What Are Some Good Novels Which Are Based In Thailand?

[Geekfreaklover]

What's all this talk about trashy novels about whores should be "mandatory reading"? That's like saying the Daily Sport should be mandatory reading for anyone visiting the UK. Get yourselves out of the gutter of society and live a little.

Seriously. Isn't there any good literature to recommend? It doesn't even have to be written by an expat farang!

Something like this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Reigns

William Somerset-Maughams Far Eastern Tales

Joseph Conrad- The Secret Sharer & others

Graham Greene-Close enough!

Anything by Chris Moore should be at the top of anyones list....

Mickey Spillane sitting in a bar with Graham Greene swapping stories in Soi 33 after they got kicked out of the Thermae for brawling

Jake Needham? No I didn't get that either, bought 3 gave up on chapter 3 of the first one. Sorry Jake!

Maugham, Conrad and Greene didn't really actually write about Thailand. They wote stories based in South East Asia. But to add to that list of great writers I would add Anthony Burgess - The Malay Trilogy. Time for a tiger is excellent.

[Ulysses G.]

Somerset Maughams Far Eastern Tales are mostly about Malaysia and they are GREAT. The setting is not Thailand, but close enough.

[mahtin]

Somerset Maughams Far Eastern Tales are mostly about Malaysia and they are GREAT. The setting is not Thailand, but close enough.

There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.

[brahmburgers]

Lali's Passage is a novel which takes place mostly in northern Thailand. Some parts in California, and the ending chapters take place in central Burma. The main characters are an attractive Burmese lady (Lali) and two American men who ply for her favors - though by diverse methods. There is a heist of a 'crystal buddha' statue, and a part where Lali gets lost in a wilderness region - and winds up getting befriended by a group of 'back-to-the-landers' camped out there. Part of the appeal of the story revolves around the similarity of native American and Burmese cultures (example: both use tobacco to color and preserve baskets).

[ballpoint]

Somerset Maughams Far Eastern Tales are mostly about Malaysia and they are GREAT. The setting is not Thailand, but close enough.

Try his "The gentleman in the parlour". An account of a journey from Rangoon to Haiphong he took in the 20's. There's not a lot on Thailand, but enough to give an idea as to what it was like back then. It was during this trip that he contracted malaria and almost died in the Oriental Hotel. The manager tried to have him removed, thinking it would be bad publicity if an author died there. Of course, they now brag that he stayed there, and named a suite after him.

I'd also recommend Charles Nicholl's "Boarderlines", a nonfiction work about the golden triangle. It's not as good as his more famous "Fruit Palace", but okay none the less, and better written than the standard Bangkok bar scene novel.

Gavin Young's "In search of Conrad" also has a section on Bangkok in it, and is well worth a read, especially for Conrad fans and those interested in life in that era.

[Geekfreaklover]

Somerset Maughams Far Eastern Tales are mostly about Malaysia and they are GREAT. The setting is not Thailand, but close enough.

There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.

Maugham quote?

[Ulysses G.]

"The Gentleman in the Parlour" is the only book by Somerset Maugham that I have not enjoyed, and I couldn't say why. I will have to give it another try.

I liked Charles Nicholl's "Borderlines" which is about Thailand when I first came here. He calls it "non-fiction", buit I think that he made much of it up.

Edited March 22, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[dutchguest]

I also find Botan's letters a good book. "Four reigns" I am still reading, for more then a year allready. Too good to put away alltogether, but not good enough to keep my attention continuously. (Sorry for my bad English). And it is a very thick book so in the end I think I won't read it completely. From the same author I read another book which I found good and enlightening of life in Thailand, especially in the higher social circles. At the moment I can't give the title as I don't have the books with me in Thailand.

Then we have the "real" litterature of writers who -for some reason or anther- wanted to stay in the Oriental hotel. For me a little bit a group of snobs who for their recognition as real writers feathered each other and clamped to each other, afraid of not belonging to the incrowd. I have read much of Conrad, not so bad, but for me far overestimated. I think then I prefer autobiografic books like "My name Lon" which do not have any litterary pretention.

[justaskdan]

The new Stephen Leather, 'Live Fire', is excellent.

Villa Incognito by Tom Robbins (2003) is one of my all time favorites.

[ballpoint]

I also find Botan's letters a good book. "Four reigns" I am still reading, for more then a year allready. Too good to put away alltogether, but not good enough to keep my attention continuously. (Sorry for my bad English). And it is a very thick book so in the end I think I won't read it completely. From the same author I read another book which I found good and enlightening of life in Thailand, especially in the higher social circles. At the moment I can't give the title as I don't have the books with me in Thailand.

Then we have the "real" litterature of writers who -for some reason or anther- wanted to stay in the Oriental hotel. For me a little bit a group of snobs who for their recognition as real writers feathered each other and clamped to each other, afraid of not belonging to the incrowd. I have read much of Conrad, not so bad, but for me far overestimated. I think then I prefer autobiografic books like "My name Lon" which do not have any litterary pretention.

I think you'll find that when those "real literature" writers stayed at The Oriental, there wasn't a great deal of choice as to where to stay in Bangkok. I do agree though, that any writer who stays there now because those authors did, could be classed as a snob.

[t.s]

Sorry, but I would the Thai Girl novel VERY LOW by literary standards. What a shameless plug!

I did read it so I know what I am talking about. Probably the most poorly written novel I have read in years.

Hey, Jingthing, you're a meanie. Loads of people really love "Thai Girl"!

Oh well, can't please all of the readers all of the time and I admit that I too am often disappointed with a novel that's a top seller with a strong reputation.

It can be a matter of personal choice. Witness the above disagreements over Jake Needham's books which for me at least are weak stories, though snappily written.

Flamers lurk on Thaivisa though and last time someone came to rescue "Thai Girl", saying the following,

"The real heart and soul of this book lies in the character of Fon (the 'Thai girl'). Beautifully observed and drawn, a striking metaphor for Thai culture itself, it is through her that Hicks adeptly explores the central theme of most books of this genre: the difficulty, frustration, pain and, perhaps ultimately, the futility of the foreigner trying to come to terms with the mercurial nature of Thailand. It is to his credit - and I believe displays and reflects the respect he has for this country - that he chose not to use the hackneyed milieu of the Bangkok bar scene as a vehicle to achieve this."

He said I had 'a natural gift for narrative' and 'a raw talent for story telling'. Wow!

Now Jingthing's brought me down to earth again.

Anyway "Thai Girl's" still selling well and has just been reprinted yet again. And last year it made more profit than General Motors and Chrysler combined, money which incidentally is covenated for the relief of poverty in a certain small village in Isaan.

Yes, I can almost guarantee that you'll love my "Thai Girl" if you give it half chance!

And it's being translated into Danish and I've sold the movie option. Wait for it!

Andrew Hicks

cut the shit, while the book was merely awful, your convivial self promotion is nauseating.

I read your book with a group of friends while on holiday and it was a source of great derision. your dialogue was trite and your treatment of koh phanngan indicates that you have likely never been there, nor do you have the slightest understanding of the backpaker culture.

if you are indeed as successful as you claim, congratualations, now please piss off and enjoy the spoils, no need to promote yourself here.

changed defend to promote

Edited March 23, 2009 by t.s

[Ulysses G.]

I know that you call yourself "tough sh-t" and you like to be nasty to people, but Andrew Hicks is a real person, with feelings, who participates on this forum and there is no call to be so rude to him.

I do not like his writing either, but it seems as if some people do.

Edited March 23, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[Jingthing]

Andrew Hicks is a real person, with feelings

Yes, he has feelings. Feelings like BIG HEAD. He made the mistake of actually believing some of his notices. The only thing professional about his writing is that people have paid him money for it. Their mistake.

Edited March 23, 2009 by Jingthing

[t.s]

I know that you call yourself "tough sh-t" and you like to be nasty to people, but Andrew Hicks is a real person, with feelings, who participates on this forum and there is no call to be so rude to him.

I do not like his writing either, but it seems as if some people do.

i have nothing against the man. i am offended by his self promotion. if he desists from that he will not hear another peep from me.

any authour with a modicum of pride of humility should not be plugging his own book in a thread like this.

tough sh_t? you can do better than that.

[Ulysses G.]

Sorry, I actually have always thought that is what you meant t.s. to stand for.

[edwardandtubs]

I know that you call yourself "tough sh-t" and you like to be nasty to people, but Andrew Hicks is a real person, with feelings, who participates on this forum and there is no call to be so rude to him.

I do not like his writing either, but it seems as if some people do.

Much worse things have been said about crap authors and crap books. Imagine if all book critics dwelt on the "feelings" of the author instead of giving their honest opinion.

[t.s]

Sorry, I actually have always thought that is what you meant t.s. to stand for.

ts is my first and last initials

[Ulysses G.]

I know that you call yourself "tough sh-t" and you like to be nasty to people, but Andrew Hicks is a real person, with feelings, who participates on this forum and there is no call to be so rude to him.

I do not like his writing either, but it seems as if some people do.

Much worse things have been said about crap authors and crap books. Imagine if all book critics dwelt on the "feelings" of the author instead of giving their honest opinion.

I agree completely, but professional reviews are a different thing than insults on a forum that he writes on every day.

The truth is that I feel sorry that he does not have a better idea of the limits of his talent. As I have said before on here, this is the problem with self-publishing.

[Geekfreaklover]

I also find Botan's letters a good book. "Four reigns" I am still reading, for more then a year allready. Too good to put away alltogether, but not good enough to keep my attention continuously. (Sorry for my bad English). And it is a very thick book so in the end I think I won't read it completely. From the same author I read another book which I found good and enlightening of life in Thailand, especially in the higher social circles. At the moment I can't give the title as I don't have the books with me in Thailand.

Then we have the "real" litterature of writers who -for some reason or anther- wanted to stay in the Oriental hotel. For me a little bit a group of snobs who for their recognition as real writers feathered each other and clamped to each other, afraid of not belonging to the incrowd. I have read much of Conrad, not so bad, but for me far overestimated. I think then I prefer autobiografic books like "My name Lon" which do not have any litterary pretention.

I think you'll find that when those "real literature" writers stayed at The Oriental, there wasn't a great deal of choice as to where to stay in Bangkok. I do agree though, that any writer who stays there now because those authors did, could be classed as a snob.

Correct.The Oreintal was the only foreign friendly hotel at that time, and a lot less grand than it is today.

To compare My name is Lon with Joesph Conrad made me chuckle. I don't like conrad much either, but I do like many of the writers that he influenced. And he also provided the idea for my favourite movie 'Apocalpse now' with his "heart of darkness" novel.

Edited March 23, 2009 by Geekfreaklover

[t.s]

I know that you call yourself "tough sh-t" and you like to be nasty to people, but Andrew Hicks is a real person, with feelings, who participates on this forum and there is no call to be so rude to him.

I do not like his writing either, but it seems as if some people do.

Much worse things have been said about crap authors and crap books. Imagine if all book critics dwelt on the "feelings" of the author instead of giving their honest opinion.

I agree completely, but professional reviews are a different thing than insults on a forum that he writes on every day.

The truth is that I feel sorry that he does not have a better idea of the limits of his talent. As I have said before on here, this is the problem with self-publishing.

i was blunt, that was cruel

[Andrew Hicks]

, I must say that Thai Girl is one of the worst novels I have ever read, about any subject. But I am no literary critic.

Most texts of the "quality" of Thai Girl are never published or self printed. I suppose it might be a good read for those seeking an example of very bad writing. BTW, I don't know the history of Thai Girl but there is a germ of a story there (maybe a short story). It didn't read like it was exposed to a good (or any) EDITOR.

Thai Girl was, I believe, self published and self edited, by the author. Vanity press printings. It may have sold a few thousand copies on the basis of it's title alone. Most readers were disappointed.

Cult classic my foot.

Not a slur on you andrew, but you simply can not call Thai Girl a cult Classic.

I did not call "Thai Girl" a cult classic. Another author did. (Probably wrongly but she did!)

"Thai Girl" is published by Monsoon Books in Singapore and is currently being reprinted for a seventh time. The rules of Thaivisa prevent me from mentioning where a Readers Forum of unsolicited criticism of the book can be found.

Towards the end of the book there is a chapter where the characters sit on the beach and slag off George Bush and Anglo-American foreign policy. Some Americans have interpreted this as being anti-American and therefore slag me off in return.

I am British and am neither anti-British nor Anti-American. In fact your most sincere friends can sometime be the most positive critics. I have written about this at length on my blog so will not bore you again here.

Finally, I say Long Live America. Most of my friends are Americas and are among my most avid readers.

Andrew

PS Confucius he say, 'He who takes himself too seriously craps in his own pants.'

I'm now going to read the rest of the thread.

[Jingthing]

My comments on the "novel" Thai Girl had absolutely NOTHING to do with Anglo-American relations, pro or con. They were about the quality of the writing.

I would agree with the other posters who consider crass self promotion on a thread like this to be in very poor taste.

Edited March 24, 2009 by Jingthing

[Andrew Hicks]

Sorry, but I would the Thai Girl novel VERY LOW by literary standards. What a shameless plug!

I did read it so I know what I am talking about. Probably the most poorly written novel I have read in years.

Hey, Jingthing, you're a meanie. Loads of people really love "Thai Girl"!

Oh well, can't please all of the readers all of the time and I admit that I too am often disappointed with a novel that's a top seller with a strong reputation.

It can be a matter of personal choice. Witness the above disagreements over Jake Needham's books which for me at least are weak stories, though snappily written.

Flamers lurk on Thaivisa though and last time someone came to rescue "Thai Girl", saying the following,

"The real heart and soul of this book lies in the character of Fon (the 'Thai girl'). Beautifully observed and drawn, a striking metaphor for Thai culture itself, it is through her that Hicks adeptly explores the central theme of most books of this genre: the difficulty, frustration, pain and, perhaps ultimately, the futility of the foreigner trying to come to terms with the mercurial nature of Thailand. It is to his credit - and I believe displays and reflects the respect he has for this country - that he chose not to use the hackneyed milieu of the Bangkok bar scene as a vehicle to achieve this."

He said I had 'a natural gift for narrative' and 'a raw talent for story telling'. Wow!

Now Jingthing's brought me down to earth again.

Anyway "Thai Girl's" still selling well and has just been reprinted yet again. And last year it made more profit than General Motors and Chrysler combined, money which incidentally is covenated for the relief of poverty in a certain small village in Isaan.

Yes, I can almost guarantee that you'll love my "Thai Girl" if you give it half chance!

And it's being translated into Danish and I've sold the movie option. Wait for it!

Andrew Hicks

cut the shit, while the book was merely awful, your convivial self promotion is nauseating.

I read your book with a group of friends while on holiday and it was a source of great derision. your dialogue was trite and your treatment of koh phanngan indicates that you have likely never been there, nor do you have the slightest understanding of the backpaker culture.

if you are indeed as successful as you claim, congratualations, now please piss off and enjoy the spoils, no need to promote yourself here.

changed defend to promote

So you've read "Thai Girl" have you?

In fact I've only been to Koh Pha Ngan once... but "Thai Girl" isn't set there but on Koh Samet and Koh Chang.

Perhaps I should get friends to post a mention of my books next time and then I won't offend you!

Love and kisses,

Andrew

PS Enough said for now. I fear this has hijacked the wider purpose of the thread.

[Jingthing]

Has ever a thread garnered so much FREE publicity for so bad a book?

[girlx]

I really enjoyed Jasmine Nights by SP Somtow. Entertaining and insightful look into upper class Thai society in the 60s.

great book, by a great writer... i am about to read another of his called 'the other city of angels'

[Ulysses G.]

Has ever a thread garnered so much FREE publicity for so bad a book?

It is a bit rich claiming that Americans don't like it because he said nasty things about us. Being Anti-American is so fashionable right now that it is hard to read anything new that doesn't have something insulting in it. I enjoy Michael Moore, even if I don't agree with much of what he says.

The truth is that it is fine for something someone wrote in a high school creative writing class, but it would have never been accepted by a real publisher.

The sad thing is that if Mr. Hicks continues to fool himself about how "good" it is, there is a real chance that he will never improve his writing very much - which he might if an professional editor or publisher were honest with him about how much work he needs to do.

Sorry, but the crap about why Americans supposedly don't like it set me off. We don't like it because it simply is not very good.

[Jingthing]

Sorry, but the crap about why Americans supposedly don't like it set me off. We don't like it because it simply is not very good

SPOT

ON

MATE!

However, I must admit some culpability in the matter. I actually read the thing! Front to back! I can't say I am proud about it.

But might as well plug it again, and again, and again:

Thai Girl

by Andrew Hicks

Edited March 24, 2009 by Jingthing

[mahtin]

Somerset Maughams Far Eastern Tales are mostly about Malaysia and they are GREAT. The setting is not Thailand, but close enough.

There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.

Maugham quote?

Yes it is.

Sorry for the delay in response.

[ExoticMatter]

Better to let history be the judge of a good book...

[CrossBones]

Could anyone post some links to some more free Thailand related ebooks? I have Private Dancer already.

Thanks