The King Never Smiles. A Biography of Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej.
by HANDLEY, PAUL M
- Used
- Hardcover
- Condition
- See description
- ISBN 10
- 0300106823
- ISBN 13
- 9780300106824
- Seller
-
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New Haven.: Yale University Press.. 2006.. xi + 499pp, notes, index, faint marks on dust jacket and fore edge, a very good hardback copy. Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej, the only king ever born in the United States, came to the throne of his country in 1946 and is now the world's longest-serving monarch.
This book tells the unexpected story of his life and 60-year rule: how a Western-raised boy came to be seen by his people as a living Buddha; and how a king widely seen as beneficent and apolitical could in fact be so deeply political, autocratic, and even brutal.
Paul Handley provides an extensively researched, factual account of the king's youth and personal development, ascent to the throne, skilful political maneuverings, and attempt to shape Thailand as a Buddhist kingdom. Blasting apart the widely accepted image of the king as egalitarian and virtuous, Handley convincingly portrays an anti-democratic monarch who, together with allies in big business and the corrupt Thai military, has protected a centuries-old, barely-modified feudal dynasty. (Publisher's description.) .
This book tells the unexpected story of his life and 60-year rule: how a Western-raised boy came to be seen by his people as a living Buddha; and how a king widely seen as beneficent and apolitical could in fact be so deeply political, autocratic, and even brutal.
Paul Handley provides an extensively researched, factual account of the king's youth and personal development, ascent to the throne, skilful political maneuverings, and attempt to shape Thailand as a Buddhist kingdom. Blasting apart the widely accepted image of the king as egalitarian and virtuous, Handley convincingly portrays an anti-democratic monarch who, together with allies in big business and the corrupt Thai military, has protected a centuries-old, barely-modified feudal dynasty. (Publisher's description.) .
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Details
- Bookseller
- Asia Bookroom (AU)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 180299
- Title
- The King Never Smiles. A Biography of Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej.
- Author
- HANDLEY, PAUL M
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10
- 0300106823
- ISBN 13
- 9780300106824
- Publisher
- Yale University Press.
- Place of Publication
- New Haven.
- Date Published
- 2006.
- Keywords
- Biography, History, Politics, Royalty, Southeast Asia, Thailand, zz_Gallery_Out_of_Print_and_Secondhand_Books, zz_ListOn_eBay
Terms of Sale
Asia Bookroom
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About the Seller
Asia Bookroom
Biblio member since 2010
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
About Asia Bookroom
Asia Bookroom is a large open shop specialising in books on Asia. We also have smaller sections on the Middle East and the Pacific. Our stock ranges from antiquarian books through to new books. We also carry ephemera relating to Asia including an interesting range of 19th and 20th Century ephemera published in East Asia in English, Chinese and Japanese.
Asia Bookroom issues regular specialised book lists on Asia and invite you to let us know your interests so that we can let you know of new arrivals as they come in to stock. And if you are in Australia's capital city Canberra we hope you will visit our shop!
Asia Bookroom issues regular specialised book lists on Asia and invite you to let us know your interests so that we can let you know of new arrivals as they come in to stock. And if you are in Australia's capital city Canberra we hope you will visit our shop!
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