Foreign Phrases

I just picked up the latest album by Yo La Tengo. Great stuff, as always, with material that ranges from sweet melodic gems to feedback-spiced guitar jams. This one also has my pick for best album title of the year: I am Not Afraid of You and I will Beat Your Ass. Ira Kaplan, you are a genius!

I was upstairs in the bookshop on Sunday, trying to fit some more Ian Rankin books on a shelf in the Mystery section. And then my cell phone rang. A chorus of voices speaking something that wasn’t Thai or English greeted me. It took me about ten seconds to realize the call was coming from Cambodia. But who was calling? It was Huot, one of the kids that used to help clean my bookshop in Siem Reap. Since I returned to Bangkok I have continued to help him and his younger brother, giving them money for school and family needs. He had never called me before, so I guessed something was up. Sure enough, the family has had to relocate to Phnom Penh and they need more money to keep the kids in school. No problem, I assured him, expcept that I’m leaving for Myanmar in two days and don’t have enough money to send right now. Wait until next month, I promised, and then I’ll get something to you. But how? There is no way to contact him or his family. No bank account, no phone number, and maybe no fixed address at the moment. Huot will have to either call me direct or go through our mutual friend So Peng Thai (a tour guide in Siem Reap who also used to work at my bookshop) to arrange any further assistance. Not sure what I’ll end up doing, but we’ll have to wait until next month to cross that bridge.

Speaking with Huot brought back those seemingly long-lost Khmer phrases. It was slow going at first, but after the language “kicked in” I started spouting melodic Khmer phrases ever-so-smoothly. Or so I’d like to think. It didn’t help that I’ve been studying Burmese every day for the past six months. All these various phrases and words kept bouncing around in the craters of my cerebellum; Khmer, Burmese, and Thai all threatening to emerge from my mouth at any second. Luckily, I made it through the conversation without confusing the kid too much. But I do enjoy speaking Khmer; there’s something about the breathless cadence of the language that really appeals to me. It’s just all those damn vowels that trip me up.

It just hit me: I didn’t make any trips to Pattaya this year. That makes it the first time since 1992 that I haven’t visited the nearby beach resort at least once during the year. Not that I have any regrets. The appeal of Pattaya’s sandy beaches and seedy bars has long since vanished for me. I used to visit Pattaya frequently when I was a tourist back in the early 1990s, but after moving to Bangkok I found myself venturing over there less and less with each succeeding year.

11:05 PM PST Permalink |

Cool Weather, Cool Taxis, Cool Tunes, Cool People

The weather continues to be cool here in Bangkok, resulting in most of the locals donning jackets and coats for those chilly mornings and evening outings. And I’m about to join them: when I take my morning motorcycle ride I don’t enjoy shivering. Yes, I am that much of a cold weather wimp. I have no desire to see snow or climb every mountain. Even the air-conditioning in most local shopping centers is too cold for my blood.

Taxi drivers in Bangkok are mostly very agreeable and friendly fellows (and for some reason it’s a very, very rare thing to find a female driver). It’s rare that one won’t strike up a conversation and talk to me, usually in Thai, when I am in their cab. This goes against “conventional wisdom” that they are all sullen, shady characters that enjoy taking advantage of tourists. Sure, there are some creeps in the batter, but most taxi drivers (I’ll exclude tuk-tuk drivers from this analysis; they generally ARE crooks) are really nice, polite guys. Earlier this week I had a particularly pleasant conversation with one taxi driver about temples. He talked about how much he liked visiting the old temples in nearby Ayutthaya and other places around Thailand. I concurred, and in turn mentioned the wonders of the pagodas of Bagan in Myanmar and the temples of Angkor in Cambodia. I have a strong distaste for organized religion, yet there is something very magical about Buddhist temples, especially the ancient ones. I never get tired of visiting them and soaking up the history.

It’s rare that I receive actual mail from the postal service. When something arrives it’s usually a telephone bill or coupons from Pizza Hut. But this week the postman brought me a most wonderful package: the new CD, Even if I Fall, from my friend Reina Collins. I’ve known Reina for many decades; going back to our high school days in Orlando (she’s not quite as ancient as I am, having graduated a few years later). Since her days of singing in various clubs around the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, Reina has lived – and sang - in Idaho, California, and now Oregon. For this album she teamed up with Rob Barteletti (who wrote most of the songs) to create a sparking collection of folk-rock tunes. You’ll also hear bits of blues and country weaved into the original material. Supporting the fine songs is a stellar instrumental foundation; bits of dobro, banjo, fiddle, piano, slide guitar, and even cello spicing up the mix. To my ears Reina’s voice has a warmth and tone similar to that of Mary Chapin Carpenter. You can hear samples of her songs on her MySpace site or at CDbaby.com. Links to those sites and for information can be found at:
http://www.reinagcollins.com/

One of my new heroes is Rick from San Diego. I was fortunate to meet this fascinating man when he visited Thailand last month. Rick is 84-years-old and still going strong: traveling the globe, reading books, and playing golf several times each week. “And I still work,” he adds. Further proof that rust never sleeps: got to keep moving!

10:17 PM PST Permalink |

Foods for Thought

I was doing an online check of hotels in Yangon this week when I noticed that one offered its guests “instant laundry.” I can’t wait to see what that service is all about! It reminds of yet another hotel in Yangon that listed “Food Massage” among its guest services. Sounds sort of kinky, doesn’t it?

Speaking of food, Myanmar writer Ma Thanegi asked me to check Bangkok bookshops for a cookbook that she has been looking for. The book she wants, The Cradle of Flavor: Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore was written by James Oseland, a longtime resident of Singapore. On Monday I popped into the Emporium and checked out the Cookery selection at Kinokuniya, but they didn’t have The Cradle of Flavor in stock. I walked over to the nearby Asia Books outlet but they didn’t have the book either. The next day I went to two more Asia Books outlets, but still no sign of the cookbook. My last try was at the Kinokuniya branch at Siam Paragon, where lo and behold, there was one remaining copy left. I snatched that book off the shelf and clutched it in my arms like a lost kitten, making sure it didn’t get away.

I haven’t met Ma Thanegi in person yet (I’ll rectify that situation when we meet for lunch – and give her the cookbook - next week), but she has answered a barrage of Myanmar food questions that I’ve thrown her way. Clearly, this woman knows her noodles, curries, soups and more. And it’s no wonder; she has written a cookbook of her own, An Introduction to Myanmar Cuisine. In addition to that, she has penned several other books, including the travel tale The Native Tourist, and The Illusion of Life: Burmese Marionettes.

While in Kinokuniya I saw a new paperback on the shelf by Barry Eisler called Blood From Blood. Or at least I thought it was new. A quick perusal of the first page revealed that this was the UK version of an older title that I have already read, called Hard Rain. I was hoping that this "new" book was the UK version of The Last Assassin, Eisler’s latest novel which is still only available in the US as a hardcover. But no such luck. This is the second time I’ve found an Eisler book with an alternate title. I picked up Choke Point earlier this year and realized later that it was actually a re-titled version of Rain Storm. Why do publishers do this? Different covers, different titles; it all gets confusing for us diehard readers. An online check revealed that the trend of re-titled Eisler books is continuing: One Last Kill is the same as Killing Rain. I wonder if there are any authors that are being subjected to this dual-title dilemma.

I had a surprise visit last week from Sochiet, a friend that lives in Phnom Penh. When I first got a message that he had called me, I assumed that he was calling from Cambodia. It was only later that I found out he was actually here in Bangkok! This was Sochiet’s first trip outside of Cambodia, so he was understandly excited and bewildered by the spectacle of all things Bangkok. He found time one day during his multi-day visit to drop by the bookshop and chat for a while. Sochiet, the author of the Phnom Penh Page blog here at Things Asian, was in town to serve as an interpreter and help his mother with some paperwork she needed to file at the US Embassy. She is hoping to get a visa to visit one of her daughters that is living in the USA. Why they came to Bangkok instead of going to the US Embassy in Phnom Penh remains a mystery to me. But I suppose Sochiet will give us more information when he updates his blog soon.

08:33 PM PST Permalink |

Sizing it Up

Size matters. Even in the seemingly sedate business of bookselling, the size of the product is important, yet the choice of sizes is baffling. Most readers are familiar with the popular “pocket size” paperbacks. These are also known as mass-market paperbacks; the sort of titles you see sold at airport shops and in department stores. You want your John Grisham and Danielle Steel; this is the format to expect. Then there is “Trade Size”, an oversized paperback that normally has bigger print and is easier on the eyes. Normally, more “serious” fiction is published in this format. Most new books are still released as a hardcover at least a year before the paperback version appears in stores. This inevitably frustrates some readers who hate waiting a year or longer for the more affordable option ($6-8 as opposed to $20-30) to appear on bookshelves.

Recently, however, some new hardcover books in the UK have been released simultaneously along with jumbo paperback versions. As you would expect, the price is cheaper than the hardcover, but more expensive than that of a pocket-sized book. American publishers haven’t gotten hip to the “jumbo alternative” yet, opting instead for their own bizarre option. This new paperback is the same width as the standard pocket-size paperback, but it’s a few inches longer. What’s the purpose of this new elongated version? Hell if I know. The font size is no larger than that of the pocket size, so it’s certainly not going to benefit those who struggle to read small print. And many readers complain that it’s more difficult to hold in their hands. Let’s hope this new size is a short-lived experiment that soon disappears, ala “New Coke.”

From a retailer’s perspective, this dizzying array of sizes makes shelving the books a headache-laden challenge. There is simply no easy or “right way” to organize them all. In my shop we end up shelving some of the books horizontally and some vertically. The hardcovers are often relegated to the very top shelf. They are just too big to mix with their tiny pocket book peers.

There are many English language books published here in Thailand, but the vast majority of these titles are sold in the large trade paperback size. One exception is the new Bjorn Turmann book, The Karaoke World of Courtous Haire. I haven’t read it yet (but it’s sitting there in my “Read Soon” pile), but the book is set in Thailand, Laos, and Singapore. In fact, Bjorn was just in Vientiane for a book signing, his first such event in Laos. I can’t wait to hear how that went.

Another Thailand-themed book breaking the oversized paperback mold is the new version of Jake Needham’s Laundry Man, which now comes in a handy pocket size. After reading Needham’s popular The Big Mango several years ago, I had neglected to read his other novels, but I liked this one so much I won’t make that mistake again. Laundry Man is also set in Bangkok (expect for a few chapters that take place in Hong Kong) and gives readers excellent literary glimpses of our fair city. It’s refreshing to read a book about Bangkok that doesn’t dwell on go-go bars and drug dealers, but instead offers intelligent and thoughtful looks at Bangkok’s many other pleasures and diversions. The story in Laundry Man is damn good, too. I look forward to reading the follow-up, Killing Plato, and his brand new novel, The Ambassador’s Wife.

More surprises: just the other day I found out that a friend of mine from Orlando, Joe Jervis, has had one of his short stories published in an anthology called From Boys to Men: Gay Men Write About Growing Up. Joe was a customer of mine when I worked at Record Mart and Record City, and later when I opened Murmur Records in Orlando. We became good friends, always staying on top of the latest music trends. During one wild week I think we saw both the B-52’s and Prince in concert. Joe is now living in New York City where he writes the popular blog Joe.My.God. I clicked on Amazon.com and saw the following description of the book:
“More than an anthology of coming out stories, From Boys to Men is a stunning collection of essays about what it is like to be gay and young, to be different and be aware of that difference from the earliest of ages. In these memoirs, coming out is less important than coming of age and coming to the realization that young gay people experience the world in ways quite unlike straight boys. Sometimes the result is funny, sometimes it is harrowing, and often it is deeply moving.”

My fellow Scrooge, Gene Johnson, continues to experience the Christmas music blues. In his latest e-mail Gene reports: “Today I made the mistake of walking through Robinson's looking for a birthday gift for my adopted daughter. The Xmas carols finally drove me out! Humbug.” I’m with you, Gene. I’ve about reached my Christmas music threshold, too. I can’t seem to escape the holiday tunes no matter where I go. But yesterday, when I stopped in a Family Mart outlet, I was treated to the sounds of Mor Lam (Northeastern Thai country music) on the sound system. It was so refreshing I just wanted to stay and hang out there for a while.

09:55 PM PST Permalink |

Jingle Hell

One of our customers, Gene Johnson, dropped by the store earlier this week looking hot and frazzled. This time around he couldn’t blame the heat or traffic jams. “I was just at the Emporium,” he explained, “and they were playing ‘Jingle Bells’ over and over again.” He shook his head and grimaced at the thought of that atrocity. “I had to get of there while I still had my sanity.” And Gene wasn’t kidding; they really were playing an endless tape loop of “Jingle Bells” at the mall. Of course this is Thailand, and you are as likely to hear “Jingle Bells” in July as in December. In the minds of most locals, it’s just another cute song with no seasonal significance.

Even here in predominantly Buddhist Thailand, the general public is not spared the annual onslaught of Christmas music and decorations gone amuck. Thais love festivals and the coming of Christmas just gives them another excuse to redecorate the shopping malls and have more sales. Shop until you drop, baby, that’s the holiday spirit! But it’s not only the shopping centers that are guilty of overdoing the Christmas horror; restaurants and office buildings also pump up the volume and deck the halls. Even in my apartment complex the management perversely decorates the lobby with little Christmas trees. I suppose they think such holiday displays are pleasing to westerners living overseas. They can’t seem to grasp the idea that we aren’t all card-carrying Christians.

Perhaps the most annoying of the local Christmas displays will be seen on December 24 and 25. During these two days the BTS Skytrain system allows local church groups to board the trains and serenade passengers with Christmas carols. No, I’m not making this up; they’ve done this the past two years and I fully expect this “treat” will be unleashed on commuters again this year. But that’s okay; I’ll observe my own two-day boycott and stay off the trains. I fear if I was on the train and surrounded by a group of glassy-eyed Christmas carolers I might do something I would regret. Forget “Road Rage;” I can feel “Jingle Bell Rage” about to rear its ugly head.

Is there anything worse than being bombarded by obnoxious Christmas muzak? Believe it or not, I think I have found such a thing. Ma Thanegi in Myanmar wrote to tell me that one restaurant in Yangon named itself after “Feelings,” that widely loved – and loathed - 1970s hit by Morris Albert. To make matters worse they insist on playing the song frequently for the listening pleasure of their diners. “Myanmar people went crazy over that song and have not recovered yet!” Ma Thanegi laments.

This month’s “Heavy Rotation” Listening List at my place:
Wilco – Kicking Television: Live in Chicago
Guided By Voices – Best Of: Human Amusements at Hourly Rates
Brendan Benson – One Mississippi/The Wellford Boy
Pernice Brothers – Discover a Lovelier You
Love Tractor – Green Winter
Various Artists – Northern Soul’s Classiest Rarities, Vol. 2
East River Pipe – What are You On?
J. Geils Band – Anthology: House Party
Isaac Hayes – Ultimate: Can You Dig It?
Killers – Sam’s Town
Lou Rawls – The Very Best Of
Ben Kweller – Sha Sha
Various Artists – Wicker Park Soundtrack Album
Doris Duke – I’m a Loser
Tim Lee – Concrete Dog
Robert Earl Keen – What I Really Mean
Rodney Crowell – The Houston Kid
Sonic Youth – Rather Ripped
Various Artists – Chess Psychedelic Jazz & Funky Grooves
Guadalcanal Diary – Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man /Jamboree
Gerry Rafferty – Days Gone Down: Anthology 1970-1982

07:40 PM PST Permalink |

Cat Napping

On a typically busy Sunday afternoon at the bookshop I bounded up the stairs, ran into the backroom, and grabbed more coins out of the safe for the cash register. And then I hear the sound.

It was that unmistakable meeowing sound of a cat. And from the loudness of the cries, it appeared to be in distress. But where was this sound coming from? We have a back storage room so I opened that door to see if a cat had somehow gotten trapped back there. I never go in that room - not much is in there besides cardboard boxes and probably a family of cockroaches - and frankly didn't even know if we had a light that I could switch on. I stumbled around in the darkness and didn't see a thing. But I could still hear it. The meeowing was getting louder, but I still wasn't sure if the cat was in the room, up on the roof, or stuck behind a wall somewhere. I meeowed back and the cat answered me. I speak pretty good cat, but I'm a total failure at interpreting the meaning of the various meeow tones. But I did conclude that this was not a happy cat. It wanted out. I left the storage room door open, meeowed some more, but still no sign of any cat, rat, or other critter.

A few hours later I closed up the store, trying to figure out the cat mystery. I went home puzzled and worried. If that cat was stuck in the wall somewhere, was there a way to get it out? I opened the bookshop early the next morning, armed with a good flashlight. I shone the light all over the small room; up in the ceiling, on the floor, in the corners. No sign of any cat. But the distressed meeowing continued. This was driving me crazy.

All I could think of doing was to call Bangkok's pet authority: Laurie Rosenthal, a columnist and writer at The Nation newspaper. Perhaps Laurie thought I was calling her about those Sigrid Undset novels she was looking for a few months back, but I doused those hopes and gave her a quick synopsis of the cat mystery. We traded phone calls and theories over the next hour, while I waited for my morning shift employee, Pomp, to arrive. At that point I went back into the storage room to conduct a more thorough search. I moved boxes, boards, paint cans and other debris away from the walls. One thing that wouldn't budge, however, was an old toilet that a previous tenant had cemented to the floor. I shone the flashlight around some more, following the meeowing, and in one corner of the room I caught a glimpse of some light brown fur. Aha!

It was a tiny little kitten, no bigger than the size of my hand. And it was clearly petrified, huddled in the corner, apparently stuck in a small crack in the wall. I called Laurie back with an update and she suggested that I get some food and water for the kitten. Food? What sort of food? I don't have pets and know next to nothing about what they should eat. All we had in the store were some brownies, along with the guava and papaya that I'd brought with me for lunch. I didn't think that was going to work, and Laurie agreed. I took the cat a dish of water and sent Pomp to the store for some cat food. This was turning into a weird day already and we still hadn't seen the first customer walk through the door.

Returning to the storage room again, this time with the food, I discovered that the kitten had moved from its spot in the corner. I was relieved, having feared that it was stuck in the crack and had perhaps injured one its back legs. I sat the food next to the nearly depleted bowl of water. The kitten meeowed constantly while I tried to calm it down with my own melodic meeows. What else could I do? Sing it a Gordon Lightfoot song?

My business partner Kiwi showed up later that afternoon and I brought him up-to-date on our furry new visitor. He placed a few phone calls to some friends and found one person, Camilla (who works for the "other" paper, The Bangkok Post, who agreed to take the cat. Camilla came by the bookshop on Tuesday and picked up her new pet. A happy ending! But there's still one thing I want to know: what is she going to name this cute little kitten?

06:15 AM PST Permalink |

These Books are made for Reading

At least once a week some first-timer will wander into my bookshop, gawk at the bookshelves and ask: “Are these books for sale?” I’m always flabbergasted: what do they think we do all these books? Do they honestly think that we are some sort of trendy café that displays thousands of books on the shelves just for decoration? I suppose it is trendy to have books on display these days. Something the customer can look at it, but never actually read. Or a sort of prop that gives you an intellectual look, but won’t stain your hands like newsprint.

Maybe it’s our name: Dasa Book Café. I suppose some passers-by think we are simply another streetside café with a unique look. But if I had to do it all over again, I’d huddle with my Thai business partner and insist that we do not use “café” in our name or to use in advertising our business. When we first opened this business almost three years ago we wanted our shop to look nicer than the typical used book store. So we created an attractive design and added features for comfort: a few tables and chairs for customers, as well as a counter with some stools. We serve coffee, tea, and soft drinks, in addition to a small selection of cakes and cookies. The whole idea is to provide a pleasant environment for book readers. What I did not want was for this shop to become some place where people would go just to “hang out.” If a book reader wants to relax with a cup of coffee while they are browsing the shelves, wonderful. But if some dude strolls in and wants to use one of our tables to tap away on his laptop for three or fours hours while nursing a single cup of coffee, that’s going to make my blood boil.

I’m not a gadget guy. I have a computer at home and one at work, but I’ve never owned a laptop, nor a PDA, or even an iPod. So, I have to admit that I’m puzzled by this odd new laptop culture. It reminds me of the Tom Waits song where he wails: “What is he building in there?” When I see those people huddled over their laptops I always wonder: What are they doing in there? Don’t they have homes where they can go to do these projects, or whatever it is they keeps them occupied for so long?

People wonder why we don’t get wi-fi in our shop. And encourage this sort of behavior? No way in hell! You know those “No Smoking” signs with the red line slashed across a burning cigarette? I think I’m going to get a similar one that indicates “No Laptops” and stick that on the front door. Really, these laptop vagrants are becoming a definite nuisance, hanging out for multiple hours at a time, buying a drink perhaps, but never a book.

If we had a large, roomy store with lots of seating, I might not mind the presence of the laptop crowd so much. But our bookshop occupies a narrow building and we have a total of only ten seats for our customers. Needless to say, we lack the comfy atmosphere of a Starbucks. But that’s not our niche. We sell Michael Connelly mysteries and Southeast Asian guidebooks, not frappuccinos and bags of coffee beans. A friend of mine who works at a marketing company gave me his take on Starbucks: “They don’t sell coffee,” he insisted, “they sell space.” That’s an interesting, and possibly accurate, analysis. And I tend to agree: the big draw isn’t their tasty – and overpriced - coffee selection; it’s the comfortable seating and the atmosphere. If customers at Starbucks were forced to stand up at a small counter in order to drink their coffee it wouldn’t have the same appeal, would it?

Okay, enough of this negativity. Thankfully, the laptop loiterers are few and far between, and the pleasant customers are in abundance. Friday was one good example. There was a seemingly endless parade of nice people dropping by the store to chat and buy books: Rick from San Diego (enjoying golf and visiting Thai friends while on vacation), Eric from Austria (entertaining – and frightening – me with tales of life in the Congo), Bangkok’s own Heng Thung (about finished writing his new memoir), Glenda from Malaysia (visiting the city with her daughter and niece), David from Savannah (on his way to Nepal and Myanmar), and a big entourage from Orlando: Summer Rodham with her parents, husband, and three friends. It was great to see everybody, but I was sincerely worn out by the end of that nearly 12-hour work day.

08:48 PM PST Permalink |

Nice Customers…and Annoying Creeps

Most customers that visit my bookshop are very pleasant people. The fact that they read books automatically puts them on a higher pedestal than the average cretin on the street. Working retail enables you to observe a rainbow of personality types; the good, the bad, and the bizarre. The majority are a pleasure to deal with, but every once in a while we encounter some true oddballs or mean-spirited characters.

Take, for example, the guy that came into the bookshop on Saturday. He ordered tea and sat down at a nearby table. Not a minute later, he walked up and told the woman that works for me to change the music we were playing. My employee didn’t know what to say to that odd request, so she looked to me for help. I asked the customer, a man in his early 30s, what he wanted and he repeated his demand to change the music. I told him that I’d be glad to turn the volume down (even though it was far from loud), but that I would not change the CD that was playing. He appeared incredulous. Clearly, he was the sort of person that wasn’t used to having his demands shot down. “I asked you to change this music and you won’t do it?” he sputtered. “No,” told the guy again. “I’ll turn it down but I won’t change it.” At this point it looked like steam was going to start rising from his pointy head. “You need to do what the customer asks,” he declared, before adding, “And maybe you should read some of these marketing books you have on your shelves.” I was about to retort with, “Yeah, those are probably the ONLY types of books that a creep like would you read,” but I just rolled by eyes, turned my back on him, and went back to updating our computer database.

Thankfully, just as quickly as this guy had entered the shop, he slithered back out. I couldn’t believe the audacity of this character, waltzing in and demanding that we change the music. What gives him the right to dictate that? Sorry, but my retail habitat is not a democracy. It’s my store and, like it or not, I set the tone. Small shops like mine are a reflection of the owner’s personality, and the music I play is part of that package. It’s safe to say I’m a bit unorthodox in my approach to business, but I’ve been involved in retail for over 25 years and have a pretty good feel for it at this point. I’m not, and never have been, a believer in that nonsense about “the Customer is always right.” Most customers are wonderful and I will do my best to help them, but there are times when the customer is nothing but a pest and I would rather they stay out of my shop.

And what was I playing that was so revolting to this guy? It was Michael Franti’s latest album, Yell Fire!, which I think is one of the best albums released this year. Lyrics such as: “Those who start wars never fight them/And those who fight wars never like them” set the tone for this decidedly anti-war album. I don’t know if the customer objected to the lyrics, the funky grooves and reggae “riddims” in some songs, or perhaps the “ethnic” nature of the artist (Franti is pictured on the cover sporting dreadlocks). Or maybe he wanted to hear Christmas music or something equally bland and vapid. In that case, head over to the mall, dude, or hang out at Starbucks. Hey, I’m an eccentric, moody bookshop owner and at this point in my life I’m not going to change. And I’m certainly not going to bend over backwards to try and please some assertive creep that only wants to sip a cup of tea for an hour. Go “network” and “party” with your conservative pals, pal, but don’t come back and bother us!

On the subject of Michael Franti, he recently released a DVD called I Know I’m Not Alone. This isn’t a concert recording, but a documentary of a trip that Franti took in 2004 to “hot zones” in Iraq and Israel, including stops in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Here is how the film is described:
“Armed with only a guitar, video cameras and the intent to experience first-hand the human cost of war, Franti shares his music with families, doctors, musicians, soldiers and everyday people, who in turn reveal to him the often overlooked human cost of war. With its guerrilla style footage captured in active war zones, the documentary is unlike the many academic and politically driven pieces in the marketplace, instead offering the audience a sense of intimate travel and the opportunity to hear the voices of everyday people living, creating and surviving under the harsh conditions of war and occupation.”

On the positive side of the customer spectrum, Peter, a nice man who used to work in Cambodia, was also in the shop over the weekend. He and his wife Ursula were customers at my bookshop in Siem Reap during the Cambodia days, but have since moved to Bangkok. After a recent work assignment in Sri Lanka, Peter is now off for a two-year posting in Botswana. Needless to say, he was stocking up on some books to take with him.

I also got an e-Mail on Sunday from Tyson, another fellow whom I first met in Cambodia. After a multi-year stay in Thailand Tyson is now in Singapore, but headed to India and Cameroon, before eventually settling down to do more research work in Surinam. He is another voracious book reader with a keen interest in Southeast Asian history and architecture. But he also is involved in freshwater fish research, thus the reason for his next destination.

02:07 AM PST Permalink |

Young Readers

On Tuesday, December 5, it’s the King of Thailand’s Birthday, which means it’s also Father’s Day here in the kingdom. It’s an official Thai holiday so the usual battery of businesses, schools, and government agencies will be closed. And don’t expect to find any naughty dancing or alcohol being sold that day either. That’s right; most go-go bars and karaoke pits will be closed for the night. But expect lots of fireworks and yellow shirts all over town.

Saturday was unusually busy in my bookshop. Crazy and chaotic most of the time: a few coffee drinkers and laptop slackers hanging out, but mostly cool people buying cool books. It seemed like the flow of customers never stopped from morning until evening. I’m not complaining, for the grand result was certainly profitable, but there were times when I was wishing it would slow down enough for me to crack open a book and read for a spell. That never happened.

One young girl – I guess she was eight-years-old or thereabouts - was shopping for books (Mary-Kate and Ashley mysteries!) along with her parents that afternoon. Before leaving the store she announced: “I like books. Reading fills up your mind!” That might sound like a rehearsed line, or something she heard somewhere, but when she said it, it sounded totally sincere. Well done, young lady, and kudos to her parents for encouraging the reading habit.

I’m always impressed when children or teenagers buy books. In this day and age, with so many other unhealthy diversions and entertainment options, it’s seemingly rare to see kids take an interest in books. But every week I see youngsters coming in the store and asking for books by authors such as Anthony Horowitz, Christopher Paolini, Jacqueline Wilson, Lemony Snicket, Todd Strasser, and R.L. Stine. And then there’s the J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter phenomenon. All in all, it’s an encouraging trend.

Collin Piprell, a Bangkok-based writer with several books under his belt (Yawn, Bangkok Knights, Kicking Dogs), dropped by the bookshop last week. Among the books he bought was a copy of one of his own old essay collections, Bangkok Old Hand. Why buy your own book? “I realized I don’t have a copy of that one, and it’s out of print,” Collin chuckled. Meanwhile, he’s working on a Science Fiction novel and hoping to find a publisher that is willing to unleash it on the reading public.

10:34 PM PST Permalink |

Birthday Barbecue

On Tuesday I celebrated my birthday, adding yet another ring to the tree trunk of my life. Perhaps “celebrate” isn’t the best word to use in regards to my birthday. I tend to inwardly grimace at the thought of getting another year older and don’t usually announce the fact that I’m having a birthday. No parties or cakes for me, just a good meal with friends will suffice. Each birthday is a stark reminder that I’m firmly ensconced in middle age, and the sobering reality is that I’m now closer to sixty than thirty.

I got an early morning phone call from my parents back in Florida. That was a nice way to start the day. Tuesday is my usual day off, but this week, instead of my normal morning basketball scrimmage, I had some business to attend to. I made tracks for the Immigration Department on Soi Suan Phlu in order to get a multi-entry permit for my current visa. Without that important little stamp in my passport, the next time I leave the country my visa would be cancelled and I’d have to start the mind-numbing paperwork process all over again.

While I was at Immigration I ran into Lisl, one of the cool customers that shops at my bookshop. The following day she was flying to England and then on to Scotland to visit her mother, so she needed to get a multi-entry permit for her visa as well. Immigration was more crowded than usual, so we waited patiently in line and chatted about music, books, and travel before our passports were finally returned to us. This has become a very fast process. Only a few years ago, you had to submit your paperwork in the morning and then return in the afternoon (after the officials had enjoyed a long lunch) to pick up your permit.

After Immigration, I hopped on the Skytrain and took that to the Siam Station. At the adjacent Siam Paragon shopping monstrosity I rode a never-ending series of escalators up to the Gram music shop where I treated myself to a double disc Isaac Hayes collection (actually three discs if you include the “bonus” DVD) and a new compilation of old jazz and “Psychedelic Soul” on the Chess label. Naturally, I couldn’t get out of the mall without popping into the Kinokuniya bookshop, and I couldn’t leave without purchasing something, in this case the latest Donald Westlake paperback.

Dinner was spent in the company of my good friends Walter (originally from Alabama) and Jack (originally from Roi Et). We dined at the Great American Rib Company on Soi 36, stuffing ourselves silly with deliciously messy barbecue. Forget KFC: this was real “finger licking good” fare. Despite the predictably odd service and communications problems (even speaking Thai didn’t seem to help!), the overall meal was excellent. I ate more than I should have, but I compensated for my gluttony by walking the rest of the way home from Thonglor.

01:22 AM PST Permalink |

Sunday Morning Music & Myanmar Projects

Weekends off from work? You gotta be kidding: not when you work retail! My bookshop is open every day of the week and on Sundays I work the long shift, from nine in the morning until eight at night. I started today by listening to Bob Dylan and the Band’s The Basement Tapes, one of the greatest albums ever made. It’s always been a Sunday favorite of mine, one of those albums that sounds wonderful on a lazy morning. Other albums that get heavy Sunday morning play when I’m at work include Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks and Marvin Gaye’s Anthology. Timeless music that I never get tired of playing.

Besides being a bookshop slave I have spent a lot of time the past two months working on a new project for Things Asian Press. About two years ago they published a guidebook of sorts called To Asia with Love: a Connoisseurs’ Guide to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. Edited by Kim Fay, this was not a traditional guidebook but one that offered “personal stories from passionate, knowledgeable nomads.” To Asia with Love was the recipient of many glowing reviews, and that positive response has encouraged Kim Fay and Albert Wen at Things Asian to create more books in the series. Later next year individual country guides will be published as part of the To Asia with Love series. The new editions will be devoted to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal, Myanmar, India, and Shanghai. I have been assigned the task of editing the Myanmar/Burma book. I’m thrilled, excited, and more than a bit scared. I’ve never been responsible for handling a project this big, so I hope I don’t screw things up!

As one would expect, most of my work involves selecting and editing articles for inclusion in the book. But that process can only begin if I actually have some submissions in my hot little hands – or on my computer screen. Finding writers to contribute stories about some aspect of Myanmar travel has been a struggle. Compared to other Asian countries Myanmar gets few travelers, and the resident base of expats is also negligible. And then, of course, there are the political considerations, coupled with the many misperceptions about the country. But what Things Asian is putting together is a travel book, not a collection of political essays. I have great respect for the “Free Burma” collective and all those that support human rights, but politics is not the focus of this book, and our mission is not to lecture travelers or convert them to a particular cause. As I’ve discovered during my travels to Myanmar (and like it or not, that is the proper name of the country) the overwhelming majority of the people want more tourists to visit their beautiful country.

In my quest for writers I’ve combed through hundreds of pages of web hits in search of articles, web sites and blog entries that people have written about Myanmar or Burma. If I find something that looks interesting I contact the writer. Some people respond quickly and others never bother to contact me. Friends, and friends of friends, have also been helpful with providing names of possible contributors.

Naturally, I’ve heard from a few people (and, surprisingly, only a handful) that are suspicious of any travel book about Myanmar that doesn’t take a political stand. These people defiantly get up on their soapboxes and declare that they won’t write anything about the country unless their essay includes scathing criticism of the Myanmar government. Fair enough, but that’s not what we are looking for. I mean, do guidebooks about the United States include travel warnings about rampant crime, or chapters devoted to human rights abuses committed by the Bush regime? Really, you go round and round about the politics of travel, but I remain in the camp of those who believe it’s best to go and see things for yourself. I also believe that boycotts and sanctions do nothing to help the country’s populace.

Perceptions aside, the reaction that I’ve received about the Myanmar book has been overwhelmingly positive thus far. Most people are excited about the idea and are eager to help. Here are a few of the comments I’ve received:
“The Myanmar trip was very profound and special for me”
“It’s one of the most unique travel destinations still available to experience.”
“What I wrote will give you a flavor of the fondness the country holds for me. So far none of the guidebooks I have seen or consulted has touched the soul of Burma.”
“I had a terrific time in Myanmar and think the place deserves more positive exposure.”

I have also contacted, or been contacted by, a variety of writers and travel industry professionals that live in Myanmar. The responses from some of these native Burmese have been among the most positive that I’ve got:
“I would be honored if I can be part of your team.”
“Delighted to read the title: ‘To Myanmar with Love’. Love the title, and your intention of writing of this book to show the positive and good things about our country.”
“I would be delighted to contribute.”

Clearly, these people are proud of their country – despite the overwhelming negative perception that “Burma” has in the international media - and want more people to know about the “good things” that Myanmar has to offer. And I hope this book can help to accomplish that goal.

02:21 AM PST Permalink |

Thanksgiving Day Thoughts

Thursday is Thanksgiving Day back in the United States. This was always my favorite holiday when I lived there: no annoying gift exchanges to worry about, just sharing good food and good times with family and friends. Even though I haven’t lived in the states in over a decade I still like to celebrate Thanksgiving by going out with friends in Bangkok for a good meal. The problem, however, is finding a place that serves anything that remotely passes for a “traditional” Thanksgiving meal. Turkey is a rare bird in these parts, thus the options in Bangkok are sorely limited. The best Thanksgiving spread I’ve found is at Bourbon Street (the restaurant in the Washington Square area near Soi 22), but other diners have also discovered their delicious T-day buffet and the place is usually uncomfortably packed. Several upscale hotels also offer Thanksgiving Day meals, but the price they charge is astronomical, usually hovering around the 2,000 baht per person figure. No thanks! Perhaps I’ll just waddle over to Subway and get a turkey sandwich this year.

And on this Thanksgiving Day I remain thankful that I’m living here in Bangkok. There are times when the city can overwhelm you with its suffocating air pollution, horrendous traffic jams, deafening noise, and sweat-inducing humidity. But all those annoyances are balanced out by the good things. The sights and sounds and smells excite the senses and leave you wanting more. But above it all, the people are the ones that make this city so vibrant. Every single day of the week I marvel at the sweetness of the people, the smiles, and the marvelous zest for life that propels them forward.

I usually make it a point to avoid Bangkok’s famous Chatuchak weekend market – except during the week when it isn't so crowded. One of my favorite activities is shopping for books at Chatuchak’s book stalls. While most shops at Chatuchak are only open on the weekend, the ones located on the outer perimeter, such as the book dealers, are also open during the week. I enjoy going out there every couple of months and rummaging through the unorganized stacks of old books – both paperbacks and hardcovers – in an attempt to find interesting titles to resell in my bookshop, or sometimes just to keep for myself. Trips to Chatuchak, however, are not for the faint-hearted. Besides hordes of other shoppers, be prepared to encounter total disorder, dirt, dust, and a variety of live insects crawling around.

But patience can sometimes be rewarded, with the hunt unearthing some gems. I had made a recent effort to find a Loren Estleman mystery called King of the Corner. I couldn’t locate any copies online, it wasn’t available at any local bookshops, and my parents couldn’t find any copies at the stores back in Florida. It looked like I was out of luck for the time being. But, almost miraculously, I found a copy of King of the Corner buried in a mountain of tattered old paperbacks at Chatuchak. That alone was worth the trip.

And then there are libraries. Check out the link for Kuthodaw Library under my “Favorites” on this page. I discovered this site recently while doing some online research about Myanmar. The man who started this library, Win Thuya, works at a travel agency in Yangon, but is a native of Bagan. I’ll let Thuya tell you about more his library:
“As long as I can remember there was no place to learn and polish your knowledge in my hometown of Bagan. In Yangon, I saw a lot of youth who spent their time at the library, learning vigorously. I felt pity for my friends who were still in Bagan, wasting their time at local teashops because they had no facilities to learn or extend their knowledge. I love Bagan and wanted to do something good for my friends and the new generation in Bagan. This gave me the idea to start a library for the youth, public and students in Bagan.”

And so, with the help of friends and his employer, Gulliver Travels, Thuya started the library a few months ago. I can’t wait to go to Bagan and see it more myself. Meanwhile, click on the link and read more about this great project.

07:51 PM PST Permalink |

The Cuban Blues

One of the very nice customers that patronize my bookshop, Gene Johnson, lives down the coast in Chonburi. During his last visit to Bangkok he reported the opening of a new Cuban restaurant in Pattaya. I was thrilled to hear that news, and asked Gene to find out more about the place. One of the things that I miss most about Florida is the prevalence of good Cuban restaurants.

But Gene’s good news was short-lived. He sent me an e-mail last week saying that the Cuban food had not materialized. He had seen a sign advertising a new place called Cuban Corner and, as I would have also, assumed it was a restaurant. Here’s what Gene discovered:
“I ventured to the corner on Saturday, determined to have a tasty Cuban lunch. I had your recommendations written down and made notes to myself to pick up a menu and/or business cards. The restaurant on premises had a very familiar Thai menu. When I enquired at the office of that Cuban Corner, I was informed that the business is selling Cuban Cigars. They had a very wide choice. However, I am not a smoker. Sorry if I got your taste buds hankering for some Cuban food.”

Needless to say, I was disappointed. I’ll have to put my yearnings for Lechon Asado, fried yucca, and Ropa Viejo on hold for the time being. However, I did find a savory bowl of black bean soup at the recently opened Roadhouse BBQ & Smokehouse Grill on Suriwong Road. I guess that will have to satisfy my Cuban cravings for now.

Meanwhile, I continue to frequently encounter bad or bizarre service at many Bangkok restaurants. Usually the more expensive the restaurant the better the service, but that isn’t always the case. I also find troubling inconsistencies at branches of chain restaurants and even some places that are owned or managed by foreigners. Anyone that has worked at a restaurant understands – or should – the basics of food service, cleaning tables, setting the table, serving customers, refilling drinks and the like. But here in Thailand such obvious basics are either ignored or performed indifferently. If you are a diner and want an extra glass of iced tea, some more rice, or - heaven forbid - a knife to cut your food, you must force a waiter or waitress to make a special trip to your table. And this isn’t easy when they are standing on the other side of the room talking with their friends, watching TV, or perhaps taking a nap. Yes, this is Thailand!

With the “cool season” now upon us (well it’s mid-November but the weather is still toasty) the traditional appearance of outdoor beer gardens has started. This year, however, with new alcohol advertising laws scheduled to start in December, the beer gardens may not be so colorful. Apparently such standard items as umbrellas and canopies with the beer company’s name plastered on them will be banned. That’s advertising, you see. But one other question remains: will waitresses still be allowed to parade around in t-shirts and short-shorts bearing the name of the beer brand they are pushing? And no, topless beer gardens will not be happening in the near future.

08:38 PM PST Permalink |

Religious Fanatics & Other Nuts

I was about to bound up the stairs of the Ekkamai BTS station on Thursday morning when I found two farang pamphlet pushers in my way. What is it this time, I wondered? I glanced at one of the bilingual pamphlets and noticed a drawing of that funky Jesus character on the front. I should have known: the Christian missionary zombies were on the loose again. I stared daggers at the woman who was trying to thrust a pamphlet in my hands. She saw the look of fury in my eyes and quickly withdrew her outstretched hand. Miraculously, I refrained from making any nasty comments or grabbing her entire supply of Jesus propaganda and throwing them into the nearest trash can.

I think you can safely say that I have a very low tolerance for these sorts of bible-thumping characters. I don’t appreciate their obnoxious presence in this peaceful Buddhist country, a place where I had hoped I could escape the myopic Christian pests that infest America. It truly infuriates me to see Christians going to foreign countries and trying to “save” people that they deem to be sinners, heathens, or “lost souls.” What sort of bizarre personality disorder compels them to try and convert others to their own warped beliefs? Hey, I’m not knocking everyone that has “faith in something bigger.” But spirituality should be a personal matter. Believe what you want, and worship whatever, but don’t flaunt your religious theories and superstitions in public. I would love to see the Thai authorities round up all these Christian pamphlet pushers and politely suggest that they leave the kingdom and go recruit in some other foreign locale. Kabul or Baghdad should be nice this time of year.

Holier-than-thou Christians are certainly not a new development. Earlier this week I started reading a travel book by Norman Lewis, Golden Earth: Travels in Burma, and found references to Christian missionaries. First published in 1952, Golden Earth is another one of Lewis’s perceptive accounts of life in an Asian Country (another book, A Dragon Apparent , covers his trips to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam). Here is what Lewis had to say about Christian zealots:

“I find books by early Victorian missionaries extremely readable. These vigorous men showed an unquenchable curiosity about every aspect of the countries in which they struggled for the salvation of souls. As a result they are full of exact information about geology, the natural history, products, commerce, and the customs of the people. Their books are naturally salted with quotations from the more ferocious books of the Old Testament, and (these men) are scandalized by almost everything they see; but the main thing is that, whether they disapprove or not, they write it all down. With their ignorant fanaticism, their stupid condemnation of all they do not understand, how much more one can learn about the country from them than from so many modern collections or impressions, with their amused tolerance, their tepid well-mannered sympathy.”

In an early chapter of Golden Earth Lewis offers a sample entry from the diary of Reverend Malcolm, an American Baptist missionary who wrote about his visit to the Burmese city of Moulmein (now called Mawlamyine) in 1835.

“The scenery is rendered romantic and peculiar by small mountains, arising abruptly from the level fields…on the summits of many of them, apparently inaccessible to human feet, Buddhist zeal has erected pagodas, whose white forms, conspicuous far and near, remind the traveler every moment that he surveys a region covered with the shadows of spiritual death. Some of the smaller hills I ascended. My heart sickened as I stood beside the dumb gods of this deluded people…nothing is left to prove they have been, but their decayed pagodas, misshapen gods, and unblessed graves.”

Lewis notes that Rev. Malcolm went to Moulmein primarily to “combat polygamy, establish a native seminary, and put into practice a plan for giving English names to the native children.” Although Rev. Malcolm penned his narrow-minded observations nearly 200 years ago, the sort of attitude and mindset that he held still prevails amongst the Christian “faithful” today. I would say that “deluded people” could more properly be applied to these modern day religious fanatics.

07:46 PM PST Permalink |

Whistle while you park

My friend John Buckley visited the bookshop on Saturday, just back from a three-week trip to Myanmar. It was his first visit to that country and from all accounts he thoroughly loved it. Besides Yangon and Mandalay he ventured further east to the mountainous areas around Kengtung and visited minority tribe villages such as the Eng and Lahu. After that he did some trekking in the Kalaw and Inle Lake area, before winding down his trip by relaxing on the beach at Ngapali the last several days. John purposefully bypassed Bagan on this trip, he said, so that he would have a reason to visit again. Sounds like good strategy to me. John was in Bangkok for just one day before turning around and flying back to the states and his home in Vail, Colorado – and work the very next day!

I always suspected that some of Thailand’s politicians and military leaders were strange characters, and an article in yesterday’s Nation newspaper certainly confirmed my suspicions. In an account of General Chavalit Younchaiyudh’s meeting with the Council for National Security it was reported that:
“Chavalit was dressed in a casual white dress. He personally welcomed each of the CNS members before they went into his guest room for talks.”
Well, I’m sure Chavalit must have looked simply stunning in that dress. The article, however, failed to mention which shade of lipstick he used. Sounds like the editors at the Nation were asleep at the wheel on this one!

And more nutty articles, this one from today’s Bangkok Post. The headline above one article stated:
Making Noise About Violence
Beneath that was another bold message:
Women urged to carry whistles to alert others if they are threatened
Khunying Suwimol Puengprasert, head of the “Voice of Women” committee, explained that her group would be selling red whistles that local women can to use to signal when they need help. The whistle, she said, “symbolizes efforts to stop violence against women, while its sound represents women’s cries for help and justice.”
Great, just what we need in Bangkok: more people blowing whistles. Call me jaded, but I don’t think that blowing whistles will help women in the event that they find themselves in a threatening situation. As things stand now, Bangkok is already saturated with too many people blowing whistles. All over greater Bangkok, inside parking garages and outside office buildings and shopping centers, uniformed arm-flailing characters attempt to direct the traffic flow with a whistle attached to their lips. Enough already! If these women go around tooting on their whistles most people will promptly ignore them, assuming that the sound they hear is someone getting “parking assistance.”

I don’t mean to diminish the violent threats that women sometimes face, even here in relatively safe Bangkok, but I doubt that these whistles are going to do much good. Has anyone thought of distributing blow darts?

04:52 AM PST Permalink |