March 29, 2012

This volume outlines the evolution and development of one of the most splendid and long-lived civilizations of the entire Asian continent. The narrative and related images in the volume guide the reader from the birth of the Khmer civilization, through the first uncertain steps amongst the small and restless Khmer tribes, forced to endure the rule of larger and stronger powers, to the birth of the empire and then to its glory and decadence. It is a journey six centuries long, interspersed with great events and dramatic figures, but also with incredible architectural masterpieces scattered in the forests and countryside of Cambodia and parts of Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, structures for many centuries almost lost to memory. Presenting both the classic vision of this civilization and also the latest theories about it, this volume is aimed at those who wish to learn the essential facts of Khmer history and culture, stripped of platitudes and romantic visions, in clear language that both tells a story and includes incisive anecdotes.