River of Time

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a classic - Rated
Jon Swain relates the fall of Phnom Penh on first hand, the five years of silence and speculation and the stories of many survivors after the liberation. He was there when the airport was closed, he left friends and he knew well the political forces in the area
The book is written in a clear tone, without political or moral opinions, and with a controlled emotion. The narration of the events and the stories of common people give a series of images that left a strong imprint on me. The book is a classic on this period and I recommend it.

A gruesome tale, but an outstanding book - Rated
I have read Jon Swain's book 'River of Time' a number of times. It is an incredibly moving story. Young journalist makes his way to Indochina to cover the wars in Vietnam and Cambodia in the course of which he becomes emotionally attached to the place. I guess Jon Swain will never be able to detach himself emotionally from Indo-China. You can read that right through the whole book.

'River of Time' is a gruesome tale. Jon Swain gives a vivid description of the civil war in Cambodia, the fall of Phnom Penh and the final days at the French Embassy (also depicted in 'The Killing Fields' and in Francois Bizot's 'The Gate') and the end of Khmer Rouge rule in 1979 and the day after. He also covers the Vietnam War quite well and its end and gives a most horrendous account on the boat people and their fate. Swain's kidnapping by the Tigre People's Liberation Front in Ethiopia seems oddly out of place with this Indo-China tale, but to me it seemed emotionally important for understanding the rest of the book.

For anyone interested in Indo-China this is compulsory reading.

Simply wonderful - Rated
Having spent a great deal of time in SE Asia, I picked up this book with some trepidation: since Michael Herr's brilliant "Dispatches" there have been an awful lot of derivative books about gung-ho boys with toys running around getting shot at during the Vietnam War. This though, was different. This does cover the war, and its effects on the region, but the slant is much more personal and thoughful. Swain realises that there is an entrenched culture of beauty and delicacy mixed with a near-veneration for death and auto-destruction. This book has come closer to understanding the people and culture of the area than any other book i can remember. The book's observations of the profound changes which the region has gone through is spot-on. More importantly, this is a love-letter to a lost land, to lost lovers and friends. The passion and deep romanticism are very moving. I can't remember the last time i read a book so sensitive and delicate.

If you want to understand what European hubris has done to world, you must read this. Is this travel writing? a love story? a war story? all of them, but it doesnt matter. Read this, and then tell your friends to read it too.

A truly wonderful book - Rated
I read this book after a three week trip to Vietnam and Cambodia at the end of last year (and having had numerous badly photocopied versions thrust at me on the streets of Saigon!) I had visited many of the places that Jon wrote about and, like him and many many others, was captivated by it all in a way that is difficult to put your finger on. This book is nothing less than a love story but a very sad and poignant one - you can literally feel Jon's heartache as he realises that the countries have been changed forever by the massive political upheaval and events throughout the 1970s, which he witnessed so closely.

I think the book spoke to me more because I had recently visited the area but I would like to think that other readers would enjoy it despite having not gone there. It is beautifully written but in an easy style - I read it over a few evenings. It is the sort of book you can't put down but don't want it to end. The circumstances of reading it obviously influenced me greatly but this is definitely one of the best books that I have ever read. Highly recommended.

A very rewarding book - Rated
I wanted this book to last forever, a very personal account and very well written.