Exploring Southeast Asia: A Traveller's History of the Region

The author was doing his "exploring" 40 years long, enough time to come to terms. But the region is a steadily changing place of the size of a continent. Nevertheless the author tried to find out what are the never changing characteristics of the South East. The image of Southeast Asia as an area of lushness, growth and fertility needs considerable qualification. It can be all these things, but it can also be a region where population pressures and the nature of the land mean that life is a continuous battle for survival. The author tried to make clear why the slogan of Indonesia "Unity in diversity" is so important for the whole of Southeast Asia. He will try to balance between these two, also an effort to find in the past history events that help to understand the present. It is a world in itself where religion - mainly Islam and Buddhism - plays a vital role of importance in the daily life and in politics. The author has other priorities. Reading the book it is becoming clear that for the author history, culture and tradition are the heart of that fascinating area. "From the grandeur of the classical years through the transformations that accompanied the arrival and eventual paramountcy of the European powers, from the bitter wars of revolution to the joys and problems of independence - here is a world both waiting and deserving to be better known". He hints at the fact that now in the end of the 20th. Century there are much more possibilities than ever before to explore the countries there and of course he encourages the reader to do so. In former times politics and limited own chances were the insurmountable hindrances. "Above all, Southeast Asia rewards a visitor who responds to the region on its own terms, conscious of the past and open to its present." Believe me, even without that, it is rewarding. Travelling is education! The area has one of the richest natural habitats of wildlife, on land and in the Sea. In this book you hear nothing of these, nothing of other touristy spots. This is no travel book! Fortunately! The author wants the reader to look at the countries on a more sophisticated basis. Great temple complexes and abandoned cities are worth a visit, but they are only one aspect of the past, just as the crowded cities of contemporary Southeast Asia provide only one insight into the region`s modern identity. The deeper a visitor penetrates in this complex world, to get a glimpse of the whole in the good old tradition of the world traveller, the greater the opportunity to grasp the many strands that have shaped Southeast Asia`s vibrant culture and contributed to its modern character. But the author is a little too optimistic: no doubt with a knowledge of Southeast Asia`s past history, the present becomes both more understandable and so more readily appreciated, but he needs already educated readers who can appreciate his broad efforts to get out of history that relationship to the present. You could even say that his book is mor

We are planning a trip to south east Asia soon - I found this book in the local library, and after reading it, decided to purchase a copy for myself. The author is an expert on South East Asian affairs and does a great job summarizing the history of the region starting from some quick paragraphs of pre-history to BC, and then details of pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial independence periods. Although a lot of the book deals with colonial influence in the region (hence not heavy on Thailand), it does a fair job of covering the different periods in history and a good summary w/maps at the end of the book.Quick read and very informative! All SE countries are covered - Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia, East Timor, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.