The Indochina Chronicles
Author:- Phil Karber
Published by:- Marshall Cavendish International, Singapore
This is a travelogue of a 4000 miles journey, undertaken by the author along with his English friend, Simon Redington. Starting from Jinghong in China’s Yunnan Province, the duo traveled down south along the great Mekong river through Laos, Cambodia and then finally Vietnam. From here, they traveled north again through Vietnam to reach their final destination, Hanoi.
Phil was born in Arkansas USA. After several misdemeanor arrests and warnings for possession of alcohol in his teens, police finally put him in jail. The judge gave him an option of joining US army instead of serious jail time. He opted for US army and was eventually posted in Indochina region. Much later in his life, his wife Joellen, who is a reproductive health expert, was offered a job in Vietnam and Phil moved to Hanoi. This background and the fact that he was one from that generation, who were outraged and saddened because of the trauma of the Vietnam war, makes him an expert on this region of the world.
Mekong River is one of the great rivers of the world. Originating from Tibet, it flows through China, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The History and Geography of this region is so intimately connected with the river that a journey on this waterway leads you to a deeper understanding of this once terribly troubled region. Phil describes his tale of this journey with poignancy, human-interest stories, drama and vivid descriptions of places and people with touch of history and anecdotes, wherever relevant.
During second half of his journey, Phil is accompanied in many places by local Vietnam heroes, who have their own tales of horror. He also travels with a US war veteran, who has settled down in Vietnam and lives with his former foes to build a better life for future. His narrations of ill famous tiger cages as well as horrific US bombings in the Khe San area are extremely vivid.
In all his narrations, Phil comes on top, when describing natural beauty of a place. Some of his descriptions are so poignant and beautiful that one feels that he is reading a poem. In all, a fascinating and unforgettable book, which is a pleasure to read.
14th June 2008
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