A Dragon Apparent: Travels in Cambodia

Norman Lewis

"This was a very interesting read... back to the times before commercialism took over these areas. Extremely readable and made me want to find out more" Jan Lander

The Mekong

Milton Osborne

The Mekong is one of the world's great rivers, and by far the largest in Southeast Asia. Empires have risen and fallen in the lands through which the Mekong flows and it has been linked to remarkable adventure and exploration as well as war and massacre. Now that Indochina is at peace, new dangers threaten the river's future.

Culture Shock! Vietnam

Claire Ellis

A look at the customs, etiquette, culture and traditions of Vietnam for those visiting the country. A new title from the CULTURE SHOCK! series.

Red Lights and Green Lizards: a Cambodian adventure

Liz Anderson

Having spent several months in Cambodia I wanted to read an up to date account of other peoples' experiences in this fascinating country. I was most pleased to find this book: an account of a doctor couple's two year period as volunteers with VSO in the early 90s. Most other literature on Cambodia relates to the Pol Pot regime and the immediate aftermath. Liz Anderson, a GP, and her gynecologist husband were not quite ready to retire and wanted a change for their last few years as practising doctors. So they contacted VSO and were offered a two year placement in Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh. The book follows the author's experiences of her time as a doctor in PP, and recounts the highs and the lows experienced. From the day she started right up until their leaving party it's all chronicled and well-written. It also includes an excellent chapter on the rise and fall of the Khmer Rouge explaining the main points well without going into too much political detail. Very easy to understand! The book was sad, amusing and most informative and left me feeling very envious of the Andersons, as they achieved so much in terms of friendships with fellow expats, colleagues, locals and patients, and their achievements as doctors were amazing, yet the author was most modest about them. I would recommend this book to anyone and is a must if you are interested in the Cambodian way of life, or you're interested in being an overseas volunteer whether or not be in the field of medicine. A most refreshing change from the usual tourist guidebook and the Khmer Rouge era of the late 70's. (Steve Simmons)

River of Time

John Swain

Between 1970 and 1975 Jon Swain, the English journalist portrayed in David Puttnam's film, "The Killing Fields", lived in the lands of the Mekong river. This is his account of those years, and the way in which the tumultuous events affected his perceptions of life and death as Europe never could. He also describes the beauty of the Mekong landscape - the villages along its banks, surrounded by mangoes, bananas and coconuts, and the exquisite women, the odours of opium, and the region's other face - that of violence and corruption.

Three moons in Vietnam: A Haphazard Journey by Boat and Bicycle

Maria Coffey

Having lived and worked in Vietnam, then travelled the length of the country I was drawn to this book to see if it reflected my own experiences. Maria Coffey and here husband did their travelling the hard way, by boat with locals and cycling up, and along, the hazardous highways. The text is rich in the sights, sounds and smells of the country and its people and provided me with a potent reminder of my days in the country. (Richard Marron)