Editor, Writer, Researcher
Along with the stories of King Thibaw and Queen Supayalat, The King in Exile tells of the strange, twisted lives of their four daughters and seven grandchildren. As foreign visitors surge in, drawn by the idea of a new frontier, the book erodes the mythology, so pervasive in the region, of a happier, fairer era when white European men kept the grateful dumb natives gently in place.
For one episode alone, this book will be treasured by anyone who–suffering from the temporary insanity induced by a civil war or stolen passport–has ever sought the counsel of a U.S. diplomatic mission.
Since visitors today still find Hanoi shabby with the lingering odor of soviets, it's interesting to read that in all of Vietnam, Downie found the appearance of this city transformed the most in the span of a few years. The wood-fueled buses disappeared, private cars and shops multiplied, outdoor lights were installed, and clothes became brighter and more fashionable.
Susan J Cunningham 