Further Reading

Lebanon, Israel From Beirut to Jerusalem -Read this book and then go to Beirut. Imagine what it was like to live there in the 80's. No one else will give you as amazing a description of such a vicious, apocalyptic city. Muslimgauze: Hamas Arc Muslimgauze is a fascinating music project by a british fellow who died a few years ago. Experimental electronica using islamic fundamentalism as its central inspiration, it succeeds marvellously in arcing contemporary electronic music with sounds and melodies of the middle east. Far from simple ethnic or "world" music, this hybrid is something both modern and informed. Check the link below for more Muslimgauze. Muslimgauze Jordan Lawrence of Arabia "We've Taken Aqaba!", and tonnes of other memorable lines, and some amazing cinematics of the Arabian desert. One of those sprawling, poetic, inspired films that just are not made these days. If you need a reason to visit Jordan, and the middle east for that matter, watch this film. Cambodia Cambodia : Year Zero A very academic account of the revolution in Cambodia; includes some really interesting reading, including the new constitution drawn up by the Khmer Rouge. Angkor : Cities and Temples Angkor: The Hidden Glories I met an American fellow on the plane back from Hong Kong who recommended these two books for good pictures of the Angkor Temples. The Killing Fields The best movie regarding the Khmer Rouge takeover of the country in 1975. Absolutely stunning filmmaking, and well worth the time to understand a strange chapter in the life of Cambodia. Romania Balkan Ghosts : A Journey Through History. Kaplan's 100 pages or so on Romania are prime reading to understand what has gone on in Romania; and once you understand Romania's past, you will find its present to make so much sense. He travelled through the country just after the communist collapse, and it's interesting to note how quickly the free market has transformed Romania. But still, its primal essences remain forever the same. The Balkans My War Gone By, I Miss It So If there is one book you should read regarding the Balkans, and for travelling to unstable places for that matter, this is the one. Anthony Loyd was a photojournalism graduate(translation: bumming backpacker), ex-military guy who went to live in Sarajevo, during their siege, for no reason but his own kicks. He emerged as a much smarter, experienced, and sensitive individual, and also as a professional journalist. Fascinating reading, wonderfully written, and easily the most accessible and captivating book on any conflict I have ever read. A definite must. Divide and Fall? : Bosnia in the Annals of Partition. Blue Guide Albania and Kosovo, First Edition. This is the book I used for Kosovo. And the only book that mentions Kosovo as its own sovereign entity, which makes it politically potent as well. The Battle for Sarajevo Written by a Bosnian military commander who endured the seige. Canada and the United States An Empire Wilderness : Travels into America's Future. -Possibly the only person to openly discuss separatism of Western Canada, as well as an honest and insightful look at the USA, which is often very hard to find amongst throngs of chest-beaters, and even the plain folk who refuse to admit that there would be any shortcomings whatsoever in the US.... worth reading. Nunavut Handbook : Traveling in Canada's Arctic A great source, and the best source, for any information on Nunavut. International travel guides are horrible at giving details of travelling around the arctic, but this book gives great insight. It's almost possible to travel independently in Nunavut with just this book, your own single-engine aircraft, and a Platinum Visa card! The Encyclopedia of British Columbia Everything you never wanted to know about my home province. Completely fascinating if you're obsessed with minute details about Canada's most dynamic ex-colony. Reflections Of A Siamese Twin: Canada At The End of the Twentieth Century. City of Glass: Douglas Coupland's Vancouver A great book on my own city, and the only one which starts probing it as a locale for cutting edge, as well as destitute, urban living. Highly recommended if you are at all interested in finding out what makes Vancouver tick. Japan Anime : From Akira to Princess Mononoke... Divesting insight into more than Just Japanese animation, the author delves into the subjects that define how the world is depicted in Japanese culture, and for what reasons. Worth a read if you are interested at all in contemporary Japan.

Africa Footprint East Africa Handbook 2000: The... The one I used for Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti & Somalia. Into Africa: A Journey Through the Ancient Empires. The authors hit every country in contemporary Africa, and this is the biggest highlight of this book. As well, it illustrates how current conflict in Africa is closely tied to events that have been occuring for centuries on the continent, long before even the white man came. Highly recommended. The Shadow of the Sun Ryszard Kapuscinsky is perhaps the greatest journalist to tackle Africa in the seventies. His accounts are truly poetic, synthetic, romantic, and inspiring. He writres beautifully, eloquently, and penetrates deeper into the myths and rationale behind the African societies that have shaped the continent more than any other author that I have read. All of his books are highly recommended, and the three I mention here are of particular interest to me. The Emperor : Downfall of an Autocrat Kapuscinsky's account of the downfall of Haile Selassie and thus the Ethiopian monarchy is particularly powerful. It will tell you much about Ethiopia's present as well. Another Day of Life (Vintage) Another Kapuscinsky book that deals with Angola in the mid-70's, as the journalist headed there just as everything was going to hell as UNITA began its now decades old civil war with the government. The Graves Are Not Yet Full: Race,... I've been meaning to read this book but haven't done so yet. It looks to be another interesting look into African societies and their conflicts, involving Liberia and Congo. King Leopold's Ghost This book went with me to eastern Congo on a recent trip. Well written and constructed, it provides a fascinating picture of the mentality behind colonialist Europe at the end of the nineteenth century, as well as how a tiny country like Belgium managed to secure a massive chunk of Africa, and have it run exclusively by Belgium's King Leopold. General Robert Young Pelton's the World's Most Dangerous Places. I knew nothing about travel until I read this book. An absolute must for information to any unstable country, even if it isn't mentioned. Islamische Kunst A German book which is a great full-colour introduction to Islamic art. If you can't read German, it's okay, the pictures are wonderfully printed as well. The Quran Remember never to denigrate a religion of which you know nothing. Do your research if you wish to understand. And buy the expensive version, to help me get commission! :) The Holy Bible The same thing goes for the Bible, right? Links General Loser Planet - The Thorn Tree -Usually filled with trolls and fools insulting each other back and forth, but in my experience if you ask an honest question you'll get a few honest answers. Use with caution, though. Fielding's Black Flag Adventure Forum -By far the strangest and most informed travel page I've come by. Not very useful for ordinary travel questions, though. The posting population is made up of foreign correspondents, war photographers, kidnapping experts, terrorist PR guys, and other folks who can give you firsthand information about places where there is no information. You'll never find a bunch like this anywhere else. The Budget Traveller's Guide to Sleeping in Airports -An online guide which includes reviews of the world's airports, and how nice they are to sleep in! I've submitted a few airports. A fun read even if you don't want to sleep in airports. Terrorists, Freedom Fighters, Crusaders, Propagandists, and Mercenaries on the Net- A verycomprehensive list of everyone politically active and politically antagonizing the world over. Is there a destructive political movement near your home town? Weecheng Tan I've met Weecheng a few times, and his travels are great, his writings even better. A wonderful travel page by a wonderful guy. Highly recommended! Arachnophilia This is the web site editing tool I've used since the inception of this site. It is extremely powerful, and the programmer has some words of wisdom regarding what he wants in return for his program - and it ain't money.... Travel Advisories Canadian Travel Advisory Real World Rescue Travel Alert Bri'ish Foreign Advisory U.S. State Department Travel Warnings L3xicon.com - a web thesaurus and lexicon listing Travel.seanrorison.com under sean travel writing

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