NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER• 'The single most important explanation, and the fullest explanation, of how Donald Trump became president of the United States... Nothing less than the most important book that I have read this year.' —Lawrence O'Donnell How did we get here? In this sweeping, eloquent history of America, Kurt Andersen shows that what's happening in our country today—this post-factual, 'fake news' moment we're all living through—is not something new, but rather the ultimate expression of our national character.

America was founded by wishful dreamers, magical thinkers, and true believers, by hucksters and their suckers. Fantasy is deeply embedded in our DNA. Over the course of five centuries—from the Salem witch trials to Scientology to the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, from P. Barnum to Hollywood and the anything-goes, wild-and-crazy sixties, from conspiracy theories to our fetish for guns and obsession with extraterrestrials—our love of the fantastic has made America exceptional in a way that we've never fully acknowledged. From the start, our ultra-individualism was attached to epic dreams and epic fantasies—every citizen was free to believe absolutely anything, or to pretend to be absolutely anybody. With the gleeful erudition and tell-it-like-it-is ferocity of a Christopher Hitchens, Andersen explores whether the great American experiment in liberty has gone off the rails. Fantasyland could not appear at a more perfect moment.

If you want to understand Donald Trump and the culture of twenty-first-century America, if you want to know how the lines between reality and illusion have become dangerously blurred, you must read this book. Praise for Fantasyland 'With this rousing book, [Kurt] Andersen proves to be the kind of clear-eyed critic an anxious country needs in the midst of a national crisis.' — San Francisco Chronicle 'A frighteningly convincing and sometimes uproarious picture of a country in steep, perhaps terminal decline that would have the founding fathers weeping into their beards.' — The Guardian 'This is an important book—the indispensable book—for understanding America in the age of Trump. It's an eye-opening history filled with brilliant insights, a saga of how we were always susceptible to fantasy, from the Puritan fanatics to the talk-radio and Internet wackos who mix show business, hucksterism, and conspiracy theories.'

Everything Is Possible is her incredible story—a story of God working out his plan for her life from before day one. Readers follow Jen from the challenges of.

—Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Leonardo da Vinci.

When I started researching, one thing was certain: there are a hell of a lot of books about sex in Bangkok. And that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Bangkok is a sexy city. Aside from the visible face of prostitution here, there’s no doubt that this is a city of beautiful people. There are lots of young people making their way here, and the Thai standard of beauty is legendary the world over. Scores of young tourists flock here too, as well as their willing and moneyed older counterparts. People come to Bangkok to find love — and inevitably become entangled in the web of sex the city has to offer.

And then they write about it. I can’t speak to the quality of these writings, but it’s likely that a few readers will find merit in some of these books. I’ve chosen those with at least a few positive reviews. They’re a mix of sexual odyssey travel guides, memoirs and the occasional novel. Enjoy Books about Sex in Bangkok Stephen Leather Private Dancer is one of the most legendary books about the perils of falling in love with a Thai bar girl, and is often cited as a must-read for the gullible, vulnerable men that find themselves in Thailand’s red light district looking for love. It’s a novel that follows Pete, who one day finds himself falling head over heels for the beautiful Joy — a pole dancer in a Bangkok go-go bar. It becomes clear that Joy is not all that she seems as Pete falls deeper and deeper in the web of sex, drugs and deceit she has spun for them both.

Undoubtedly an enjoyable and eye-opening read — especially for those with any intimate acquaintance of the Bangkok bar scene! Crazy horse This is the first book from former blogger Crazy Horse, which documents his various exploits (and sexploits) over a year period in Bangkok city. He followed this book up with — a seemingly similar romp scattered across the wider Southeast Asia.

Lauded as the book that “every dissatisfied man in a western country should read”, it’s clear that A Year in the ‘Kok is literary escapism for the generation of ‘trapped’ men as the author truly sets himself free in the Bangkok night. Reviews are mixed — some find it repetitive, opinionated and too liberal with the ‘c’ word, while others find it an empowering read and well written. Christopher street Emblazoned with a nude Thai girl across the cover, Street promises to help his readers “travel Thailand like you really want to.” It covers where to stay in the city, staying safe with both working and non-working girls, getting the most — er — bang for your buck, and navigating the online dating scene here. The universally positive reviews might give you pause for thought — particularly the two by Stacy and Ruth. Stacy is apparently travelling to Bangkok with her husband and gained plenty of useful information from this book. I assume we can conclude that Stacy and her husband are open to finding women for sex in Bangkok.

Ruth, meanwhile, used the book as a guide during her walking tour of the city. Good for you, Ruth! Jerry hopkins With a strapline proclaiming “the real-life exploits of Bangkok’s legendary expatriates are often stranger than fiction”, Bangkok Babylon isn’t so much a book about sex in Bangkok but rather a collection of profiles of 25 of the city’s most interesting expat characters. These include a photographer of Thai bar girls for Playboy, the model for Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, and three Vietnam vets who opened a go-go bar.

Hopkins is a bestselling author and a brilliant observer on all things Thailand (and more). I haven’t read this yet, but it’s definitely on my Bangkok books hit list.

Steve Rosse Bangkok Buckaroo is a detective thriller in the Bangkok noir genre. I’ve included it in this list as the main hotspot of the action is none other than Soi Cowboy — one of Bangkok’s most notorious (and neon) red light districts. The protagonist is Texan Joe DiMaggio (the author isn’t too light on cliches, apparently), in a reference to how Soi Cowboy got it’s name in the first place. Expect a few murders between the pages on this little neon-lit street. Bill Starr 5x5 Excel Spreadsheet. Reviews are positive; applauding the writer for avoiding the usual broken bar girl cliches and creating a world of interesting characters in this fascinating city. Bua Boonmee & Nicola Pierce This memoir comes from the other side of the table: the Thai girls who accept money for sex. We follow the true story of Bua and how she became a bar girl in Bangkok, after growing up in Isaan, before moving to Bangkok, being forced into an abusive marriage, moving into the hostess world and finally being recruited into a Patpong go-go bar.

It’s an eye-opening read and a humbling one. Many western men talk fondly of Bangkok’s prostitution scene, without paying too much consideration to the lives and back stories of the girls that are the face of it. The blether The author readily admits that the title is somewhat of an exaggeration, claiming that “the book is not the assassination job that the headline may suggest.” Instead, this book contains interviews with people working in the Thai sex trade and is designed to be a guide to making Thailand your ‘man heaven’ versus failing to take the author’s advice and entering, er, ‘man hell’. The main focus is seemingly how not to get ripped off while indulging in the Bangkok night scene and how not to fall for the apparent illusion presented by Thai sex workers. The premise of the book and reading the of it makes for relatively depressing reading — the idea that everyone is out to get you. While I’m sure that’s true for some in the sex trade, it feels damaging to tar the whole of Thailand with that brush. Charles F Chicarelli Turning to something a little lighter, A Bangkok Vacation is a comedy novel that follows the hapless Danny as he arrives in Bangkok, bouncing from the mile high club to massage parlours to the politics of the mia noi and, of course, sprawling around Soi Cowboy and the Khao San Road.

The book was inspired by Chicarelli’s own experiences as an expat who’s spent 40 years in Asia. It’s well reviewed on Amazon with readers commending the light tone, realism and lack of explicit sex and violence that so often characterizes novels set in Bangkok.

One reviewer memorably nicknamed it “Ferris Bueller’s Month Off”. David bonnie Dressed up as a romance novel between a western tourist and a Thai ladyboy, it’s probably accurate to say that Bonnie drew on his own experiences to write Bangkok Baby, given that he was the star of Sky Living’s Ladyboys series back in 2012. Through its story-telling, the book asks ‘how far would you go?’ if you were in the shoes of the protagonist, and appears to have chimed with a lot of readers who have experience of going far into the world of Thailand’s ladyboys. What’s your favourite book about sex in Bangkok? Featured image is by (CC BY-ND 2.0 licence).

This is a bit of a diversion from the blog this week, in honor of my vacation to Koh Samui that I’m currently enjoying. So instead of books about Bangkok, I’m going to reveal my favorite books to get stuck into when you find yourself stretching out on a tropical island. Or, scratch that, any beach, any where. Now, this comes with a caveat: I am a huge nerd. You’re unlikely to find me outstretched, sunburnt lobster, with a pina colada and the latest chick lit that I picked up for $5 at the aiport. But you see that girl outstretched, sunburnt lobster, with a pina colada and a 900-page biography of Chairman Mao in her hand? Yep, that’s me.

For me, the beach represents time to get totally embroiled in a new tome. I love the escapism of fiction, but nowadays you’re more likely to catch me getting stuck into a book on history, psychology or politics, with a little notebook at my side to catch anything I find particularly interesting or inspiring. I told you: total nerd.

Anyway, here are a few of the best books I’ve been reading at the beach. Simon sebag Montefiore This is genuinely one of the most incredible history books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.

Just as the title denotes, this is a chronological history of the city of Jerusalem, from its earliest history founded under King David to the iconic religious epicentre it is today. Montefiore draws on ancient texts, modern scholarship and even his own family history to piece together the jigsaw of Jerusalem. Reading it helped greatly in my understanding of how the ancient past has influenced the present and will go on to shape the future in the Middle East, and really lit a fire in me to find out more about the incredibly complex relationship between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It’s worth saying that while I identify as an atheist — despite a brief and inevitably doomed flirtation with Christianity in my early 20s — I’ve always held an appreciation for religious history and culture, whatever side of the cloth that happens to be cut from. I knew little about Jerusalem going in when I started this book but came out with a much richer understanding of the city, its history, main characters and its global positioning.

HIGHLY recommended — for the beach or frankly anywhere. Just don’t get it wet. Jim algie I’ve just finished The Phantom Lover — a collection of short stories centred around Thailand — and I was blown away by the rich story-telling and intricate linking between what looks like, at first sight, seemingly unrelated stories. Not only is this a good book to read on a beach; it’s a good book to read on a Thai beach, being as it’s set in our fine Kingdom. This comes with a warning though — it’s dark, creepy, and occasionally quite gruesome. Never gratuitously, but certainly enough to give you pause for thought. And the final story — more of a novella — which pulls in various strands of the previous stories, is centred around the epic Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. It might be a little close to home if you’re reading it on the beach.

Particularly if you’re in Khao Lak But irregardless, it’s a brilliant work of fiction and a highly enjoyable read that manages to open a window into the mysterious and supernatural world of Thai culture while it entertains. Greg mckeown I read this next to a pool in Hua Hin on Thailand’s Gulf, feeling overwhelmed about 6 months into self-employment. I had a metric ton of clients all across the world on different time zones and enough deadlines that my Google Calendar looked as though it was on crack. I was doing too much but not being particularly productive or successful in what I was doing. I was in a constant state of flapping. This book — remarkable in its simplicity — brought me back down to earth. It essentially forces you to confront the bare necessities in your life and cull all that is not serving those necessities.

It’s trying to empower you to start saying ‘no’ and to take back control of your own life. I found it a liberating read, made even more powerful by the fact that I was in the midst of sun, sand and sea and wasn’t sure how to take advantage of it. Dave trott You may not know this about me, but I can be really fucking verbose.

Seriously, reading back some of my writing makes me cringe. Long sentences, half-page paragraphs and just a general brain dump of polysyllables.

But Dave Trott’s writing is not like that. He is concise, sharp, witty. He is an ad-man.

Trained in the art of effective copy. His books are a masterclass in how to write. Intensely simple, perfectly crafted — these are the advertizing industry’s haikus. His chapters are almost parable-like, revealing a truth about business, psychology or writing, wrapped in a memorable story or anecdote. Must-read for any writer. Hilary Mantel Wolf Hall won the Booker in 2010 — quite a feat for a work of historical fiction — and it’s been one of my favorite novels in my roster ever since. Centered on the life of Thomas Cromwell, Mantel brings to life a character who the history books have left quite bland, paling against the accounts of his contemporaries, Henry VIII, Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More.

This hefty tome covers the rise of Cromwell from blacksmith’s son to England’s most important courtier as he enables Henry’s divorce, excommunication from the Catholic Church, marriage — and inevitable fallout — to the legendary Anne Boleyn. This is a totally gripping read and absolute catnip for history lovers who like a little fictional coloring with their facts and sources. Reading this would feel completely at odds to sunbathing on a tropical island, but sometimes it feels so good to indulge in such comedy. Seneca The beach is the perfect location for quiet contemplation and there’s no tool to encourage that better than the works of Seneca. Seneca was a tutor to the emperor Nero in ancient Rome and is an important figure in the stoicism movement.

His dialogues and essays, collected here, are absolutely bursting with sage advice and insight on how to live well and right. I studied Seneca in the original Latin while at university, but I’ve actually gained more philosophical insight from this Oxford World Classics translation alone, at the beach. Probably like Seneca himself would have done (although in the Italian countryside). Frank Wilczek I’ll be totally honest: I haven’t read this yet. But I thought it worth including as it’s one of the books I’m bringing to Koh Samui.

And it looks promising. It explores “the deeper order of beauty in nature” and how aesthetics fit into the wider logic of our universe. The Wall Street Journal reviewed it thus: “An expertly curated tour across 2,500 years of philosophy and physics... [Frank Wilczek] has accomplished a rare feat: Writing a book of profound humanity based on questions aimed directly at the eternal.” I can’t wait to find out more. What do you like to read at the beach? Just recently I spoke about the.

Now I want to talk about where I find that initial inspiration that makes me want to write and create in the first place. This city is such a sensory overload that you might think it simple to find inspiration here. While that’s true occasionally, at other times it can be nothing more than overwhelming. Anyone who’s ever visited the incredibly grandiose Grand Palace will know what I’m talking about: • Ostentatiously beautiful architecture?

• A tangible taste of Thai culture, history and religiosity? • So many Chinese and Korean tour groups armed with umbrellas and megaphones that you’ll want to retreat to the quiet sanctity of neighboring Wat Pho? Double check. Not to mention the sweltering heat But there are spots in Bangkok that combine the 3 elements that, for me, make for an inspiring locale: • The opportunity to people watch — it shouldn’t be so busy that you’re jostling for space, but there should be some people around that you can observe subtly enough to get a glimpse into their world • A degree of unfamiliarity — I have my particular Bangkok haunts, but they’re almost at a point of familiarity for me now where I stop noticing the small details.

Somewhere new — or at least somewhere I visit only rarely — allows me to see it like a visitor and take in all its aspects • Buzzing quiet — When somewhere’s really noisy — think plenty of shouting or traffic (two of Bangkok’s specialties!) — I find it pretty hard to find inspiration. At that point, my only focus is really what’s immediately in front of me, whether I’m having a conversation or attempting to cross the road. Conversely, I’m too acutely aware and uncomfortable of near silent places too.

The happy medium that I find most conducive to creativity has to be a quiet hubbub — a steady rumble of noise that’s quiet enough that I can’t easily lock into someone’s conversation but buzzing enough not to be distractingly silent. Here are some of the places that I find that bliss in Bangkok 1. Suan Luang Rama IX. A photo posted by Bud Grote (@budgrote) on Jun 4, 2016 at 10:13am PDT Bangkok is notoriously short on green space, but there are a few parks dotted throughout the city. Suan Luang Rama IX is my favorite one of these, sitting just outside the centre of the city near the Rod Fai Night Market.

It’s low on tourists, but attracts many locals throughout the day and so is a great spot for people watching. The park itself is beautiful, divided into a number of country-focused gardens, including Japanese, Chinese, English, French and Italian. There’s also a quasi-museum to explore in honour of King Bhumibol. At around 200 acres, there’s plenty to explore and lots of opportunity to find something you haven’t seen before. The Green Lung of Bangkok. On Jun 18, 2016 at 3:20am PDT In keeping with the green theme, my next inspiration spot is Bang Krachao — a small island just outside central Bangkok that’s shaped a bit like a lung.

It’s just a short boat ride away from Klong Toei and Bang Na piers. You can hire a bike here and explore the island and all that it offers, including the floating market and the beautiful park. The traditional architecture and classic Thai village life on display is enough to propel you far away from the skyscrapers and pollution of Bangkok. It’s quiet here but certainly not deserted, with a mix of locals and tourists attempting to find somewhere off the usual tourist trail. Victory Monument. On Aug 30, 2016 at 4:12pm PDT I know, I know — Victory Monument is probably the epicentre of overwhelming chaos in Bangkok and not usually conducive to any sort of creative inspiration.

But I love standing on the skywalk, looking over the chaos and soaking it all in from my perch above the action. You see the minibuses overflowing with bodies to take to the provinces, the hundreds of motorbikes whisking local workers to their companies, the street vendors boiling up their vats of boat noodles and, in the middle of it all, Victory Monument itself looming over all both physically and symbolically. The Old European Quarter. On Aug 31, 2016 at 7:37pm PDT While Thailand is proud of having never been colonised, there’s no doubt that the 19th century saw the start of the European expat movement to the city, and they tended to gather together in an area of the lengthy Charoen Krung Road, near the Chao Phraya River and where the magnificent hotel is located. Walking these sois, spotting the beautiful Old Customs House and East Asiatic Company buildings and Assumption Cathedral, it’s humbling and inspiring both to imagine the literary greats who once stalked these haunts — Somerset Maugham, Joseph Conrad, Noel Coward and Graham Greene, to name but a few. A photo posted by Thailand Luxe (@thailandluxe) on Jan 4, 2016 at 5:07am PST Hear me out — yes, Soi Cowboy is certainly not a space for quiet reflection, but it’s a cracking spot for people watching, creating strangers’ back stories and getting a peek into the infamous Bangkok night scene. The short alleyway between Sukhumvit Sois 21 and 23 is a neon blur come nightfall, with lingerie-clad women galore, juice-laden cocktails and an enthralling atmosphere of lust, commerce, sadness and survival.

It’s no surprise to me that Soi Cowboy pops up so regularly in the works of the Bangkok noir fiction genre, as it’s just a pretty emotive place. Where do you find inspiration in Bangkok? Image is by (CC BY-SA 2.0 licence). Is a youthful city, by all accounts. Not only is it a hive for young Thais and international expats, it’s also, literally, quite young — it was only founded as the Thai capital in 1782. Compare that to London in 43 AD, Paris between 250-200 BC and even New York in 1624.

But that’s not to say that there’s not some compelling history about the Big Mango. In a city with such a unique blend of, consumerism, community and, of course, that indefinable ‘Thainess’, a rich history is present regardless of its comparatively youthful years.

Let’s take a look at some of the best history books written on Bangkok. Chris burslem. My favourite Bangkok history book This is one of my favourite books about Bangkok — easy to read, beautifully illustrated and a rich array of source material. More akin to a historical scrapbook than a straight history book, Tales of Old Bangkok is a collection of excerpts and literature that have been written and spoken about Bangkok since its inception in the 18th Century. All in the English language, the source material is necessarily from the colonial viewpoint — and is largely from the view of white men.

It’s a fascinating glimpse into the minds of early expats and the complex western relationship with Thailand. Greg Bracken Again, this isn’t your generic history book, but rather a historical guide to Thailand in the form of a walking tour. This is a great book for architecture nerds or simply those who like a small dose of history entwined with their urban exploration. The book weaves around the entire city, highlighting the incredible design on display, including Khmer, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and even Edwardian. Anna leonowens While hardly a masterclass in literature and doubted in parts by many, this memoir from Leonowens is one of the most controversial books to come out of Thailand and therefore worth a read.

Leonowens was the English governess at the Thai royal court in Bangkok under Rama IV, where she taught the young Rama V. This book and some of her other works were adapted into the popular Anna and the King of Siam, which would later become The King and I. The controversy stems from Leonowens’ various embellishments about herself, which have lead many to believe extend to her account of the court. Of course, speaking ill — or truly, anything less than adoringly — of the monarchy is heavily frowned upon (understatement of the year) and the author’s remarks about her employers’ temper and human habits shook the Thai establishment. Pimpraphai bisalputra and jeffery sng While not technically a book about Bangkok, this fascinating insight into the history and development of the ethnic Thai-Chinese is every bit a history of Bangkok’s Chinatown as it is an anthropological study. Thailand’s relationship with China is lengthy and complex but always irresistibly intertwined — almost half of Thais claim some Chinese ancestry while 14% of the population are ethnically Thai-Chinese. Not only are the Thai-Chinese large in number but they are incredibly influential; especially in Bangkok, where they head companies, governments and other high profile positions.

Joshua kurlantzick Again, this isn’t a history on the city of Bangkok as such, but rather on one of the city’s most mysterious figures: Jim Thompson. Founder of the still successful silk empire and the owner of the exquisite house — now museum — in central Bangkok, the legend of Jim Thompson has captured the hearts and minds of both Thais and foreigners since his disappearance into Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands in 1967.

This book delves further than simply the man himself and looks at Thompson’s wider role in the Cold War in Asia and Thailand’s role in the US’ biggest covert war operation to date. Fascinating stuff. The writing process is delicate, imperfect and profoundly impacted by your environment. For some writers, where you write is just as important as how you write. Perhaps you need the quiet solitude of an office to best plumb those creative depths. Or the relaxing vibes of a vacation to inspire you to start tapping away.

Or — my personal favourite — the low buzz of a city cafe. Coffee shops and cafes have long been the location of choice for writers wanting to get outside of themselves, take in the world around them, while still being keyed in enough to make good art. Malcolm Gladwell has said that he writes in cafes for a living (), Hemingway was a legendary cafe frequenter, while some cafes themselves are internationally famous thanks to their lofty literary history. The legendary Les Deux Magots in Paris — once a haunt for famous writers New York, Paris, London — all of the world’s major cities are hubs for cafe writing.

But what about Bangkok? God knows that this city has enough creative expats to start a cafe writing movement.

But there’s not yet that literary pedigree here to immortalise any of the coffee shops around town. There are, however, some cracking coffee shops; perfect for sipping and supping while observing and writing. Here are some of my favourites. Sukhumvit soi 26. On Aug 12, 2016 at 6:34am PDT Around halfway down Soi 26 is the quirky Casa Lapin — a coffee shop cum cafe cum co-working space cum hostel cum flower shop? There’s a lot of stuff going on here. The best thing about Casa Lapin is the homely interior decoration – low chairs, plenty of wood and plants, a feel of creative community and a cracking selection of drinks on offer.

The perfect spot to while away a couple of hours on. I did once pay 180 baht ($5) for a pot of tea here though so remember to gather your satang. BACC, Rama I.

A photo posted by Mikko Kauppi (@mihailii) on Jun 19, 2016 at 1:28am PDT Whereas Casa Lapin is all about the cosy atmosphere, Gallery is all about the coffee. Drip coffee, to be exact. With single origin beans and excellent cold brews, this is the writing spot for the coffee purist. But it’s a great space to hang out, people watch and imbibe in the vibe as well.

Located in the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre, it’s a hub for the city’s creative and artistic elite. Plus some students.

Sukhumvit soi 31/33. A photo posted by Wonderwall l The Kaffebar (@wonderwallthekaffebar) on Jul 26, 2016 at 8:27pm PDT This is my local coffee shop and it’s fabulous — if a little on the small side.

The coffee is creamy and delicate, with lots of options to try new batches from international and local artisan roasters. There’s usually some acoustic covers on the stereo and a choice of tasty sweet treats too. An outdoor terrace with fan and rain shield means you can take in the sights (and traffic) of the road below too. Great spot for dog watching too.

Sukhumvit soi 38. A photo posted by Hands and Heart Coffee (@handsandheartcoffee) on Jun 24, 2016 at 2:55am PDT Located halfway down the former street food Mecca of Soi 38, Hands & Heart is a serene coffee shop perfect for scribbling. It’s decked out in all black and white decor, and is quiet enough to allow for contemplation. The coffee’s amazing too: hand brewed and selected from seasonal, AA grade, single origin beans. You can catch them baking cakes and daily and take away some of their cold brew products for any morning-after-the-night-before sessions.

Sathorn soi 12, sukhumvit soi 49, central embassy and 72 courtyard (soi thonglor). During my research for an article about, I came across a surprisingly high number of books about Bangkok’s prisons. It shouldn’t have been much of a surprise — there have been plenty of farang (white foreigners) imprisoned over here after all. And one of the best ways to raise money and educate others on your experience after you get out? Write a book about it, of course! Thailand has lured many a foreigner to her shores in the past few decades, entrancing them with the prospect of a cheap party lifestyle, living like a king in a tropical paradise. But a handful of Siam’s visitors get in over their heads.

The money runs out but they aren’t prepared to give up their lifestyle. Some of them turn to drugs — whether dealing or smuggling across borders. Thailand’s attitude to drugs is famously severe: even possession of a small amount of cannabis can find you slapped with a long prison sentence. The death penalty is not unusual in cases of smuggling. Not every foreigner imprisoned in Thailand is there for drug-related crimes, but a sizeable number certainly are. Most of the ex-prisoners who have written books about their ‘time’ in Bangkok were there thanks to drugs. By (Creative Commons) 1.

By Warren Fellows (2000) The Damage Done is one of the most famous memoirs of life in a Bangkok prison — the notorious Bang Kwang — documenting the human rights abuses and atrocities Fellows endured for 12 years after receiving a life sentence for trafficking heroin in 1978. The events written about in the book are so horrific that some have doubted their veracity and accused Fellows of hyperbole. Beatings, drug abuse, having to eat cockroaches for protein and suicide attempts are all discussed. Fellows goes into extreme detail but many readers describe it as ‘unputdownable’. Jon Cole (2012) Cole, the son of a US Green Beret colonel who was serving in Vietnam, found himself studying at the International School of Bangkok in the late 1960s. Inevitably lead astray by the allure of the City of Angels, Cole finds himself burdened with a heroin habit and a career as a drug smuggler, before being imprisoned in the notorious Klong Prem.

It’s a well written book that examines Cole’s time in prison and his eventual acceptance of both his fate and his decisions. Rather than follow Fellows’ path of documenting the various abuses he saw, Cole focuses on the story of his addiction and his relationships inside the prison. David McMillan (2007) McMillan was arrested in Bangkok’s Chinatown and imprisoned in Klong Prem after found to be masterminding a global heroin-smuggling syndicate.

His memoir documents how he became the only Westerner to date to escape from the ‘Bangkok Hilton’. Readers have praised Escape for pulling no punches: there’s no smugness at escaping, no pitiful excuses for his drug offences — rather a tale of grit and friendship. It also documents McMillan’s prison life before he manages to get away.

By (Creative Commons) 4. Tm hoy (2012) This book is more a compendium of short stories from Hoy’s time in Klong Prem, describing the horrors of daily life there, such as wearing chains, no food, murders, drug abuse, torture and tuberculosis. Hoy doesn’t reveal the nature of his crime, but rather accepts his punishment and sets about detailing the stories of the various characters he meets while imprisoned. Joanne joseph (2013) This is the story of South African model Vanessa Goosen, who was sentenced to death in 1994 after unknowingly trafficking heroin out of Thailand, planted by her partner. Goosen was 3 months pregnant at the time and delivered her baby while imprisoned in Lard Yao prison. Felicia lived with Goosen until she was 3, when the baby was sent home to South Africa to live with a friend.

This story tells of Goosen’s trial and time in prison, including the harrowing story of having her baby taken away, and also how she adjusted to ‘normal’ life after she was pardoned by the King in 2010. Sandra gregory (2013) Another account of female imprisonment in Bangkok, this book documents Gregory’s struggles as she attempts to smuggle an addict’s personal supply of heroin out of Thailand, after running out of money. She was imprisoned again in Lard Yao and endured her trial in Thai before being sentenced to death.

Four and a half years into her sentence, she was transferred to the UK prison system, before finally being pardoned by the King of Thailand in 2010. By (Creative Commons) 7.

Andy botts (2007) This tells the story of professional criminal Botts, who started life as a thief in Hawaii before finally being arrested for drug trafficking in Bangkok. Sentenced to death, Botts continued to abuse drugs during his time in prison and here tells of the horrors of daily life. It also seeks to document the spiritual journey that Bangkok imprisonment gifted Botts and his realisation that everything happens for a reason. Debbie singh (2015 — 2nd edition) One of the few Bangkok prison books about someone not convicted of a drug crime, this book is actually written by the sister of an inmate in Klong Prem. Debbie Singh’s brother was sentenced to 10 years in Klong Prem after being found guilty of cashing false traveller’s cheques. She campaigned to have her brother transferred away from the daily degradation to an Australian prison, and also set out to locate his Thai-born son. This story also looks at Singh’s renewed love for Thailand and her tireless charity work.

Colin martin (2005) Welcome to Hell is a memoir of Martin, imprisoned in Klong Prem after attempting to apprehend the man who defrauded him of a huge sum of money in a business deal after the corrupt Thai police refused to intervene. Martin was convicted of murder. The book was actually written in Martin’s cell and smuggled out page by page — rather than being penned many years later like most prison memoirs. He’s very upfront about the putrid conditions of Klong Prem and pulls no punches in their descriptions.

Many book lovers appreciate the sanctity of libraries, and when it comes to the world’s most beautiful libraries, you can be sure that the appreciation borders on infatuation. While the rise of electronic devices like Kindles have made reading more accessible and brought books into the digital age — which should rightfully be celebrated — there’s little that can dim the majesty of a brilliant library. Not all were were created equal, however, and sometimes the architecture and aesthetics manage to rival the beauty of the books within.

Looks aren’t everything, we know; but the prospect of seeking solace in a book while in some of the world’s most beautiful buildings is thrilling indeed. Here are the 16 most beautiful libraries in the world. Mortlock Wing of the State Library of South Australia Australia. Love reading but fancy making it more sociable? Easy — just sign up to one of the many Bangkok book clubs. As you’d expect in such a big city, there are a large handful of book clubs for English speakers, reading all manner of tomes from Austen to the latest in ASEAN political discourse. Here we’ve listed the best of them – take a look and see which one piques your interest. Each club’s Meetup page is linked to in the headings.

This is the largest book club in Bangkok, with over 900 Meetup members at the last count. We can only assume that a much smaller proportion actually attend the monthly meetings. The club meets at Hemingway’s on Sukhumvit Soi 14 and is known for being a relaxed and friendly environment. Novels are the order of the day here, with recent discussion focusing on The UnAmericans by Molly Antopol, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.

This brilliantly named book club again meets every month, this time at The Admiral’s pub on Sukhumvit Soi 24. Books to be discussed are voted for in advance by members who are given a choice of three, with the main criterion being that it must have “stood the test of time”. Previous books include Atonement by Ian McEwan, Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene, and The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid.

By (CC BY 2.0) This is a quasi-intellectual gathering with the intention to discuss themes like writing style, genre, socioeconomic trends and what’s in the zeitgeist, with the focus on a particular book. The Lit Society meets on the first Tuesday of every month and each month a book is chosen by a different member, who then serves as that month’s host. That person will prepare questions and some introductory material, as well as leading the discussion. Book choices range widely anywhere between fiction, poetry, cognitive science, archaeology and more. Past choices have included How to Pass as Human and Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City.

This group meets regularly to read and discuss 100 Ideas that Changed the World by Time Magazine at a location in Laksi. Native English and intermediate ESL speakers are welcome to attend in these sessions lead by Steven Sills, a teacher of advanced critical reading, writing, American literature and conversation for ASEAN classes at Ramkhamhaeng University.

Previous sessions have examined the journey from animism to polytheism to monotheism in Egypt, then replicated by Judaism; the creation of a rudimentary geometry in Ancient Egypt; and the Buddhist heaven or Nirvana. A rather French looking book club (By CC BY 2.0) Not quite your traditional book club in any sense, these bi-weekly meetings invite readers to drink together and read to themselves — no book discussions or mandated book! Previous locations have included Mikkeller in Phra Khanong, the SkyTrain Jazz Bar at Victory Monument and Dexter Cafe.

40 Dias En La Palabra Pdf To Excel there. They haven’t been active for a while according to their Meetup profile so feel free to give them a nudge. Definitely something of a specialist study group, members study and share the teachings of Dr Wayne Dyer – described as an influential leader in spiritual consciousness and self-motivation – through books, audio and video.

Previous topics have included mind mastery and how to propagate positive mental thoughts. Again, this looks as though it may need a nudge or for someone new to step in and take over the helm. There are also plenty of writing workshops and meet-up groups in Bangkok, which I’ll document soon too. Featured image is by (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0). Bangkok’s exotic allure has inspired writers for generations. The city is often described as an ‘attack on the senses’.

Smells, colours, noise. Visiting foreign writers have captured these primal reactions we have to the city since they first started visiting – back in the late 19th Century. Of course, not all of them loved Bangkok — far from it — and complaints about smells, soi dogs and laziness are commonplace. Colonial attitudes at this point viewed the native Thais as ‘other’ and some of their comments by today’s standards would probably be considered racist. Nevertheless, much positive has also been said about Bangkok over the years too. Here are 13 of the most on-the-nose, witty and evocative quotes about brilliant Bangkok. Ernest Young on Chinatown, 1898 The one truly native quarter is a long narrow bazaar known as Sampeng At night, the shops are closed, but the gambling houses, opium-dens, and brothers are thronged by the lowest of the low.

Todd Phillips When discussing filming The Hangover II Bangkok, like Las Vegas, sounds like a place where you make bad decisions. By (CC BY 2.0) 11. Eric Read From Chequered Leaves in 1913 ‘When you ain’t being slowly grilled at a thousand in the shade, you are sousing in floods, or the house is falling about your devoted ears in a thunderstorm ‘There is a filthy old river, the colour of milk chocolate, flavoured with the juices of countless defunct and deeply lamented household pets, and one’s servants consider this liquid such sacred nectar that they will wash your socks in it, and then make your tea with the same ‘Otherwise, of course, the place is all right.’ Featured image: (CC BY-ND 2.0).