RECOMENDED BOOKS ~ LB-69

For the last few years I have been one of these people who has visited this forum and enjoyed reading holiday reports / articles on every thing about ladyboys.
I think as a forum goes, it is definite...

Guys,

I ran this topic a short time ago on another thread (and now can't find it)... But, if you generally enjoy the crime/thriller genre; then given that you are even reading this (i.e. you are a Thai LB fan who lives slightly on the edge) means you will almost certainly enjoy the following books by John Burdett:
(and read them in this sequence)
- Bangkok Eight
- Bangkok Tattoo
- Bangkok Haunts

There are memory keys galore (and a katoey offsider to the main character Wink

) that will put your head back in your piece of LOS every time you pick it up. And, Burdett writes a bloody good book!

Am confident this is the surest tip I've ever given anyone about a book Exclamation

I've read all three and can also recommend them.

Ladyboy Lover Joined: 15 Aug 2009 Posts: 46 Points: 92

Thanks Triat, I am sure picking one up next time at the airport. Finished 'Private Dancer' by S.Leather last time around. Nice read.

Well I would disagree with you Fridgemagnet.

If you go back in Thailand's recent history the "Bar Scene' took off in the 1960's when the US troops used Thailand as an "R&R" base (Rest and Recreation) from duty in Vietnam.

An old colleague of mine described Thailand at that time.

A bunch of horny GIs with lots of US Dollars to spend who would get a furlough in Thailand and go crazy. At that time Pattaya was full of virgins (really) and fishermen. The US air base was in U Tapao. Imagine a C130/Galaxy landing with a cargo of testosterone - awesome.

Thais saw it as a huge opportunity - guys throwing money around as if they had no tomorrow - many did not!

So the US military created the demand and Thailand responded. I have seen many photos of Pattaya/Naklua from the 1960s very different to today. The oldest (surviving) Beach side bar is "Five Star Bar" near Mike's Shopping Mall.

It is the nearest Thailand ever came to domination/occupation by a foreign power. Back then it was a simple agricultural economy - not even on the Tourist trail. Back in the 60s most people never ventured further than their own back yard, let alone fly anywhere remote. Believe me.

For most GIs it was their first (and for many their last) visit to a foreign land.

So in the 60s Pattaya/Thailand was established on the world map - the rest is history.

The West (USA initially) actually did spawn the modern 'sex tourism' of today.

For those really interested in Thailand, and the Socio/Economic/Political history, I recommend "The King Never Smiles". This is not a casual read - it can cure insomnia - but is a great insight to Thailand outside the pleasure palaces so often used to portray Thailand generally.

Not on a par with "Private Dancer" , which is more sensational and lite to read, but it is a lot more educational - an insight into principles/beliefs and attitude. Probably not any use to the casual holiday tourist but for those, on more regular trips/resident, it is well worth the effort. It may change your perspective.

It's worth mentioning that 'The King Never Dies' is banned in Thailand due to the lese majeste laws - read in Blighty, but do not bring it with you to Thailand - your holiday could be ruined.
Good book though.
The Yanks may well have started the 'bar girl' phenomenon in Thailand, but I don't believe that is so grim a prospect for a farm girl looking to make more money than most Thais see in a lifetime. They are all freelancers - no pimps here.
A greedy Thai family can put a lot of pressure on a girl, but that's not a problem caused by Westerners - we do not expect our kids to support us - we usually have to support them....
The ones to feel sorry for are the underage kids chained up in Thai only brothels, and this is a purely Thai proposition, not started by Western men at all. Been going for centuries. It's an Asian thing.
On the book front, authors that I have recently enjoyed include Ian Bainks, George R.R.Martin, and Charles Stross - mostly cyberpunk & fantasy.

Ladyboy Guru Joined: 23 Nov 2009 Posts: 1035 Points: 2244

Burdett has a 4th book out now- The Godfather of Kathmandu, not read it yet though

Er - my mistake - 'My name is Lon' is not the book that was so crap - I re-read it and it was not the book that I so disliked. That one has been exchanged a while ago, & I kept 'my name is Lon' as it's pretty good. I got my facts wrong. Still, if anyone wants it, I'm happy to post it to them, as I offered before. Embarrasment rules...

Ladyboy Hunter Joined: 13 Sep 2010 Posts: 395 Points: 903

Ladyboy Hunter Joined: 27 Jul 2010 Posts: 483 Points: 1896

i must buy it, as met paultain during my last trip, great guy, wealth of knowledge about los, really helpful.
cheers for that tj, will pop into canterbury tales and get it, for the plane back home

I'd like to shamelessly plug Canterbury Tales as the best second-hand bookshop that I've come across (so far) in Thailand.
Decent prices, no photocopy books pretending to be the real thing, and it's a friendly sort of place. There's plenty for people who don't like Jeffrey Archer - in fact Patts must have a lot of compulsive readers, as the stock is really varied. I bought all the decent fantasy books though, so fantasy fans will have to wait a bit for more stock to come in.

Can anyone recommend any other outstanding S/H bookshops?

I guess appropriately my 1st post should be here as I am Dave from Canterbury Tales Cafe & Bookshop and I look forward to a long association with this forum and hope to help anyone re the book thing as I can.
All the best Dave

Great to hear from you Dave, you do have a fine bookshop.
I'm not often in Patts these days, as cash has become tighter etc etc, But do you do a booklist, or a computer stocklist? Then mates in Patts who live in Chiang Mai may be able to deliver.
Alternatively, I could send you a short list of favourite authors, if it's not too much trouble.
I just wish the bus wasn't so bloody uncomfortable.
Anything ladyboy would probably find a buyer or two on this forum.
All the best Tim

Yes I offer a postal service and although I dont have a list as stock changes all the time I can let you know if you have a request if we have it or not and can put it on a wish list as when/if it comes in I will save it or post it.
I often send books in Thailand as is not too expensive, Paultains book as above is looking like its going to be popular and the new book on the subject so we do have that in stock and have a Paypal account if anyone is interested in purchasing the book this way, I will shortly post the postage costs within Thailand.
I do get books re Ladyboys in from time to time and will look into furthering my stock in the future.
All the best Dave