Book Reviews

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gertrude

Re: Book Reviews

Post by gertrude »

I read this.book on the aeroplane-great book
FastEddie.jpg
aUTHOR- David Young- FAST EDDIE
David Young's third novel is set in Chiang Mai and revolves around the main gogo bar in town whose farang owner falls ill and starts to re-consider his future. One of the other characters is interested in buying the bar and there are the usual Western male / Thai female relationships.

The other main characters include his farang friends, a relative, and a host of Thai characters including a number of Thai working girls. Unlike his last book, the main character is not Thai which in a way was disappointing, because the main character in his last novel was just spot on.

The whole idea of living and working in Thailand for a long period of time is discussed by the main characters throughout the book and provides a lot of food for thought.
David knows how the bar industry works and explains things well. The main characters are quite believable, depressingly so ­ Thailand bound English teachers might want to read this before they come! Unlike most authors with the exception of Christopher Moore), he gets the Thai characters just right.


rating-- out of 10---------------9
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Rogie
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Re: Book Reviews

Post by Rogie »

Kanemidlands wrote:Do we have any avid readers of books about Asia ,thought I would post a small review on what does seem to be an excellent book
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BANGKOK FOUND-AUTHOR- Alex Kerr

...sequel to his awardwinning Lost Japan,
I read Lost Japan in 1997, soon after its publication in English. Interestingly, a fact I'd forgotten until I dug it off my bookshelf just now, was that it was originally written in Japanese. It won a prestigious literary award in Japan which is proof this guy knew what he was writing about.

Whether his in-depth knowledge of Bangkok can rival this seems unlikely, but as I enjoyed Lost Japan so much I would certainly read Bangkok Found if I saw it going cheap in a second-hand bookshop. Would I would pay full price for it? Yes, possibly, but I'd need to know a lot more about this book before buying it.
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Rogie
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Re: Book Reviews

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Kanemidlands wrote:Do we have any avid readers of books about Asia ,
Staying with my sister in Australia over Easter this year and desperately looking for the proverbial 'good book' in the municipal library I came across a murder mystery. These sort of books don't normally appeal to me, but what intrigued me was its setting - Laos.

The book was called The Merry Misogynist written by Colin Cotterill. Apparently he has written several mysteries featuring a most unusual detective, a certain Dr Siri Paiboun.

I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it highly.

Here's a link to a review from the UK's Independent newspaper.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-enter ... 35991.html
YardenUK

Re: Book Reviews

Post by YardenUK »

For an easy "set in Thailand" holiday/'beachy' read I would also recommend the books written by John Burdett:

Bangkok 8, Bangkok Tattoo and Bangkok Haunts

I have read all the above, and am still to get his latest one The Godfather of Kathmandu - I really enjoyed them.

"A series of crime novels, mainly set in Bangkok; they consist of 4 books so far: Bangkok 8, Bangkok Tattoo, Bangkok Haunts and The Godfather of Kathmandu. They centre on the philosophical Thai Buddhist detective, Sonchai Jitpleecheep, and his meditative internal dialogues. Sonchai is a "leuk krung" or half-caste. He is the son of a former "rented-wife" (a type of prostitute) and a "farang." His father, a U.S. military officer, he has never known. Sonchai has spent much of his childhood in Europe and USA, and has acquired cultural insights. He is also seemingly unbribeable, which the novel portrays as part of his differentness.

The novels involve Thailand's sex industry and the red-light districts of Bangkok. Sexual matters are part of the narrative, including the juxtaposition of often conflicting Thai and Western norms and mores.

They contain cruel characters interwined with a wry sense of humour, and bizarre crimes. The crimes include execution by the release of a container full of cobra snakes, into a car where the driver is forcibly prevented from escaping (Bangkok 8), the theft of valuable tattoos (and their associated human skin) off the backs' of murder victims (Bangkok Tattoo), and homicide related to the production of a snuff video (Bangkok Haunts). Juxtaposed is the investigative nonchalance and Buddhist acceptance of an "arhat" detective who can earnestly meditate even in a Bangkok traffic-jam. Many popular shamanistic superstitions that have carried over into Buddhism in Thailand are explored. Past lives (reincarnation) and hungry ghosts feature heavily."


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thaidave

Re: Book Reviews

Post by thaidave »

A few of our books, we offer a book exchange also with 50% credit on books returned once read.
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Bob
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Re: Book Reviews

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Rogie, if you're interested in murder mysteries, I'd highly recommend a series of three novels by Sieg Larrson - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (in spite of the names, their not girly novels in the least). Well written (translated from Swedish and highly entertaining and intertwined). My sister recommended those to me a month ago and I read all three in a span of about 10 days.

I've also read the John Burdette novels and some prior ones of Dean Barrett and I found those interesting, especially when they would touch upon something that popped out as "so Thai" (like where Burdette has the Thai detective dealing with and opining about his mother running a house of prostitution). But none of those books, at least from my perspective, are as well written or engrossing as the Larsson novels noted above.
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Re: Book Reviews

Post by Rogie »

Thanks for the suggestions Bob. I'm coming over in a couple of weeks so I'll look out for them as holiday reading.
fountainhall

Re: Book Reviews

Post by fountainhall »

Rogie wrote:I read Lost Japan in 1997, soon after its publication in English. Interestingly, a fact I'd forgotten until I dug it off my bookshelf just now, was that it was originally written in Japanese. It won a prestigious literary award in Japan which is proof this guy knew what he was writing about.

Whether his in-depth knowledge of Bangkok can rival this seems unlikely, but as I enjoyed Lost Japan so much I would certainly read Bangkok Found if I saw it going cheap in a second-hand bookshop.
Can I refer you to the thread "Bangkok Board Participation". I wrote about Bangkok Found there. I have also read Lost Japan and can tell you the latest one is just as good. As he says in the book, Alex Kerr has lived in Bangkok since 1997 and had been visiting for many, many years before then. He certainly has immersed himself in the country and city, and has an impressive list of Thai friends. I recommend everyone to read the Bangkok book. It's priced at just over Bt. 500 I think.
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ajarn2

Re: Book Reviews

Post by ajarn2 »

I think Canterbury Tales may have this book in stock at a lower price.
thaidave

Re: Book Reviews

Post by thaidave »

Unfortunately not, I try to stear away from the expensive books as they sit there for months and months, of course if it comes in as used and traded it will be far cheaper but I have not seen this one, I do offer a search function if anyone is looking for particular books I will search my stock and other sources etc, we have been getting all 3 Steig Larson books over the last few weeks but they are popular and dont stay on the shelves long as they are 350baht from Asia books and we sell them used for 160/180 of which you receive 50% back in credit off the next book/s
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