The Book Private Dancer

[Geekfreaklover]

For me, there are two great books written about Thailand, or have Thailand as a theme.

1) The Falcon of Siam

2) Platform

I'm sorry I can't think of the author's names straight away. Number 2 was written by a French author. Number 1) was about the Greek gentleman who came to Bangkok and managed to get a foothold in Thai society. Both epic reads.

The Falcon of Siam by Axel Aylwen and published in 1988. I am finishing the book now and I understand from the friend that loaned it to me that he has 2 more in publication that continue the story of "The Falcon" in a 3 book series. Number 2 is " The Falcon Takes Wing by Axel Aylwen " and number 3 is The Falcon's Last Flight by Axel Aylwen

Nice one. Have to admit that the Facon by A. Aylwen is much better than a lot of the self-published books you see here in Thailand. The only exception is David Young, There is something Bukowisqe abouth Youngs books.

[straightdave]

Unfortunately its fiction and full of cliches. I wouldnt accept it as the gospel in anyway.

its fiction , but based on a seris of factual tales put together to form a great book

the author stephen leather is a supercool dude who does a lot of reaserch-in the trenches!

i see so much really boring crap on thailand

like, by guys who marry some girl , buy a farm, yaaawn.....and decide its interesting!, or some boring crime hype

at least this one is a page turner

know any other good ones please?

How about, Patpong Sisters, A touch of the Orient, But' I Don't give a Hoot, Fast Eddie' Lucky 7's, Missing in Thailand, Even Thai Girls Cry, Miss Bangkok, Bangkok Haunts, Live Fire, Girls Guns & Ganja and a hundred others.

They are all works of fiction but there is an element of truth in each and everyone of them.

Bent politicians, bent cop's, sick buffalo's, sick mother and fathers needing live saving surgery, pedo's, Katoeys, LB's, hookers and whores.

They may be classified as fiction but they are not too far removed from being factual "in many cases"

And I think that Private Dancer is closer to fact than it is to fiction

people are upset because the dude is super successful and can tell a good yarn

how can you spend so much time trashing something you have not read

does it not seem funny that more time is spent trashing something ( that has not been read!) than actaully reading the subject of the trash?

even I am confused.

I suppose its like everywhere,places have their charecteristics.

Is the situation in thailand really so dire for those unfortunate ladies?

And is it true what they write in those slammer time books?

[lioness]

There's another book "My name is Lon", written by the girl hersef, It's none ficton. Maybe gives you more of an insight into what the familys expect and demand of their daughters.

[straightdave]

There's another book "My name is Lon", written by the girl hersef, It's none ficton. Maybe gives you more of an insight into what the familys expect and demand of their daughters.

In fact-this book was NOT by any lady called " Lon" , it is fiction based on fact

And Lon does NOT exist

Lon is Stephen Leather,

A great and sad read at the same time.

Gotta admit, the guy knows his stuff and is doing real well.

I have not spent much time in thailand, but my buddys say that " private dancer" is very close to fact.

But many do not like hearing this.

Which is understandable I guess.

And that local authors usually do not tell it how it really is (not allowed due to those ole laws we dumped when we kissed the brits sayonara, which even they have dumped now

when i was there thailand was a very beautful country with charming lovely folk, it was also one big corrupt knock shop where money was law- whatado???!!!

[johna]

The original book on Thai women is "A Woman of Bangkok" by Jack Reynolds first published in 1956.

My copy was a third printing in 1968, If you can find this book grab it.

[gburns57au]

Mr Leather has had a few books published and has shown that he can indeed write a decent book.

Private Dancer is a failure for him, there have been many reasons given as to why Publishers didnt pick it up....but I reckon the only reason is that it fails to reach the mark.

The continuity in the book is up the crapper....not talking about the shifting between characters although that does seem to be all over the place as well.

It is a poorly written book.

As for it being a good guide for first time tourists.....if a first timer read that, he would never return.

As others have said already it is full of cliches, probably based loosely around factual characters, but in the end it is not book that I would recommend as being a true guide to Thailand or the bar scene in Thailand.

[gburns57au]

The original book on Thai women is "A Woman of Bangkok" by Jack Reynolds first published in 1956.

My copy was a third printing in 1968, If you can find this book grab it.

I also liked "the good woman of Bangkok" which is a short film interviewing a TBG.......that gives a better insight into the working girls of Thailand.

[john b good]

Hera are three more (books)

Pole Dancer, Bangkok Haunts and Welcome to the Bangkok Slaughterhouse "the latter pure fact with some name changes"

There is very little in many (the majority of them) of these books that separate faction from fiction.

And as for Private Dancer not having any real characters (or based on any real characters) is just so much hog wash

I even named one in my earlier post.

If all you guys have done in Thailand has been visiting temples and "cultural" (sic) shows, you can be excused for your lack of knowledge (or ignorance)

And, no, I do not habituate bars every night of the week, nor weekly either

But I have not walked around with my eyes shut either....

Edited October 3, 2009 by john b good

[straightdave]

The original book on Thai women is "A Woman of Bangkok" by Jack Reynolds first published in 1956.

My copy was a third printing in 1968, If you can find this book grab it.

I also liked "the good woman of Bangkok" which is a short film interviewing a TBG.......that gives a better insight into the working girls of Thailand.

was that an aussie flick made apx 20 years ago

was private dancer a finincial failure- surely not juding by reports on it

[imaneggspurt]

i love bargirls! but are aussies and germans so clueless that they need a book to learn what bargirls are about........lol.!

You'd be surprised,,,,,,some even marry them,...

[rixalex]

people are upset because the dude is super successful and can tell a good yarn

Who is upset? Just because some people think the book is drivel doesn't mean they are upset. It means they think the book is drivel.

how can you spend so much time trashing something you have not read

Trashing a book without having read it would indeed be a stupid thing to do. Who is doing that?

P.S. If Mr Leather is in need of a new agent i think we've found his man!

[imaneggspurt]

"Jackie Collins for male sex tourists. "

Not too sure what a "sex tourist" may be but that's a fair assessment.

This book seems to crop up in a post every 12 months or so and get roundly slated, and rightly so.

The guy can actually write to a reasonable degree judging from the novel of his - The Bombmaker - I read after someone had left it by the pool at the Golden Palace.

This book however is just cliche riddled crap. You can say its based on 'fact' as it relates to a situation which is not uncommon but I would be surprised were the protagonists of this book based on any actual real people, more made up from a composite drawn from bar room tales.

"Expat literary fiction" and in particular Thailand's "expat literary fiction" is pretty risible on the whole. I have yet to read a novel written by a so called 'expat' author which doesn't deal with sensationalist nonsense, stereotype and cliche. Don't get me started on Christopher G Moore as we'll be here all day.....

Do yourself a favour. If you want to learn about Thailand through literature, find Thai authors in translation and pass on dribble of this genre.

If you want to learn about the seamier side of life here, or even expat life in general go see for yourself and don't rely on the dross which has been written about it to set your benchmarks.

Great advice, if you want to lose a fotune dont listen to anyone, these girls are fantastic companions,.....

[IanForbes]

It doesn't matter if the book is fiction or fact. All that is important is if it is interesting. There is no standard when it comes to women who work in bars. They are as diverse as women anywhere on the planet. I'm quite certain that some people here who are knocking the book haven't even read it. It really doesn't matter whether it's trash writing or the second coming of Ernest Hemingway so long as it makes money for the author. And, anyone knocking someone else's writing should try writing something saleable themselves and see how hard it is.

[rixalex]

I'm quite certain that some people here who are knocking the book haven't even read it.

What makes you certain of that?

It really doesn't matter whether it's trash writing or the second coming of Ernest Hemingway so long as it makes money for the author.

I see. So i take it when you have a meal at a restaurant it doesn't matter to you whether the food is inedible trash or delectable delicacy, so long as the owner is making money?!

And, anyone knocking someone else's writing should try writing something saleable themselves and see how hard it is.

Are we also not allowed to knock a film unless we have tried our hands at directing?

[optimistvik]

After all bar girls are human too right

[bobbin]

The original book on Thai women is "A Woman of Bangkok" by Jack Reynolds first published in 1956.

My copy was a third printing in 1968, If you can find this book grab it.

I have a copy of this book in good condition and inside the cover it says.....

"printed in Thailand 1985-1992" No mention of a Publisher though.

Agree that it's worth looking for, though hard to find.

It's very amusing to see how little has changed since the 1950's!

[straightdave]

It doesn't matter if the book is fiction or fact. All that is important is if it is interesting. There is no standard when it comes to women who work in bars. They are as diverse as women anywhere on the planet. I'm quite certain that some people here who are knocking the book haven't even read it. It really doesn't matter whether it's trash writing or the second coming of Ernest Hemingway so long as it makes money for the author. And, anyone knocking someone else's writing should try writing something saleable themselves and see how hard it is.

you said it all bro

[straightdave]

I'm quite certain that some people here who are knocking the book haven't even read it.

What makes you certain of that?

It really doesn't matter whether it's trash writing or the second coming of Ernest Hemingway so long as it makes money for the author.

I see. So i take it when you have a meal at a restaurant it doesn't matter to you whether the food is inedible trash or delectable delicacy, so long as the owner is making money?!

And, anyone knocking someone else's writing should try writing something saleable themselves and see how hard it is.

Are we also not allowed to knock a film unless we have tried our hands at directing?

hi

I think the issue is getting a little out of hand-little overreaction.

one guy wrote" I would not read that trash.." the point is, how does he know its trash unless he has read

and if so bad, how come I loved it, many others did- and it made $$$ for the author

I betcha he ain't looking for no noble peace prize, just to turn a buck, which he seems to be doing very well at

power to him I say

his other books are cool too.I loved " the strech" and I respect someone who does well at writing.

As you can see by the way i write , i could not sell anything!!!!

[ProfessorFart]

"I'm quite certain that some people here who are knocking the book haven't even read it."

Why would anyone do that?

".....so long as it makes money for the author"

I think its been well publicized that the author can't even give this dross away.

"And, anyone knocking someone else's writing should try writing something saleable themselves and see how hard it is."

Why? If you went to a five star restaurant but the meal was vile, would you sit in silence because you yourself can't cook, or would you say something?

[rixalex]

if so bad, how come I loved it, many others did- and it made $$$ for the author

Just because something is loved by some and it generates money doesn't make it good, what it makes it is popular. Much like the Big Mac.

But if people enjoy it then that's great for them. Nobody is trying to stop them or deny them their enjoyment.

Nobody should be denying people a right to an opinion either.

I bought the book. I read it. I thought it was crap. Is that a problem for you?

[IanForbes]

if so bad, how come I loved it, many others did- and it made $$$ for the author

Just because something is loved by some and it generates money doesn't make it good, what it makes it is popular. Much like the Big Mac.

But if people enjoy it then that's great for them. Nobody is trying to stop them or deny them their enjoyment.

Nobody should be denying people a right to an opinion either.

I bought the book. I read it. I thought it was crap. Is that a problem for you?

That's fair enough. You are entitled to your opinion, just as others who enjoyed the book are entitled to their opinion. I don't know anyone who would include it in the fine literature column, but even trash writing can be enjoyable... just as trashy movies can be enjoyable. And, there are a LOT of trashy movies. The Thai movie channels are full of them.

I can't say I've ever gone to a 5 star restaurant and had a vile meal though. I usually get what I pay for.

[rixalex]

even trash writing can be enjoyable... just as trashy movies can be enjoyable. And, there are a LOT of trashy movies. The Thai movie channels are full of them.

My opinion: Light-hearted (not heavy) books and movies are great. Trashy books and movies are not.

Saw enough trashy movies when i was a kid. Life is too short to waste two hours in pain watching some predictable nonsense. Same goes for books. If the first chapter is trash i now refuse to waste any more of my time - i've already wasted my money as it is, why inflict further damage?

I can't say I've ever gone to a 5 star restaurant and had a vile meal though. I usually get what I pay for.

And if you didn't?

Would you complain? Or would you simply accept that as you yourself were not capable of cooking any better, that you had no right to complain? That would be daft, right?

[Maigo6]

After all bar girls are human too right

Certainly are, and a main reason so many Farangs travel 1000's of Km's to Thailand in the first place.

Or are all the Farangs of retirement age that end up in Thailand only after girls 30 years younger providing they come from rich and powerful influential families ?

Of course, on internet forums the girls from impoverished backgrounds working in bars are seen as sub human, whereas the Farangs that travel 1000's of Km's to take advantage of the availability of poor women are seen as good guys being lured to a fate worse than death.

It seems as though they cannot stop going to Thailand, and it's Thailands fault.

Of course, ThaiVisa members are not included, upon seeing the ThaiVisa polo shirt, rich young beautiful women from influential families are throwing themselves at them.

No wonder this Forum has so many members.

Edited October 3, 2009 by Maigo6

[britmaveric]

Maigo - sure it was a thai visa polo, not a singlet?

[Maigo6]

Maigo - sure it was a thai visa polo, not a singlet?

In my case, it was the ThaiVisa singlet that had them swooning at the gates of the University.

Edited October 3, 2009 by Maigo6

[gburns57au]

The original book on Thai women is "A Woman of Bangkok" by Jack Reynolds first published in 1956.

My copy was a third printing in 1968, If you can find this book grab it.

I also liked "the good woman of Bangkok" which is a short film interviewing a TBG.......that gives a better insight into the working girls of Thailand.

was that an aussie flick made apx 20 years ago

was private dancer a finincial failure- surely not juding by reports on it

Yep thats the one........Dennis O'Rourke was the guys name...made in 1991

[ProfessorFart]

Bear in mind that The Good Woman of Bangkok is NOT a real documentary!!

[Ulysses G.]

There's another book "My name is Lon", written by the girl hersef, It's none ficton. Maybe gives you more of an insight into what the familys expect and demand of their daughters.

If I remember correctly, it's written by a fellow named Derek who runs Bangkok Books. I do tend to get all his titles mixed up, because they are so simular.

[Ulysses G.]

"

This book however is just cliche riddled crap. You can say its based on 'fact' as it relates to a situation which is not uncommon but I would be surprised were the protagonists of this book based on any actual real people, more made up from a composite drawn from bar room tales.

About 75% of the book is based on a factual magazine acticle by a film maker who came here and fell in love with the bar girl who is featured in the book. If you can find it, most of the story is the same. The rest is filler based on Mr Leather's experiences.

[reenatinnakor]

have been in and out of thailand for 10 months now and have just only discovered this amazingly accurate book!

downloaded it and am only on page 30 but am truly amazed by how accurate it is - and even more amazed that the author maybe researched it without experiencing it at 1st hand, i guess that's why writers can write and we cannot, no matter what experiences we have.

the last time i wrote a comment about how many weight dis-advantaged, hair deficient, aesthetically challenged, male citizens from the west there were who think the thai girl is in love with them, it got deleted because i used other terms to describe the said persons! i wonder if the mod will delete this post if i quote from the book.....for copyright breach or something....but it's a FREE for download online book :-)

"He was from Switzerland, an old guy, big and fat like they all are, and he smelled like he hadn't showered for a week............"

Art imitating life for sure.