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The Nile on eBay   The King Never Smiles by Paul M. Handley Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej, the only king ever born in the United States, came to the throne of his country in 194… Mehr…

The Nile on eBay   The King Never Smiles by Paul M. Handley Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej, the only king ever born in the United States, came to the throne of his country in 1946 and at the time of his death, in October 2016, was the world's longest serving monarch. Now out in paperback with a new preface by author Paul Handley, The King Never Smiles is the first independent biography of Thailand's monarch, tells the unexpected story of Bhumibol's life and seventy 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 and autocratic. Paul Handley provides an extensively researched, factual account of the king's youth and personal development, ascent to the throne, skillful political maneuverings, and attempt to shape Thailand as a Buddhist kingdom. Handley takes full note of Bhumibol's achievements in art, in sports, and in jazz, and he credits the king's lifelong dedication to rural development and the livelihoods of his poorest subjects. But, looking beyond the widely accepted image of the king as egalitarian and virtuous, Handley portrays an anti democratic monarch who, together with allies in big business and the corrupt Thai military, protected a centuries old, barely modified feudal dynasty. When at nineteen Bhumibol assumed the throne, the Thai monarchy had been stripped of power and prestige. Over the ensuing decades, Bhumibol became the paramount political actor in the kingdom, silencing critics while winning the hearts and minds of his people. The book details this process and depicts Thailand's unique constitutional monarch—his life, his thinking, and his ruling philosophy. FORMATPaperback LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Review "Little wonder that before Paul Handley no one had really pried into the king's sleeping habits, let alone the state of his marriage or political views. The story he uncovers is fascinating."—Economist"A new and comprehensive history of the Thai modern monarchy . . . [which] presents a direct counterpoint to years of methodical royal image-making."—Jane Perlez, The Sunday Telegraph"Thailand's reigning monarch has just celebrated his sixty-year jubilee and this is the first serious biography of him. . . . It is key to understanding the extraordinary events of the past year. . . . For too long, the issue of the monarchy has been the prone elephant that analysts of Thai history and politics have had to treat carefully around. That era should now pass. . . . In sum, this is the classic story of an exceptional man recrafting a monarchy against the grain of an era. But with a difference."—Chris Baker, Asia Sentinel"[Handley's] biography of King Bhumibol Adulyadej succeeds in engrossing the reader with the complex personality of the Thai king and his long and eventful life. . . . The chapters on political turbulence in Thailand between 1974-76, and on the impact of the 1997 financial crisis, find Mr. Handley at his analytic best. . . . Mr. Handley also has some important remarks on the uses and abuses of the lese majesté laws in Thailand."—Grant Evans, Far Eastern Economic Review Review Quote "Little wonder that before Paul Handley no one had really pried into the king's sleeping habits, let alone the state of his marriage or political views. The story he uncovers is fascinating."-- Economist "A new and comprehensive history of the Thai modern monarchy . . . [which] presents a direct counterpoint to years of methodical royal image-making."--Jane Perlez, The Sunday Telegraph "A significant contribution to the sparse literature on Bhumibol. . . . Highly recommended."-- Choice "A critique of the world's longest reigning monarch and his machinations for domination at the cost of scruples. It unveils the throne's self-protecting alliances with army bosses, drug dealers, bankers, monopolists, and the C.I.A., and evaluates the long-term damage done to Thai politics by the king's obsession for controlling state and society."--Sreeram Chaulia, Worldpress.org "Handley, an American journalist who reported from Bangkok for many years, has written one of the most important books on Thailand to appear in English."--Ian Buruma, New York Review of Books "This work is essential to understanding Thailand's modern political history and, particularly, the latest coup. Just as important, and perhaps more ominous, the book raises questions about how Thailand will adjust to its first real change in government in more than 60 years without the leadership of the 79-year-old king."--Major Dewayne Creamer, Proceedings/U.S. Naval Institute "The first serious biography of perhaps the most important figure in modern Thai history."--James Ockey, Pacific Affairs "Written by a journalist who resided in the Kingdom for thirteen years, it is exceptionally well written and reflects a deep knowledge of Thai politics and history. . . . The King Never Smiles is a daring, landmark work, clearly based on extensive research, which deserves much praise. It joins a small but growing body of proactive literature relating to kingship and politics in Thailand today and is certainly the most critical of anything previously published. As such it should compel future writers on Thailand to pay heed to the contemporary role of monarchy in Thai culture, society and politics."--P.W. Chambers, Contemporary Southeast Asia "Widely regarded as the definitive biography."--Michael Sullivan, Senior Asia Correspondent, National Public Radio Description for Bookstore This is the first independent account of Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-serving monarch. Paul Handley looks beyond the image of a virtuous and apolitical monarch, revealing instead a political and anti-democratic king. Details ISBN0300228309 Author Paul M. Handley Publisher Yale University Press Year 2017 ISBN-10 0300228309 ISBN-13 9780300228304 Format Paperback Imprint Yale University Press Subtitle A Biography of Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej Place of Publication New Haven Country of Publication United States DEWEY 959.3044092 Short Title The King Never Smiles Language English Pages 520 NZ Release Date 2017-01-03 US Release Date 2017-01-03 Publication Date 2017-01-03 UK Release Date 2017-01-03 Alternative 9780300106824 Audience General AU Release Date 2017-01-02 We've got thisAt The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it.With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:132104255; , Festpreisangebot, [LT: FixedPrice], Format: Paperback, Language: English, ISBN-13: 9780300228304, Book Title: The King Never Smiles<