Bookstore: Southeast Asia If you're planning to live and work in Asia check out these great titles. We have picked out what you need in order to save money, make plans, and overcome culture shock. Our bookstore is in partnership with Amazon.com. Reviews are provided courtesy of Amazon.com. Travel Guides Japan Japan: A Budget Travel Guide by Ian L. McQueen Synopsis This acclaimed guide, formerly Lonely Planet's Japan: A Travel Survival Kit, has been completely updated to include dozens of regional and city maps, plus practical information on fun and adventure off the beaten path. Includes basic Japanese phrases. Paperback - 656 pages Updated edition (July 1997) Frommer's Japan (Complete Guides) by Janie Spencer (Contributor), Beth G. Reiber, Arthur Frommer Synopsis With a user-friendly glossary of Japanese phrases and characters! Inviting places to stay, from world-class hotels to traditional Japanese inns--including quality budget options The latest on dining, from stand-up noodle shops to multi-course kaiseki feasts--plus the best Western-style restaurants A complete sightseeing guide to Tokyo's bustling streets, Kyoto's Buddhist temples, scenic alpine villages, and spectacular national parks Paperback - 641 pages 4th edition (June 1998) Culture Shock! Japan: Japan (Culture Shock Series) by Rex Shelley, Reiko Makiuchi Synopsis Whether for a long-term stay or a lazy weekend, Culture Shock! Japan provides a fun-filled crash-course on etiquette do's and don'ts. The book educates readers through topics such as the language, food and entertaining, social customs, festivals, relationships, and helpful business tips, as well as sights and scenes. Paperback (October 1992) Taiwan Culture Shock!: Taiwan (Culture Shock) by Chris Bates, Ling-Yi Bates Synopsis Whether for a long-term stay or a lazy weekend, Culture Shock! Taiwan provides a fun-filled crash-course on etiquette do's and don'ts. The book educates readers through topics such as the language, food and entertaining, social customs, festivals, relationships, and helpful business tips, as well as sights and scenes. Paperback (January 1995) Lonely Planet Taiwan (4th Ed) by Robert Storey Paperback - 360 pages 4th edition (September 1998) South Korea Culture Shock: Korea (Culture Shock Series) by Sonja Vegdahl Hur, Ben Seunghua Hur (Contributor) Synopsis Whether for a long-term stay or a lazy weekend, Culture Shock! Korea provides a fun-filled crash-course on etiquette do's and don'ts. The book educates readers through topics such as the language, food and entertaining, social customs, festivals, relationships, and helpful business tips, as well as sights and scene. Paperback Rev edition (October 1992) Lonely Planet Korea (4th Ed) by Robert Storey Synopsis Here is essential information for travelers on holiday or on business, with full details on transportation, Seoul restaurants, accommodations and sights, and 60 detailed maps accompanied by English and Korean script. color. 60 maps. Paperback - 440 pages 4th edition (July 1997) Thailand Lonely Planet Thailand: Travel Survival Kit (7th Ed) by Joe Cummings Synopsis What makes Thailand so special? For one thing, it is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been colonized by a foreign power. Though certainly influenced by the West, it has never had its culture or its political systems run over by outsiders--a fate suffered by all of its neighbors, from Vietnam to Indonesia. Thus Thailand is a curious mixture of Western entrepreneurial spirit, tough-minded Thai individualism, and a deep  reverence for tradition. All this makes Thailand an ideal place to visit, a country bursting with natural beauty, famous for the hospitality of its people, and equipped with all the modern conveniences: a national transportation system, up-to-date urban centers, and an exciting cultural milieu, from historical sites to a booming nightlife. In fact, there's so much going on in Thailand that a good guidebook is absolutely essential, and Lonely Planet Thailand is one of the best. Written by a former Peace Corps volunteer to Thailand who is deeply conversant in the country's language, culture, and history, Thailand offers travelers the most up-to-date information about which places to go and which to avoid, how to get there and get around once you're there, and how to keep yourself healthy and safe. Thailand tells you everything you need to know for a rewarding tour of a fascinating land. Paperback - 800 pages 7th edition (March 1997) Indonesia Lonely Planet Indonesia (5th Ed) by Peter Turner, Brenda Belahunty, Paul Greenway, James Lyon, Brendan Belahunty, Chris  Taylor Synopsis With 200 detailed maps and a 32-page full-color arts and crafts section, this practical guide is an essential tool for all travelers to Bali, Irian Jaya, Java, Sumatra, and other Indonesian islands. The guide includes an eight-page guide on the best surfing, the lowdown on where to stay and eat for all budgets, and transportation details, from canoes to jet-powered ferries. color. 200 maps. Paperback - 1056 pages 5th edition (July 1997) Culture Shock : Indonesia by Cathie Draine (Editor), Barbara Hall (Editor) Synopsis Whether for a long-term stay or a lazy weekend, Culture Shock! Indonesia provides a fun-filled crash-course on etiquette do's and don'ts. The book educates readers through topics such as the language, food and entertaining, social customs, festivals, relationships, and helpful business tips, as well as sights and scene. Paperback Rev. edition (July 1991) Adventuring in Indonesia : Exploring the Natural Areas of the Pacific's Ring of Fire (Sierra Club Adventure Travel Guide) by Holly S. Smith Synopsis The Indonesian archipelago consists of over 17,000 islands settled atop a spine of more than 400 volcanoes. In the latest addition to the Sierra Club Adventure Travel series, Holly Smith provides a wealth of savvy and sensitive advice on both outdoor and cultural opportunities in this enormously popular adventure destination. Paperback - 528 pages (April 1997) China Culture Shock : China by Kevin Sinclair (Editor), Iris Po-Yee Wong (Editor) Synopsis Whether for a long-term stay or a lazy weekend, Culture Shock! China provides a fun-filled crash-course on etiquette do's and don'ts. The book educates readers through topics such as the language, food and entertaining, social customs, festivals, relationships, and helpful business tips, as well as sights and scenes. Paperback Rev. edition (March 1991) Lonely Planet China (6th Ed) by Robert Storey, Nikko Goncharoff, Caroline Liou Synopsis Presenting thorough coverage of accommodations, restaurants, and transportation, this guide makes China accessible to travelers on any budget. in color. 130 maps. Paperback - 1008 pages 6th edition (September 1998) Asia General Interest Japan Japan, the System That Soured : The Rise and Fall of the Japanese Economic Miracle by Richard Katz Synopsis An absolutely essential read for anyone wanting to understand ecomonics in Japan. Paperback - 480 pages (July 1998) The Accidental Office Lady by Laura J. Kriska Synopsis The Japan we see most often is an image of a country teetering on the edge of depression, an economic system that's too hamstrung by its own cultural traditions to fully participate in the global economy. The endless train of trade delegations to and from Tokyo seem to attest to the cultural gap that exists between Japan and the rest of the world--but that's where the explanation usually stops. We're rarely privy as to the nature of the gap itself. That's why Laura Kriska's book, The Accidental Office Lady, is so valuable. The book is a firsthand account of Kriska's two years in Japan working as a trainee for the Honda Motor Company. As a trainee, she takes on a variety of tasks, from serving tea and taking the coats of senior executives to working in one of Honda's auto factories. Along the way she confronts the rigidity of business life in Japan: "I felt the corporate walls forcing me into a mold as though I were trapped inside a Fisher-Price playhouse, in which each piece of furniture fit perfectly into its assigned space and had a single hole for a peg-shaped doll. I didn't want to be that doll, and the more threatened I felt, the more I wanted to resist." Kriska not only successfully resists, but finds that she's able to fit into the corporate world of Honda. Anyone contemplating the nuances of Japanese life--especially from a woman's perspective--will find this an insightful and entertaining read. Paperback - 304 pages 1 edition (July 1998) Different Games, Different Rules : Why Americans and Japanese Misunderstand Each Other by Haru Yamada Synopsis Japan and the United States are in closer contact politically and economically than ever before, yet in many ways our nations are as far from mutual understanding as ever. Misconceptions and miscommunications between East and West continue to plague this important relationship, frustrating the best efforts of both cultures to work together. Stereotypes abound: Americans see Japanese as evasive and inscrutable, while Japanese see  Americans as pushy and selfish. What causes these persistent misunderstandings, and what can be done to avoid them? Fluent in both languages and at home in both cultures, Haru Yamada brings an insider's perspective and a linguist's training to this difficult question, illuminating the many reasons why Americans and Japanese misunderstand one another. Social organization, she explains, shapes the way we talk. Because American and Japanese cultures value different kinds of social relationships, they play different language games with different sets of rules. The language of both cultures is designed to  display and reinforce these values so that words, phrases, and expressions in one language can have completely different connotations in another, leading to all manner of misunderstanding. Yamada provides numerous examples. In a lucid and insightful discussion, Yamada outlines the basic differences between Japanese and American English and analyzes a number of real-life business and social interactions in which these differences led to miscommunication. By understanding how and why each culture speaks in the way that it does, Yamada argues, we can learn to avoid frustrating and damaging failures of  communication. Hardcover - 192 pages (May 1997) South Korea Korea's Place in the Sun : A Modern History by Bruce Cumings Synopsis Bruce Cumings traces the growth of Korea from a string of competing walled city-states to its present dual nationhood. He examines the ways in which Korean culture has been influenced by Japan and China, and the ways in which it has subtly influenced its more powerful neighbors. Cumings also considers the recent changes in the South, where authoritarianism is giving way to democracy, and in the North, which Cumings depicts as a  "socialist corporatist" state more like a neo-Confucian kingdom than a Stalinist regime. Korea's Place in the Sun does much to help Western readers understand the complexities of Korea's past and present. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Paperback - 527 pages (February 1998) Taiwan Culture and Customs of Taiwan by Gary Marvin Davison, Barbara E. Reed Synopsis Taiwanese society is in the midst of an immense, exciting effort to define itself, seeking to erect a contemporary identity upon the foundation of a highly distinctive history. This book provides a thorough overview of Taiwanese cultural life. The introduction familiarizes students and interested readers with the island's key geographical and demographic features, and provides a chronological summary of Taiwanese history. In the following seven chapters, readers gain insight into Taiwanese customs and culture through its thought and religion; kinship and marriage systems; literature and art; architecture; festivals and leisure activities; music and dance; cuisine and fashion. The final chapter presents the most recent information regarding children and education, and explores the importance of the Taiwanese family in the context of meaningful relationships amongst acquaintances, friends and institutions that make up the social universe of the Taiwanese. Hardcover (September 1998) China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Inc. by Willem Van Kemenade, Diane Webb (Translator) Synopsis With Hong Kong's reversion to Chinese rule, a new style of leadership under party chief and president Jiang Zemin, and unrivaled economic growth, China is more unpredictable than ever. In an era in which communist regimes are crumbling worldwide, China not only survives but prospers, contradicting the West's maxim that open markets inevitably lead to open societies. Given all the unknowns that surround China's future, Willem van Kemenade's China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Inc. seems a brave undertaking. Van Kemenade, a Dutch journalist specializing in Asian affairs, presents a  well-documented account of the economic powerhouse forming around the combined might of the Chinese mainland (including Macao and Hong Kong) and Taiwan. Though he gives no easy answers, van Kemenade poses a lot of interesting questions, providing in the process a fascinating portrait of a nation replete with contradictions: though the central government has maintained an iron grip on Chinese politics, Chinese-style capitalism has garnered greater economic freedom from Beijing in many parts of the country. How this new independence might affect other areas such as the military is anybody's guess, although van Kemenade provides some compelling scenarios of ways in which such a situation might play out. China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Inc. is a provocative look at China on the threshold of the 21st century. Paperback - 464 pages Lst vintag edition (May 1998) Thailand Travelers' Tales : Thailand by James O'Reilly (Editor), Larry Habegger (Editor) Synopsis From the publisher: Travelers' Tales is a new kind of travel anthology, marrying the best of the guidebook and travel literature. Thailand is the first book in this series: a wonderful collection of place-specific tales previously scattered far and wide. Veteran travel writers James O'Reilly and Larry Habegger read hundreds of stories to select those that best capture the experience of Thailand. Thailand, one of the most intriguing travel destinations of the nineties, should satisfy just about any traveler's hunger for the exotic, the beautiful, the thrillingly different. A country of contrasts, Thailand is a microcosm of all that is right and wrong with tourism, including the traveler's role as pilgrim, adventurer, and consumer. As the editors write in the Preface: "The world is not our private zoo or theme park; we need to be better prepared before we go, so that we might become honored  guests and not vilified intruders." To give readers a taste of this country and its people, the book is organized into five sections: "Essence of Thailand" contains stories that reflect some essential character of the landscape, the people, or the traveler's experience of the country. "Some Things to Do" has accounts of particular places and activities that previous travelers have found worthwhile. "Going Your Own Way" contains experiences that are farther off the tourist track, relayed by an author who interacted more intimately with the local people or was willing to travel farther afield. "In the Shadows" explores the darker side of Thailand; so that visitors might be aware of the complexities beyond the cheerful face presented to tourists. "The Last Word" has one last magical moment, to remind the reader just why Thailand is worth visiting. There is perhaps no better way to prepare for a trip, or to vicariously experience another country, than to listen to those who have gone before; Travelers' Tales Thailand brings the best of those voices together for the first time in "Essence of Thailand"; "Some Things to Do"; "Going Your Own Way"; "In the Shadows"; and "The Last Word." Awarded the "Best Travel Book" gold medal from the Society of American Travel Writers. Paperback (October 1994) China Streetlife China (Cambridge Modern China Series) by Robert Michael Dutton (Editor) Synopsis This imaginative collection of pieces about life in contemporary China reveals, like a series of snapshots, a picture of the lives of ordinary people and the rules and rituals that govern their daily existence. Key themes surface: in particular, the emergence of a consumer culture driven by the market, and how this intersects with the 'floating population'. Underlying much of the discussion of contestation and transformation is the  notion of human rights. There will be no better introduction to the discourses of contemporary China, and few more entertaining and stimulating accounts of shifts in cultural life. Paperback - 320 pages (February 1999) About Face : A Modern History of America's Curious Relationship With China, from Nixon to Clinton by James H. Mann Synopsis In the 1960s, China and the United States had no trade relations and no direct diplomatic contacts. At the end of the 20th century, the two nations are major trading partners who regularly swap visits between their heads of state, and the relationship between the world's most populous nation (with its nuclear weapons and rapidly expanding economy) and the world's most powerful nation (standard-bearer of democracy and capitalism) has become  increasingly vital to world peace. Though it remains fraught with problems, the  relationship between China and America has survived such crises as the Tiananmen massacres and confrontations over Taiwan. James Mann, a foreign policy columnist for the Los Angeles Times, was that newspaper's bureau chief in Beijing from 1984 to 1987. In the clear language of a veteran journalist, he analyzes the political and historical  developments since America's first overtures to a xenophobic China in the early 1970s. President Richard Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger were interested in China as a counterweight to Soviet Russia; the Clinton administration is interested in China's markets, with a nod paid to human rights along the way. In this fascinating study, Mann uses his firsthand experience of the events and players to guide us confidently through the twists of a tortuous diplomatic journey, in which China has continually been able to  play its opponents--including not only the U.S. and other nations but opposed political factions within America--off one another. Hardcover - 352 pages (January 1999)