Ulysses G. Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 (edited) Karen Connolly lived in Den Chai which is a small town that is near Issan and there were very few other foreigners in the area. If Georgia O'Keefe was to return as a writer, she would be Karen Connolly. I read the award-winning book, TOUCH THE DRAGON, while lying on the cool sheet of my sofa cushion bed, surrounded by a family of barking baby lizards, in the sweltering heat of a steamy Thai "summer." I had just arrived in rural Thailand for a volunteer teaching position, and I began to read this book to ease my home sickness. I became more depressed and scared with each line of the opening chapters! I was going through EXACTLY the same feelings: "WHAT am I doing here in this strange land?" Later, as I overcame the culture shock and began to enjoy Thailand, I thrilled that Karen was writing what I was seeing, thinking and feeling. Karen has done a remakable job documenting with brilliant, poetic, and often hysterical descriptions, the everyday life of rural Thailand. For example, she describes the "flowers out of science fiction" novels: I love that. I would often read excerpts to my room mates. We would be amazed at how dead-on target Karen is, and we would crack up into fits of knowing laughter about many of her experiences. Karen's book truly enhanced my life in Thailand. Further, while I was there, my parents were reading the book in frosty Newfoundland. It helped them to understand more and worry less. The way Karen traces her growing love for the people of Thailand makes for a heart wrenching ending, as were my last days in Thailand. Thai people are like Newfoundlanders: friendly, open, sensitive, and a tad crazy. I will never meet such beautiful people again in all my life. Karen has done the Thai people and their country a great service by simply presenting the facts in the Georgia O'Keefe style of EXTREME CLOSE-UP. How beautiful reality can be! This book was fantastic and I highly recommend it to everyone. READ IT! More reviews: http://www.amazon.co...y/dp/0888011628 Edited May 30, 2011 by Ulysses G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isanbirder Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Denchai is NOT near Isan, UG; it is near Phrae, on the main Bangkok-Chiangmai railway. Isan culture is very different from that portrayed in Connolly's book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bermondburi Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 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 Didn't rate " Thai Girl" that much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bermondburi Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 " Forget You Ever Had A Daughter " about a woman who got banged up for drugs, better than " The Damage done " IMO , and one of the interesting things in it is , that after being transferred back to the UK but still under Thai Law jurisdiction she actually says that she preferred the Thai prison to the UK one. She was banged up with Rose West and Myra Hindley though !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiG16 Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 I read that one ^ put me to tears many times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bermondburi Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 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 good book that 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bermondburi Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 I read that one ^ put me to tears many times typical gooner ! gets all emotional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiG16 Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Oi lol That's a sensitive subject that one. Still gutted about this season. Trying to keep a low profile in the footie forum. How did u figure me out lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bermondburi Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Oi lol That's a sensitive subject that one. Still gutted about this season. Trying to keep a low profile in the footie forum. How did u figure me out lol just having a laugh, my team got relegated this season so The Arse's failure ( again ) to be anything more than also rans could have been worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazygourmet Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Oups... I've nearly forgot this one: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afarang Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Highly recommended is:: Sacred Elephant by Heathcote Williams. Absolutely georgeous .May I also second "" ALL books by Pira Sudham.Wonderful, they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travel2003 Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 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. Really? I found the book very disapointing, It might be because I have been in Bangkok 10+ years. He (Osborne) can not have been here as much as he claims, as he would easily have found much more weirder(and decent) and more writable caracters around. Anyone been living in Thailand for some years have already experienced some people that would shock the folks back home if we talked about them. But sure, the book is very readable for someone not too familiar with Bangkok. Some other books, The book "Confessions of a Bangkok Private Eye" is a fun book. Maybe fiction, but still fun to read as many of the situations described are very possible here. The books "Thai ways" and "More Thai ways" are quite informative. Although several of the things mentioned are not too often practiced anymore. Nevertheless, interesting. The book "Thai Images" by Niels Mulder (anthropologist). This is an anthropological approach to the public world in thailand (quote from book). The book "Thailand, a short history" (second edition), by David K Wyatt. From early days to beginning of 1990s. What I like in this book is the honesty about "not so good" stuf about the kingdoms past, as well as the good stuff have been mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Denchai is NOT near Isan, You are right. I've always been traveling between Chiang Mai and Issan when I stopped there and thought it was closer to Issan than it is, but still not a touristy area. :jap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 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 Didn't rate " Thai Girl" that much. U R oh so right..just finished it..dont know why i read it all the way through to be honest with you..RUBBISH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhingeingMoaners Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Sightseeing, is a short story collection by Rattawut Lapcharoensap, a Thai writer who writes in English. Maybe you guys might have to use a dictionary while reading his book as his English prose might be beyond the understanding of common readers. But the best Thai contemporary novelist, in my view, is Daen-Aran Saengthong or Saneh Sangsuk. His calibre of writing can easily rival many western novelists. In short, he is the only Thai writer capable of producing a masterpiece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallumW Posted May 30, 2011 Author Share Posted May 30, 2011 Thanks to all the people that have contributed so far, my bookshelf is going to be entirely refreshed, so sick of reading the same hundred or so books I shipped over from the UK time and time again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DisparateDan Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 "Woman of Bangkok" Jack Reynolds,,,shows BKK in 60's and you might see how little has changed, just gave mine away and it is listed at US$75 on Amazon !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhingeingMoaners Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Thanks to all the people that have contributed so far, my bookshelf is going to be entirely refreshed, so sick of reading the same hundred or so books I shipped over from the UK time and time again. Other Thai authors who write in English: S. P. Somtow or Somtow Papinian Sucharitkul and Pongpol Adireksarn whose pen name is Paul Adirex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travel2003 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Maybe someone can name some of the good book stores in the various places in Thailand as well? I have bought several of my books at the air port, smaller book stores here and there, or online, so a bigger book store in Bangkok would be nice know. 10+ years in Bkk and I dont know about any bigger book stores (Im ashamed). Don't want to high jack the thread, so please keep recommend books here. As another member stated, great thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvinmelvin Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Some Asia Books and Bookazine stores have a fair selection. Then you have Chula. Univ. Book store close to Siam. If I remember correctly there is a fair shop at the top floor of Central Chid Lom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtoad Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I recently read "The Backpacker" by John Harris, which was an entertaining read - included Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia in that book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvinmelvin Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Higher up in this thread I mentioned a book, Living in the Thay Countryside, by a chap called HAKAN KOLMODIN. I think this is fairly well written, although the chap is Swedish and not English. It is free from the almost always present Bargirl, Gogo, Ladyboy crap that many books re LoS describe to the point of falling asleep. Its a story about a Swedish couple, I guess in their early 50s, emigrating to live upcountry LoS, the chap to build and later run a paper mill and the missus is an educated teacher and she does teaching. And about how they perceive Thais and Thai society upcountry. Some fairly sharp observations in that book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travel2003 Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Some Asia Books and Bookazine stores have a fair selection. Then you have Chula. Univ. Book store close to Siam. If I remember correctly there is a fair shop at the top floor of Central Chid Lom. Living near Central Lad Prayo (which is closed for time being), but never really saw any interesting books there. Any of the down town malls in addition to Central Chid Lom, have the mentioned book stores? melvinmelvin where did you buy Living in the Thay Countryside, by a chap called HAKAN KOLMODIN? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soomak Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Some Asia Books and Bookazine stores have a fair selection. Then you have Chula. Univ. Book store close to Siam. If I remember correctly there is a fair shop at the top floor of Central Chid Lom. Living near Central Lad Prayo (which is closed for time being), but never really saw any interesting books there. Any of the down town malls in addition to Central Chid Lom, have the mentioned book stores? melvinmelvin where did you buy Living in the Thay Countryside, by a chap called HAKAN KOLMODIN? In the Emporium, the same floor as Asia Books, there is a large book store with a long Japanese name. They have thousands of books there, the largest book store I saw in Bangkok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travel2003 Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Some Asia Books and Bookazine stores have a fair selection. Then you have Chula. Univ. Book store close to Siam. If I remember correctly there is a fair shop at the top floor of Central Chid Lom. Living near Central Lad Prayo (which is closed for time being), but never really saw any interesting books there. Any of the down town malls in addition to Central Chid Lom, have the mentioned book stores? melvinmelvin where did you buy Living in the Thay Countryside, by a chap called HAKAN KOLMODIN? In the Emporium, the same floor as Asia Books, there is a large book store with a long Japanese name. They have thousands of books there, the largest book store I saw in Bangkok. Thnx a lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazygourmet Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Some Asia Books and Bookazine stores have a fair selection. Then you have Chula. Univ. Book store close to Siam. If I remember correctly there is a fair shop at the top floor of Central Chid Lom. Living near Central Lad Prayo (which is closed for time being), but never really saw any interesting books there. Any of the down town malls in addition to Central Chid Lom, have the mentioned book stores? melvinmelvin where did you buy Living in the Thay Countryside, by a chap called HAKAN KOLMODIN? In the Emporium, the same floor as Asia Books, there is a large book store with a long Japanese name. They have thousands of books there, the largest book store I saw in Bangkok. Kinokuniya But their outlet @ Siam Paragon is bigger... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happydaze Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 THAILAND JOY BY DAVID YOUNG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackandwhite Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I have read these and they were also good The Fourth Watcher by Timothy Hallinan H also has written The Queen of Patpong Breathing Water He has a website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackandwhite Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 My one favorite novel was Bangkok 8, read it twice, really gets you in the mind of what the writer feels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 My one favorite novel was Bangkok 8, read it twice, really gets you in the mind of what the writer feels. +1 ..been reading it for the last few days .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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