Angkor (Odyssey Guides) [Paperback]

Dawn F. Rooney (Author), Peter Danford (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 2001

The great legacy of the ancient Khmer civilization, the temples of Angkor, cover an area of 77 square miles in central 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.

The book is divided into three sections. The first contains background information on Khmer history, religious beliefs and legends depicted on the bas-reliefs, as well as descriptions of the decorations and architectural features. The second part is a detailed, monument-by-monument guide to the sites, including detailed maps and plans, while the third has all the practical information needed by the visitor, for staying and getting around in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

Editorial Reviews

Review

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

About the Author

American-born, Dawn Rooney has spent many years researching art history in Southeast Asia. Awarded a Ph.D. in art history in 1983 she has written a number of books on the region's art and culture and contributed to Oriental Art and other journals. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and educated at Minnesota in computer science and East Asian studies, photographer Peter Danford is a freelance photographer and multimedia developer based in Hong Kong.

Product Details

• Paperback: 306 pages
• Publisher: Odyssey Publications, Ltd.; 4th edition (October 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9622176836
• ISBN-13: 978-9622176836
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,602,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Go Without It, August 13, 2002

By 

Ronald Simpson (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Angkor (Odyssey Guides) (Paperback)

I just returned from a week-long visit to Angor Wat and the surrounding temples and found this guide invaluable. It is concise and well-written, provides the historical background of the Khmer empire, and tells the visitor what to see and what he is seeing. I took the book with me everyday and feel that I would have missed a lot without it. It helped me to appreciate the spirit and beauty of the magnificent temples.

I wish that more books on ancient sites were as easy to understand and as helpful as this book. Anyone going to Angkor Wat should take this book with them.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for Angkor, August 6, 2002

By 

Patrick S. Wilbur (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Angkor (Odyssey Guides) (Paperback)

If I had to choose one item to take to Cambodia it would be the 4th edition of Dawn Rooney's book on Angkor. The background on the geography, religion, architecture, and cosmology in the first half of the book provides a wealth of information that will enhance anyone's trip to Angkor. The second half, grouped into ten recommended tours, details each temple by giving an overview of the site, the historical setting, and the layout, which in most cases is accompanied by a plan. Descriptions of the carvings are clearly written and add to one's enjoyment of the site. My only complaint is that Dawn Rooney didn't tell us more as she obviously loves Angkor and is most certainly one of the world's experts on the subject. I've read the book three times--before, during, and after my visit and, thinking about the lively narrative, good photographs, and comprehensive content, I may just read it again. I give this book five stars plus! Don't go to Angkor without it!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good book, but not enough pictures, March 19, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Angkor (Odyssey Guides) (Paperback)

Being a tourist who visiting Angkor for the first time, I want to find good guide book I could rely on. I'm more interested to know brief histories or stories associate with the sites (monuments) that I visit as well. I picked up this book at the souvenir shack in front of Baphoun which is one of the temple at Angkor Thom. It is a good book. I found Dawn Rooney did a fairly nice job of describing the Angkorean historical aspects in the Khmer religion, art & architecture style and present day restoration/preservation of Angkor. I'm not a bit surprised because the author is a PhD in art history. But the major disturbing flaw I found with this book is that the description of each monument left me blind as to where or what monument she's writing about. The book lack of enough monument pictures that she describing. For example, what does Phimeanakas or Prasat Soor Prat look like? Rooney should have included at least one picture of each monument she's referencing to or otherwise tourists who use this book will have a hard time trying to guess where they are and what monuments they are looking at. The book is good to those who want to know brief background of each monument but dont't care what that each monument looks like.