Southeast Asia sits between the Indian and Chinese worlds and borrowed from both, which is why its art and history are often studied through Buddhist and Hindu monuments such as Angkor, Borobudur and Pagan. Just as important, and far less written about, are the textiles, ritual objects and village crafts of the region's many peoples.
Useful second-hand finds include the Thai Culture Series pamphlets of the 1950s, museum catalogues of Indonesian and Bornean textiles, and the Cold War political studies of Laos and Vietnam that are now primary sources in their own right.
A History of South-East Asia — D. G. E. Hall, 1955. The classic narrative history of the region.
Books on Southeast Asia: Art & Culture in stock (44)
Mentawai shaman, keeper of the rain forest by Charles Lindsay — $13.28 Mentawai Shaman, Keeper of the Rain Forest (Aperture, 1992) is a photobook with journals by Charles Lindsay and a historical essay by Reimar Schefold.
Frontiers of Fear by Peter Boomgaard — $10.33 Frontiers of Fear: Tigers and People in the Malay World, 1600-1950 is a history by Peter Boomgaard, published by Yale University Press in 2001 in the Yale Agrarian Studies series.
Flames of devotion: oil lamps from South and Southeast Asia and the Himalayas by Sean Anderson — $8.29 Exhibition catalogue by Sean Anderson, published in 2006 by the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History (Fowler in Focus series), on oil lamps and incense burners from South and Southeast Asia and the Himalayas.
A Concise History of East Asia by C. P. FitzGerald — $28.49 A Concise History of East Asia is a survey history by C. P. FitzGerald, published by Praeger in its Praeger University Series in 1966.
The Symbolism of the Stupa by Adrian Snodgrass — $32.99 The Symbolism of the Stupa is a study by Adrian Snodgrass, published in 1985 by the Southeast Asia Program at Cornell University as part of its Studies on Southeast Asia series.
The women's warpath: Iban Ritual Fabrics from Borneo by Traude Gavin — $11.99 An exhibition catalogue from the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History (1996) by Traude Gavin on the ritual textiles woven by Iban women of Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo.
A concise history of Buddhist art in Siam by Reginald Le May — $12.99 A survey of Buddhist art in Thailand by Reginald Le May, A Concise History of Buddhist Art in Siam, first issued in 1938 and here in the Tuttle edition (169 pages).
Images of the Buddha in Thailand by Luang Boribal Buribhand and A.B. Griswold — $34.65 Images of the Buddha in Thailand by Luang Boribal Buribhand and A.B.
Temples of Gold: Seven Centuries of Thai Buddhist Paintings by Sankti Leksukhum — $57.95 Temples of Gold: Seven Centuries of Thai Buddhist Paintings by Santi Leksukhum, with photographs by Gilles Mermet, translated from the French by Kenneth D. Whitehead (Braziller, 2001).
North Vietnam and the Pathet Lao: Partners in the Struggle for Laos by Paul F. Langer and Joseph J. Zasloff — $66.50 A study of the communist movement in Laos by Paul F. Langer and Joseph J. Zasloff, North Vietnam and the Pathet Lao, published by Harvard University Press in 1970.
The End of Nowhere by Charles A. Stevenson — $57.00 The End of Nowhere: American Policy Toward Laos Since 1954 by Charles A. Stevenson, published by Beacon Press in 1972.
Government and Revolution in Vietnam by Dennis J. Duncanson — $15.19 A study of Vietnamese politics by Dennis J. Duncanson, Government and Revolution in Vietnam, published by Oxford University Press in 1968.
Lot of 6 Arts of Asia magazines, 1978-1979 — $47.50 A lot of six issues of Arts of Asia, the Hong Kong-based illustrated magazine of Asian art and antiques, covering May-June 1978 through November-December 1979.
Batik by Fred W. van Oss — $30.90 Batik: Sukma Jawa / De Ziel van Java / The Soul of Java is a 1996 book on Javanese batik by Fred W. van Oss, issued in connection with the Nederlands Textielmuseum.
Malaysians by Inche Mohamed Hoessein — $78.64 Malaysians is a hardcover book published in 1963 by The Shell Company of the Federation of Malaya Limited, credited to Inche Mohamed Hoessein.
Art of the World by Alexander B. Griswold and Chewon Kim — $28.49 The Art of Burma, Korea, Tibet is a survey of the arts of three Asian regions by Alexander B. Griswold (Burma), Chewon Kim (Korea) and Peter H. Pott (Tibet), published by Crown Publishers, New York, in 1964.
Thai Buddhism: Its Rites and Activities by Kenneth E. Wells — $47.49 Thai Buddhism: Its Rites and Activities is a study of Theravada Buddhist practice in Thailand by Kenneth E. Wells, published in 1960 by The Christian Bookstore (Bangkok).
The peoples of Bali by Urs Ramseyer, Albert Leemann, Angela Hobart — $30.80 The Peoples of Bali is an anthropological study by Angela Hobart, Urs Ramseyer and Albert Leemann, published by Blackwell in the series The Peoples of South-East Asia and the Pacific.
Angkor by Bernard Groslier and Jacques Arthaud — $30.38 The Arts and Civilization of Angkor is an illustrated study of the Khmer temples and art of Angkor in Cambodia by Bernard Groslier, with Jacques Arthaud credited on the title page, published by Frederick A. Praeger, New…
Hindu Deities in Thai art by Gauri Devi — $38.35 Hindu Deities in Thai Art is a study of Hindu gods and goddesses and their iconography in the art of Thailand, written by Gauri Devi and published in New Delhi in 1996 by the International Academy of Indian Culture and…
Burmese Family by Mi Mi Khaing — $13.99 Burmese Family is a 1962 account of Burmese family life by Mi Mi Khaing, published by Indiana University Press in Bloomington and illustrated by E. G. N. Kinch.
The Golden Road to Modernity: Village Life in Contemporary Burma by Manning Nash — $6.15 The Golden Road to Modernity: Village Life in Contemporary Burma is an anthropological study by Manning Nash of the University of Chicago, published by John Wiley & Sons in 1965.
The Gems of the East by A. Henry Savage Landor — $28.49 Travel account by the explorer and artist A. Henry Savage Landor, published by Harper & Brothers in 1904.
The Far Eastern Quarterly: Special Number on the Netherlands Indies by Earl H. Pritchard — $28.49 The Far Eastern Quarterly, Volume V, Number 2 (1946), a special number on the Netherlands Indies, edited by Earl H. Pritchard and published by Columbia University Press (233 pages).
Redjang Ka-Ga-Nga Texts by M. A. Jaspan — $28.49 Redjang Ka-Ga-Nga Texts by M. A. Jaspan, published by The Australian National University in 1964.
Pictorial Guide to Pagan by Archaeology Department — $28.49 Pictorial Guide to Pagan, second revised edition, published in 1979 by the Archaeology Department of the Ministry of Culture of the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma, with a fold-out map.
South-East Asia: Between Two Worlds by Tibor Mende — $7.77 South-East Asia: Between Two Worlds by Tibor Mende, published by Turnstile Press in 1955.
Pepper, Rice, and Elephants by Ruth M. Rickover — $12.37 Pepper, Rice, and Elephants: A Southeast Asian Journey from Celebes to Siam by Ruth Masters Rickover (Naval Institute Press, 1975, 308 pages), a travel narrative of a journey through Southeast Asia.
Tanah Air Kita by N. A. Douwes Dekker — $47.49 Tanah Air Kita by N. A. Douwes Dekker, published by N.V.
Southeast Asia in Transition by Columbia University School of International Affairs — $28.49 Southeast Asia in Transition, published in 1956 by the School of International Affairs, Columbia University.
Angkor by Jeannine Auboyer — $33.25 Angkor, by Jeannine Auboyer, published by Ediciones Polígrafa (1971).
Art of India and Southeast Asia by Hugo Munsterberg — $39.90 A survey of the art of India and Southeast Asia by Hugo Munsterberg, published by Harry N. Abrams in 1970.
Touby Lyfoung — $38.00 A biography of Touby Lyfoung by Dr. Touxa Lyfoung, published by Burgess Publishing in 1996.
Concerning the Situation in Laos by Various — $33.25 A pamphlet titled Concerning the Situation in Laos, published in English by the Foreign Languages Press in Beijing in 1959.