Thailand Books

I really liked the first half of this book. In fact I was saying to myself, "Boy, this is a GREAT book!" The second half I found boring.
I bought this out-of-print book because I had read the obit of Ernest Gordon and thus introduced to a bit of what occurred in the prison of war camp. It seems like if you get within an inch of death and manage to survive, then you get true religion. This phenomenon interests me and for some reason I like to read about a person's real experiences. I guess it lessens my fear of death. When Peter Sellers died and was revived, I recall that he said he would never fear death again. But when someone tries to extrapolate these experiences into some sort of philosophy it always -in my mind- seems to fall flat. The purpose of life is to get on with it, no matter how purposeless it seems, but near death experiences seem to help me deal with the getting on with it.

The book traces the transformation of the author's life and the life of the Japanese POW camp in which he was incarcerated. It is a beautiful book. The Japanese created an environment in which each prisoner lived for himself in a desperate struggle to survive. As a result, life was cheapened, prisoner stole from prisoner and many lost the will to struggle to live. Then, as if from no where, isolated acts of great courage and sacrifice arrested the camp's slide into hell. Men began to ask the question if there was some purpose to life beyond self. Groups formed to discuss the question. From that emerged groups who began serving others. The answer they discovered was that Jesus Christ had suffered much like they were suffering and yet was able to serve others and ultimately die for their sin. The camp was transformed. Men used their talents to serve their fellow prisoners. It is an incredible read.

Buy it!

An awesome book. Far more than just history. Read this book, it will change your life.

I was privileged to know the author of "Through the Valley of the Kwai", Rev. Ernest Gordon, for many years. Ernest Gordon died January 16, 2002. He has always been and will forever remain my hero. His story, first published in 1962, was republished in the 1980's as "Miracle on the River Kwai" and will enter its third printing February 2002 under yet another title, "To End All Wars". It is a powerful and moving first-hand account of how faith, love, fellowship, and the enduring human spirit transcended the unthinkable horrors and hatred of war and transformed the hearts and lives of men on both sides of the battle line. After recently attending Rev. Gordon's memorial service, we were presented with an unbelievable and sobering gift: a preview screening of a new movie, "To End All Wars", based on Ernest Gordon's book and scheduled for release around August 15, 2002. I would encourage every adult reader to see this powerful, disturbing, and ultimately victorious film. Just weeks before his death Rev. Gordon attended a private screening of the long-anticipated movie along with the movie's producer, Jack Hafer. After the screening, Rev. Gordon slowly approached the anxious producer and with strong emotion in his Scottish brogue proclaimed, "Jack, you caught the heart of it." Like his book, this movie has the power to change you! May the heart of it "catch" you, too.

The book--a true story--has incredible principles even though it is not well written. It was hard to put it down. The author showed how creativity could spring forth amidst horrendous cruelty, starvation, and isolation when military prisoners of war forsook their own selfishness and began help others. It not only saved their own lives, but because it gave purpose to their otherwise hopeless situations, an environment was fostered that gave true hope and purpose in their existing situations. TO BE RELEASED AS A MAJOR MOVIE DECEMBER 6TH 2002 IN LA.

This book is written by my mother-in-law, I had no idea how funny she could be or the details of the life she had lived! I've always known how humorous she is but I had no idea what a great book she would write. I read it while sitting at soccer games/practices and laughed so hard that people around me asked me what the book was so that they could purchase it. Right on, Mom!!!

Having been in Tailand myself, I just had to read this book.
I found it enjoyable, easy reading and Dodie has a great sense of humor.
I am looking forward to her next book.

Eleanor G. Sargent

What a great book! I can hardly wait for the next Dodie Cross book to be released. In the meantime, I will reread A Broad Abroad in Thailand. Dodies writing style reminds me of Erma Brombeck stories which I so loved. When I read Dodies book, I felt as if I was making the journey to Thailand with her. I feel anyone purchasing this book will be looking for more of Dodie Cross and her
journeys.

I purchased this book because, as an expat who lives in thailand, it seemed like a great idea. Overall, it's an easy read and certainly has quite a few shares of laughs. However, quite a large portion of the book is devoted to her doomed marriage to a horny jerk- something I really didn't sign up to hear about! Her adventures, although I feel for her, were also not quite as adventurous as I expected- and while I commend her for making a trip to the mall to buy underwear interesting, it's still just that. Same thing goes for eating in reataurants, taking public transportation, and getting a massage. Her bad experience with the hospitals make me grimace as well- I have had fabulous healthcare in bangkok and would hate for anyone to confuse Pattaya a few years back with modern hospitals in thailand.
All in all, I would love to sit down with her and have a few drinks and relive the quirks of living here, but can't say I would reread the book.

Dodie is my friend and I learned many things I never knew about her.
I knew she was fun, a great story teller and a wonderful person.
Her book made me laugh, it made me cry, but most of all I have an even
deeper appreciation for who she truly is. I read the entire book on a plane flight from coast to coast and believe me the flight went quickly.
I even caught my husband reading it. No one can take a serious situation
and make you enjoy reading about it like Dodie. Thailand was not a place I
wanted to go, but the trip was worth it with Dodie.
Nancy Metty

Nancy Metty

Don't go around Thailand thinking you're smart without reading this book first. I've heard of similar stories as outlined in the book. But, as the author would suggest it, you still want to play, just make sure you know the rules.

Jasmine Fever is the authorative reference for anyone who wants to be able to watch his/her backside while traveling in Thailand, or other places in Asia. You won't have to wish that you knew then what you know now. Even tourists who are not on the prowl for a sweetheart are sometimes met by a new "friend" who has a "sudden misfortune." Frank Visakay has cleverly nailed down clearly what is really happening underneath it all. Frequent visitors to Asia are sure to laugh out loud while reading it.

Anyone considering any kind of Thai relationship needs this book. The well written book was easy to read and understand and very enjoyable. The author must have seen many friends tricked by Jasmine Fever to be so keen in its description. I am buying additional copies for my friends who want to know what Thailand can be like.

Every person traveling to Thailand should have a copy of this guide book to social intercourse and interaction between the sexes packed with good solid advice. These true stories will help you avoid social faux pas & worse. True stories of love, romance, and disaster will keep you thoroughly entertained. Learn what the ordinary guide books have left out.

You know you love Jasmine Fever when you keep smiling and nodding your head in agrement as your reading. Jasmine Fever is filled with short impact stories that keep you page turning.
This book has more valuable knowledge than Tuesdays with Morrie. I may never get to Thailand but This entertaining read is filled with World Wide knowledge. New York City is also the land of smiles and the author expresses wisdom that can be used anywhere anytime. Important reading for not only travels but for all of us. We need more of this kind of honest tell it like it really is book !!!

This book is excellent for beginners (like me). It gives so much details about cooking techniques that it can get you started real quick and yet keep you going back to the book for little nuances and finer touches that could keep you recreating your favourite dish in yet another wonderfully different way. Kasma's love for her culture, her deep understanding of Thai cuisine and her intuitive knowledge of what a reader wants makes this book a must have for anyone venturing into Thai cuisine. As for me, the very first curry paste that Kasma's words walked me through paid for the cost of the book. Everything else I got out of the book is a sheer bonus of a pleasure. By the way, thanks to Amazon.com for helping me discover this book...!

The author of this cookbook goes out of her way to present not only traditional recipes, but enough knowledge and technique to help you achieve traditional taste. This is no mere recipe book, it's more of a guide to Thai cooking.

From the very start, Loha-Unchit explains everything about the essential components of Thai cuisine and exactly what they do to each dish. Interspersed amongst her recipes are stories related to the dishes that may seem sappy to some, but generally help explain what the cook is trying to achieve with each recipe.

This book will definitely challenge and enhance your cooking skills. After preparing a few of the selections she presents, you won't just know how to whip up several dishes by rote- you'll have a very good understanding of the essentials of Thai cooking.

"It Rains Fishes" is a wonderful example of a cookbook that relates a nation's cuisine in terms of the culture that creates it. The book is as much a testament to the author's love of Thailand as it is a presentation of Thai recipes. You can enjoy reading it even if you never cook a single dish. But if you do choose to take it into the kitchen, you will find the recipes straightforward and obviously refined by many years of implementation by students. Perhaps the most valuable lesson is the author's description of how Thai dishes are put together, less by recipe than by balancing the five dimensions of taste (sweet, salt, bitter, sour, hot). One cannot recreate Thai dishes with a quarter teaspoon of this and an ounce of that. It must be done in the moment by taste. That very philosophy, along with the use of fresh local ingredients, underlies much of New American cooking. The book's downfall, then, is obvious -- the availability of ingredients local to Thailand. If you live in an area with a good collection of Asian markets, you might have some luck. But if you rely on the "Asian" section of your local supermarket, you won't. It's pretty much that simple.

First and foremost the book presents a series of recipes, easy to follow and in every instance a delight to prepare and to serve. The preparation of the ingredients, their traditional uses, and helpful information about potential combinations provide the reader with a banquet of information about the preparation of food in the traditional Thai style. Moreover, the book contains helpful suggestions on preparation techniques, for locating and purchasing ingredients, and for ultimate presentation of the dish. Loha-Unchit clearly strives to prepare the reader for the Thai cooking experience: providing basic instruction for those just beginning and important details to more experienced Thai cooks.

The book also is visually beautiful. Numerous line drawings and beautiful images (apparently watercolors) provide the reader with beautiful images ranging from market scenes in Bangkok to illustrations of people working in the countryside. I found myself going back to the pictures and imagining myself observing the scenes they depicted.

Finally, this book is a feast for the mind. Loha-unchit provides the reader with a history of the foods, their origins, and their place within the Thai cuisine. Loha-unchit guides us through a process that enables us to obtain and employ ingredients to produce authentic and traditional Thai cuisine with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of results. For example, although the book contains recipes for making your own curries from scratch it also provides suggestions for commercially available curries that provide the flavors closest to Thai home-made.

This is not a cookbook for those who think you can label a dish Thai by adding a few peanuts and a bit of lemon grass. It is a book that provides the reader with a taste of the sensibility of Thai cuisine and Thai culture, a journey for both the mind and the palate.

Experienced cooks will benefit from the insights Loha-unchit offers; inexperienced cooks will find their skills grow through use of the book. All will delight in the flavors, both visual and gustatory, that "It rains fishes" provides.

The prose in this book is so charming, and so well written. Kasma's stories of her youth sometimes almost brought a tear to my eye!

More cookbooks should contain the cultural essays and autobiographical information that Kasma uses to explain why she loves the recipes shes shares with the reader.

Enchanting!

I have a friend that went through a lot of the pressures that Ferrell's main character, Anna, went through. She had controlling parents that dictated how she was to live her life. This caused her to rebell just like Anna. She did not have a forbidden love like the character but she married an abusive spouse like Chad. I watched her go through fear and depression but unlike Anna, she did not escape. The novel may have given her hope and the strength to get out of the situation. The book touched me on so many levels because it does indeed bring hope and an interal healing. I have shared the book with my husband and he also loved the work because he saw how it brings peace to those with scares. I do highly recommend this novel. Pen name, Ann Thompson

A powerful work that searches deep inside a broken woman. Anna is a character that teaches lessons in inner forgiveness and personal responsiblity. She learns the importance of healing. Her story reaches out not just to woman but to people. The novel is about facing conflict. Whether Anna deals with the heatache of her parents conditional love or the fear of losing her true love, she finds the inner strength and courage inside herself. As well, she overcomes an abusive marriage and finds the true meaning of friendships and acceptance of others regardless of race, religion or any other factor.

Told through the eyes of Anna, a thirty year old woman reflecting upon her life, Autumn Seclusion is a tale of coming to grips with one's hidden fears and blemishes. Anna's experience of rejection at home set her up for a succession of draining and abusive relationships. The one loving relationship she experienced was with a Native American from Upstate, New York; her family severed her ties at home, and she eventually left the United States entirely to reconstruct her life. A tale that encourages the reader to think long and hard about themselves and the ones they love, Autumn Seclusion is ultimately a tale of the meaning of forgiveness. Highly recommended.

A powerful book that can help women undergoing a crisis. Ferrell's writing is savory and deep. She paints a beautiful picture of the Carolina shores and Thailand. The work brings hope and healing to not just women but also men.

I read Ms. Ferrell's book, Autumn Seclusion, several months ago. The main character struggled with adolescence, failed romances and an abusive marraige. However, she found the strength to slow her life and really look at how she was living. Fortunately, she realized family's importance and her own self worth. She gave all of us hope that we too can overcome adversity.

This book entitled "Encyclopedia of Thai Massage" is so comprehensive and really is one of the most creative and educational books I've come across on this topic. This book translates exceptionally well to the practice of Thai Massage.

I have read and re-read this book so many times that I need a new copy. It is my favorite reference book for Thai massage! The photos and descriptions are great, with excellent correlations to yoga poses throughout. This book depicts the Northern style of Thai Massage and refers to it as an important branch of traditional medicine, as opposed to just another spa treatment. The author lived in Thailand and spent time teaching at the Old Medicine Hospital in Chiang Mai.

This is wonderful book for any level of Thai practicioner. It has very clear and concise pictures and descriptions, as well as shows you how to do a maneuver correctly and incorrectly. Great resource for learning about thai basics to experienced level. Would reccommend to any who were looking for a Thai book. I loved mine so much that I showed it to my therapist who does Thai on me and now am ordering one for him because he liked mine so well he didn't want to give it back. :)

Okay, here is the deal. I have read a gazillion books on Thai massage. Okay, maybe not quite that many, but sometimes it feels like it. For a long time I wished and wished that someone would write a book that went beyond the initial basic sequence that is taught in so many schools. Then I found the Encyclopedia of Thai Massage. It led me to contact the author, train extensively with him, return to Thailand for even deeper training, and open a Thai massage school. Yes, this book was the catalyst for life change. Have I mentioned that it's the best one out there? Nothing nothing nothing replaces hands on training with a qualified teacher for learning Thai massage - books can be no more than reminders and supplemental material to real training. This said, Pierce's book is the best one out there in the english language that has yet been written.

This book takes you from start to finish of a full body Thai massage routine. The descriptions and pictures are very detailed and easy to understand. This book gives all the information from the setting of the room to contraindications for the novice or experienced practicioner. He also gives the tradition and a knowledge of Thai culture. I have recently been to Thailand to study massage, it has changed my bodywork practice for the better ( I'm a massage therapist/ yoga teacher) and it is because of this book and its author.

This is a superb look at the nitty-gritty world of selling. Although the author does fill it with case studies, they are all useful and thought-provoking. My favorite bit of advice concerns what happens to all top salespeople: they get their territory cut. Why? To keep them from getting complacent, of course.

Joe has gone out of his way to cut to the chase. There is no self esteem building and you can do it rah rah rather Joe's frank honest and what it takes to stay on top, remain on top and what to do when you are caught in a no win situation. As an MBA this type of book should be a mandatory read but the reality of tenured professors that are effectively running a union job do not understand how duplicitous and unethically the real business world can be. I finish this book in a few hours and the insight will last me a career. It is also refreshing from the standpoint that Joe has a soul and is interested in seeing the world and some great sales jobs he has had launched that opportunity. If you surf this book is especially cool(which I do and I can relate to the author on many levels.) Another reviewer was turned off by some profanity of which I do not remember so don't focus on issues of crass.

Anybody. I repeat anybody who sells, or wants to become a sales person, has to read this book. This book will keep you in the "game" longer, by playing corporate business model to your advantage. All successful companies value their sales force. But most Sales Managers make you feel like a zero. By reading this book you can change that number and pave a brighter future. Read and Prosper.

This book is a "must have" for the new graduate or anyone who is considering a career or taking on an adventure in sales.

Finally, a fun-to-read book on sales with valuable and positive insights on getting-in, finding the right company, and getting-out when your company becomes the "wrong company."

Joe T has real-life examples and experiences that show you how to work for yourself and enjoy the adventure. He teaches you what to expect in sales and get the most out of your job and keep your sanity. Rather than providing, rehashed "supposedly new", methods of achieving one time sales success, this book provides a "big picture guide" that helps a salesperson's lifelong career. HIGHLY ENTERTAINING AND RECOMMENDED!!!

I went to B-School, got my MBA, and gained valuable education on the theory and practice of managing a successful business. What I was disappointed by, were the unexamined assumptions around the "corporate dream", which I found pervasive at all levels of the curriculum. Too complex to go into here, but essentially...

Most business schools are in the business of selling the corporate dream and training future managers in the arts of profit maximization, organizational efficiency, competitive advantage, and market penetration. Rarely do they ever address the human reality of corporate downsizing, except as economic data points relevent to the afore mentioned topics.

The Sales Adventure Guide is a practical manual on how to cut through the corporate BS, understand the true meaning behind management-speak, and know how to cover your butt when your job is on the line, through no fault of your own. It uncovers the tactics, often unethical and sometimes illegal, that HR and upper management will use to make you go away, meekly, without costing the company a penny.

The Sales Adventure Guide will help you probe underneath the company's glossy exterior and public face, by showing you how you can ask the right questions and find out important information about the organization you will be contracting your time to.

This book will teach you how to protect yourself, play the corporate game with finesse, and enjoy your life, rather than feel browbeaten at the company's ingratitude towards the days, months, years of your life you gave them - which you will never, ever get back.

Corporate loyalty is a myth, most companies will lay you off without a second thought. Read this book, understand that we are all contractors now.

Renek's accomplished a rare feat in creating a suspenseful page-turner that's drenched with gorgeous descriptions and beautifully evocative language. That combination not only makes for great reading, but also skillfully underscores an important tension: On the one hand, Maddy Foster, the novel's heroine, floats through an idyllic, almost dream-like setting. On the other, she's constantly skirting the edge of a vaguely sinister darkness. There's quite an interesting ensemble cast here - each character realistically crafted and just as realistically unpredictable, and Renek's masterfully captured the unique seductions of traveling through exotic and yes, slightly dangerous locales. Spiritland's an exciting journey and you're likely, like Maddy, to throw yourself indulgently into this adventure, only to find that things turn out in a way you never expected.

Spiritland is an accessible, thoughtful and moving account of a young American woman's journey through the darker regions of Thailand. The narrator is impressionable, to say the least, yet she cares deeply for the people around her. She befriends a Westerner in a Thai prison, a French dancer in an exotic nightclub, and a runaway from San Francisco who has fallen into the drug-running life. These experiences build to a critical point, as the main character, Maddy, realizes that her situation is beyond her control. But her hardship is tempered. The author's talent and clarity of expression guide the reader through to the surprising resolution.

Spiritland is an accessible, thoughtful and moving account of a young American woman's journey through the darker regions of Thailand. The narrator is impressionable, to say the least, yet she cares deeply for the people around her. She befriends a Westerner in a Thai prison, a French dancer in an exotic nightclub, and a runaway from San Francisco who has fallen into the drug-running life. These experiences build to a critical point, as the main character, Maddy, realizes that her situation is beyond her control. But her hardship is tempered. The author's talent and clarity of expression guide the reader through to the surprising resolution.

Having been a frequent visitor to LOS ("land of smiles" AKA Thailand) since my first trip in 1994, I find the premise to be highly believable. While I admittedly have little in common with the Khao San Road backpacker set, I have borne witness to the often vacant eyed legions trudging up and down Sukumvit Road and even have an acquaintance or two that came very near to going over the edge.

Where Alex Garland's "The Beach" is fantasy, Nava Renek's "Spiritland" is reality. Starting the day at 3PM with a "joint" and a Singha, staying up all night getting trashed while watching bootleg videos on outdoor TV's and repeating the cycle. No worries. When the money runs out it is easy to believe that a person will do anything to avoid the "jumbo" home.

I really liked everything about this book and found the believability factor to be quite high with the possible exception of the "gorgeous" French girl working in the Thai owned go-go bar in Chiang Mai. While it is known that there are Caucasian women (mostly from the former Soviet Union) that ply their trade in Thailand, I have yet to hear of any that actually danced at a go-go.

I am quite a fan of the genre (Asian theme fiction) and read Spiritland in two sittings. I only hope that author continues along the line.

Renek guides her readers through Spiritland with the sure touch of an experienced author. Maddy Foster is an unremarkable American girl who leaves her safe existence to embark on a nightmarish existential quest. In this circumnavigation of self, Maddy loses her way in the horror of a Thailand that is choking in the death-grip of an invasion by the farangs from Europe and America. It is a crumbling world she traverses, in which individuals struggle to find, or to cling to, the broken remnants of the human spirit. While the desperate souls drowning in the morass fatalistically accept the 'bad luck' that is their fate, Maddy discovers solace in a secret forest shrine in which an overgrown Buddha persistently pushes its 'spiraling stone headdress above all the jungle debris'. One surprising day, she finds that it has been cleaned and decorated with a garland of fresh flowers, by an unseen hand.
The plot is tight, with all the drama, suspense, and excitement of a John Irving novel. The writing is clear, yet Renek writes with an evocative ability usually reserved for poetry. Maddy is swept along a chain of events that gains a certain inevitability as death picks off the strangers, friends, and lovers who circle around her, and as she herself totters on the brink of destruction. Will she find the inner strength that she needs to survive? Renek's original travel story has the inner power to blow you away- read it to expand your horizons, read it to be entertained, read it to be challenged. You will be the richer for the experience.

This book is clear, comprehensive, easy to follow with good photos. A good learning tool.

Ananda's description of Sacred Bodywork is beautifully illustrated,explained and documented. She has captured the essence of this art and science.I can attest to this as I was with her in Thailand one of the many years that she studied with Pichest Boonhumme. She gathers in this book her years of studying, practicing and teaching Thai Yoga Massage. She combines her deep spiritual awareness with a detailed knowledge of anatomy and physiology in a way that elucidates the therapeutic value of her craft. Its usefulness is enhanced when used with the video tapes although one could learn without the visual aide. I do use this book in my own teaching and practice and am appreciative of its authentic,detailed methodology.I highly recommend it.

Before I began my journey with Thai Yoga massage I looked at a number of books on the market. When I found this book I knew it was the right one for me. The text is easy to read and understand and the illustrations are clear. Miss. Apfelbaum is someone who is able to articulate a bodywork treatment that is complex, beautiful and above all healing. I would advise anyone who wishes to learn Thai Yoga massage to use this book as a tool. She also has a website, a video (that is great for when practicing at home) and does workshops.

With Thai Massage, Ananda Apfelbaum has made an important contribution by capturing this sacred healing art with clarity and precision. It presents a comprehensive overview followed by a clearly illustrated, complete, full-body Thai sequence. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in experiencing
the tremendous benefits and joy of this ancient practice.

Jonas Westring
shantaya.org

This is a must have for every practitioner of Thai Massage. Ananda is a gifted master of Thai Massage and has done a great service sharing her vast knowledge of this healing art. The photographs showing the wide variety of moves unique to this modality are easy to understand. The accompanying text is well written with precise descriptions of the techniques, the anatomy and how it is affected, and valuable information about the Sen lines I have not found elsewhere. It is meticulous. I love this book and often use it for reference. Along with Asokananda's books, this is the best Thai Massage book available.

Finally a book that lives up to the title.
Nicely written, stays w/in the scope of the book - clear photographs included.

Good primer on the subject.

An absolutely wonderful book. A complete step by step guide with full pictures and descriptions of the practitioner and client's positions. History and diagrams are informative.
Kam Thai Chow is a Master of great Excellence!
I am signed up to study wherever he goes!

thorough, user-friendly, and helpful.

Kam Thye Chow's book is fantastic. You will not be disappointed.

(I currently have the German version of this book, but I assume that the English one includes the same info.) I have just finished a course in Thai massage, and the traditional technique, as taught by Asokananda (aka Harald Brust), the man who brought Thai massage to the Western world, does NOT begin in the sitting position. Asokananda teaches the importance of beginning a massage at the feet, and then working upwards. From what I understand, this is important because Thai massage balances the energy in a body and the flow must go upwards through the chakras to the head. That said, this book includes some excellent photographs and the rest of its content is extremely helpful to anyone learning Thai massage. I think that Asokananda's book should still be the starting point for everyone, though.