The River's Tale: A Year on the Mekong

Ich habe selbst schon den Mekong auf einer ausgedehnten Tour den Mekong bereist und konnte mit den Erzählungen des Autors somit meine Erinnerungen vertiefen. Die einzelnen Etappen sind wunderbar und mitunter auch kritisch beschrieben. Eine klare Empfehlung von mir für dieses Buch.

A neat book. Thanks.

Very interesting book if you are interested in Southeast asia

A Really interesting and observant 3,000 mile trip down the Mekong, primarily by boat. From the river's mouth to its end in the Mekong Delta: Tibet, China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Ed Gargan could have played a medical trump card to avoid the draft during Vietnam war, but instead he stood up for his beliefs and refused to register, thus serving time in federal prison. This was an influential experience, and he did refer to it at times, and American war situation in Indo-china, understandably.Noting the past history and recent events of these places, and then talking with people to get their perception and viewpoints on where things are headed. Very balanced peppering of relevant historical occurrences, recent political situations, and down-to-earth local conversations about life in these places. Indigenous life and the cultural aspects of it in the areas he visited were noted.The Chinese ethnic Hans are continuing their colonization of Tibet, imprisoning people, destroying temples, and other aspects of Tibetan culture. The secretive government of Laos is still in the moribund foggy myst of Marxist-Leninism, those "foreign white guys." He briefly tapped into the bohemian traveler opium-den culture of Laos on his way through, though as an observer and not a participant. He also interviewed one of the few survivors of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge torture and killing prison, finally ending his journey with a young Vietnamese woman's observant description of contemporary Vietnam and where its people and nation are headed in the future.Very descriptive and observant piece of work.There are some interesting facts that are noted by Gargan.Francis Garnier, the French colonist who traveled the Mekong for two years in 1866. He apparantly didn't learn much, and he got what he deserved in the end. Another tid-bit, is that the character Colonel Kurtz in the movie "Apocalypse Now," is based on an actual person. Also there are more pickup trucks per capita in Thailand than on any other nation on Earth.This is a great book for people who like travel books, and for those who have an interest in, or who are going to South East Asia.Another great book I'd recommend that is also about boat travel: "Three years in a 12-foot boat," by Steven Ladd.

After the good reviews about this book I thought I would give it a go but my view is quite different from the others. I thought it was tedious and failed to catch my imagination. Far too many digresions until I didn't care to read any more. Not a good read in my humble opinion