This is an introduction to some of the books and novels written about

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

General

*'' At war with Asia'' by

Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American public intellectual: a linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is ...

. Describes the American-

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

, and the bombing campaigns on neighboring countries. *''

Democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation (" direct democracy"), or to choose gov ...

'' by Joan Didion. Set in Southeast Asia (and

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

) at the end of the Vietnam War. *

The Quiet American ''The Quiet American'' is a 1955 novel by English author Graham Greene. Narrated in the first person by journalist Thomas Fowler, the novel depicts the breakdown of French colonialism in Vietnam and early American involvement in the Vietnam W ...

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...

The Ugly American ''The Ugly American'' is a 1958 political novel by Eugene Burdick and William Lederer that depicts the failures of the U.S. diplomatic corps in Southeast Asia. The book caused a sensation in diplomatic circles and had major political implic ...

Eugene Burdick Eugene Leonard Burdick (December 12, 1918 – July 26, 1965) was an American political scientist, novelist, and non-fiction writer, co-author of ''The Ugly American'' (1958), ''Fail-Safe'' (1962), and author of ''The 480'' (1965). Early life He ...

and

William Lederer William Julius Lederer, Jr. (March 31, 1912 – December 5, 2009) was an American author and naval officer. Biography U.S. Navy service After dropping out of high school, Lederer enlisted in the United States Navy in 1930. He graduated from ...

. * *

Lokesh Chandra Lokesh Chandra (born 11 April 1927 in Ambala, India) is a prominent scholar of the Vedic period, Buddhism and the Indian arts. Between 1942 and 2004, he published 576 books and 286 articles. He has also held many official positions in the Indi ...

, & International Academy of Indian Culture. (2000). Society and culture of Southeast Asia: Continuities and changes. New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan. *R. C. Majumdar, Study of Sanskrit in South-East Asia *R. C. Majumdar, ''Suvarnadvipa'', ''Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East'', Vol.II, Calcutta, *

R. C. Majumdar Ramesh Chandra Majumdar (known as R. C. Majumdar; 4 December 1888 – 11 February 1980) was a historian and professor of Indian history. Majumdar is a noted historian of modern India. He was a former Sheriff of Kolkata. Early life and educatio ...

, ''India and South-East Asia'', I.S.P.Q.S. History and Archaeology Series Vol. 6, 1979, . *

, History of the Hindu Colonization and Hindu Culture in South-East Asia; Ancient Indian colonisation in South-East Asia; ''Hindu Colonies in the Far East'', Calcutta, 1944, * * Panikkar, K. M. (1953). Asia and Western dominance, 1498-1945, by K.M. Panikkar. London: G. Allen and Unwin.

Burma (Myanmar)

*'' Burmese Days'' by

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalitar ...

. Orwell served as a police officer in the British Empire and this fueled his contempt for colonialism evident in the book *'' Freedom from Fear'' by

Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi (; ; born 19 June 1945) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as State Counsellor of Myanmar (equivalent to a prime minister) and Minister of Foreign Affairs from ...

*'' The Heart Must Break'' by

James Mawdsley James Rupert Russell Mawdsley is a traditionalist Catholic priest who before seminary was a prisoner of conscience in Burma. He is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Australia. Early life Mawdsley was born in 1973. His parents are David a ...

*'' The Land of Green Ghosts'' by

Pascal Khoo Thwe Pascal Khoo Thwe (born 1967) is a Burmese author from the minority Padaung people, known for his autobiographic writings about growing up in Burma under military rule. His book, ''From the Land of Green Ghosts: A Burmese Odyssey'', was awarded ...

Cambodia

*''

Pol Pot Pol Pot; (born Saloth Sâr;; 19 May 1925 – 15 April 1998) was a Cambodian revolutionary, dictator, and politician who ruled Cambodia as Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea between 1976 and 1979. Ideologically a Marxist–Leninist a ...

'' *''

The Trial of Henry Kissinger ''The Trial of Henry Kissinger'' is a 2001 book by Christopher Hitchens examining the alleged war crimes of Henry Kissinger, the National Security Advisor and later United States Secretary of State for Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. ...

'' by Christopher Hitchens. Hitchens details the bombing campaigns against Cambodia (amongst others). *R. C. Majumdar, ''Kambuja Desa Or An Ancient Hindu Colony In Cambodia'', Madras, 1944

Indonesia

*'' Hidden Agendas'' by

John Pilger John Richard Pilger (; born 9 October 1939) is an Australian journalist, writer, scholar, and documentary filmmaker. He has been mainly based in Britain since 1962. He was also once visiting professor at Cornell University in New York. Pilger ...

*'' Rogue State'' by

. Both of these detail the attacks on East Timor. *Hoadley, M. C. (1991). Sanskritic continuity in Southeast Asia: The ṣaḍātatāyī and aṣṭacora in Javanese law. Delhi: Aditya Prakashan. *Hughes-Freeland, F. (1991). Javanese visual performance and the Indian mystique. Delhi: Aditya Prakashan.

Malaysia

*''

The Long Day Wanes ''The Malayan Trilogy'', also published as ''The Long Day Wanes: A Malayan Trilogy'' in the United States, is a comic 'triptych' of novels by Anthony Burgess set amidst the decolonisation of Malaya. It is a detailed fictional exploration ...

'' by Anthony Burgess

Philippines

*'' Noli Me Tangere'' by

Jose Rizal Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. * Jose ben Abin * Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Galile ...

. Sparked the independence struggle from Spanish colonialism. *'' El Filibusterismo'' by

. Sequel to ''Noli Me Tangere''.

Singapore

Thailand

Vietnam

*''Heroes'' by

*''

'' by

*'' The Sorrow of War'' by

Bao Ninh Baozi (), Pao-tsih or bao, is a type of yeast-leavened filled bun in various Chinese cuisines. There are many variations in fillings (meat or vegetarian) and preparations, though the buns are most often steaming, steamed. They are a variation ...

*''Understanding Vietnam'' by Neil L Jamiesson *R. C. Majumdar, ''Champa'', ''Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East'', Vol.I, Lahore, 1927. Southeast Asian culture {{Lit-stub