Customer Rating: 
Summary: very interesting but why no Burma?
Comment: This is a very interesting book that gives a good overview of the history of SE Asia. For the most part I like the way it is organized although sometimes it does jump back and forth in time a bit. But the one huge glaring error is the decision to eliminate Burma from the book altogether. I think this was a huge mistake, especially given how intertwined the histories of the countries/kingdoms of the mainland of SE Asia are to one another. The Thais and the Burmese fought each other for centuries over their territories. And of course they were colonized by the Brits and now of course the situation there for the last 40 years is a pretty important story. The decision to cut the Philippines out is less problematic to me.
I was also not as interested in the islands' (Malaysia and Indonesia) histories as the authors are as I am more focused on the mainland, but it is thorough in covering the whole region.
However, even with those omissions it is certainly a good starting point for the visitor to SEA or the student of history of the region.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Traveller's History of Southeast Asia
Comment: "Southeast Asia" is in many ways a typical title in this popular British series: a readable and informative introduction to the history of Southeast Asia for students and travelers. The book, again like most in the series, devotes most of its pages to the Common Period (1500 - the present). This is an advantage for the business or political traveler, but a disadvantage for the cultural traveler, since the most interesting and beautiful monuments (Angkor, for example) were built during the earlier Classical Period (500 - 1500), which is discussed only briefly (40 pages out of 340) in this book. So plan on reading other books, in addition to this one, if you want a full view of the panorama of SE Asia's ancient history. In terms of coverage, the "Traveller's History of Southeast Asia" includes most of mainland and island Southeast Asia, with most attention being paid to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Surprisingly, the Philippines and Burma are not included. I find the latter omission particularly eccentric, given the importance of the monuments at Pagan, and the contention between Burma and Thailand during much of the common period.
The book's authors do a fine job of explaining the causes and effects of major trends in the history of Southeast Asia that begin with the era of Western exploration: patterns of colonialism, the impact of trade and migration, Islam, communism, World War I and II, the Vietnam War, nationalism, the regional consolidation into nation-states, political independence, and recent developments (as of 2001). I was impressed by the authors' even-handedness in describing these often contentious events. Their analysis is clear and knowledgeable, and they have no political axes to grind.
In summary, "A Traveller's History of Southeast Asia" is a good read, and a useful resource, for all who are interested in the post-1500 history of this fascinating and diverse region.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A quick read and a great way to get up to speed on SE Asia
Comment: I thought this was a super book. The authors have done a great job of synthesizing the history of Southeast Asia into a very readable survey of the region. I would refer this book to any traveller or international business executive needing to quickly get up to speed on the history and culture of the region.
