22
One of the most vital and exciting developments in the last decade has been the trans-national dissemination of horror films from the east. Often made with one eye firmly on the international market, these films travel very well, without totally foregoing their own cultural specificity. Hideo Nakata's "Ring" has become the totemic film from which all other J-horror has been inspired and although I think western audiences have finally tired of the creepy kids and the long haired ghosts, these films remain persistently innovative and challenging. Galloway's very readable and entertaining book brings together a number of films from Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand, that could be loosely categorised as Extreme Asia. It must be noted that Galloway's book is an entirely subjective summary of films which have left an impression on him. It is in no means academic, which lends itself to a wider audience. Therefore Asia Shock is more a device to generate debate and to encourage those with more explorative tastes to seek out material from more exotic climes. In this respect the book succeeds totally. I particularly liked the book because of the number of South Korean films include; films such as "Oldboy," Tale of Two Sisters," and "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" are nothing short of masterpieces and deserve too be recognised by a wide audience. This is Mr. Galloway's quest with Asia Shock and I for one certainly hope he succeeds.
Asia Shock is the connoisseur's definitive guide to the classics of this pop-culture genre........2007-03-06
Written by multinational traveler and lifelong student of Asian film culture and philosophy Patrick Galloway, Asia Shock: Horror and Dark Cinema from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Thailand is a movie buff's guide to the horror and shock cinema of the far east. Asia Shock is not a comprehensive encyclopedia of all films in the genre, but rather a "reviewer's choice" of top shocking picks, some with in-depth reviews and some with capsule reviews, nearly all with extensive notes on unique cultural paradigms, viewing tips, and genre considerations. Focusing on over 50 critical and fan-favorite gory, chilling, and startling Asian horror movies, Asia Shock is the connoisseur's definitive guide to the classics of this pop-culture genre.
Sometimes crosses the line between connoisseur and otaku.......2007-02-28
Overall, as someone who enjoys "dark cinema" from Asia, I found this book very enjoyable, not only to learn about new titles that I may enjoy, but also to explore another person's perspective on films that I have already seen. Galloway definitely displays a genuine passion for the subject matter, as well as a profound knowledge of many aspects of Asian art and cinema. In addition to sitting back and enjoying the movies, he has clearly done a good deal of research on them.
However, I do take issue with the way in which some of the narrative veers towards the festishistic 'exotification' of Asia. Female cinemaphiles in particular will probably be put off by Galloway's repeated transformation into a dirty old Wan Chai cheek-toucher, unprofessionally slavering over the assets of various Asian actresses rather than over their performances.
I was also disappointed by an entry describing a Hong Kong cannibalism flick: Galloway mentions how Western audiences might not find cannibalism in Hong Kong such a stretch to imagine. However, rather than attributing such attitudes to racism and xenophobia, he shrugs it off by rationalizing along the lines of 'the Chinese eat a lot of weird food anyways,' implying that because the Chinese occasionally enjoy snake soup, it's only logical that they would break the universally held taboo against eating human flesh. I found this magnificently ignorant.
If you are a person who hates even the slightest hint of a spoiler, then this book is definitely not for you. Understandably, it's very difficult to write a movie review without revealing some of the plot, and Galloway is often put in the difficult position of writing about a movie that simply cannot be described or explored without tearing the gift wrapping of the film just a little bit. Ultimately, this book is best as a companion piece, and readers may wish to do as I did and skip the entries for the films they haven't yet seen, while revisiting and gaining new perspective on films they have already enjoyed.
Brilliant!.......2006-11-28
I picked up this book because I already have the same author's book on Samurai movies. It's clear that Patrick Galloway has a deep and discerning love for this material -- the world of Asian cinema is rich and rewarding, but if you're not too familiar with it it can seem too daunting to explore. That's where this book comes in: it not only looks at specific films and genres, but it puts everything into the larger context, so you can really learn about the deeper aspects of what is going on in a particular film. Whether you are new to Asian film, or a long-time aficionado of these particular horror films, there's a lot to learn, and this book is a fun and comprehensive way to really dig deeper.
Customer Reviews:
Book Review.......2007-07-20
great value, an asset for the home or the classroom as it shows daily living with the ordinary and the spectacular
I learned more about what I see around me almost everyday.......2007-04-29
I have been living and working in Bangkok for nearly three years.
I bought the Very Thai book 6 months ago and was amazed and delighted to find clear and helpful explanations for the sights and sounds I encounter almost every day. What a great book! I helped me to gain a greater appreciation for Thai culture and in particular for the Thai people. The better understanding of Thai culture and people added new enjoyment to my life in Thailand.
I now recommed the book to all my family and friends who plan to visit Thailand in the hope that it will make their visit more interesting and enjoyable. It has worked so far for my American visiors.
What a super book!.......2007-02-09
This book contains many explanations of the apparent vagaries of Thai pop culture, and is profusely illustrated with superb photographs. I have been living here for 7-8 years and have grown accustomed to a lot of this -- and I find a lot of it delightful.
For example, when I moved back to Thailand in 2002 ("Bye Bye Internet Bubble!") I was intrigued to find out that the room out in front of my house was being used as a make-up central and staging ground for Thai ladyboys who were going off to compete in beauty contests! Sometimes the "utterly bizarre" occurred -- a friend or a sister would appear with an urgent problem, and this teenage Thai boy would rush outside to consult, wearing nothing but his underwear and a fully-made up Thai female head!
What may take the cake, for some lingering Puritans, is that some of these "lady-boy beauty contests" took place at temple fairs. In the grounds of Buddhist temples.
Well, when the good folks in Austin, Texas begin holding such beauty contests for the Church Fair, I guess we will have reached some sort of parity! Right now it seems a little hard to imagine. (I don't think the Pope would like it, either. :-) )
But I digress...or do I? One of the salient facts about Thailand is that it seems to be a country which is entirely free of homophobia, at least among Thai families. The Chinese-Thai are a different story. But in Thailand, and in Burma, there is just NOTHING in the culture which is homophobic. I learn from the book under review that the monk celebrated for sculpting phallic amulets (!) recommended carrying the amulet in the right pocket when going to visit a female, and in the left pocket when going to visit a male. (I may have reported that backwards, sorry!)
But other piercing questions are answered: why are those little tiny napkins in restaurants -- why are they so tiny, and why are they always pink? You''ll have to read the book to find out!
Basically, the book is just a feast for people who love Thailand. Lots of details on the Big Bird (Garuda) -- wingspan 12,800 kilometers! Lots of details about Thai hawker food, pop stars, the high-society crowd, and all the other Thai people who make this country such a fascinating place!
Highest possible recommendation!
Book Description
This highly acclaimed book, the standard history of Thailand for almost twenty years, has now been completely revised by the author. David K. Wyatt has also added new sections examining the social and economic changes that have transformed the country in the past two decades.
Customer Reviews:
Almost unreadable.......2006-12-26
For years, I have kept a cherished copy of this book, probably because someone I know and admire wrote a glowing review of it in the Asian press.
Recently, however, despite the fact that I live in Thailand and am fascinated by the region, I realized that I had never read this book!
So I picked it up again, and began to understand why. From the very first pages, the reader is assaulted with terms for peoples (Mon, Wa, etc.) which remain totally unexplained. Of course, someone who has spent his life dealing with the history of Thailand feels that such terms are self-explanatory, but they are NOT.
Add to this particular opacity, what? The plodding style of the author, who is apparently incapable of generating reader interest or suspense no matter how compelling the tale. And then add in the fact that Wyatt took TWENTY YEARS to revise the first edition, and produce a second, slightly better edition, and you are forced to the conclusion that Wyatt finds writing in English to be an extremely difficult job.
And, if you are writing history for anyone but specialists, that very nearly disqualifies you.
Nevertheless, this book is probably the ONLY available general history of Thailand. How sad!
Readable and well-done.......2006-03-23
It is, of course, impossible to cover every aspect of a nation's history to everyone's satisfaction in a single volume, or in any series of volumes for that matter. My expectation of Wyatt's effort was that it would narrate the origins and development of the Tai and Thailand on a general level. Wyatt did an admirable job of fullfilling my expectations. For those who bother to read prefaces, the author begs forgiveness from other scholars who would balk at the necessary incompleteness such an outline implictly entails.
Wyatt's history focuses predominantly on the rise and fall of various Tai states from the influence of early Nan-Chao to modern Thailand's awkward internal pressures of democracy, authoritarianism, tradition and reform. He deals primarily with top-level political contests -- successions to the throne, conflicts between the Tai, Shan, Mon, Burmese, Khmer, and Lao ethnic civilizations, the pyramidal control structures typical of various Tai empires, and so on. What emerges then is a reliable gestalt of how Tai history unfolded from the earliest days to the present.
I found Wyatt's history to be sufficiently readable and engaging. One problem is the sometimes tedious litany of dynastic struggles and successions. Also regrettably absent is a more involved elucidation of the specific nature of Tai Buddhism beyond its broad political roles in Tai history.
"Thailand: A Short History" is ultimately more a political, material, and especially, a territorial history and somewhat less a cultural one. However, without Wyatt's effort most of us would need to settle for no familiarity with Tai history whatsoever. The author is to be applauded not only for his erudition and high-quality writing, but for enduring the anguish of omission that a short history necessarily demands.
Not worth the time or money.......2005-12-21
I bought this book a few months before a planned trip to Thailand hoping to learn more about their origins. I did not get anything from this book. I thought that it was terribly unreadable. I have two major complaints:
1. It reads as though it is a grocery list. Sentence after sentence is bogged down with unpronouncable names that don't add anything to the major concepts. (I would love to give a quote as an example, but I seem to have lost the book; apparently I thought so little of it that I didn't even deem it worthy enough for the bookshelf)
2. There are not nearly enough maps, especially in the beginning chapters. Wyatt is constantly refering to cities and places in their geographical relationships, but he doesn't provide any pictures of what he is trying to convey. So you just end up with a jumble of names that are somewhere in Asia. And with the constantly changing political boundaries in the early history, a few maps would seem obligatory, but there aren't any.
Overall, I was very, very disappointed with this book. I couldn't even finish it because it was so dull and hard to read. (Mr. Wyatt, not every history book needs to be like this.) Don't waste your time or money. Instead, go with a general south Asian history book; you'll pick up the important things and leave behind the excruciating details.
great book.......2005-07-21
This book by Wyatt gives a good introduction to Thai history for everyone who wants to know more than just what is found in Lonley Planet. It is also well written, and if not planning for a Ph.D in Thai history, all you need to grasp the major point in the history of modern Thailand.
Too detailed for a "short history".......2004-04-12
I brought this book, because, as said before, it is the only history of Thailand available. Unfortunately, the author's detail covers a detailed history, and ties in things that do not have to do with the history of Thailand.
The book starts with a prehistory of what is today Thailand, covering the aboriginal Tai peoples who lived in what is today Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and even southern China. Wyatt goes over how Tai people were treated in early Southeastern Asian states - Nan Zhao, Vietnam, China, Laos, Angkorean Cambodia, and also the Mekong Yonok area, as well as the Burmese kingdoms. He then states how the early Tai created states, such as Syam (Siam) and Sukotai, which formed a civilization based on Therevada Buddhism.
Wyatt then covers the Ayutthaya civilization, which formed the first dynasty, with a clearly defined capital at Ayutthaya. We then find how Siam had to deal with the Burmese invaders from Burma and the Mongols, which climaxed in 1767, when Burma finally conquered Siam.
We then hear how Thailand avoided colonization by one by one putting off the European powers, first the UK, then France, then Holland, etc. Finally, the modern period is covered, with the move of the capital to Bangkok in 1782 and the beginning of the Chakri dynasty.
We hear the cultural achievements and Siamese empire of the Bangkok period, and how, Siam enters World War I and the modern world, and finally avoiding Japanese occupation during World War II, and how Siam becomes Thailand, following the removal of the Absolute monarchy.
A very complete book, but very detailed and hard to understand.
Book Description
Becoming the Buddha is the first book-length study of a key ritual of Buddhist practice in Asia: the consecration of a Buddha image or "new Buddha," a ceremony by which the Buddha becomes present or alive. Through a richly detailed, accessible exploration of this ritual in northern Thailand, an exploration that stands apart from standard text-based or anthropological approaches, Donald Swearer makes a major contribution to our understanding of the Buddha image, its role in Buddhist devotional life, and its relationship to the veneration of Buddha relics. Blending ethnography, analysis, and Buddhist texts related to this mimetic reenactment of the night of the Buddha's enlightenment, he demonstrates that the image becomes the Buddha's surrogate by being invested with the Buddha's story and charged with the extraordinary power of Buddhahood. The process by which this transformation occurs through chant, sermon, meditation, and the presence of charismatic monks is at the heart of this book.
Known as "opening the eyes of the Buddha," image consecration traditions throughout Buddhist Asia share much in common. Within the cultural context of northern Thailand, Becoming the Buddha illuminates scriptural accounts of the making of the first Buddha image; looks at debates over the ritual's historical origin, at Buddhological insights achieved, and at the hermeneutics of absence and presence; and provides a thematic comparison of several Buddhist traditions.
Book Description
The fate of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel has fascinated Jews and Christians throughout the ages. Hillel Halkin, a distinguished writer and translator, has long been intrigued by the old legend that the tribes still exist in distant corners of the earth -- a legend that, like nearly all contemporary investigators of the subject, he considered to lack all factual basis. In 1998, he accompanied a Jerusalem rabbi and dedicated Lost Tribes hunter to China, Thailand, and northeast India in search of traces of the biblical Israelites who disappeared in the eighth century B.C.E. The journey ended among a little-known ethnic group living along the India-Burma border who had themselves been swept in recent years by Lost Tribe fever. Halkin returned twice more to the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur for a deeper look. Gradually, despite his initial skepticism, he became convinced that this remote group is -- incredible as it may seem -- historically linked to the ancient biblical tribe of Manasseh. Across the Sabbath River is the compulsively readable account of Halkin's experiences in arriving at this conviction. A superb writer, he effortlessly interweaves the biblical and historical backgrounds of this centuries-old quest with a captivating account, both funny and poignant, of his own adventures. In vivid, engaging portraits, he introduces us to a wide and memorable range of characters at once alien and familiar, while transporting us to an exotic society obsessed with the enigma of its own identity. Piece by piece, as in a tantalizing detective story, he amasses the evidence that finally persuades him, and will persuade many of his readers, that, for the first time in history, a living remnant of a lost biblical tribe has been found.
Customer Reviews:
How far Can a Wandering Jew wander, if he Could Wander Anywhere.......2007-01-19
Hillel Halkin has done a marvelous job of consolidating the knowledge of a lost people and weeded out myth, superstition and misplaced information.
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DON'T READ PAST HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO FIND OUT THE CONCLUSIONS THAT HALKIN CAME TO IN THE END.
On a trip to NorthEast India, Halkin was bit by the "Lost Tribe" bug that has had Jews looking all over the world for the northern tribes of Israel who were exiled by Assyrian Empire in the 7th century b.c.e. Where did they go? Based on this study by Hillel, part of the tribe of Manasseh migrated across central asia, past Tibet and into the Burma/India border area.
He studied the stories told by " the old people " who predated the Kuki-Mizo-Chin migration into the Mizoram/Assam area of northeast India. Once the area was under British protectorship in the late nineteenth century, many of the stories/storytellers were lost because of the proselytizing of Christian missionaries. The missionaries did their best to destroy the old religion, and force people not to teach it or the language of the priesthood to the next generation.
Luckily, Hillel was able to find one man, who himself was quite elderly, who had spent forty years, collecting and documenting the old stories and religious rites. What he was able to prove in the end was that included in the old stories were parts of stories from the Old Testament that had been passed down in families prior to the OT being translated into the indigenous language or taught by the missionaries (many who considered the OT to be too Hebraic and not 'christian' oriented).
Though these families had 'israelite' traditions, they were a hodgepodge of stories that had been enbedded with local history and myth. Halkin was able to establish the authenticity of the stories. But, it need study by Forensic Anthropologists to prove how much of the story was OT and how much was passed on from another (members of a lost tribe?) people.
You don't have to be Jewish to love this book.......2004-09-06
This is an enormously enjoyable book that is both educational and thrilling. In 1999, Israeli journalist Hillel Halkin accompanied the eccentric Rabbi Avichail to Mizoram (in Northeast India near the Burma border) in order to investigate whether the Mizo people who lived there were indeed the descendants of one of the "Lost Tribes of Israel." Halkin is skeptical and constantly has to challenge Rabbi Avichail's fanatic true-believer mindset. Then Halkin's own investigative methods begin to reveal surprising things. This is a fascinating scientific mystery. Halkin entertainingly gives a clear history of the lost tribes as well as the many theories about what happened to them that have been posited by others over the centuries (including the once popular notion that the Lost Tribes wound up in North America, in which belief the Mormon Church is rooted). The Mizo people believe that they are Jews and want to get back to their true roots. They also want to immigrate to Israel for a better life. As a result they throw themselves into the study of Judaism with the zeal of Holy Rollers at a revival meeting. Rival synagogues are founded that try to incorporate Jesus into Jewish teaching. Rabbi Avichail has his hands full when he tries to explain to them that they cannot do that. The Mizo people had thrown off their indigenous religion in favor of Fundamentalist Christianity at the beginning of the 20th Century. There are very few people among them who remember anything about the former religion. Halkin tries to find out what, if anything, their former religion had in common with Judaism. His efforts are hampered, Halkin realizes, by his third-rate con man translator, who is not above creating phony evidence and altering existing evidence. His investigations hit mostly dead ends until several tantalizing clues and his non-academic approach seemingly solve the mystery in which there were next to no clues. Journalist, linguist and scientist, Halkin is a brilliant man who has written a brilliant book. I found ACROSS THE SABBATH RIVER a very satisfying reading experience. Highly recommended. Five Stars.
Scholarly Work Flawed by Few Graphics.......2003-01-06
"Sabbath River" is well researched and well written, but it suffers from the absence of graphics: maps, timelines, and tables. Halkin would better serve his 21st century audience with visuals. Call me intellectually lazy, but I would have been fully on-board this "great adventure" had the author used graphics. As it was, I read the first half and thumbed through the latter half-unable to trudge through the details that could have been fleshed-out graphically. For example, in the final chapters much is made of various obscure texts, but these are never put into perspective on a graphic that shows their temporal and spatial context. In another case, the author cites a "lost," then "found" will of questionable provenance. I wanted to see the picture of the will-a picture of the will with arrows pointing to all its questionable features. This books is attractive to the curious, but it suffers from an insufficient number of graphics.
A Great Narrative.......2002-12-26
Hillel Harkin's study of the fabled 10 lost tribes of Israel succeeds because he is not an anthropologist or biblical scholar. Indeed, if one is looking for an in depth study of the lost tribes and their hypothetical present locations, this probably is not the best place to go. However, if you are looking for a story rooted in history, told by a world traveler who writes sweeping narratives and locale descriptions, than this is your best bet.
The story of the lost tribes is a fascinating one. It is so interesting that thousands of anthropologists and explorers have spent their whole life looking for this group of ancient Jews. The story is as mysterious as it is educational. In the 8th century BC, the Assyrians conquered northern Israel. The ten tribes of Jews that inhabited the area were mostly uprooted and moved, east, to the vast areas of the Assyrian Empire. After that, no one is sure where they ended up. It would be a good guess that wherever they settled, they were assimilated into the native culture, but influenced the natives greatly, possibly with their monotheist religion. This may seem to many as a curious historical footnote, but to some in the Jewish religion, it is one of the most important factors in the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. The location and return of the 10 northern tribes is an integral part of Jewish tradition, even if many have cast it off as a relic of the past.
Harkin story follows the travels of one Rabbi Avichail, an eccentric but dedicated Jewish scholar. Avichail firmly believes that the tribes and their culture can still be found, in former Assyrian areas such as India, Central Asia, and China. Now, just years ago, this was deemed almost absurd. However, with recent technological and genetic discoveries, the lineage of some of these groups is no longer hypothetical. Roman genes in China and Greek genes in Afghanistan have been discovered, pointing to ancient connections. Avichail believes that he can find these groups, and return them to the promise land. Harkin is skeptical at first, mainly because the often shaky evidence Avichail provides, and the fruitless tribe search in southern China. However, he, and the reader, soon become fascinated by the Mizo people of northeastern India. They passionately claim lineage to the Manasseh, one of the lost tribes. They share some intriguing similarities, such as one God known as Ya (Yahweh), an old song of the Red Sea, and ritual circumcision. The Mizo are constantly split from within, as Christianity and cultural strife strain the relationship between them and their old ways. Avichail and his party, including Harkin, are quickly wrapped up into this intriguing cultural and religious situation.
The book benefits from Harkins insightful eye, which look into almost every facet of Avichail, the Mizo, and their claims. The sweeping descriptions of the areas the party visits and the surrounding political situations are vivid and entertaining. It is a remarkable hybrid of a travel, history, and religious narrative that synthesizes very well.
A fascinating read.
intriguing adventure that mixes mystery, travel and religion.......2002-09-30
First, before starting this book, I recommend that you take a look at the authorýs two page guide to pronunciation, to better understand the Hebrew, Mizo, Thado, and Burmese words in the text. Halkin, a well known translator of Hebrew books, posits that a little-known ethnic group living along the Indian-Burmese border is descended from the ancient Jewish tribe of Manasseh. The fate of the ten lost tribes of Israel has haunted Jewish and Christian imaginations throughout the ages. Hillel Halkin has long been intrigued by the subject. And why not? Many American Jews of a certain age dreamed of an aboriginal, strong, warrior Jew, the type who could win fistfights on the way to and from junior high school. And so, Halkin embarked on a journey. In 1998, he accompanied a Jerusalem rabbi and dedicated lost-tribes hunter to China, Thailand, and northeast India, where the rabbi hoped to discover traces of the lost tribes. Halkin went with a very healthy dose of skepticism. Most look at Rabbi Avichail as a well meaning crackpot. Whatever the Rabbi is, he makes for an interesting story, having traveled to Marranos in Portugal, Karens in Burma, Tatars in Dagestan, Kananites in Kerala, and ýIndiansý in Manipur and Mizoram. The book captures your interest from its first paragraph. The Sabbath is approaching as Halkin and the rabbi are searching out the non-Chinese Chiangýs in Western Szechuan. Then the police arrive at their hotel. Youýll have to read the book to find out what happens. After a variety of adventures and misadventures, Halkin returned several times to the Indian states of Manipur and Mizoram, where 5000 people belive they are a lost tribe of Hebrews. Are these people the victims of a mass cultural delusion, having accepted a myth to promote and reinforce their distinct cultural identity? Or are the actually descendants of some Bnai Menashe? Are these Kuki-Chin-Mizo people, living along the Indian-Burmese border, descended from the ancient biblical tribe of Manasseh. Halkin isnýt a scholar, linguist, or ethnographer, but neither am I, and the story is still fascinating. Why do they have a song about crossing the Red Sea while living in Northeast India, a song they have sung prior to any missionaries showing up and one that contains ancient words? Why do they have a god named Yah(za), a history of brit milah circumcision on the eighth day after birth, a mourning period of 7 days, a Spring festival of unleavened bread (among rice eaters), and the use of the word ýselah.ý There are some who broke away and even started a competing shul (if thatýs not Jewish, what is?) Whatever you decide, the book is an exciting, mysterious and enlightening read. Sign me up for a Bnai Menashe kippah?
Books:
- The Location of Culture (Routledge Classics)
- The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million
- The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (Oxford Illustrated Histories)
- The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers
- The SBL Handbook of Style: For Ancient Near Eastern, Biblical, and Early Christian Studies
- The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny
- The Story of Civilization (11 Volume Set)
- The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
- The War of the World: Twentieth-Century Conflict and the Descent of the West
- The War of the World: Twentieth-Century Conflict and the Descent of the West
Books Index
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General
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The Revolutionary King
A History of Thailand
The River of Lost Footsteps: Histories of Burma
Thaksin: The Business Of Politics In Thailand
Corruption and Democracy in Thailand
