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| A Short History of Laos: The Land in Between (A Short History of Asia series) | 
 enlarge | Author: Grant Evans
Creator: Milton Osborne
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $10.16
You Save: $6.79 (40%)
Buy New/Used from $7.50
Avg. Customer Rating:  (2 reviews)
Sales Rank: 485507
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.8
ISBN: 1864489979
Dewey Decimal Number: 959.4
EAN: 9781864489972
ASIN: 1864489979
Publication Date: May 1, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Laos, perhaps the least known country in mainland Southeast Asia, stands at the region's crossroads. This small "land in between" is surrounded by China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma - countries that, in pre-modern times, provided Lao kings with a field for territorial expansion. But more often, Laos has been a bridge between these powerful neighbours, and an arena in which they and their allies have interfered. In this book, Grant Evans brings Lao history into focus. From ancient times when the dynastic states of the region waxed and waned, to the 20th century and the turmoil of independence from France and the Vietnam War and its aftermath, Evans traces the compelling story of the emergence of Laos as a modern nation. The book is an ideal introduction to Laos for travellers, businesspeople and students. For those familiar with Lao history, Evans investigates key events in new ways and presents serious challenges to conventional views about Laos' intriguing history.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Useful Background for Laos August 4, 2008
As someone who is contemplating a work assignment in Laos, this book provides needed background on the cultural and political environment likely to be encountered. In addition to the coverage of people and events, I would have appreciated more elaboration on the typical lifestyles of lowland and upland people of Laos and how that has evolved recently. This was an interesting read, but it felt a bit disjointed at times and the writing does not measure up to the skill of better-known modern historians such as David McCollough and Walter Isaacson.
 Comprehensive, insightful, culturally-sensitive May 4, 2003
26 out of 26 found this review helpful
For a newcomer to Laos, Dr. Evans's volume would seem an excellent introduction to its history, politics and culture. For someone like myself, who had his own intense introduction to Laos in the late 60s and looks forward to a return, the book is an insightful refresher and update. It has helped me put my own experience in context and rethink the Laos I once thought I knew. This short history is thoughtful, well-written, and largely devoid of moral judgments. The subtitle "The Land in Between" sums up an unfortunate reality -- for much of its history Laos has been caught between more powerful neighbors and sometimes their even more powerful patrons. But Evans does not stop with such a facile explanation of the Laos that has emerged. I particularly appreciate his continuing emphasis on the deep and enduring cultural roots of the peoples who inhabit Laos -- and the interplay among them. With so many Western writers and readers still caught up in the battles that we fought in Laos in the 60s and 70s, Evans's book is a refreshing reminder that Laos merits attention -- indeed fascination -- in its own right.
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