Howl Cambodia - A tribute to the word
  • Home
  • Writers & Readers Festival
  • Monsoon Solitaire
  • Events
  • Reviews
  • About Us
Home
Writers & Readers Festival
Monsoon Solitaire
Events
Reviews
About Us
Howl Cambodia - A tribute to the word
  • Home
  • Writers & Readers Festival
  • Monsoon Solitaire
  • Events
  • Reviews
  • About Us
Libri & Verbis

Howl’s No. 4: The Mekong Review

December 23, 2019 by Wayne No Comments

Okay, not a book, but still one of the finest sources of writing of and about the greater Mekong region in this or any other year (with the occasional foray into Japan and surrounds).

Cambodia and the region is very fortunate indeed to have the MR which, every three months ensures that fortune shines upon us, with the alighting of a new edition onto the shelves of the more discerning outlets of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

Launched in November 2015, at the very first Kampot Writers and Readers Festival (Howl was there 🙂 ), then and in the years since Minh Bui Jones and his team have moved mountains and type-face to get the latest issue to us.

In 2019 its reviews and articles were augmented by some of the best reportage and analysis of the crisis engulfing Hong Kong. Perceptive, detailed and heart-felt, the Mekong Review and its sister website ‘Mekong Teahouse’, reigned supreme as sources of information and clarity on the events occurring to our north.

‘Five demands, not one less / Four editions, not one less’

Thank you Mekong Review

Share:
Reading time: 1 min
Libri & Verbis

Howl’s No. 5: Battle for Skyline Ridge: The CIA Secret War in Laos

by Wayne No Comments

James E. Parker

In late 1971 the People’s Army of Vietnam (NVA) launched Campaign “Z” into northern Laos, escalating the war in this country with the aim of defeating the last Royal Lao Army troops and the Hmong irregulars supported by the CIA. General Giap’s orders included the destruction of the CIA-sponsored Hmong army, under command of the indigenous warlord Vang Pao, and the occupation of his headquarters in the Long Tieng valley of northeast Laos (once known as the ‘most secret place on earth’). To accomplish this the NVA would need to take the strategic Skyline Ridge.

Despite the odds being overwhelmingly in favour of the NVA, the battle did not go to plan, and although it raged for more than 100 days—the longest of any battle in the second Indo-Chinese War—the North Vietnamese failed to take the ridge, the pivotal objective that would have assured them victory. 

Authored by James Parker, who served in Laos with the CIA and who, unfortunately, died three months prior to publication, the book reflects his values and biases, but in bringing the battle to light he succeeds in drawing attention to an engagement, its combatants and history, that would have otherwise remained largely unknown.

Share:
Reading time: 1 min

Recent Posts

Play Stupid Games

Play Stupid Games

June 2, 2022
Noum banh chok

Noum banh chok

November 30, 2021
Monsoon: An Essay

Monsoon: An Essay

November 24, 2021
Monsoon Wave

Monsoon Wave

November 22, 2021
Write, Drink, Gamble.

Write, Drink, Gamble.

Instagram

Follow on Instagram

Archives

  • June 2022
  • November 2021
  • August 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • March 2019

Categories

  • Call of the Word
  • Events
  • Libri & Verbis
  • Lockdown Diaries
  • Monsoon Solitaire
  • Reviews
  • Uncategorized
  • Writers & Readers Festival

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Follow on Instagram

© 2017 copyright PREMIUMCODING // All rights reserved
Lavander was made with love by Premiumcoding