Angkor: Cambodia's Wondrous Khmer Temples, Fifth Edition (Odyssey Illustrated Guide) [Turtleback]

Dawn Rooney (Author), Magnus Bartlett (Photographer), Peter Danford (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: Odyssey Illustrated Guides | Publication Date: July 29, 2005

The great legacy of the ancient Khmer civilization, the temples of Angkor cover an area of over 77 square miles in northwest Cambodia. These monuments, built between the ninth and 15th centuries, the classic period of Khmer art, are unrivaled in architectural greatness. They are, undoubtedly, one of the wonders of the world, astounding in their splendor and evoking a real sense of awe...

This beautifully illustrated book contains background information on Khmer history, religious beliefs and legends depicted on the bas-reliefs, as well as descriptions of the architectural features. This detailed, monument-by-monument guide to the sites includes detailed maps and plans, plus information about four newly opened temple complexes accessible by helicopter!

Editorial Reviews

Review

An excellent guide, well-written, with beautiful photographs. -- The New York Times

Don't leave home without Angkor by Dawn Rooney. -- San Francisco Chronicle

About the Author

American-born, Dawn Rooney has spent many years researching art history in Southeast Asia. Awarded a PhD in art history in 1983, she has written a number of books on Cambodian and Thai art and culture and has contributed to Oriental Art and numerous other journals. She lives in Bangkok.

Magnus Bartlett was born in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. He studied at the London School of Film Technique and taught at the Royal College of Art before moving to Asia where he is now based.


Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and educated at Minnesota in computer science and East Asian studies, Peter Danford is a freelance photographer and multimedia developer based in Australia.

Product Details

• Turtleback: 488 pages
• Publisher: Odyssey Publications, Ltd.; Fifth Edition edition (July 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9622177271
• ISBN-13: 978-9622177277
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #775,744 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #56 in Books > Travel > Asia > Cambodia

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, but big, March 21, 2007

By 

Daniel Kester (Buffalo, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Angkor: Cambodia's Wondrous Khmer Temples, Fifth Edition (Odyssey Illustrated Guide) (Turtleback)

If you are like me and avoid tour guides as much as possible, but still like to know about the places you are visiting, then this book is for you. It gives excellent descriptions of the temples. It has lots of background information on the history and on the art you'll see. It also contains wonderful photography. Plus, it has lots of general information on traveling in Cambodia including a section on Phnom Penh. If you are doing a basic Cambodia visit of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, then this book is all you really need.

My only complaint is that it is a big book, bigger than other tour books like Lonely Planet or Rough Guide. This is a problem if you are trying to travel as light as possible. However, I still recommend taking it.

A general suggestion for visiting the temples: be aware that they are now apparently the second most visited tourist destination in Asia. Lots of Asian tour groups everywhere. To avoid them, go early! Get going at 6AM (or even earlier and go see the sunrise over Angkor Wat!). Then you'll have the temples to yourself for a couple of hours. Midday, when the tours go back to their hotels for lunch is also good, as is late afternoon/early evening. But even with the tour groups around, it is still an amazing place!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Angkor, Cambodia's Wondrous Khmer Temples, May 24, 2007

By 

Devleeschouwer Guy "admirateur du Sud Ouest A... (Leuven, Belgium) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Angkor: Cambodia's Wondrous Khmer Temples, Fifth Edition (Odyssey Illustrated Guide) (Turtleback)

ANGKOR, Cambodia's Wondrous Khmer Temples is not only a very practical guide for visiting the Khmer monuments at the Angkor archaeological park but also for visiting the Khmer monuments in Phnom Penh. Furthermore this guidebook includes the most important remote temples (Banteay Chhmar, Koh Ker, Preah Vihaer, Beng Mealea).

Apart from a clear description of each temple it also gives a description from their location and from the access.

Important to mention also is the fact it gives a short but clear insight in the old epics (Mahabharata, Ramayana etc.) and legends and this book includes a list of the most forthcoming gods, deities and divinities which makes its easier to understand the bas-reliefs of the Khmer art and architecture.

The book also includes general and practical tourist information as well as for Siem Reap as for Phnom Penh.

Together with the book from Michael Freeman and Claude Jacques "Ancient Angkor" and the book from Jean Laur "Angkor, temples and monuments" one will have the most actual existing complete information about the Khmer art and architecture in Cambodia.
Ancient Angkor (River Book Guides)

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A complete guide for an on-site visit, January 29, 2007

By 

Rajeev De Mello "Explorer" (Commugny Suisse) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Angkor: Cambodia's Wondrous Khmer Temples, Fifth Edition (Odyssey Illustrated Guide) (Turtleback)

I just returned from a 3-day visit to Angkor and used this book as a background and then as a detailed guide to visit each temple. It is most useful, providing detailed and accurate maps and descriptions of each temple and guiding the reader through the highlights. Well written and easily beats listening endlessly to the vague chatter of most on-site guides.