10 Best Asia Travel Books

[Terpe]

If you’re heading east or want to learn more about the continent, take a guided tour......

1. Mr Seldons Map of China



In 1654, lawyer John Selden gave a map of China to Oxford’s Bodleian Library. In 2009, author Timothy Brook saw it and noted it appeared to retell the accepted history from the time. The result: a fascinating look at the story behind the map.
£13.95, hive.co.uk

2. Complete Asian Cookbook Series: Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore by Charmaine Solomon



Solomon wrote her iconic cooking series in 1976 and has released a three-part update. Her easy-to-follow recipes cover India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and Korea. One to inspire a trip.
£14.99, hardiegrant.co.uk

3. The Railway Man by Eric Lomax



Reissued to coincide with the release of the film, starring Colin Firth, this is the story of British officer’s time as a Japanese POW in World War Two, working on the Burma-Siam railway and enduring torture. Years later Lomax discovers his torturer is still alive. A moving account.
£7.99, vintagebooks.co.uk

4. Love Mumbai



The Love series are seriously special guides. First you see the hand-woven cover, then inside are “love stories” by experts on the best places to visit, eat, drink and shop. Their mission: for tourists to lose their hearts to the city.
£24.95, stanfords.co.uk

5. Lonely Planet Southeast Asia on a Shoestring



Ideal for backpackers, this guide covers all the key spots including: Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam and Myanmar. Available as an e-book if you can’t fit the chunky tome in your rucksack.
From £12.59, shop.lonelyplanet.com

6. Midnight’s Descendents by John Keay



This absorbing, important history of South Asia over the six decades since British India was partitioned is the first time a book has been written on the history of this region as a whole.
£17.60, hive.co.uk

7. Wallpaper Guides Ho Chi Minh 2014



Wallpaper* City Guides are compact and discreet; perfect for sticking in your pocket as you explore a new city. Vibrant Ho Chi Minh is a new addition to their list.
£6.95, uk.phaidon.com

8. Return of a King



William Dalrymple is known for his intricately researched, immersive works. This account of the disastrous Anglo-Afghan war in 1839-42, told through those on both sides, is more fascinating in light of recent events.
£8.41, hive.co.uk

9. Myanmar – Burma In Style



This illustrated guide covers the unspoiled country’s main cities, sights, beaches and mountains – from the Ayeyarwady River to Kipling’s Mandalay – with a focus on culture and history. Visit before it becomes a well-trodden path.
£17.95, stanfords.co.uk

10. The Teardrop Island by Cherry Briggs



Cherry Briggs follows in the footsteps of eccentric Victorian Irishman James Emerson Tennent, exploring Sri Lanka along pilgrimage trails, through tea estates and rural areas. A vivid account of the island and its people.
£8.99, summersdale.com


Source:-
http://www.independent.co.uk/incomin...s-9158305.html

[Terpe]

I'm sure they're all good .....but personally Lonely Planet's guide to SE Asia would have to be the book in my pocket

Always great value