Asia Books

Looking for the Lost chronicles three independent walking trips the author made through the Japanese countryside, each inspired by a famous historical journey. The first trip retraces novelist Osamu Dazai's journey through his childhood homeland in his autobiographical work, "Tsugaru." The second trip recounts Alan Booth's efforts to follow the trail of the celebrated rebel general Saigo Takamori as he struggled to escape the Emperor's armies at the end of the failed Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. The third trip is of Booth's own devising, a walk from Nagoya to Taira through Gifu province, along one of many paths that legend claims the remnants of the imperial Heike clan followed after their defeat by the Genji clan in the 12th century.

Booth was a British expatriate writer who moved to Japan to study Noh drama, became disillusioned with it, and ended up a permanent resident of Japan despite that. Looking for the Lost's central theme is the dissonance Booth experiences in his journeys when he attempts to reconcile the Japan of his dreams with the nation he travels through. His portrayals of the people he encounters are sometimes cynical, often humorous, and always insightful. When Japan fails to live up to his expectations, he does not hesitate to poke fun, and the reader is often left with the sense that he feels personally let down by the nation. But allegations that Booth did not like the Japanese ignore that he is as quick to turn his pen on himself as on a passerby. Several particularly memorable segments of the book focus on Booth embarrassing himself! Moreover, Booth balances his cynicism with sympathy: when the author meets a person or place that contains the pieces of Japan he seeks, or a human being he can relate to, his heartfelt joy shines through in his writing. It is in these moments that Alan Booth reveals the most about Japan, and about himself.

The book begins with the "Tsugaru" section. Despite Booth's affection for the region he is traveling through, he never really warms up to the subject matter. He represents the novelist Dazai as an unlikeable fellow, and characterizes the region's connections to Dazai as touristy and lacking authenticity. While the descriptions and people are interesting, the reader is left wondering why Booth felt it necessary to reenact the journey of someone he spends so much time sneering at. The second and third sections of the book are much stronger. "Saigo's Last March" interweaves Booth's thorough knowledge of the general's history with a journey that sometimes daunts even the veteran walker. Here, and in the final section, "Looking for the Lost," Booth finds more signs of the Japan of his dreams.

This was Alan Booth's last book, published posthumously in 1994, the year after his death.

I wish I could write as entertainingly as Alan Booth. This book will not disappoint you, especially if you like traveling and are fascinated with Japan. And if not, it's still a great read anyway.

The most brilliant thing about this book is that the author combines Japanese history into his narratives as he traces three historical figures and/or locations in Japan by foot. The way he makes the characteres he meets along the way of his journey come to life is outstanding. I really enjoy this book and wish that he had written others before he died. The only thing that bothered me somewhat and makes me feel unsympathetic towards him, however, is that he drank too much. But who am I to judge? This is a great book. Highly recommended.

I have read many books on Japan, and I hope to share some thoughts on of all of them in time. But this is one of the few that moved me. Having lived in Japan for two years, I read this book during my last six months on the JET Program and even managed to complete one of the journeys that Booth himself travelled - as I was reading this book. I often found myself laughing out loud or shedding a tear in secret. For those that have not spent some serious time in Japan, much will be lost. It is better for those living there or who have lived there. Alan's insights cannot be perceived easily or quickly from the typical ten day vacation. In following his foot steps, I felt as if I was walking with his ghost. This book, as others have stated, is very bitter-sweet. I too, wish that Alan were still alive today, for I would very much would have enjoyed drinking with him.

Highly Recommended

Booth is a master at bringing words to life. You can't help but feeling like you are right there with him as he travels through Japan. Seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting, feeling what he experiences. In "Looking for the Lost," Booth reveals the subtleties of the Japanese people, their culture, and their land that at once demystifies Western stereotypes of Japan and envelopes the country in a totally different kind of mystery. I found nuggets reminiscent of my own visit to Japan. A delight to read!

Alan Booth followed in the steps (pun intended) of numerous previous travel writers, and was better than most. He had a ready wit and an excellent sense of humor, and bore the hardships of his chosen method of travel well. He also liked to drink, an asset when traveling on foot in Japan.

He describes three different walks, each with a distinctive theme. The first follows the trail of Japanese novelist Osamu Dazai's 1944 tour of his home region, Tsugaru, in Northern Honshu. The second follows the path of General Takamori Saigo's retreat from the Battle of Enodake, in Kyushu, which ended the Satsuma rebellion in 1877. The third follows the possible track over central Honshu of the remnents of the Heike clan after their defeat at the Battle of Dannoura in 1186.

Along the way, between descriptions of his blisters and complaints about the weather, he weaves bits of history in with reflections on literature and drama, Japanese society, his own life, and the merits of various alcoholic beverages. He enjoys the Japanese, but doesn't necessarily like them, pokes fun at them constantly. Not that the Japanese, like any other nationality, don't deserve having fun poked at them. But one sometimes wonders why Booth spent so many years living in a country and learning the language of a people for whom he seems to have had so little respect. He acknowledges this indirectly even in the title of the book, "Looking for the Lost", which implies that he is looking for a Japan that may never have existed.

His comments on the Noh are interesting, but perplexing. He was a trained actor, went to Japan to learn about the Noh, and became disillusioned with it very quickly. From the little I have read and seen of Noh drama, it is based on quite different assumptions from European, especially Shakespearean, drama. It was "pickled" from the very beginning, an esoteric art form invented for the nobility, nothing "popular" or "alive" about it. Booth seems to have taken that difference personally, as if the Japanese had played a trick on him, rather than seeing the Noh for the quite unusual dramatic form that it is.

His announcement at the end of the book that he has colon cancer is terse and matter of fact, in some ways like Dazai's attitude toward suicide. One thinks of him writing this book with death looking over his shoulder, which perhaps explains the bittersweet feeling one gets while reading it.

Related works:

Basho - "The Narrow Road to the Deep North"
Isabella Bird - "Unbeatan Tracks in Japan"
Ezra Pound and Ernest Fenellosa - "The Classic Noh Theatre of
Japan"
Mishima Yukio - "Five Modern Noh Plays"

These are not nearly as much fun to read as Alan Booth.

Highly recommended.

This book is great for encouraging students to ask questions and infer meaning! Try it out in the classroom!

The lotus seed is about someone's grandmother who gets a lotus seed to remember her emperor. It takes place in Vietnam. It has lots of information obout what they used to flee from the Vietnam war. I think Tatsuro Kiuchi did a good job with the illustrations. I think every one from 5-8 should read this book.

This book is touching. The grandma passes on the lotus seed to her grandson. One day, she sees a lotus flower in her backyard and it made her remember her ruler.

This has to be one of my favorite children's books and being a soon to be teacher I have read a lot of children's books. One of the reasons it's my favorite is that it touches a subject that is close to my heart, the Vietnamese culture. My mom came to America after the Vietnam war with my sister who was 5 and brother who was 1. I never knew how important the lotus seed could be, but growing up I enjoyed eating the fruit and peeling it off the seed. This book is truely one of a kind and as I read it I learned more about my mom's culutre and just how special it is.

This is one book that I'll keep for many, many years even when I retire from teaching.

This book helps me remember more about Vietnam and why I appreciate my culture so much. The significant symbolism of the lotus seed is the culture Vietnam and what the woman endurance in her past. Ba picked out a lotus seed from the imperial garden because of its beautiful and fresh scent. The lotus seed has never left her side as she carries it with her through the tragedy times and moved to a new country after the Vietnam War. One of her grandchildren planted the lotus seed in the backyard and it grew into a beautiful lotus flower. The beauty of it reminds Ba of her country.

This is definitely one of the best children's book I have ever read. The images are beautifully drawn as they describe Vietnam and the story. The symbolism of the lotus seed reminds me of my culture and I should never forget it. I really like how the author added a Vietnamese poem at the back. A must read for all young and old!

From the very begining of this story you'll feel like your're right there with Donahue, George and the rest of the Bodes from the Third Herd of the Mobile Guerilla Force. Donahue explains everything with great detail from starting an IV to infiltrating a VC camp. I really liked this one. I felt like I was on the mission with them. Thanks Mr. Donahue, looking forward to your other work! Highly recommended reading to anyone interested in Special Forces during Vietnam.

This author takes the readers into a VERY REAL jungle in which the Mobile Guerrila Forces operate as a unique, "special forces" type of unit, including non-English speaking Cambodians that are very dedicated to the mission of the U.S. personnel. At one point, the reality of the jungle is brought into the forefront when a big Tiger picks up their trail, and they have to protect themselves from it as well as from the enemy------a very good and unusual read.

I read this book, although under a different title, the one that I read was called 'No Greater Love' but it is the same story. This book is very exciting and riveting, and it also tells of the unquestionable heroic actions of the men who foght for this force, both U.S. and foreign. One reviewer made the mistake of saying that this was the only force to use guerilla tactics in Vietnam, this is not true. The LRRPs (long range recon patrols) used gurilla tactics and went out with only usually a six man team. Although their main goal was recon, they very often ended up ambushing the enemy, and usually came out on top. I think though that anyone who reads this book will agree that these men deserve our highest respect and that we thank them for their brave service. If you havent read this book, I wouls suggest buying it.

Mr Donahue writes an excellent first-person account of his experiences with the MGF, and after reading all 3 of his books (MGF, Blackjack-33, Blackjack-34), he left me wanting to read much more of his accounts and experiences in Vietnam. I hope that Mr Donahue may someday write an account of the MGF's POW rescue attempt mission, as well as other MGF accounts.

I like the style of his writing in all 3 books; the first-person style moves fast and leaves the reader breathless. These are very hard to put down once you start. Mr Donahue gives only sparse background information and jumps right into the action. Mr Donahue makes you feel as if you are looking at everything right through his eyes.

If you have military experience (especially combat arms), you will truly enjoy this book, as well as Mr Donahue's others. The sounds, smells, stresses and fatigue will all come flooding back through his writing. If you are not familiar with military culture, terminology or methodology, you might struggle a little bit BUT there is a glossary in the back of the book.

I highly recommend ALL of Mr Donahue's publications; they give a good overall perspective of what was done right and what was done wrong in this war, and are great examples of how good of a job our fighting men & women did in Vietnam (contrary to what mainstream media & film try to portray).

Mobile Guerilla Force is a very good book about the only American unit to use guerrilla style hit and run tactics during the Vietnam war. This book chronicles a mission called Blackjack 31 that lasted nearly a month in VC territory. The light company of 13 Americans and Cambodians successfully navigate this enemy sanctuary, the infamous War Zone D. During this mission they called in 27 airstrikes, raided 15 base camps, & fought 51 engagements in some of the harshest terrain in the world. The vivid and dark jungles are brought to life with amazing clarity. The strength of this book is that you feel the danger of moving through the jungle and at any time may face a violent sudden death. I enjoyed learning about the Bodes and was impressed with how they can fight and keep up with the highly trained Americans. This book is highly reccomended to those interested about Special Forces, the war in Vietnam, or Guerrilla Warfare. It is a fast read and you will be impressed with this story.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it gives a good insight of the Japanese society from a foreigner's point of view, who lived and worked in Japan for several years.
This only problem is that it's from the early 1990's and some things have changed since...

No Elbow Room is a quick and informative read into the Cultural mind set of Japanese relationships. It opens up for examination a world of contradicting correctness and sheds light on some of my own experiences in Japan. You will read it from cover to cover enjoying the wonderful illustrations and lighthearted humor.

Fun, Fun, Fun. A funny and informative documentary of first-hand experiences in Japan. A must if you are considering working for a few years for a company in Tokyo. Also a must if you want to get insight into the workings of a culture totally different from American and European cultures. The illustrations are hilarious. The book is precise with marvelous drawings. There are informative comments on improving the lot of women in Japan. Be prepared for a fun ride!

Kenneth writes a detailed and fascinating read. What an experience. Having stayed in Japan myself for a while, I found No Elbow Room to confirm some things I had suspected about living in Japan. Great book!

Do you ever find yourself in a large bookstore overwhelmed by the sheer number of titles, and wonder how so many new ideas continue to emerge in such mass quantity? Well, this is one of those books that keep us returning to bookstores with faith in the fact that we will not always leave disappointed! This book is unique in its perspective on a subject I am interested in as a professor of international business (Zicklin School of Business; Baruch College, City University of New York) - cross cultural understanding. Written in a pen indicative of ample experience in Japan's corporate world, yet from an outside Western perspective, it reveals nuances of Japanese business culture that only an expatriate can easily discern. "No Elbow Room" is blunt to a pain yet carefully objective and fair in its exposé of little known tidbits of Japanese culture and business protocol outside of the Island nation itself. Yet while set in Japan, I found myself easily adapting lessons learned to virtually any cross-cultural setting, prompting me to list this book as required reading in my "Foreign Markets, Cultures, Regimes" class. This is a self-authored text, that no doubt a large publishing house will soon discover and market to the masses. The book is short (179 pages) and a quick yet informative read. I recommend it for not just international business scholars, but as an aid for sociology class discussions, gender-relations discussions, for anyone interested in international relations, and particularly for anyone wishing to travel to Japan, particularly from the West. And if you think you're well traveled and immune to culture shock, you must pick up this book!

Wow... I just started reading this book two days ago and I'm completely engrossed... wished i had started reading it on a weekend, in order to read it faster!!!
Having been in China just a couple of months ago, I wish I had read this before my trip. Seth Faison provides lots of information about China society, culture, history and politics without sounding too judgemental. This is one book I'm sure I'll come back to. Essential reading for these times!

Faison brings us closer to the people of China and gives us an honest view of himself and how his own personal uncertainties influenced his choice of going to China and his life there. He dates a woman, who like China, has deep secrets, and he dates another who's personal choices help him understand himself. He visits the sauna massage to have a human touch and someone to talk with.

I like this sort of armchair "travel" book because it skips the tourist sites, hotel/restaurant reviews and encyclopediac history in favor of narratives about the people and the times. You will not read about the Great Wall nor Summer Palace here, and the Xian soldiers are only here because they are part of a story about real, everyday people.

These narratives are rich and memorable: the emmigrants and their familes of Fujian, a bootlegger, a sadly compromised government guide in Tibet, the slow build up to and the ensuing confusion of Tienamen Square. The sky burial, haunts me now, a day after finishing the book.

I'm sure that with technology, there are no secrets. I give it four stars instead of three stars because people who take issue with his contradictions will want to read this. Break out the highlighter pens. I laughed when he acknowledges for the first time (and then frequently throughout the book) that Chinese women are fodder because I've heard the lengthy and boring explanations by those who refuse to admit that about themselves. Use a different color to highlight the many times he feels that Chinese have developed an "obsession for money" and that Chinese women use him to get magazines, currency exchange and see him as marriage material while they cannot afford his expat coffee or sundae. (The kinds of things he was asked for, many people would have no problem giving without the burden of the economic and racial differences between the giver and the receiver. Obtaining magazines are a big deal FOR EXPATS in China. There have been some socially retarded incidents of too much asking but I think the Chinese are better at showing when that's been inappropriate of Chinese so I think he could have been clearer about that.)

Then use a third color highlighter for the many times that he is reliant on the generosity not just material but the generosity of Chinese attention that helps him acclimate and get his job done. People and perhaps especially Chinese fail to draw the comparison that the percentage of Chinese immigrants who enjoy that thorough a level of generosity overseas is much less than the percentage of nonChinese who are helped by Chinese in China. I bear him no rancor though I can't imagine he would appreciate this review. I haven't laughed so much READING in a while. The pungent motives and unspoken assessments are not a shock and I think he's very clever and remembers that many Chinese know this so he presents them for consumption. It's his admissions that save him just as when Kip Fulbeck's narrator admitted that he wouldn't want his daughter dating someone like him. LOL. I wonder if M. Faison (French Huguenot! LOL) has ever been frustrated that Chinese don't realize how clever he is. This book is not about "dating." It's about world politics and its instruments. And his cleverness is not in his confessions of eliciting confidences but in the entire book.

A good companion to this book is Thailand Fever written from both Western and Thai perspectives (as interpreted by a Westerner apparently) with tips on how to successfully navigate the cultural misunderstandings to forge successful romantic relationships. The tone of Thailand Fever is different because the goal for the Westerner is different. I don't think that the authors of either books speak for all Westerners although Thailand Fever tends to generalize. Some expats may welcome South of the Clouds and refer to it to reinforce their criticisms; however, this book fails to explain that Asians and notably the Chinese are very good at ignoring other people and becoming invisible when they are not being appreciated or well-regarded sincerely so there is something to be said when they help you.

I'm fed up with the lack of Asian male faces in American media while Asian women are left exposed and devalued so that this kind of reporting is part of the mainstream depiction instead of just a blip. I'm calling quits on going to the movies and closely considering every American media purchase I make (including magazines) from now on. I've had it!

I recently re-read Seth Faison's marvellous book on a return trip through China. I was in Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and then Hong Kong all in the space of a week. Faison's book was like a becalmed harbor that I could return to -- every time I got on a plane or settled down to bed. His crackling prose and incisive view of China and the gentleness with which he explained what is a tangled and complex place were something I looked forward to each day. It's a great book and deserves the widest possible attention.

I've spent over 8 years in Asia with much of it in China and have always enjoyed reading books about China. Many though, do not come close to capturing the modern thoughts of China as it changes from an agricultural to industrial power as this book does.

If you are looking for a deeper understanding of how many Chinese feel on the street, with threads of intrigue, history and current events I heartily recommend this book.

Before this book, I had only vaguely heard of the name Pol Pot and the nation of Cambodia. Where I go to school, we have history for four years, but never get past the Civil war.
As I was changing the television station, I heard the name Pol Pot and Cambodian again. This time I was determined to educate myself and I bought this book.
I was horrified, I was ashamed, I was overwhelmed. First we had allowed the Jews to endure the Holocaust, and now we had let millions of Cambodians die the same way.
Maybe the history teachers in my area just need to come into the 20th century and repeat IT over and over again, because obviously we're not learning from our mistakes.

This book is on top of my list as the best reads ever. It truly is an amazing story and will leave you thinking about this world we live in. I reccommend this book to all...what a great learning tool to use in the classroom also!

I first spotted this book at a tourist book shop in Phnom Penh and after scanning its pages, I was hooked. It is an immensely absorbing tale, both harrowing and hopeful. I was drawn not only into Dr. Ngor's story but into Dr. Ngor himself. As I kept reading, I felt hungry, exhausted, terrified and sad. But if I wanted it to stop, I simply had to close the book. Not that simple for Dr. Ngor.
I pray that Ngor Haing is now with his Sweet, living the life that was so cruelly denied to them. This book is definitely one of the best I've ever read in my life, and I hope that in your heaven, you can hear me say Thank You, Dr. Ngor.

A very good story. Very honest in presentation. The story telling is excellent. Don't be afraid to read because you think it will make you depressed. There are sad times and the suffering of so many innocent Cambodians can be overwhelming but it is a true story of a time and place that hopefully will cause you to notice world news. This book can put the minor annoyances of life in perspective

If you are interested in reading the memoir of someone who survived the reign of the Khmer Rouge, then I can't reccommend any other book higher. I have read two other books from survivors, but Ngor's book was by far my favourite.

What sets Ngor's book apart from the others that I have read is that Ngor was an adult when the Khmer Rouge took over. His memories are very lucid, and he fully comprehends what is going on around him. He watches his young wife die in his arms, those close to him betray, and everyone around him suffer. There are no high points throughout the entire odysey. Ngor brings you to the senseless and incomprehensible suffering that pervades every aspect of life under the Khmer Rouge.

One element I particularily enjoyed about Ngor's book is the extensive descriptions of Cambodian culture, attitudes and behaviour. Cambodian society (from what I can gather from what I have hitherto studied) is highly formal, with a rather complex series of formality set up for intereaction with others and a rather reserved character in regards to expression of feelings. The most important of which in this context being "kum," which is a sort of bitterness and longing for revenge, that becomes evident in a lot of what is happening. You will leave this read with a feeling of not only being inside of what is happening, but also for the actual mechanisms guiding behaviour.

This is, however, not a pleasant read in the least. The descriptions of the atrocities are beyond anything that I was expecting, and for that reason, I would seriously warn others that this is not for the faint at heart. Luckily, Ngor offers notes at the beginning of graphic chapters so that one can skip over them. You will lose sleep, and I can guarantee you that it makes any of those goofy horror movies like "Hostel" and "Turistas" look like a day at Disneyland. This horror is real, and not far in the past. Being that my normal area of study is Russian history, I have read a lot about the horrors of communism and tyranny, but nothing from the basements of Lyubyanka Prison or Mao Tse Tung's Cultural Revolution comes close to the abominable atrocities of Pol Pot's Cambodia.

Ngor also describes his role in the classic movie, The Killing Fields, as well as his integration of life in America. An afterword by friend Roger Warner ends the book on a particularily haunting and sad note, but rightfully so, none the less.

There are a lot of truely excellent books available by survivors of the Killing Fields, and this is the quintessential starting point for those who wish to learn more.

Joan Criddle has woven a gripping account of the personal experience of one young woman, Teeda Butt Mam, and her family under the oppression of the Khymer Rouge. Although I knew a little about Cambodia's killing fields, this book reveals in considerable detail the brutality and horror of Pol Pot's regime. Yet, it's an inspiring tale of survival, courage, and family loyalty under the most extreme conditions of deprivation, fear and suffering. I couldn't help but wonder if I would have had the strength, ingenuity and willpower to survive such horror. The book also includes many interesting details about traditional Cambodian life and culture.
I highly recommend this book. It's an amazing story!

Joan Criddle has woven a gripping account of the personal experience of one young woman, Teeda Butt Mam, and her family under the oppression of the Khymer Rouge. Although I knew a little about Cambodia's killing fields, this book reveals in considerable detail the brutality and horror of Pol Pot's regime. Yet, it's an inspiring tale of survival, courage, and family loyalty under the most extreme conditions of deprivation, fear and suffering. I couldn't help but wonder if I would have had the strength, ingenuity and willpower to survive such horror. The book also includes many interesting details about traditional Cambodian life and culture.
I highly recommend this book. It's an amazing story!

Joan Criddle has woven a gripping account of the personal experience of one young woman, Teeda Butt Mam, and her family under the oppression of the Khymer Rouge. Although I knew a little about Cambodia's killing fields, this book reveals in considerable detail the brutality and horror of Pol Pot's regime. Yet, it's an inspiring tale of survival, courage, and family loyalty under the most extreme conditions of deprivation, fear and suffering. I couldn't help but wonder if I would have had the strength, ingenuity and willpower to survive such horror. The book also includes many interesting details about traditional Cambodian life and culture.
I highly recommend this book. It's an amazing story!

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ. I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH VITOU AND I HAD THE FIRST HAND ACCOUNT OF HIS STORY. HE NEVER STOP TO AMAZE ME FOR THEIR WELL TO SURVIVE.THIS STORY SHOW THE TERMENDOUS COURAGE AND STRONG WELL TO SURVIVE AMONG MONSTERS WHO HAVE NO REGARDS TO FELLOW HUMANS, YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD AND RISK YOUR LIFE EVEN FOR THE BASIC NECESITY OF LIFE JUST TO SURVIVE. THIS IS AN EPIC OF FORGOTTEN HOLOCUST AND THE STORY OF A CAMBODIAN FAMILY GOING THROUGH HELL AN BACK. A SUCCESS STORY OF A FAMILY MOVING TO A COUNTRY WITH A DIFFERNT CULTURE AND LANGAUGE AND MAKING SOMETHING OF THEMSELVES. I AM PROUD TO BE A FRIEND OF VITOU AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING HIM. EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK, IT WOULD MAKE YOU APPRECIATE MORE OF WHAT YOU HAVE IN LIFE.

When I was younger I heard bits and pieces about Cambodia and Pol Pot in the news, but didn't really know what it was about. Through "Destroy You" I finally know about the horrendous and evil history that was being made in that country during the 70's and 80's. This biography follows the story of one particular educated Cambodian family who was exiled from Phnom Penh, along with the entire city full of inhabitants. The Khmer Rouge was doing its job of "cleansing" the city of anything of western influence. Most of the educated populace, including doctors, teachers, lawyers, etc., were murdered, leaving a population of mostly uneducated slaves whose job was to work in the rice fields all day long. Music, laughter, and play were not allowed. The people were taught that everyone was of equal value and equally dispensable, and everyone should work hard to contribute to the good of all with the meekness, acceptance, and fortitude of the water buffalo.

Meanwhile, entire villages were massacred if complaint about the government was overheard. Life was incredibly miserable, especially knowing of friends and relatives that had been killed or had disappeared. When Viet Nam invaded Cambodia tens of thousands of Cambodians attempted escape to Thailand, but Thailand did not want them all, and forced many back at gunpoint, killing anyone, including children, who refused to climb down the treacherous, land mine-studded cliff back into Cambodia. Throughout this book I was grieving about the incredible evil that humans can perpetrate against other humans, and amazed at the endurance and determination of this family and others that managed to survive all this horror.

A story like this can yank us out of any tendency towards self-pity or complaining about the minor difficulties in our lives. I have also read the follow-up book, "Bamboos and Butterflies", about this family after they immigrated to the U.S. Their will to survive is carried on as they integrate into a new culture, and reminds us of why so many seek refuge in the U.S.

The information is this book is good, but focuses more on the budget traveler. If you want to make a tour of south east asia as cheap as possible, this book is probably a great resource.

What is really different about this book is the maps. There are tons of maps, all hand drawn in style and these maps have notes scribbled all over them. It isn't that great for finding something specific but it a very good idea for finding out what is near where you are. If you are not a planner, and just like to go and see what is going on once you are there, then this book may be great for you.

If you are a planner, and you don't arrive anywhere without a itinerary, then this book is likely to be a hindrance since so much information is organized ON the maps.

This book seems to have all crucial information you will ever need when backpacking in SE Asia. Thin as a leaflet compared to many other traveller guides, but with at least as much information. Just be prepared to spend a smallish amount of time to learn how to use it and to remember the most important symbols.

This book became a close, guarded part of my experience in South East Asia. Mark Elliot has excellent insider tips and maps for things to see and do in every area of that part of the world!

This book was awesome.
I used it in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
I had a lonely planet somewhere deep in my backpack, but it never saw daylight until I left it in my room in Hanoi. Pretty much every place I went, I just took a quick look at the map and had a reasonable idea of what to do next or where to go.

I met a lot of travelers who were impressed with it as well. I ended up giving it away as a gift on my way out.

If you like a little more adventure than something like a lonely planet and don't want to bury your head in a guidebook, go with this.

Also, the book emphasizes the philosophy that meeting people is what travelling is all about, more so than just seeing things. And I completely agree with that. So if that's your bag, then this book is certainly for you.

Lastly, it is slightly dated (like prices, specific bus timings, etc.). But the information is still very usable.

This guidebook is indispensable. It's easy to use once you figure out the map key, lightweight, and had tons of very accurate useful information. I loved it!! I ended up having the most reliable guidebook of anyone else I met.

Boy Genius is the book the world has been waiting for, but even as I have just heard of it and read it, is still draped out from the millions who are longing to read a piece as timeworthy and creative, informative and realistically imaginative and even controversial as Boy Genius. This book carries more themes and understandings of the real-world than reading the New York Times of the passed forty years. Some of the actions and interpretations are almost directly attached to our present wartime era and crime rate, so connected that the tale, like its characters is very psychic. The Revenge/Mystery storyline also delivers a suspenseful climb that keeps the reader addicted as well as its creative comic relief and a cartoon/comic realism that definitely adds a new dynamic edge.
Mr. Park, if you're reading this, I recommend that you get it into the theaters; each message or theme in the book is not only to stand out in the book but should stand out as a "matter-of-fact" to the population.

Adam M.
author of "Pulchritude for the Mind"
"Reflections of the Dream Panorama"
"Keeping Life Well-Rounded Vol.1"

'Boy Genius' by Yongsoo Park is as invigorating as the original screenplay by Terry Southern for 'Dr. Strangelove'. (The movie was terrific, of course, but Southern's screenplay was even more so.) Park dissects, then Frankenstein's, then dissects again every conceivable myth about global capitalism with high hilarity and maximum inventiveness. The Boy Genius of the title grows up in the slums of Seoul, but soon his brilliance comes to the attention of the All-Supreme Dictator who quite surprisingly grants him enormous privilege, then in a fit of pique the A-S-D chews him up and spits him out. And then we see what BG is made of. He finds his way to present day America under the most appalling circumstances (the plight of a Filipino migrant farm worker in the 30's comes to mind), begins to rebuild his life and that of his family (also vilified by the A-S-D) and finally, yes finally, has his revenge. Characters as vivid as those played by Peter Sellers and George C. Scott in the Kubrick movie and every bit as outrageously funny and mordantly satiric. This is a rollercoaster with all the splendor of the one in 'The Third Man' and all the tension and excitement of that confrontation between Joseph Cotton and Orson Welles. (Hey, am I saying this is a prime candidate for a terrific movie? You bet.) Can't wait for the next Park....

Although I probably read more than the average person, I've never written a review before and in fact I avoid reading them in general, particularly before picking up the book or seeing the movie upon which a review is based. I just finished 2 of this author's books, "Las Cucarachas" and "Boy Genius," and out of curiosity I decided to read what others had to say. Interestingly, many of the reviewers take time comparing this book to other books. I'm going to frankly describe what I myself thought rather than make these comparisons.

First of all, both of this author's books are worth reading, and they should be read as a pair. I would recommend reading "Las Cucarachas" and then "Boy Genius," in that order. I was born and raised in New York City, and I'm from approximately the same generation as the main character in "Las Cucarachas;" to me it's incredible how well the author brings to life what my own childhood was like, growing up and hanging out in the streets of New York- not desperately poor, but poor enough so that the kids from what was called the "middle class" seemed rich by comparison, and were luckier than any of them ever seemed able to see. It's as though the author lived this NYC childhood, with all its obstacles, frustrations and pains, freeze dried it, moved on in his own life, and then went back to it and set it down exactly, precisely, missing nothing, not a single thought, feeling, experience or idea. You read "Las Cucarachas" and you experience the raw, real life of a tough, smart street kid in a big city where money is everything- absolutely, totally everything- and where the kid knows that it's not that society wants him to fail; rather, society is so completely and profoundly indifferent that it can't even be bothered to have an interest in his success or failure either way. Nobody from any middle or upper class background can ever truly know the alienation this situation creates, but by reading "Las Cucarachas" they can sure get a good goddamn taste of it. "Las Cucarachas" is the story of a boy that's forced to gear everything around slickness and toughness, and who's trying to make something happen against impossible odds and what seems like an endless stream of jerks and idiots holding him back and getting in his way. When I finished reading "Las Cucarachas" I felt a strange urge to contact the author, congratulate him for making it through, and thank him for creating such an honest, vivid, and truly touching testimonial to youth.

"Boy Genius" should be read after "Las Cucarachas;" in fact it's remarkable to me that "Boy Genius" was actually written by the same author. "Boy Genius" is so completely different, and not just the subject matter, but the whole style of the book as well. "Las Cucarachas" is raw and gritty; "Boy Genius" begins right off the bat with fantastic events that continue unfolding throughout. The narrator in "Boy Genius" gets you to suspend your disbelief so completely that I myself often looked up from the book while reading and felt an embarrassed smile on my face, as though realizing once again that I was the victim of this author's ongoing, intelligent, playful mischief. Bringing this together- the surreal storyline, the narrator's ever present, eccentric, hilarious and intelligent take on things- and you've got a book, "Boy Genius," that once again is not only wonderful, honest and real, but that's also simply enjoyable to read... and that's something that's important to me for any book that I pick up! I'm still a New Yorker, and I know I've got a book I love when I can take that book onto a crowded train during rush hour on my way to work- and lose myself in it totally and completely, in spite of the fact that I'm being jostled and crushed by stressed and impatient New Yorkers who'd prefer I put the book away, hold onto the handrail and stare at the ceilings and walls like everyone else. Both of the books written by this author passed my test, and I enjoyed both of them enough to not only recommend them and pass them on (I've lent out both of my copies) but also, to look forward to reading the author's next book too.

BOY GENIUS is a surreal dream of paranoia and vengeance played out on a global scale. It's Terry Giliam's BRAZIL played out in the wake of the Cold War. Naturally, the most surreal events in the book are too uncomfortably close to reality. It's a book that stars clever wild dogs who masquerade as children and a title character who's just too smart for his own good. Equal parts ADVENTURES OF HUCK FINN and THE ODYSSEY, BOY GENIUS is for any reader who's ever felt an outsider. It was my first novel and took me three years to write. After numerous rejections from publishers, a 16-year-old summer intern at Akashic Books lobbied for the unsolicited manuscript to be published.

Needless to say, I put pretty much everything of myself into the book. Put simply, the book is what it feels like to be displaced and to always long for a place to call home. Thank you to Akashic Books and to all who have supported this book. And please check out LAS CUCARACHAS, my second novel, which is out in 2004.

---Yongsoo Park

Part of Brooklyn based Akashic Books' Urban Surreal series, BOYGENIUS an example of a) the continued gutsiness and necessity of small presses and b) what really should be a cross-over hit.

In this hilarious and perfectly paced Candide update, Boy Genius tumbles the journey from KBS television-star-child-prodigy to east coast street urchin to west coast new economy suit to avenging ghost. Yet the story never succumbs to its (lesser) cartoon possibility, but functions, despite its fantastic plot, within the wound of reality. And it is a wound, a constantly renewed scarification that Boy Genius first discovers, then weeps for, and finally raises a finger to.

A fierce satire which maintains its humanity, Boy Genius is also a unique event in Korean-American fiction. It recasts the confessional prose of assimilation-conflict driven narratives -- via the imagination -- into a scathing accusation of geopolitical corruption as well as a description of the defiance immigrants currently wage in (as they always have) of bricholaging a consistent sense of self. A new landmark in the landscape of Korean-American literature.

I visited Budapest several times from 1997 through 2001 and am very glad I purchased this guidebook at a bookstore in that city (and I'm happy I still have the copy, especially considering the prices people are asking for it these days). It stands apart from all the other travel guidebooks I know -- Andras Török's humor, literary flourishes and, above all, in-depth knowledge of his native city make it delightful reading even if you're not in Budapest, but the author never forgets that he's writing for travelers whose time in the Hungarian capital is likely limited and who are therefore keen to make the best use of that time. The detailed walking-tour maps are the best of their kind I've ever seen, and the short articles on such topics as the local language and viticulture further enrich the reading experience. Budapest has changed so much over the past six years, however, that I'd recommend obtaining the latest edition (published in 2007 by Park Könyvkiadó) -- and since it's nearly impossible to obtain outside of Hungary at this writing unless you're OK with paying ridiculous shipping fees, I'd recommend buying a copy as soon as you arrive in the marvelous city of Budapest.

We lived in Hungary for one year and used this guide for our weekend trips. Our good Hungarian friends gave it to us. Torok gives you a glorious, historic, poignant trip through this powerful city. Good to read and take the tours, even if you do it from your couch.

I am an ex-pat living here in Budapest. We run a small B and B called BudaBaB, so when we found this book, we bought and lend it to each guest to read. Although we have been here for almost five years, the book is a delightful read that provides interesting facts and information that we would never have learned otherwise. Torok writes with humor and a deep sense of love for his city. It has opened our hearts again and again to a city that we have loved living in already. It just makes it all the richer.

Ryan James

As a true city-lover, I found this book invaluable. Not only will you learn what it is you're looking at, but why you should care, and what makes it interesting. The friendly narrative style is truly entertaining, and all the recommendations are spot-on. It's full of enlightening sidebars by a variety of cultural figures, including "Directors Picks" for some of the major museums. Other guidebooks to Budapest don't do the city justice, but this is the book I wish I could write about my big-city hometown. I completely empathize with Mr. Torok's passion for Budapest--large cities can be just as nurturing and familiar as a small town, particularly when it's your own. If you love exploring cities, and trying your best to unearth their individual personalities (suspecting that it's impossible, but being driven to at least scratch the surface), this book is a must. My only regret was that I only found this book while I was there and already half-way through my visit.

I came across this little gem in a small bookstore while strolling down Andrassy Ut. in Budapest. It's essentially a loving and learned essay on the city slyly disguised as a guidebook. Of course he's got the requisite walking maps, addresses and practical information, but what he really does is to capture the soul of the city and its denizens, past and present. It's clear that his evocative observations and opinions, laced with wit and candor could only have come from one clever guy who's truly lived the life in Budapest. You'll read every page of this book as though it were a novel.