The Dream of a Thousand Lives: A Sojourn in Thailand (Paperback)

~ (Author) "LEAVING CANADA. A view of the body of mountains: deep sockets of aquamarine, blue veins slipping over cliff-sides, stone edges splintering from the earth like..." (more)
Key Phrases: mai pen lai, teak trees, Meh Dang, Ajahn Champa, Chiang Mai (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Canadian poet Karen Connelly was a young woman when she left home to live for one year in Denchai, a small farming community in northern Thailand. This lyrical portrait of her true-life adventures radiates wit and literary charm. The swampy jungles, the lure of hedonistic Bangkok, the austere, ambient Buddhism, and the torrential rains serve as backdrops for Connelly's carefully crafted prose. Her account combines a keen sense of adventure with an affinity for Thai culture, chronicling the country's intriguing underpinnings and exotic charms.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Seal Press (December 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158005062X
• ISBN-13: 978-1580050623
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #419,658 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book, May 15, 2005

By	E. Seyfried "chill dude" (philly) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Coincidentally enough, I (16 years old) am leaving in August to spend my junior year of high school in Northern Thailand as a Rotary Exchange student, just like Karen. This book was just what I needed- it gave me an idea of what to expect, and made my next year feel less overwhelming. Her writing style is awesome, and the stories she tells are fascinating.
Read it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Written with Spirit from the Heart, May 12, 2006

By	Siamese MMA (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This book truly uncovered the beautiful, bucolic experience of the heart of Thailand. This book is not about the fascinating big-city life in Bangkok, so ubiquitous in other travel books about Thailand. In contrast, this book takes you to a Thailand not frequently experienced by tourists...shouldn't be experienced by tourists with little respect and no other expectation beyond "fun" ........ should only be ventured by those willing to absorb (or should I dare say love) a culture and a lifestyle so different that at first, austerity and beauty are not immediately distinct to the mind conditioned to the comforts of "modernized" cities or suburban living (whether in Asia or the West). As a Thai who was educated in the West, this book actually imparted to me a "piece of heart" about my birth country that I did not previously believe to be a possible endeavor for written pages. Thanks Karen....... for doing the impossible! "Kob Kun Mak Krub" for the sincerity so salient throughout every description.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars elegant and lush, May 19, 2004

By A Customer

I so enjoyed this beautiful memoir. I felt a part of the Thai culture and landscape. There are many charming scenes and deliberately precious characters. I was sad to leave the story when it ended. The perspective of the narrator is young- that infuriating mix of superiority and naivete. But the voice was fresh and interesting, and I enjoyed getting to know her.