Books on (South East) Asia

Here's a little about some of the books on Asia that I have read -

[26th Jun 2015]:
Into Thin Air: An account of the 1996 Everest disaster. The last hundred pages or so will haunt you for a long time. It also gives a glimpse of how the commercialization of climbing Everest has led to a deterioration of what was once a pristine place and a compromise on safety protocols.

[Edit: 12th Apr 2015]
Krakatoa: The Day The World Exploded: An account of the volcanic eruption of Krakatoa that remains unparalleled in its wrath and magnitude. It has a slow and dull beginning but it turns a gripping read soon.

[Edit: 02nd Jan 2013]
Out of Mao's Shadow: Another brilliant work that brings to the forefront stories of people rising against the authoritative and often corrupt Chinese ruling machinery. Just like 'Nothing To Envy', it is a great work of investigative journalism.

[Edit: 17th Dec 2012]
Wild Swans: One of the BEST BOOKS I have ever read, and definitely one of the best on China. There are few books I have enjoyed reading as much as this.

[Edit: 30th Nov 12]
Norwegian Wood: A dull start but then it starts growing on you as the story develops. But I guess it's the case with every decent book. The book had some shocking and surprising moments, and I find it hard to explain. If you have seen Chungking Express, let me tell you this book is very similar to that movie, only darker and sadder. Luckily the ending was a bit optimistic.

Off the Rails in Phnom Penh: One helluva book. This books does a skillful job of profiling Cambodia. The chaos, lawlessness and pathos of people have been aptly represented in this book.

First They Killed My Father: A poignant first hand account of a Pol Pot regime's victim.

Only 13: This is apparently a bestseller in Thailand. I find it really hard to form an opinion about this book. There were some sections which were gripping, and a lot more sections which sounded foolish and totally unwanted. The writing is kind of poor, and I finished this book half heartedly in a long time.

The Cambridge History of South East Asia: I so wanted to read about ancient history of South East Asia, and after spending some amount of time and a good amount of cash bought this book. There's no question about the authenticity and validity of the content of this book, but it's just too scholarly and boring. It discusses topics like society, administrative architecture, economic condition et al in excruciatingly detailed manner.

Little Princes: This is an epic story of a guy who saved children in Nepal from the ring of trafficking. In the first fifty pages the author just twaddles about his experiences volunteering in Nepal  But later it becomes really engrossing and you realize how this book received five stars on amazon. 

Oracle Bones: An excellent piece of work by Peter Hessler describing contemporary China! No other country intrigues and interests me like China and my recent trip to China further fueled my love for this country.

River Town: A poignant, and often funny, account of a wàiguórén's two years teaching English in China. Peter Hessler again.

Nothing To Envy: It highlights stories of six people who defected from North Korea. Poignant, touching and often dark, it is a must read!

Other book(s) worth a mention: 

Memoirs of a Geisha: Read this book a long time ago when I was in college. Really good fiction that ends with a tinge of nostalgia.

South East Asia (and Asia in general) is an exotic (and cheap!) destination, and has got some really good literature and cinema. I will keep updating this section as I finish more books.