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153rd out of 167 books
—
107 voters
A Dragon Apparent: Travels in Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam
by
Norman Lewis
Originally published in 1951, it is said that A Dragon Apparent inspired Graham Greene to go to Vietnam and write The Quiet American.
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
October 1st 2003
by Eland
(first published 1951)
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I decided to read Norman Lewis' fascinating travel book on Indochina, A Dragon Apparent: Travels in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam (1951) for inspiration and preparation for travel in Cambodia. Lewis travels to Vietnam in 1950 as the French are trying to hold onto their colonial possessions by employing tactics that will ultimately fail for the Americans as well. Most of his analysis comes from the French perspective, but near the end of his travels he meets with some Viet Minh people to get their...more
A terrific book that colourfully and truthfully takes you with the author through Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam in the last days of French colonisation. It shows the cruelty and disaparity that exists between the nbative people of "INDOCHINE" and the ruling French.
It is hiumourous in places, and historically spot on, it even sniffs out the foreboding American presence waiting in the shadows; and it certainly doesn't predict Pol Pot and the Khimer Rouge arriving in the mid 70's , when th eFrench co...more
It is hiumourous in places, and historically spot on, it even sniffs out the foreboding American presence waiting in the shadows; and it certainly doesn't predict Pol Pot and the Khimer Rouge arriving in the mid 70's , when th eFrench co...more
One of the best travel books I have read in a long time. Norman Lewis tramped through southeast asia in the 50's as the region was undergoing a transition from fighting the French colonials to (they didn't know it yet) being caught in the Cold War conflicts of the 60's. Lewis was fortunate to observe the vanishing ancient cultures as they went down for the third time: the Viet Minh were on the rise and repelling the French, and the region's cultures would, in the next 5 years, be incinerated.
Lew...more
Lew...more
Fantastic introduction to what was once known as IndoChina. Great insights into the 'twilight of the French colonial regime' and a world that has now vanished, and full of stories and anecdotes about 'a society on the brink'. A wonderful read for anyone wanting to know more about this largely forgotten time. First published in 1951.
Fascinating insight into Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam in the 1940s right before it all changed dramatically. The animated and witty narrative of Mr Lewis' adventures meant I couldn't put it down and subsequently bought four more of his books! Highly recommended!
Interesting to read as a snapshot of Vietnam when all the conflict was still contained within its borders. This was before US intervention and shows how the french struggled to keep order before withdrawing completely.Lewis has a good eye for highlighting the constant beaurocratic delays so often encountered in oriental countries and spends most of this book travelling around in army jeeps, freight lorries and diplomatic vehicles rather than face delays at airports and rail stations. I felt that...more
Indochina in a bygone era. Lewis records in scientific anthropological detail the multitude of tribes and their customs/appearances whilst on a roadtrip thru Cambodia
Feb 17, 2012
Flora
marked it as to-read
I may have read this before but will read again.
Sep 05, 2007
Jamie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone interested in SE Asia
Shelves:
travel-writing
One of my favorite travel writing books ever. Lewis is relentlessly curious, writes in clear, poetic prose and seems to put himself in all the right places. He is also eerily prescient about the inevitability of brutal war coming to South East Asia.
It's got a kind of deadpan Monty Pythonesque humour and it takes you back effectively to a very different time. Though it's not always easy going I found myself coming back to his observations about the area time and again during our travels.
an absolute classic and tremendous reading for anyone going to Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia. Sadly, only Laos still has some of the feel that Lewis so eloquently describes.
Certainly fascinating, but not to the point where I was riveted. I would have preferred more context on the French colonial history of the time.
Another great Normn Lewis book. Amazing stories from Vietnam, Cambodia and Loas, in the 1950's at the end of the French colonial times.
Jun 15, 2013
Moe
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Norman Lewis was a prolific British writer best known for his travel writing. Though not widely known, "Norman Lewis is one of the best writers, not of any particular decade, but of our century", according to Graham Greene.
Lewis served in World War II and wrote an account of his experiences during the Allied occupation of Italy, titled Naples '44. Shortly after the war he produced volumes about Bu...more
More about Norman Lewis...
Lewis served in World War II and wrote an account of his experiences during the Allied occupation of Italy, titled Naples '44. Shortly after the war he produced volumes about Bu...more
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