Book List

[CallumW]

Hi Folks,

I'm trying to put a list of books together which might be of interest to expats in Thailand.

Anyone have any recommendations? Fiction or non-fiction both.

Thanks.

[thunder30101]

Thailand The Worldly Kingdom is a great read about thailand.

[Ulysses G.]

Private Dancer

Letters from Thailand

Touch the Dragon

Edited May 26, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[isanbirder]

Try some books written in English by Thais (or translated):-

Pira Sudham's books about Isan (Monsoon Country, Siamese Drama, People of Esarn)

Teachers of Mad Dog Swamp

Touch the Dragon is excellent (written by a Canadian girl who spends a year living in a Thai family)

[lazygourmet]

Fiction: everything written by Chart Korbjitti

Non fiction: everything written by Pasuk Phongpaichit and Chris Baker

[californiabeachboy]

Before my first trip to Bangkok, I read "Bangkok Days" by Lawrence Osborne. It is one of the best books about Thailand I have read, as it captures the oddball characters (both Farang and Thai) that inhabit the city. For me, it made Bangkok come alive.

[CallumW]

Thanks folks, please keep them coming!

[luckizuchinni]

Becoming a Man in Thailand, by CJ Fawcett

[harrry]

Three Reigns by ex pm Kukrit Pramoj

[richardjm65]

A Woman Of Bangkok by Jack Reynolds. (My copy ISBN 974 2103 976) First published in England 1956

[mario299]

Thanks folks, please keep them coming!

I've liked John Burdett's fiction:

Bangkok 8. Bangkok Tattoo and Bangkok Haunts :jap:

[welsh1]

Damage done by warren fellows

Kicking dogs by collin piprell

Private dancer by Stephen leather

Youll never walk alone by Debbie Pugh

Just started reading Thai girl by andrew hicks so far so good

[melvinmelvin]

Thanks folks, please keep them coming!

I've liked John Burdett's fiction:

Bangkok 8. Bangkok Tattoo and Bangkok Haunts :jap:

And the latest one: The Godfather of Kathmandu

[melvinmelvin]

Another one;

Khun Chang Khun Phaen

(this is Thailand's national poem, however, the English version is in prose)

Gives an interesting view of various aspects of life and history in the 1500s and 1600s.

This story is something all Thais should know about.

For the first time a complete text in non-Thai was published last year.

Edited May 26, 2011 by melvinmelvin

[melvinmelvin]

The Thai and I

Living in the Thai Countryside

by Hakan Kolmodin, Asiabooks, ISBN 974-8303-89-6

Another one:

Falcon at the Court of Siam

by John Hoskin, Asia Books, ISBN 974-8303-52-7

The setting is the 17th century when farangs started to appear in LoS

The book is based on historical facts about a greek sailor on English ships

that rose to be one of the most powerful men in LoS.

The book gives a good insight in politics and powerplay in old LoS.

Edited May 26, 2011 by melvinmelvin

[CallumW]

I'm really glad I started this topic, I had never heard of around half of these, great stuff thankyou.

[mrtoad]

Sinsot for Dummies - By Richard Head

[mrtoad]

Thanks folks, please keep them coming!

I've liked John Burdett's fiction:

Bangkok 8. Bangkok Tattoo and Bangkok Haunts :jap:

And the latest one: The Godfather of Kathmandu

Have to agree - good series of books, they are a nice easy read as well.

There is also The Falcon of Siam by Axel Aylwen, which I found to be an interesting and fun read. a historical novel, which would tie in with the book that melvinmelvin mentioned earlier.

[harrry]

Three Reigns by ex pm Kukrit Pramoj

Oops left out a rein....that should be "Four Reigns".

[melvinmelvin]

Thanks folks, please keep them coming!

I've liked John Burdett's fiction:

Bangkok 8. Bangkok Tattoo and Bangkok Haunts :jap:

And the latest one: The Godfather of Kathmandu

Have to agree - good series of books, they are a nice easy read as well.

There is also The Falcon of Siam by Axel Aylwen, which I found to be an interesting and fun read. a historical novel, which would tie in with the book that melvinmelvin mentioned earlier.

If you enjoyed the historic aspects; consider Khun Chang Khun Phaen,

its not an easy read but it gives quite some insight into various aspects of old Siam

in fact Khun Chang Khun Phaen is "originally designed" for performance on stage as such it is hilarious

but the written stuff in English is very well done after years of research, and packed with footnotes that offers

a lot in terms of insight in history, language, customs, religion etc etc

many Thais beleive that Khun Chang Khun Phaen is a real life history and historically correct fact

the stuff is WIDELY known in LoS by anyone who has ever been in the vicinity of a school,

you can chat about it to any average BG

Two volumes, roughly 1400 pages,

about THB 2300 at Chula Univ. Book shop close to Siam in BKK

[dominique355]

I am reading right now: "Truth on Trial in Thailand: Defamation, Treason, and Lese-Majeste" by David Streckfuss.

It gives some very in depth analysis of the Thai way of thinking. Fascinating.

Someone mentioned "Touch the Buddha", about a Canadian girl on a Rotary Club Youth Exchange Program in Thailand. I read that book, gave it to someone to read and never got it back. Now I am looking for it again but cannot find it. Anyone has a tip?

[dominique355]

Fiction: everything written by Chart Korbjitti

Non fiction: everything written by Pasuk Phongpaichit and Chris Baker

Agree, Chart Korbjitti is a favorite of mine too. Loved "Mad Dogs & Co" and "Judgement".

[lazygourmet]

Fiction: everything written by Chart Korbjitti

Non fiction: everything written by Pasuk Phongpaichit and Chris Baker

Agree, Chart Korbjitti is a favorite of mine too. Loved "Mad Dogs & Co" and "Judgement".

[Takeo]

Non fiction and a few years old now but still relevant - Guns, Girls, Gambling, Ganja: Thailand's Illegal Economy and Public Policy by P.Phongpaichit

[californiabeachboy]

This has been a good post, and I have some good ideas of my next book to read.

I have already posted above so I won't give another suggestion, but I will make an editorial comment.

So many books about Thailand (and other countries) are by people who are not really skilled writers. How many times have we gone to the library/bookstore, and looked at so many travel books written by people who are not writers. Some family spent 6 months sailing around the world, and then they decide to write a book about it - and then we , and then we... etc. Great trip, but not great writers.I have been to Thailand three times within the last year, and I like to think I have had some interesting experiences, but if I wrote a book about them, I would put you to sleep in 5 minutes. I am not a writer.

I would love to hear comments about "why" someone thinks the book is a good one. That helps the rest of us decide whether it works for us.

I said I would not recommend another book but I lied. I read "What the Buddha Never Taught" by Tim Ward. It was written by a journalist (I think Canadian) who spent some time in a wat. It was interesting in terms of the people he met, and gave a picture of the people who come to the wats for various reasons. I was interested in these people. It was both funny and informative.

Cheers.

[Ulysses G.]

Someone mentioned "Touch the Buddha", about a Canadian girl on a Rotary Club Youth Exchange Program in Thailand. I read that book, gave it to someone to read and never got it back. Now I am looking for it again but cannot find it. Anyone has a tip?

It is called Touch the Dragon by Karen Connelly and you can order it from Silkworm Books in Chiang Mai (or Gecko Books if they do not do mail order).

[LazyYogi]

Siam Mapped: A History of the Geo-Body of a Nation

by Thongchai Winichakul

An interesting look at how "Thailand" came to be. I also had the pleasure of taking a couple courses from the author at the University of Wisconsin several years back. He's a great teacher and person all around.

[luckizuchinni]

This has been a good post, and I have some good ideas of my next book to read.

I have already posted above so I won't give another suggestion, but I will make an editorial comment.

So many books about Thailand (and other countries) are by people who are not really skilled writers. How many times have we gone to the library/bookstore, and looked at so many travel books written by people who are not writers. Some family spent 6 months sailing around the world, and then they decide to write a book about it - and then we , and then we... etc. Great trip, but not great writers.I have been to Thailand three times within the last year, and I like to think I have had some interesting experiences, but if I wrote a book about them, I would put you to sleep in 5 minutes. I am not a writer.

I would love to hear comments about "why" someone thinks the book is a good one. That helps the rest of us decide whether it works for us.

I said I would not recommend another book but I lied. I read "What the Buddha Never Taught" by Tim Ward. It was written by a journalist (I think Canadian) who spent some time in a wat. It was interesting in terms of the people he met, and gave a picture of the people who come to the wats for various reasons. I was interested in these people. It was both funny and informative.

Cheers.

For me, fiction, at least, must actually tell a story, and there has to be tension. A book which just describes going to a temple or going to bars is not really interesting. There has to be something where the protagonist has to overcome something, discover something, or the like. It helps if the reading is easy (not simple, but flowing) but that is not necessary. (Books like Tom Jones may be written in 300 year old English, but the story rings true and makes the reader laugh.) And it has to read true. Errors in books drive me up the wall.

For the book I recommended, Becoming a Man in Thailand, the reading flows well, the story is good, and it certainly rings of truth. When discussing it with another expat, he kept saying "Oh, that is so true" when the protagonist saw something or experienced something. And it wasn't all boilerplate. Not everything happens as it seemed they were telegraphed earlier in the book.

Basically, the book is a coming of age book, something done a million times before. A young American kid is a failure in life, and afraid to face his dad, manages to run away to Thailand and of course, after experiencing Nana and Jewelry Store "tours," the Thai countryside and a wat, MBK and expats, uni girls and bargirls, yes he does find himself.

Was it a great book? No. But it was an enjoyable read, better than a few others mentioned here in this thread.

I would like to read a little more about opinions on Touch the Dragon. That might be worth buying.

Edited May 30, 2011 by bonobo

[dominique355]

Someone mentioned "Touch the Buddha", about a Canadian girl on a Rotary Club Youth Exchange Program in Thailand. I read that book, gave it to someone to read and never got it back. Now I am looking for it again but cannot find it. Anyone has a tip?

It is called Touch the Dragon by Karen Connelly and you can order it from Silkworm Books in Chiang Mai (or Gecko Books if they do not do mail order).

Wow, thanks General Ulysses! :jap:

[dominique355]

This has been a good post, and I have some good ideas of my next book to read.

I have already posted above so I won't give another suggestion, but I will make an editorial comment.

So many books about Thailand (and other countries) are by people who are not really skilled writers. How many times have we gone to the library/bookstore, and looked at so many travel books written by people who are not writers. Some family spent 6 months sailing around the world, and then they decide to write a book about it - and then we , and then we... etc. Great trip, but not great writers.I have been to Thailand three times within the last year, and I like to think I have had some interesting experiences, but if I wrote a book about them, I would put you to sleep in 5 minutes. I am not a writer.

I would love to hear comments about "why" someone thinks the book is a good one. That helps the rest of us decide whether it works for us.

I said I would not recommend another book but I lied. I read "What the Buddha Never Taught" by Tim Ward. It was written by a journalist (I think Canadian) who spent some time in a wat. It was interesting in terms of the people he met, and gave a picture of the people who come to the wats for various reasons. I was interested in these people. It was both funny and informative.

Cheers.

For me, fiction, at least, must actually tell a story, and there has to be tension. A book which just describes going to a temple or going to bars is not really interesting. There has to be something where the protagonist has to overcome something, discover something, or the like. It helps if the reading is easy (not simple, but flowing) but that is not necessary. (Books like Tom Jones may be written in 300 year old English, but the story rings true and makes the reader laugh.) And it has to read true. Errors in books drive me up the wall.

For the book I recommended, Becoming a Man in Thailand, the reading flows well, the story is good, and it certainly rings of truth. When discussing it with another expat, he kept saying "Oh, that is so true" when the protagonist saw something or experienced something. And it wasn't all boilerplate. Not everything happens as it seemed they were telegraphed earlier in the book.

Basically, the book is a coming of age book, something done a million times before. A young American kid is a failure in life, and afraid to face his dad, manages to run away to Thailand and of course, after experiencing Nana and Jewelry Store "tours," the Thai countryside and a wat, MBK and expats, uni girls and bargirls, yes he does find himself.

Was it a great book? No. But it was an enjoyable read, better than a few others mentioned here in this thread.

I would like to read a little more about opinions on Touch the Dragon. That might be worth buying.

It's the story of a young Canadian girl who spent some time (I think a year) in Northern Thailand on a Youth Exchange program organized by the Rotary Club (Contact me, if you would like info on Rotary Club). She lives with a family and has to go to the local public school, just like any other kid of her age. She tells in her own words the experience about living in a different culture, language, food etc. with words that touched my heart. It's a true story written by the girl herself. It may not be world literature but it gives a very personal view of how life in an ordinary family is, as seen form a "farang". I definitely recommend reading it.