Book description
This pioneering insight into contemporary Thai folk culture delves beyond the traditional Thai icons to reveal the casual, everyday expressions of Thainess that so delight and puzzle. From floral truck bolts and taxi altars to buffalo cart furniture and drinks in a bag, the same exquisite care, craft and improvisation…
Why read it?
2 authors picked Very Thai as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
The British author and cultural chronicler Philip Cornwel-Smith has called Bangkok his home for a quarter century, and his book “Very Thai,” published in 2005, has become the standard go-to work for inquiries on all aspects of popular Thai culture. Now, his follow-up “Very Bangkok,” a 350-page ode of love to the city published just before COVID-19 made international travel impossible, has become the face of Thailand in an international exhibition devoted to global cities.
In sections entitled “Senses,” “Heart” and “Face,” Cornwel-Smith’s new book explores and explains myriad urban tales, myths, facts and contradictions that make up the…
A brilliant reference book on all aspects (and yes, this book is very thorough) of Thai popular culture. Concise chapters on anything from spirit tattoos to meat on a stick illuminate the far corners of contemporary Thai society, illustrated by hundreds of great photographs. This is a standard work for anyone interested in how Thai society ticks. Cornwel-Smith has served up a second title recently – Very Bangkok – which offers a similarly thorough picture of the Thai capital.
From Tom's list on Thailand from some unique perspectives.
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