Dragons on the Roof: Unravelling Vietnam

Travel

Howland, Carol

Asia

Mynah Bird Books

<p>A unique portrait of Vietnam's oldest capital city. Described by the author as 'a tribute of love', HANOI OF A THOUSAND YEARS is an enthralling chronicle of how Hanoi developed from a tribal trading post to a feudal kingdom, its Old Town spreading from the imperial citadel as villages moved their craftsmen to the new capital. With a keen grasp of history, journalist and travel writer Carol Howland leads us through these thousand-year-old lanes, one by one, and strolls with us around Hanoi's picturesque lake, relating how its surroundings evolved over a thousand years. She shows us through Hanoi's thousand-year-old university temple, predating those in Europe and recounts how the French so dramatically changed the face of Hanoi. We also wander through the sites relating to Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam's struggle for independence, not forgetting the subtleties of Hanoi's iconic noodle soup, pho. This history-lite exploration of Hanoi is recorded through the fascinating stories of the historic figures who lived it. A book that starts where guidebooks end.</p>

Hanoi of a Thousand Years

<p>Few visitors to Hoi An realize that this charming old port town on a river is two thousand years old. It is also a World Heritage Site for having possibly the finest old wooden shop houses remaining in all of Asia. In SECRETS OF HOI AN, journalist and travel writer Carol Howland winkles out the past through the stories of those who passed through and sometimes stayed, the Chinese, the Japanese, the Viets from the North, even Marco Polo and later, the Portuguese, the French, the Dutch and the British. From the prehistoric inhabitants who produced beautiful jewellery to the present-day residents who create fine embroidery 'pictures', the best silk tailoring and some of the most delicious food in all of Vietnam, the author explores these old streets and houses and describes Hoi An's turbulent history. Local residents relate their family histories and nearby is another World Heritage Site, the intriguing, pre-Angkor temple ruins of Myson, built by the Cham people. The writer delves into the still contentious past of the Chams and relates the extraordinary experiences of those archaeologists who first re-discovered Myson.</p>

Secrets of Hoi An: Vietnam's Historic Port

Hue is one of Vietnam's treasures, a city that until fairly recently was the royal capital. So naturally, there is a strong legacy of court life in the architecture, the cuisine, even in the manners of this elegant city on the Perfume River. With a keen grasp of Hue's turbulent history and a deep appreciation of its remaining imperial architecture – a World Heritage Site – journalist and travel writer Carol Howland is the perfect guide to Hue's unique palaces, gardens, food, theatre, literature, crafts, and religions. She explains why and how the French eventually seized control of Vietnam, here in Hue, and the dramatic effects this had on the royal family and the people of Hue. She relates the stories of their grandparents and even receives a history lesson from one of the men who might have become emperor. She reveals the daily life of a Nguyen emperor and the exotic foods of an imperial banquet. Infinitely insightful, HUE, VIETNAM'S LAST IMPERIAL CAPITAL will appeal to anyone intrigued by an elaborate, feudal, oriental court life, only recently disappeared.

Hue: Vietnam's Last Imperial Capital

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Books by Mynah Bird Books

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Mynah Bird Books publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Dragons on the Roof: Unravelling Vietnam

Hanoi of a Thousand Years

Secrets of Hoi An: Vietnam's Historic Port

Hue: Vietnam's Last Imperial Capital