• Festivals
• Buddhism
• Khmer Classical Dance
• Ancient History
• Modern History
• Khmer Words and Phrases
• Further Reading

Bibliography

For further reading about the history and culture of Cambodia and Indochina, the following books are recommended:

Ancient History

Angkor (splendors of the Khmer Civilization)

Marilia Albanese (Published by White Star 2006. Distributed by Asia Books Co. Ltd.).
A comprehensive guide to ancient Khmer history. The book is detailed, well-sourced and contains superb maps, photographs and illustrations. Ms. Albanese is an authority on Sanskrit and Oriental languages and culture.

Angkor: An Introduction to the Temples

Dawn Rooney [4th Edition, Odyssey Publications, Hong Kong, 1999]
A popular and user-friendly guide to the archaeological remains at Angkor.

Along the Royal Roads to Angkor

Yoshiaki Ishizawa (Published in English by Weatherhill, 1999).
Contains some superb photographs of the Angkor Temples accompanied by a basic commentary on their history.

A History of Cambodia

David Chandler (2nd Edition, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 1993)
One of the best books on Khmer history, covering the pre-Angkorian period up to the early 1990s. Ideal for anyone seeking a general idea of the sweep of Khmer history.

Modern History

The Tragedy of Cambodian History (Politics, War and Revolution since 1945).

David Chandler (published the in the U.S. by the University of Yale 1991 and in S.E. Asia by Silkworm Books 1993).
A scholarly, forensic and challenging account of post-war Cambodian politics.

Brother Number One

David Chandler (published by Westview Press, 1992).
A highly detailed and insightful biography of Saloth Sar (Pol Pot).

S21

David Chandler reconstructs the harrowing day-to-day workings of the infamous S21 detention center in Phnom Penh from original documents found at the prison, and from the testimonies of people who worked there.

Sideshow

William Shawcross (published by Touchstone, 1987).
William Shawcross’ acclaimed and critical account of how America’s involvement in Vietnam affected Cambodia.

Aftermath

Colin Pilger and Anthony Barnet (published by the New Statesman, 1982).
Articles written by foreign correspondents who witnessed, first hand, the immediate aftermath of the American War in Vietnam and the war’s effect on society and politics in Cambodia.

Cambodia 1975-1982

Michael Vickery (Published by South End Press)
The period of Khmer Rouge rule and its immediate aftermath are examined in detail by one of the foremost western scholars of modern Cambodian history.

Getting Away with Genocide? Elusive Justice and the Khmer Rouge Tribunal

Tom Fawthrop and Helen Jarvis (Published by UNSW Press, 2005)
Tom Fawthrop is a journalist and SE Asia expert who worked as a foreign correspondent in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in the early 1980’s. He was an eye-witness to conditions within Cambodia in the immediate wake of the Pol Pot regime.
Helen Jarvis, also an expert on Southeast Asia, has written, translated and edited several books about the region.

A Field Guide to Siem Reap Pagodas

Ray Zepp [Khmer Buddhist Education Project 2000]
Ray Zepp has written numerous, excellent local guides for various parts of Cambodia. This highly accessible guide provides general information about Cambodian Buddhism and details the various pagodas in and around Siem Reap.

Religion

The Sacred East

Published by Duncan Baird Publishers, London, 1996.
A beautiful, informative book about the major religious faiths of Asia.

The Life of Buddha as History and Legend

Edward J. Thomas [1st Edition, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London 1927 Reprinted in paperback by Unwin Brothers Ltd. 1975]
A comprehensive and well-researched history of the life of the Great Teacher. Thomas accessed rare, primary source material in order to write the book, which is still regarded as one of the most authoritative works on this subject.

Autobiography

Cambodian Odyssey

Haing S. Ngor (published by Macmillan, 1987).
One of the best first-hand accounts of life under Pol Pot. Expertly written by doctor, social worker and actor Haing S. Ngor (star of The Killing Fields), this extraordinary book is painfully honest and deeply moving.

The Gate

Francois Bizot (published by Harvill Press, 2003).
This unique, eloquent and harrowing true story is drawn from the memories of the only westerner to survive long-term detention by the Khmer Rouge.

Swimming to Cambodia – The Collected Works of Spalding Gray

Spalding Gray (Picador, First Published in Great Britain by Pan Books Ltd., 1987)
Spalding Gray’s left-field account of the making of the movie The Killing Fields. Gray had a minor role in the film but became fascinated with its historical context. Amusing anecdotes and chilling facts are interwoven to form a unique written work. The essay formed the basis of a theatrical monologue that was in turn made into a movie by director Jonathan Demme.

First They Killed My Father

Loung Ung (published by Harper-Collins, 2000).
Loung Ung’s childhood recollections chart life during Pol Pot’s reign and detail the loss of most of her family. What permeates this remarkable tale is the obstinate will to survive displayed by its author.

Derailed in Uncle Ho’s Victory Garden

Tim Page
Tim Page was one of the foremost photographers of the American War. Here he recalls his experiences in a book that is by turns both poignant and amusing. The narrative alternates between Page’s wartime recollections and a journey through modern Vietnam that brings back painful memories.

Fiction

Saigon

Anthony Gray
Anthony Gray is a former foreign correspondent turned novelist who worked extensively in Southeast Asia. This epic and educational story begins in the colonial period and concludes with the evacuation of the US Embassy in 1975. Despite being a work of fiction, ‘Saigon’ provides a fine general picture of the key moments in modern Vietnamese history.