New books, MySpace and Skype

Book publishers Routledge bring out about 1,000 new books every year and have just published Expressions of Cambodia - The politics of tradition, identity and change. Its a 224 page look at contemporary Cambodian culture at home and abroad with international contributors like Robert Turnbull who looks at the revival of the traditional arts, or Ian Harris who investigates Cambodian Buddhism since the end of the DK regime. The editors are University of Sydney based Tim Winter and Siem Reap resident Leakthina Chau-Pech Ollier. Also coming out of the Routledge stable this year have been Rice Plus and Family Solidarity by Susan H Lee, which focused on rural Cambodian widows, and Colonial Cambodia's Bad Frenchmen - The rise of French rule and the life story of Thomas Caraman 1840-1887. Gregor Mueller, who lives on an island in the Mekong, wrote the latter book.

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I can't recall whether I've mentioned it before, but a few months ago I joined the thousands who've registered themselves on MySpace.com and I have my own homepage at www.myspace.com/andybrouwer. Pop by and add me as a friend if you have nothing better to do! Actually, I've 'met' a bunch of very nice people through MySpace and you may be plesasantly surprised to find who else has a MySpace page.

On the 'connecting with friends around the world' theme, I've also just hooked up with Skype.com and you can skype me at And2007. I'm only on chat at the moment until I get off my butt and buy myself a headset and microphone. However, it's good to talk....