Thai Gold

This was a novel I tried to review in the past and due to technical problems with the computer, I couldn't so--let's try again! First of all, this is my favorite book of all time and I suspect it always will be! I fell in love with both the original Bantam Books copy and the re-done version put out by Asia Books a couple years ago. For those of us who have spent enough time in Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, Jason's method of taking you through the area in the sarcastic manner of Lee Rivers is all you need starting right at the beginning to get hooked up in this excellent "Thinking Man's Adventure". Lee is lovable as a Vietnam War vet who is a professional archeologist living in Bangkok (as a single man, of course) and going all over the region hunting down classical works. The other characters and Jason's insights into them shows that he is a man who has put in as much time over there as Lee Rivers. If you want intelligent shoot-'em-ups, honest portrayal of local cultures, sick humor and just seeing what it can be like doing what a man like Lee Rivers does in this part of the world, than I can't reccomend highly enough "Thai Gold" for you! If you haven't been to Thailand, Burma, Indochina, Malaysia, Singapore or the Philippines, read this, have a cold beer (or twelve!), survey the dreary world you're currently experiencing here in North America and then get your butt onto a 747 bound for Bangkok ASAP! My thanks to Jason for all the friendship, advice and help he's offered me over the years as I try to put my own novels together. Do him--and YOURSELF--a HUGE favor and pick up a copy of this runaway hit! I can all-but-guarentee you'll love it, jing-jing!

I read this book while living in the Republic of Palau and it brought back memories of the times I spent in Bangkok. Especially memorable was the name of the bar Mr. Schoonover describes. The name of the real place was "Lucy's Tiger Den" and I spent many a happy hour there. If anyone out there ever visited Bangkok in the late 70's early 80's, they had to have heard about Lucy's. It's no longer there, of course, but it brings up some memorable times. This book was a revelation of the sort of life I lived back then. It is quite an adventure and well told. Keep up the good work Mr. Schoonover!

As I was reading this book I couldn't help think what a perfect movie this would make. Its like an swashbuckling Indiana Jones on steriods, but its much more believable. The main character is one that any man could identify with, he has the same weaknesses that most men have (but won't admit to), especially when it comes to beautiful women. This guy finds himself caught up in an international conspiracy and gets in over his head before he realizes he's in too deep to get out. He's got to ride it through to the end whether he likes it or not. Along the way I got totally sucked into the story, from the crowded, bustling exhaust filled streets of Bangkok, the nonstop exotic night life to the steamy jungle mountains of the golden triangle region. This is the definitive primer to southeast asia. Unfortunately I loaned my copy to a friend years ago, and never got it back. You must read this book if you can find i

I read this book about eight (8) years ago and by my own experience found it to be based on fact. The locals, the people, and the general South East Asian atmosphere, (Lao, Thai, Vietnam cultures) are evident thru-out the novel. A must for the first time visitor to Thailand or related areas - especially for the single American male who is fed-up with the typical big, fat, and man hating American women. If American women had to compete with their Asian counterparts the Caucasian gene pool would be exhausted. Read the book - go there! It will change your life - that's an absolute