An Illustrated History of Cambodia
Philip Coggan
John Beaufoy Publishing: 2019
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For anyone who frequents the few English-language bookshops in Phnom Penh, Philip Coggan is a familiar moniker in their limited Cambodia sections. The author ‘fell in love with Asia on his first visit to Bali, and has been traveling and living in the region since’. His experiences working in the NGO sector and as a freelance journalist inspired his fascination for his host country, spurring him to produce titles such as Shiny Objects of Desire: A Novel of Cambodia and Spirit Worlds: Cambodia, the Buddha and the Naga. His latest offering is An Illustrated History of Cambodia.

In an interview on Cambodia News English, the author says, ‘I started writing out of a wish to share what I’ve learned about Cambodia … It’s a book for the layman (and woman). I’ve aimed it to be readable, not too detailed, but accurate and up to date.’ The resulting 208-page work, full of illustrations, paintings, photographs and maps, printed on nice paper and organised into six sections, explores 10,000 years of Cambodia’s history beginning with the Stone Age. As a Cambodian, my experience of An Illustrated History of Cambodia was one of mixed feelings and questions.

• Tags: Cambodia, Issue 19, Philip Coggan, Prumsodun Ok