Guide To Khmer Temples In Thailand And Laos [Paperback]

Michael Freeman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1998

Illustrated with detailed photographs and walk-through plans of every significant temple, Khmer Temples in Thailand and Laos is a comprehensive and practical companion to the magnificent sites of the former upland Khmer Empire, many of which have only recently become open to the public after excavation and restoration. Michael Freeman has specialized in Southeast Asia for more than ten years. His two most recent books on the area are Palaces to the Gods and Angkor: The Hidden Glories .

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Freeman has been photographing Southeast Asia intensively for twenty years, and Angkor for ten, producing many books on the art history and architecture of the region, including Palaces of the Gods and Angkor: Cities & Temples. He is also the author of the Guide to Khmer Temples in Thailand and Laos, and was the first photographer to have prolonged access to Angkor after the country's two decades of war.

Product Details

• Paperback: 314 pages
• Publisher: Weatherhill (July 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0834804506
• ISBN-13: 978-0834804500
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 4.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,247,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #73 in Books > Travel > Asia > Laos

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, informative, and interesting guide, October 14, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Guide To Khmer Temples In Thailand And Laos (Paperback)

I've visited many of the temples Michael Freeman describes and have a huge soft spot for Northeast Thailand and Laos. This guide has enhanced my understanding of the places I've visited and provided some great incentives to visit more. I wish the guide had been available when I first started visiting the Khmer temples of Northeast Thailand. Michael Freeman's photographs and commentary are informative and interesting. There are good layouts and drawings of the individual temples and an excellent rating system which highlights not only the architectural and historical importance of the temples but also the setting. The information on how to get to places and where to stay is useful and good for planning an itinerary.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Guide, June 17, 2003

By 

Michael Gunther (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Guide To Khmer Temples In Thailand And Laos (Paperback)

Michael Freeman's guide covers over fifty Khmer temples in Thailand and Laos, plus the border temples in Cambodia. (Angkor is not included; see the book "Ancient Angkor," by the same author, for complete information on Angkor.)

The temples and their major features are described with quite a bit of detail for the major temples, and not so much detail for the less important ones. The book has all the features one would wish for in a good guidebook - maps, site plans, floor plans of the major temples, color photogaphs (Freeman is both the author and the photographer of the guide), hotels, restaurants, and transportation. The first 50 pages give some very useful background on architecture, lintel styles, and the chronology of the temples. Suggested itineraries, temple rankings, and a glossary of general and architectural terms are also provided.

According to the inside front cover, the Weatherhill edition on which I based this review was published in 1998, apparently with the same content as the original edition of 1996. I don't know if any more recent editions are available. The book's staying in print for over 7 years is proof of its popularity and usefulness. However, since things change rapidly in that part of the world, the reader may want to consider purchasing a more recent guide for up-to-date practical information. Freeman's guide, however, is still highly recommended for the core information that it provides about the temples themselves.