Thailand Confidential

"e;Wanna stand in the face of a charging elephant, get hit by a motorcycle, eat giant water bugs, blowtorch your mouth on some of the hottest chili peppers on earth, then go watch a sex change operation? Of course you don't, but, happily, Jerry Hopkins has done all that and more--lots more--in this darkly humorous, deeply affectionate, clear-eyed but never patronizing portrait of Thailand, his adopted home. Highly recommended."e; --Tim Cahill, author of Lost in My Own Backyard, Hold the Enlightenment and Jaguars Ripped My Flesh"e;After over a decade in the country, Hopkins knows and loves his subject dearly--that much is obvious--and his vivid portrait projects that love from every page."e; --Jann Wenner, editor and founder of Rolling Stone Magazine "e;A loving expose of everything that's wonderful about Thailand, and much that isn't. Should be required reading for all newcomers."e; --Joe Cummings, author of the Lonely Planet Thailand Guide Writer Jerry Hopkins came to Thailand for a visit in the 1980s, and ended up a permanent resident with a temporary visa--a big, white farang haunting the bars and back alleys of Bangkok. His essays explore the mystery and mayhem of "e;The Land of Smiles"e; to hilarious--and sometimes disturbing--effect. Travel with him to a place where whisky is rum, water buffaloes are gay, insects are dinner, dildos are lucky charms, and your wildest adolescent fantasies can come true (for a nominal fee).