Asiaddict Now Available! $15
If there’s one good thing about not having the money to travel, it’s that it gives you more free time to read travelogues like this one. OK, granted, it’s a pretty thin reward, but if I ever find myself in Laos, Thailand or Cambodia (or all three), I’ll have a pretty good idea of how to get by and what to see when I get there. Mats takes in all the local sights, describing little historical facts and local attractions while doing so, all while throwing in a few observations. The book is structured so that each place or thing only gets a page or two, with text written like it’s by an overenthusiastic tour guide (I mean that in only the best way), with a series of vivid, colorful pictures to illustrate the more interesting places. And the random facts are, well, fascinating. Did you know that the native word for “Bangkok” is 168 letters long? Or how to get around any of these places effectively? Or, barring effectively, how about safely from place to place? This whole thing is smart and engaging, the packaging is gorgeous (you can see that cover) and Mats has an excellent grasp on when to let the photos and images speak for themselves rather than go into excessive explanations. If I ever head over to that part of the world, this thing is coming with me, that’s for sure. $15
