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Sightseeing
The national bestseller by the award-winning Thai American author. "A brilliant collection . . . brimming with sharp-clawed survival lessons" (Los Angeles Times).
Set in contemporary Thailand, these are generous, radiant tales of family bonds, youthful romance, generational conflicts, and cultural shiftings beneath the glossy surface of a warm, Edenic setting. Written with exceptional acuity, grace, and sophistication, the stories present a nation far removed from its exoticized stereotypes. In the prize-winning opening story "Farangs," the son of a beachside motel owner commits the cardinal sin of falling for a pretty American tourist. In the novella, "Cockfighter," a young girl witnesses her proud father's valiant but foolhardy battle against a local delinquent whose family has a vicious stranglehold on the villagers.
Through his vivid assemblage of parents and children, natives and transients, ardent lovers and sworn enemies, Lapcharoensap dares us to look with new eyes at the circumstances that shape our views and the prejudices that form our blind spots. Gorgeous and lush, painful and candid, Sightseeing is an extraordinary reading experience, one that powerfully reveals that when it comes to how we respond to pain, anger, hurt, and love, no place is too far from home.
"Lapcharoensap is a commanding, animated tour guide, and a lot more than that—he can write with the bait and the hook of genuine talent . . . [He] has a gift for the detail that catches not only his Thai milieu but teenage life everywhere." —Darin Strauss, The New York Times Book Review
Set in contemporary Thailand, these are generous, radiant tales of family bonds, youthful romance, generational conflicts, and cultural shiftings beneath the glossy surface of a warm, Edenic setting. Written with exceptional acuity, grace, and sophistication, the stories present a nation far removed from its exoticized stereotypes. In the prize-winning opening story "Farangs," the son of a beachside motel owner commits the cardinal sin of falling for a pretty American tourist. In the novella, "Cockfighter," a young girl witnesses her proud father's valiant but foolhardy battle against a local delinquent whose family has a vicious stranglehold on the villagers.
Through his vivid assemblage of parents and children, natives and transients, ardent lovers and sworn enemies, Lapcharoensap dares us to look with new eyes at the circumstances that shape our views and the prejudices that form our blind spots. Gorgeous and lush, painful and candid, Sightseeing is an extraordinary reading experience, one that powerfully reveals that when it comes to how we respond to pain, anger, hurt, and love, no place is too far from home.
"Lapcharoensap is a commanding, animated tour guide, and a lot more than that—he can write with the bait and the hook of genuine talent . . . [He] has a gift for the detail that catches not only his Thai milieu but teenage life everywhere." —Darin Strauss, The New York Times Book Review
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2004
About the author
Rattawut Lapcharoensap
11 books102 followersRattawut Lapcharoensap was born in Chicago in 1979 and raised in Bangkok. He currently lives in Brooklyn and teaches high-school English. ‘Farangs’, his first published story, appeared in Granta 84. Since then, his work has been published in several literary magazines, as well as in Best New American Voices 2005 and Best American Nonrequired Reading 2005. His short-story collection Sightseeing was selected for the National Book Foundation’s ‘5 Under 35’ programme, won the Asian American Literary Award and was also shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 480 reviews
April 21, 2019
A compelling collection of short stories by an underappreciated Thai-American writer. These seven stories, all set in Thailand, reveal the love and complexities of human relationships, from friend to friend, father to daughter, son to mother, and more. I most love the way Rattawut Lapcharoensap captures sorrow in these stories. Sorrow encompasses this collection, such as the sorrow of a son witnessing his mother's vision deteriorate, a boy seeing his friend get drafted to the military, and a daughter losing her father to a gambling addiction. Lapcharoensap constructs these characters' sorrow in such a beautiful, quiet way, capturing the depth, magnitude, and stillness of the emotion without sensationalizing it. His honoring of these characters' sorrows gives room for other emotions to enter sometimes, like hope and acceptance.
Overall, a wonderful collection I would recommend to anyone interested in stories about relationships between people. We need more books like this that center Thai perspectives without exotification or fetishization. I also appreciated the themes of socioeconomic privilege, masculinity, and xenophobia that ran through some of these stories. Though Lapcharoensap has not published a book since this one came out in 2005, I hope to read more of his work in the future. I hope he honors the wonder of this collection even if he does not publish another book.
Overall, a wonderful collection I would recommend to anyone interested in stories about relationships between people. We need more books like this that center Thai perspectives without exotification or fetishization. I also appreciated the themes of socioeconomic privilege, masculinity, and xenophobia that ran through some of these stories. Though Lapcharoensap has not published a book since this one came out in 2005, I hope to read more of his work in the future. I hope he honors the wonder of this collection even if he does not publish another book.
October 15, 2012
I have many feelings about this collection of short stories. This isn't something that I could read with a light, easy heart. Indeed, I'm not sure that it was a wise choice to read it all in a day, and I don't think I'll read it again for a while; it's all still working on me.
Oh, but don't be thinking it's a bad book. It is a substantial, worthy, important book. I shall straightforwardly say that it is important for Thai authors to be read worldwide. This is not mere tokenism or naive national pride: no, it simply makes sense for Thai people to be heard when they tell their own stories.
It is also because the vast majority of books about Thailand in the Western market seems to comprise white Western male authors writing about the exploitation of Thai women and kathoey (especially sex workers) in a dirty, corrupt Bangkok, all with lovingly emetic detail. Obviously I won't deny the existence of sex tourism, crime, or pollution in Thailand, but to depict it purely as a grim hell-hole where Thai people are abject and duplicitous is sensationalistic and Othering.
I find it extremely strange that some of these white Western men are well-off expats actually living in Thailand, and yet they largely write only those sorts of things. These books, along with variations of 'The King And I,' form much of the Thai literature known in the English-speaking Western world. This is unfortunate. It contributes to an image of Thailand that is nothing like the one I and other Thai people know.
The Thailand I visit - both the physical and mental landscape as told and shown by Thai friends and family - is rather closer in general rythm and dynamic to that of Rattawut's work. This does not mean that it is rosy and perfect; far from it. In fact, the main driving force of Rattawut's stories is, I think, suffering. It is how people from different parts of Thai society respond to suffering, how they bear it, how it affects their loved ones, suffering inflicted from the outside and the kind that grips from inside you. Sometimes the degree of the pain and the resulting trauma pile-up verges on lakhorn nam nao, but there's always a taut smile somewhere, a wise word, a moment of rescue and refuge which keeps it from being sheer misery-porn.
If people apparently enjoy reading about cut-up Thai women so much, why not read this kind of suffering? The body of Thai women is not some thing to be exoticised, violated and destroyed just for manpain. Indeed, the women in the vast majority of Rattawut's stories do not die, are not raped, and are not maimed horribly. This is an extremely low bar to set, though. How about this: Thai women get to speak with their own voices, often making the sharpest observations on various subjects. Thai women support each other and rescue each other. They are mothers, businesswomen, sex workers, wives, students. They are a diverse group of people. Rattawut brings this out well, even if he still seems to skew the focus more towards men and boys.
The writing - clear, with some nice imagery and a good dash of wit. Also I like the dialogue, sprinkled with Thai.
The story which brought the most mixed and strong reaction from me was 'Don't Let Me Die In This Place,' about a white expat's grumpy old father living with him in Thailand with his mixed family. The attitude displayed by the grandfather - the stock Racist Old Grandpa - is one which is, unfortunately, familiar to me. Predictably, it's about the Racist Old Grandpa learning to be slightly less obnoxious and starting to accept his family and vice versa. The part where the old man seeing his big white son with his tiny Thai daughter-in-law dancing and realising that their love seemed brave made me feel strange on a personal level. I suppose it was good that he recognised this; however, why should their love be validated by this?... I won't go on.
I personally could never rate a book just according to its "unputdownable"-ness, its simple happy-factor enjoyability, how easy it is for you to inhabit the very pages as one curls up with an old, still-wanted lover. To always conflate what you like with what is good is not wise. I may not have liked every single aspect of the book, and many stories made me feel deeply unhappy and confused. But it doesn't mean that I should then immediately dismiss this book as unimportant: it is largely well-crafted, challenging and substantial.
(and I'll never think of or suan in the same way again!)
Oh, but don't be thinking it's a bad book. It is a substantial, worthy, important book. I shall straightforwardly say that it is important for Thai authors to be read worldwide. This is not mere tokenism or naive national pride: no, it simply makes sense for Thai people to be heard when they tell their own stories.
It is also because the vast majority of books about Thailand in the Western market seems to comprise white Western male authors writing about the exploitation of Thai women and kathoey (especially sex workers) in a dirty, corrupt Bangkok, all with lovingly emetic detail. Obviously I won't deny the existence of sex tourism, crime, or pollution in Thailand, but to depict it purely as a grim hell-hole where Thai people are abject and duplicitous is sensationalistic and Othering.
I find it extremely strange that some of these white Western men are well-off expats actually living in Thailand, and yet they largely write only those sorts of things. These books, along with variations of 'The King And I,' form much of the Thai literature known in the English-speaking Western world. This is unfortunate. It contributes to an image of Thailand that is nothing like the one I and other Thai people know.
The Thailand I visit - both the physical and mental landscape as told and shown by Thai friends and family - is rather closer in general rythm and dynamic to that of Rattawut's work. This does not mean that it is rosy and perfect; far from it. In fact, the main driving force of Rattawut's stories is, I think, suffering. It is how people from different parts of Thai society respond to suffering, how they bear it, how it affects their loved ones, suffering inflicted from the outside and the kind that grips from inside you. Sometimes the degree of the pain and the resulting trauma pile-up verges on lakhorn nam nao, but there's always a taut smile somewhere, a wise word, a moment of rescue and refuge which keeps it from being sheer misery-porn.
If people apparently enjoy reading about cut-up Thai women so much, why not read this kind of suffering? The body of Thai women is not some thing to be exoticised, violated and destroyed just for manpain. Indeed, the women in the vast majority of Rattawut's stories do not die, are not raped, and are not maimed horribly. This is an extremely low bar to set, though. How about this: Thai women get to speak with their own voices, often making the sharpest observations on various subjects. Thai women support each other and rescue each other. They are mothers, businesswomen, sex workers, wives, students. They are a diverse group of people. Rattawut brings this out well, even if he still seems to skew the focus more towards men and boys.
The writing - clear, with some nice imagery and a good dash of wit. Also I like the dialogue, sprinkled with Thai.
The story which brought the most mixed and strong reaction from me was 'Don't Let Me Die In This Place,' about a white expat's grumpy old father living with him in Thailand with his mixed family. The attitude displayed by the grandfather - the stock Racist Old Grandpa - is one which is, unfortunately, familiar to me. Predictably, it's about the Racist Old Grandpa learning to be slightly less obnoxious and starting to accept his family and vice versa. The part where the old man seeing his big white son with his tiny Thai daughter-in-law dancing and realising that their love seemed brave made me feel strange on a personal level. I suppose it was good that he recognised this; however, why should their love be validated by this?... I won't go on.
I personally could never rate a book just according to its "unputdownable"-ness, its simple happy-factor enjoyability, how easy it is for you to inhabit the very pages as one curls up with an old, still-wanted lover. To always conflate what you like with what is good is not wise. I may not have liked every single aspect of the book, and many stories made me feel deeply unhappy and confused. But it doesn't mean that I should then immediately dismiss this book as unimportant: it is largely well-crafted, challenging and substantial.
(and I'll never think of or suan in the same way again!)
May 9, 2019
This book of short stories set in Thailand has been on my shelves since 2012, and I finally got to it for my 2019 Asian reading project. These are slice of life stories and a novella about cockfighting. They remind me a lot of the book of short stories set in Hawaii I read last year, where the locals are the focus.
The author was born in Chicago and raised in Thailand, so these stories are not translations but still feel like an inside perspective.
The author was born in Chicago and raised in Thailand, so these stories are not translations but still feel like an inside perspective.
November 11, 2020
Totally captivating collection of short stories! A Thai-American writer, but the stories are pure Thailand and set at the heart of the culture. Maybe it is partly because I have lived here for so long now that they really resonate,and for me, it doesn’t get much better than this.
July 25, 2020
Most of the books related to Thailand that I could find for a reading challenge were by westerners and were about tourism, quite a few about sex tourism. So I was glad to come upon this collection of short stories set in Thailand, written by a Chicago-born Thai-American, raised in Bangkok, and pleasantly surprised at how good it is.
Five of the seven stories feature a Thai boy or young man and deal with universal issues of family, growing up, sex, and loss. In the exceptional and poignant title story, a college-age son travels with his mother, who is going blind. "Don't Let Me Die in this Place" is in the voice of an American post-stroke codger coming to terms with moving to Bangkok to live with his son, Thai daughter-in-law, and the "mongrel" grandchildren. The novella-length "Cockfighter" is the only story from the perspective of a woman, in this case a schoolgirl whose father's gambling addiction threatens to tear her family apart.
Lapcharoensap, who teaches writing at Sarah Lawrence College, is a little bit of an enigma. I find online clues that he published a second book, a novel entitled End of Siam, but I can't find any reviews or copies for sale. I highly recommend Sightseeing and hope to read more of the author's work someday.
Five of the seven stories feature a Thai boy or young man and deal with universal issues of family, growing up, sex, and loss. In the exceptional and poignant title story, a college-age son travels with his mother, who is going blind. "Don't Let Me Die in this Place" is in the voice of an American post-stroke codger coming to terms with moving to Bangkok to live with his son, Thai daughter-in-law, and the "mongrel" grandchildren. The novella-length "Cockfighter" is the only story from the perspective of a woman, in this case a schoolgirl whose father's gambling addiction threatens to tear her family apart.
Lapcharoensap, who teaches writing at Sarah Lawrence College, is a little bit of an enigma. I find online clues that he published a second book, a novel entitled End of Siam, but I can't find any reviews or copies for sale. I highly recommend Sightseeing and hope to read more of the author's work someday.
December 22, 2024
I’m glad to have read a punchy and well-written short story collection to bring me out of this low rating rut I’ve been in. I found most of the stories to be insightful zingers, especially “Farangs,” “Draft Day,” and “Sightseeing” (which was my favorite). The only one I started to lose interest in was “Cockfighter;” I felt like it spun in circles a bit and ventured more into novella territory than the others. That being said, I enjoyed experiencing these thoughtful glimpses into Thai culture and life.
June 5, 2017
This is a really exceptional collection of short stories (well, in actuality, 6 short stories and a novella) ... and I say that as someone who doesn't generally appreciate the shorter format. Lapcharoensap has an uncanny ability to channel characters & narrators from widely varying backgrounds - from an elderly white semi-racist stroke victim (in 'Please Don't Let Me Die in This Place'), to a Thai teenage girl coping with her gambler father (in 'Cockfighter'), to a young refugee girl with gold-plated teeth (in 'Priscilla the Cambodian'). Two of these stories ('At the Café Lovely' and 'Draft Day') were loosely adapted for the very fine independent film 'How to Win at Checkers (Every Time)', which is also worth seeking out. Oddly, given his inherent talent and the praise this initial collection garnered back in 2005, the author has only published two short stories in magazines since. One hopes we'll be hearing from this talented author again very soon.
January 8, 2026
Тропічний коктейль у текстовій формі
У ті часи, коли я ще пила алкоголь, занесло мене якось у турецький Мармарис. На відпочинок. Чудове місце. Кажуть, колись дуже давно там проходили тектонічні зсуви чи то навіть сходив льодовик — сили природи добряче попрацювали над суходолом. Відтоді він такий мальовничий. Весь у маленьких бухтах, ніби якийсь велетенський різьбяр вирізав берег, як діти викроюють сніжинки з паперу.
Там можна було лежати на пляжі, а навколо спека і така краса! Парадиз: сонце, море, зелень… А офіціанти підносили красивезні коктейлі — тільки давай гроші. Популярних напоїв було три: зелено-білий «Мохіто», полуничний «Дайкірі» у келиху із зацукрованим краєм і також легендарний «Секс на пляжі». Останній особливо запам’ятався, адже його подавали у бокалі у формі оголеної жіночої натури. Він був яскравого кольору, помаранчево-вогняний, із купою парасольок, соломинок і ще бозна-чого. Звичайно, всі вони — кожен по-своєму — вдаряли по смакових рецепторах і в голову.
Пройшло багато років, і навряд чи я б про ті коктейлі згадала, якби не взялася читати книжку, яка за відчуттями — ну копія тих напоїв, тільки у текстовій формі! Напевно, це дуже дивне порівняння, але воно дуже точне — на мій погляд. Я саме так відчуваю.
Книжка називається «Sightseeing» (можна перекласти як «Огляд визначних місць»), і написав її тайський автор Rattawut Lapcharoensap. Зверніть увагу, що це чоловік, нам ця інформація потім знадобиться. Твір сучасний, вперше його було опубліковано у 2005 році. В українському перекладі немає, як і немає майже жодної тайської книжки взагалі. Власне, це одна з причин, чому я цікавлюсь тайською літературою: для мене і для українців загалом це малозвідана територія. Якщо хочете, то я бачу це навіть як свого роду читацьку експедицію. Ось я прочитала — і розповідаю вам, що там.
Саме «Sightseeing» я взяла читати, бо хотіла побачити, як тайські автори пишуть зараз. Про інший, більш давній, вже класичний тайський твір я вже писала раніше.
Так от, про «Sightseeing». Неймовірна книжка. Яскрава, вибухова. Вау. Це як замовити всі коктейлі відразу! Це кілька історій про життя людей. Звичайних людей, які у своїй звичності фантастичні. Зрештою, як і кожен з нас. Увесь антураж книжки — це теж парадиз. Спека, туристи, слони, пальми, море, манго і декоративна свинка на повідку — все це так контрастує з «правильністю», «затиснутістю у футляр», наприклад, Європи.
Ось ця хаотичність, вона ж життєдайність, вона ж ірраціональність людської натури, породжує такі прості і такі неймовірні розклади, що я читала — втискалася у крісло, брови на чоло, кусала костяшки пальців — і не могла відірватися. Там таке робиться! Мати василева! Кожне наступне речення — це щось таке, що найменше можна було передбачити. Часто на межі морального й аморального. Займатися сексом на спині у священної тварини слона? Піти до проститутки і взяти з собою дитину, бо малий дуже просився? Як вам таке?..
Але це тільки перший шар. І це знову схоже на коктейль.
Потім я стала помічати другий шар історій. Вони всі мають дуже глибокий зміст. Наприклад, про те, що — і це у нас спільне з тайцями — покоління людей середнього віку часто мусить бути батьками своїм власним батькам. Або про роль жінок у суспільстві. Про чоловічий егоїзм, через який страждають не так самі чоловіки, як їхні близькі… Це дуже по-особливому звучить з-під пера автора-чоловіка... Про неідеальність кожного з нас і про те, що до життя немає інструкції.
Це дуже класна книжка. І весела, і сумна, і дуже цікава, і розумна. Єдиний її недолік — після неї мені тепер ще довго усі інші твори здаватимуться доволі сірими.
Якщо у вас є можливість, прочитайте. Особливо рекомендую тим, хто любить усе південне і тропічний вибух барв, емоцій та життя в усіх його проявах.
У ті часи, коли я ще пила алкоголь, занесло мене якось у турецький Мармарис. На відпочинок. Чудове місце. Кажуть, колись дуже давно там проходили тектонічні зсуви чи то навіть сходив льодовик — сили природи добряче попрацювали над суходолом. Відтоді він такий мальовничий. Весь у маленьких бухтах, ніби якийсь велетенський різьбяр вирізав берег, як діти викроюють сніжинки з паперу.
Там можна було лежати на пляжі, а навколо спека і така краса! Парадиз: сонце, море, зелень… А офіціанти підносили красивезні коктейлі — тільки давай гроші. Популярних напоїв було три: зелено-білий «Мохіто», полуничний «Дайкірі» у келиху із зацукрованим краєм і також легендарний «Секс на пляжі». Останній особливо запам’ятався, адже його подавали у бокалі у формі оголеної жіночої натури. Він був яскравого кольору, помаранчево-вогняний, із купою парасольок, соломинок і ще бозна-чого. Звичайно, всі вони — кожен по-своєму — вдаряли по смакових рецепторах і в голову.
Пройшло багато років, і навряд чи я б про ті коктейлі згадала, якби не взялася читати книжку, яка за відчуттями — ну копія тих напоїв, тільки у текстовій формі! Напевно, це дуже дивне порівняння, але воно дуже точне — на мій погляд. Я саме так відчуваю.
Книжка називається «Sightseeing» (можна перекласти як «Огляд визначних місць»), і написав її тайський автор Rattawut Lapcharoensap. Зверніть увагу, що це чоловік, нам ця інформація потім знадобиться. Твір сучасний, вперше його було опубліковано у 2005 році. В українському перекладі немає, як і немає майже жодної тайської книжки взагалі. Власне, це одна з причин, чому я цікавлюсь тайською літературою: для мене і для українців загалом це малозвідана територія. Якщо хочете, то я бачу це навіть як свого роду читацьку експедицію. Ось я прочитала — і розповідаю вам, що там.
Саме «Sightseeing» я взяла читати, бо хотіла побачити, як тайські автори пишуть зараз. Про інший, більш давній, вже класичний тайський твір я вже писала раніше.
Так от, про «Sightseeing». Неймовірна книжка. Яскрава, вибухова. Вау. Це як замовити всі коктейлі відразу! Це кілька історій про життя людей. Звичайних людей, які у своїй звичності фантастичні. Зрештою, як і кожен з нас. Увесь антураж книжки — це теж парадиз. Спека, туристи, слони, пальми, море, манго і декоративна свинка на повідку — все це так контрастує з «правильністю», «затиснутістю у футляр», наприклад, Європи.
Ось ця хаотичність, вона ж життєдайність, вона ж ірраціональність людської натури, породжує такі прості і такі неймовірні розклади, що я читала — втискалася у крісло, брови на чоло, кусала костяшки пальців — і не могла відірватися. Там таке робиться! Мати василева! Кожне наступне речення — це щось таке, що найменше можна було передбачити. Часто на межі морального й аморального. Займатися сексом на спині у священної тварини слона? Піти до проститутки і взяти з собою дитину, бо малий дуже просився? Як вам таке?..
Але це тільки перший шар. І це знову схоже на коктейль.
Потім я стала помічати другий шар історій. Вони всі мають дуже глибокий зміст. Наприклад, про те, що — і це у нас спільне з тайцями — покоління людей середнього віку часто мусить бути батьками своїм власним батькам. Або про роль жінок у суспільстві. Про чоловічий егоїзм, через який страждають не так самі чоловіки, як їхні близькі… Це дуже по-особливому звучить з-під пера автора-чоловіка... Про неідеальність кожного з нас і про те, що до життя немає інструкції.
Це дуже класна книжка. І весела, і сумна, і дуже цікава, і розумна. Єдиний її недолік — після неї мені тепер ще довго усі інші твори здаватимуться доволі сірими.
Якщо у вас є можливість, прочитайте. Особливо рекомендую тим, хто любить усе південне і тропічний вибух барв, емоцій та життя в усіх його проявах.
May 21, 2019
This is a quick read, solidly written. I thought the stories were innovative, some were quirky. They had a very straight-forward quality, almost plain; and most were depressing and almost bitter in tone and message. For short stories, the "punchlines" were subtle or nonexistent. A few seemed to drift to some ending point where printed words ceased on the page.
I liked "Sightseeing," "Draft Day," and "Don't Let Me Die in This Place."
And I'll add that the "voice" of the narrators and main characters struck my American ears as quite "American." Aside from the names and settings, these stories could have been readily about American people in American places. I didn't expect this book to be "exotic" or "orientalized" but the milktoast thud and twang read as stark (almost jarring).
I liked "Sightseeing," "Draft Day," and "Don't Let Me Die in This Place."
And I'll add that the "voice" of the narrators and main characters struck my American ears as quite "American." Aside from the names and settings, these stories could have been readily about American people in American places. I didn't expect this book to be "exotic" or "orientalized" but the milktoast thud and twang read as stark (almost jarring).
January 31, 2020
مناقشة الكتاب باللغة العربية: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzT2i...
Around the World project: Thailand.
1) Farangs: The first story that sets the tone. The protagonist is a young by running a beach motel with his mom & keeps falling in love with "farang" or foreigner girls and getting his heart broken, the same way his American dad did to his mom. The narrator is caught between his fascination with westerners & his elders' resentment of them. As Americans especially are often criticized for being ignorant and indifferent to other cultures.
2) At the Cafe Lovely: a story about two siblings dealing with their poor lives in the Thai slums, it's also about grief and how children deal with.
3) Draft Day: a really emotional story about privilege and how it affects two friends, as one of them is destined to avoid the doomed draft thanks to that privilege . It's a coming of age story where young boys fates' are decided by mere luck, whether in the draw or in their connections. It sheds some light on the feelings towards military service. It really touched me.
4) Sightseeing: the "seeing" in this story's name is quite ironic. This story broke my heart. I thought of my mother and our relationship and her age and what comes with that. Though this story which is mainly about change could be about a mother in any country, the described scenery made it feel more... Thai.
5) Priscilla the Cambodian: a story about Cambodian immigrants in Thailand & one of their small communities and how they touched a boy's heart through the golden smile of Priscilla. In this story, the people resist the refugees' arrival and even consider them to bring ruin to their community, with no valid reason. I could totally see this becoming a full-length novel.
6) Don't let me die in this place: The only story with a foreigner protagonist, and we see the Thai people through his eyes. An elderly man living with his son & his son's Thai wife and their kids. It's tragic and heartwarming. It's a story about prejudice and how it changes.
7) Cockfighter: My least favorite story in the collection, though it's the longest. Reading about cockfighting isn't my favorite thing, so though the characters were vibrant as in the other stories, they didn't interest me as much. It's a story about finding one's purpose in life and redemption and dignity, and how men & women see the same issues differently.
This collection is mainly about parent-child relationships where sometimes the roles are reversed. Sometimes our protagonists accept and embrace western and American ideals and sometimes the reject them, sometimes are protagonists are innocent children and sometimes they're old people.
There's humor and politics and Thai atmosphere and settings that show that these stories are happening in Thailand, even if they're discussing some global issues and situations.
Around the World project: Thailand.
1) Farangs: The first story that sets the tone. The protagonist is a young by running a beach motel with his mom & keeps falling in love with "farang" or foreigner girls and getting his heart broken, the same way his American dad did to his mom. The narrator is caught between his fascination with westerners & his elders' resentment of them. As Americans especially are often criticized for being ignorant and indifferent to other cultures.
2) At the Cafe Lovely: a story about two siblings dealing with their poor lives in the Thai slums, it's also about grief and how children deal with.
3) Draft Day: a really emotional story about privilege and how it affects two friends, as one of them is destined to avoid the doomed draft thanks to that privilege . It's a coming of age story where young boys fates' are decided by mere luck, whether in the draw or in their connections. It sheds some light on the feelings towards military service. It really touched me.
4) Sightseeing: the "seeing" in this story's name is quite ironic. This story broke my heart. I thought of my mother and our relationship and her age and what comes with that. Though this story which is mainly about change could be about a mother in any country, the described scenery made it feel more... Thai.
5) Priscilla the Cambodian: a story about Cambodian immigrants in Thailand & one of their small communities and how they touched a boy's heart through the golden smile of Priscilla. In this story, the people resist the refugees' arrival and even consider them to bring ruin to their community, with no valid reason. I could totally see this becoming a full-length novel.
6) Don't let me die in this place: The only story with a foreigner protagonist, and we see the Thai people through his eyes. An elderly man living with his son & his son's Thai wife and their kids. It's tragic and heartwarming. It's a story about prejudice and how it changes.
7) Cockfighter: My least favorite story in the collection, though it's the longest. Reading about cockfighting isn't my favorite thing, so though the characters were vibrant as in the other stories, they didn't interest me as much. It's a story about finding one's purpose in life and redemption and dignity, and how men & women see the same issues differently.
This collection is mainly about parent-child relationships where sometimes the roles are reversed. Sometimes our protagonists accept and embrace western and American ideals and sometimes the reject them, sometimes are protagonists are innocent children and sometimes they're old people.
There's humor and politics and Thai atmosphere and settings that show that these stories are happening in Thailand, even if they're discussing some global issues and situations.
March 6, 2020
Lapcharoensap is able to sensitively and deftly render the perspective of three different characters in the stories which makes up this collection. The first story, ‘Farangs’ explores the relationship between the Thai people and its many foreign visitors from the perspective from a mixed race Thai man. Like many Eastern countries, Thailand is ripe for being fetishised under the Western gaze, however this problem is exacerbated in the case of Thailand and so it is fascinating to look at foreigners from the perspective of somebody who is Thai. The primary focus of the story is on the romantic relationships between Thai people and tourists; firstly its the narrator’s mother, who remains heartbroken and disconsolate after being abandoned by the narrator’s American father and this feeling is echoed in the narrator’s relationships with tourists, who just see him and his feelings as being non-existent and dispensable. This culminates in a battle between the narrator and a friend and a loutish group of Americans whose aggrieved ringleader is exacting his revenge of the narrator’s pig after he finds out that the narrator slept with his girlfriend.
Other highlights include ‘Sightseeing’, which examines the relationship between a mother and her son as she begins to lose her sight and the final story ‘Cockfighter’ which tells the story of an eccentric and proud cockfighter and his tragic run in with a local gangster. The common thread which runs through all of these stories however is a deep sense of humanism as Lapcharoensap is able to paint a sympathetic and well-rounded portrait of his characters, all of whom are, in their own unique ways, struggling to find their identity is a world which too often claims it from them.
Other highlights include ‘Sightseeing’, which examines the relationship between a mother and her son as she begins to lose her sight and the final story ‘Cockfighter’ which tells the story of an eccentric and proud cockfighter and his tragic run in with a local gangster. The common thread which runs through all of these stories however is a deep sense of humanism as Lapcharoensap is able to paint a sympathetic and well-rounded portrait of his characters, all of whom are, in their own unique ways, struggling to find their identity is a world which too often claims it from them.
December 2, 2022
Raccolta di racconti che esplorano la Tailandia contemporanea da un punto di vista intimo, ma anche "caratteristico" (non nel senso di pittoresco, nel senso con caratteristiche legate alle specificità del Paese). Il rapporto tra il gestore di un motel sulla spiaggia e le turiste americane, i sogni di due fratelli che vivono in miseria alla periferia di Bangkok, gli immigrati cambogiani, le lotte di galli.
La scrittura è limpida e semplice, ma riesce a comunicare lo stato d'animo dei personaggi in maniera chiara e incisiva (tutti i racconti sono in prima persona, benché i personaggi siano sempre diversi).
Emerge la Tailandia delle sue contraddizioni, emergono anche, umanissimi, i suoi abitanti.
La scrittura è limpida e semplice, ma riesce a comunicare lo stato d'animo dei personaggi in maniera chiara e incisiva (tutti i racconti sono in prima persona, benché i personaggi siano sempre diversi).
Emerge la Tailandia delle sue contraddizioni, emergono anche, umanissimi, i suoi abitanti.
July 21, 2019
Six short stories and one novella, mostly quite melancholic but with the occasional glimpse of humour or joy. My favourites were the eponymous story, about a mother and son going on vacation to a remote island before the mother loses her vision, and Priscilla the Cambodian, featuring a feisty, world-weary Cambodian child-refugee with a mouth full of gold.
March 6, 2021
Sightseeing is one of the most original and unique story debuts from the 2000s decade. Lapcharoensap does an excellent job capturing the shades of life, expat or local, Thai or otherwise, in Thailand. Much like Prabda Yoon, Lapcharoensap does not shy away from the difficulties of life for locals in a tourist trap destination, but unlike Yoon, he resorts to a simple and yet naturalistic styling to represent the complexities of his subject matter. My favorite story is “Farang,” which details a Thai local’s fling with a foreigner with pathos and humor.
Lapcharoensap is assuredly one of the writers of his generation to most follow. It is a shame he has written so little, but I eagerly await his next book, in the hope that he someday actualizes the promise on display here.
Lapcharoensap is assuredly one of the writers of his generation to most follow. It is a shame he has written so little, but I eagerly await his next book, in the hope that he someday actualizes the promise on display here.
August 7, 2023
Wieder mal ein Kurzgeschichtenband, der mir richtig gut gefiel. Hat mir die Thailänder auf jeden Fall näher gebracht. Richtig passende Urlaubslektüre.
May 26, 2015
I've been reading this while vacationing in Thailand, a big stinkin' Farang myself, even using the word, proudly, with my taxi driver yesterday. Way ta go, self.
Anyways, perhaps even more so because I'm on the other side of the divide presently, I found myself craving more from each character in most of the stories, as if the "tour" (something each story here certainly isn't, but it becomes tempting to read them as such) were too short. Usually Lapcharoensap finds and settles on a compelling image to end with-- an image of motion that makes an argument about the ongoing conflict of real lives, and I suppose those kind of endings can work in a collection like this, where there are certainly dramatic plot elements but the larger questions are internal... how to navigate the world, esp. since it's a world that directs you wherever it wants, following its inexplicable wills. (In "Cockfighting," the game metaphor-- all the world's a game, and... -- might at first appear be trite, superficial, but isn't, really, in that context-- seems so important a realization to Ladda. Because she sees that loving is the hardest game, it becomes the one that she works hardest at).
When I finally get to Ladda, I'm relieved to stay with her, as if I'm eating for the first time all day. As if the other stories were the many glasses of water I'd been drinking, waiting for the meal to come. Which is probably why "Cockfighter," the novella (?), is my favorite. I'll be looking forward to reading longer works by Lapcharoensap, since, as I've mentioned, the more important struggles are internal and, I think, take some more time to tease apart (to whatever degree you can tease those things apart). In a recent interview of his with Yuka Igarashi @ Granta, L. writes: "You can't take a vacation from the self, and all of that cheery stuff. I have a beloved uncle in Bangkok who -- upon being informed that I was going to Angkor Wat for the first time -- simply pointed out his window and said, 'If you want to see some rocks and trees and mud, you don't have to go to Cambodia. You can just step outside of my house.' Which is a gentler way of saying the same thing, I suppose. Sooner rather than later you're always confronted by the hollow ring of the enterprise. And that hollow ringing, more often than not, is being issued from nowhere else but the cavernous recesses of your very own self."
Which is probably why I began this reflection so self-consciously. Which means Lapcharoensap has probably done his job pretty well.
Anyways, perhaps even more so because I'm on the other side of the divide presently, I found myself craving more from each character in most of the stories, as if the "tour" (something each story here certainly isn't, but it becomes tempting to read them as such) were too short. Usually Lapcharoensap finds and settles on a compelling image to end with-- an image of motion that makes an argument about the ongoing conflict of real lives, and I suppose those kind of endings can work in a collection like this, where there are certainly dramatic plot elements but the larger questions are internal... how to navigate the world, esp. since it's a world that directs you wherever it wants, following its inexplicable wills. (In "Cockfighting," the game metaphor-- all the world's a game, and... -- might at first appear be trite, superficial, but isn't, really, in that context-- seems so important a realization to Ladda. Because she sees that loving is the hardest game, it becomes the one that she works hardest at).
When I finally get to Ladda, I'm relieved to stay with her, as if I'm eating for the first time all day. As if the other stories were the many glasses of water I'd been drinking, waiting for the meal to come. Which is probably why "Cockfighter," the novella (?), is my favorite. I'll be looking forward to reading longer works by Lapcharoensap, since, as I've mentioned, the more important struggles are internal and, I think, take some more time to tease apart (to whatever degree you can tease those things apart). In a recent interview of his with Yuka Igarashi @ Granta, L. writes: "You can't take a vacation from the self, and all of that cheery stuff. I have a beloved uncle in Bangkok who -- upon being informed that I was going to Angkor Wat for the first time -- simply pointed out his window and said, 'If you want to see some rocks and trees and mud, you don't have to go to Cambodia. You can just step outside of my house.' Which is a gentler way of saying the same thing, I suppose. Sooner rather than later you're always confronted by the hollow ring of the enterprise. And that hollow ringing, more often than not, is being issued from nowhere else but the cavernous recesses of your very own self."
Which is probably why I began this reflection so self-consciously. Which means Lapcharoensap has probably done his job pretty well.
January 6, 2017
[4.5 stars]
Sightseeing by Rattawut Lapcharoensap is an exploration, through finely crafted short stories of the inhabitants of Thailand and their journey to self-discovery. The collection focuses more on the poverty-stricken which I found very enlightening having never formerly met this area of Thailand even after visiting the place ~16 times in my lifetime.
The stories will leave you gasping for air, not fully grasping the weight of each of them until given a second. My emotions were wrought, shaken and put out to dry over the entire collection and I couldn't fathom how this could be done in such a short number of pages with the characters. Sightseeing is oddly feminist, which was a welcome surprise, in that you do not realise the strength of these women over their male counterparts until the very last page. Lapcharoensap's major tying theme to the story is the role-reversal of parent-child where the child is supporting the parent. I couldn't put this one down and only the title story fell flat for me and I still enjoyed that one while reading. If I could name favourites they would be 'Farangs', 'At the Cafe Lovely', 'Don't Let Me Die In This Place' and 'Cockfighter'. Keep in mind there are only 7 stories and so to say 4 of them REALLY stood out shows how good the collection is. Read it. I couldn't put it down. Oh and also, if you have the edition with the discussion questions near the end don't skim over those. You'll realise that the the book was not only enthralling but deep with its exploration of themes in the most subtle manner.
This is by far the best short-story collection I have ever read though, disclaimer, that total number amounts to 3 collections so my word isn't very powerful haha. However, Sightseeing will set the standard for any collections coming my way in the future and has rekindled my excitement to read collections after a very disappointing start to the journey.
Sightseeing by Rattawut Lapcharoensap is an exploration, through finely crafted short stories of the inhabitants of Thailand and their journey to self-discovery. The collection focuses more on the poverty-stricken which I found very enlightening having never formerly met this area of Thailand even after visiting the place ~16 times in my lifetime.
The stories will leave you gasping for air, not fully grasping the weight of each of them until given a second. My emotions were wrought, shaken and put out to dry over the entire collection and I couldn't fathom how this could be done in such a short number of pages with the characters. Sightseeing is oddly feminist, which was a welcome surprise, in that you do not realise the strength of these women over their male counterparts until the very last page. Lapcharoensap's major tying theme to the story is the role-reversal of parent-child where the child is supporting the parent. I couldn't put this one down and only the title story fell flat for me and I still enjoyed that one while reading. If I could name favourites they would be 'Farangs', 'At the Cafe Lovely', 'Don't Let Me Die In This Place' and 'Cockfighter'. Keep in mind there are only 7 stories and so to say 4 of them REALLY stood out shows how good the collection is. Read it. I couldn't put it down. Oh and also, if you have the edition with the discussion questions near the end don't skim over those. You'll realise that the the book was not only enthralling but deep with its exploration of themes in the most subtle manner.
This is by far the best short-story collection I have ever read though, disclaimer, that total number amounts to 3 collections so my word isn't very powerful haha. However, Sightseeing will set the standard for any collections coming my way in the future and has rekindled my excitement to read collections after a very disappointing start to the journey.
January 13, 2009
Lapcharoensap was 26 when he published this compilation of short stories. Born in Chicago and raised in Bangkok, he was educated in Cornell and Michigan. He has a series of honors for his works and his story was even published in Granta, a prestigious literary journal.
I believe his background has allowed him to observe the native life of Thai people from different angles and views.
His was a voice, feeling and soul of a Thai youth, adult, deranged, quirky. His stories takes you to the hidden layers of Thai. "Cockfighting" might be the truest colors of all, I'd say. Although "Farang" would caught your eyes and feelings if you're a foreigner with the power of Dollar, Euro and Yen.
Vivid, colorful and layered are his writings. You would feel like you're transferred to the daily buzz of Bangkok and Thailand once you're chewing his words.
Quite a talent, I'd say.
I wonder though, why Ayu Utami nor NH. Dini didn't make it to Granta? I hope the mere reason would be their choice of written language.
P.S.: "Sightseeing" is more like a foreigner's reading, since it was written in English. (said a second hand book store staff where I got my copy from).
I believe his background has allowed him to observe the native life of Thai people from different angles and views.
His was a voice, feeling and soul of a Thai youth, adult, deranged, quirky. His stories takes you to the hidden layers of Thai. "Cockfighting" might be the truest colors of all, I'd say. Although "Farang" would caught your eyes and feelings if you're a foreigner with the power of Dollar, Euro and Yen.
Vivid, colorful and layered are his writings. You would feel like you're transferred to the daily buzz of Bangkok and Thailand once you're chewing his words.
Quite a talent, I'd say.
I wonder though, why Ayu Utami nor NH. Dini didn't make it to Granta? I hope the mere reason would be their choice of written language.
P.S.: "Sightseeing" is more like a foreigner's reading, since it was written in English. (said a second hand book store staff where I got my copy from).
October 28, 2016
An engaging collection of stories centered around Thai characters. Lapcharoensap creates wonderfully unique, young voices that touch on everything from family relationships to global trade's impact on Thailand. Each one of the seven stories in this volume captured me in different ways, but all of them felt incredibly real. Pretty darn close to a five-star reading.
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WORDS I LEARNED FROM THIS BOOK:
farangs | rambutans | huakhuai (I guess I didn't learn this one since I wasn't able to find a definition anywhere) | kratoey
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WORDS I LEARNED FROM THIS BOOK:
farangs | rambutans | huakhuai (I guess I didn't learn this one since I wasn't able to find a definition anywhere) | kratoey
January 5, 2016
Rattawat Lapcharoensap writes with both compassion and maturity and his Sightseeing is a wonderfully self-assured collection of short stories from a first time writer.
All but one of the stories are written from the point of view of teenagers coming to terms with a confusing adult world. And although the setting for each story is Thailand, Lapcharoensap steers well clear of the kind of exoticism that bedevils most South-East Asian literature. Indeed, the Thailand of the tourist brochure is roundly mocked in the opening story Farangs. Says a hotel proprietor, tourists only want "pussy and elephant":
"You give them history, temples, pagadas, traditional dance, floating markets, seafood curry, tapioca desserts, silk-weaving cooperatives, but all they really want is to to ride some hulking gray beast like a bunch of wildmen and to pant over girls and to lie there half-dead geting skin cancer on the beach during the time in between."
There's a gritty social realism in his choice of settings: a down-market brothel, a smouldering rubbish-dump, a refugee shanty, cockpits, with many of the characters living on the edge in economic terms. Lapcharoensap has his characters speak in a street-smart, vernacular language which eliminates the distance still further.
In a collection this strong, it's hard to pick favourites. But I won't easily forget the poignant tale of a son taking his mother on one last holiday before she looses her sight in the title story, and the agonising betrayal of a childhood friendship in Draft. And the last story in the book, Cockfighter - at 80 pages more a novella than a short story - is a real heart-stopper.
I've not felt this enthusiastic about a short story collection since Jhumpa Lahiri's The Interpreter of Maladies . And if I were still teaching literature at college level, I'd choose this as a set-text for sure.
All but one of the stories are written from the point of view of teenagers coming to terms with a confusing adult world. And although the setting for each story is Thailand, Lapcharoensap steers well clear of the kind of exoticism that bedevils most South-East Asian literature. Indeed, the Thailand of the tourist brochure is roundly mocked in the opening story Farangs. Says a hotel proprietor, tourists only want "pussy and elephant":
"You give them history, temples, pagadas, traditional dance, floating markets, seafood curry, tapioca desserts, silk-weaving cooperatives, but all they really want is to to ride some hulking gray beast like a bunch of wildmen and to pant over girls and to lie there half-dead geting skin cancer on the beach during the time in between."
There's a gritty social realism in his choice of settings: a down-market brothel, a smouldering rubbish-dump, a refugee shanty, cockpits, with many of the characters living on the edge in economic terms. Lapcharoensap has his characters speak in a street-smart, vernacular language which eliminates the distance still further.
In a collection this strong, it's hard to pick favourites. But I won't easily forget the poignant tale of a son taking his mother on one last holiday before she looses her sight in the title story, and the agonising betrayal of a childhood friendship in Draft. And the last story in the book, Cockfighter - at 80 pages more a novella than a short story - is a real heart-stopper.
I've not felt this enthusiastic about a short story collection since Jhumpa Lahiri's The Interpreter of Maladies . And if I were still teaching literature at college level, I'd choose this as a set-text for sure.
March 24, 2010
I thought this breathtaking when I read it first, when it came out in 2004. Written by a Thai-American, it gives us insight into how Westerners are are perceived by some Asians, as well as just being a very witty and insightful look at the human condition, whereever one happens to grow up.
October 21, 2026
A collection of short stories based in Thailand, focused on local life instead of tourism.
I loved most of the stories in this collection. The first two were a little shallow, but things really picked up after that.
Also, calling these all short stories (40-50 pages each) feels a little unfair. Some of them are long enough to qualify as novellas. The last story (Cockfighter) was practically half the book!!
What's it about?
Seven stories set in contemporary Thailand, looking at family, relationships, growing up, tourists and locals, cultural differences, politics and the not-so-glossy side of the Thailand that tourists usually see.
A glimpse of the stories (an attempt to recall these when i read the review after a couple of years)
1. Farangs
A young Thai boy, whose mother runs a beachside motel, falls for an American tourist.
2. At the Café Lovely
Two brothers go out for a birthday treat at a midnight café. What starts as a simple outing becomes a small window into family relationships, childhood innocence and the influence of Western culture.
3. Draft Day
A couple of families wait to find out whether their kid will be drafted into the Thai military by a lottery system. A story about privilege, guilt and friendship.
4. Sightseeing
A young man takes a trip with his mother to a remote Thai island before leaving home for college. His mother's worsening eyesight is the main pivotal theme. This story was among the best.
5. Priscilla the Cambodian
A young Thai boy befriends Priscilla, a Cambodian refugee girl. Their friendship exposes the prejudice and hostility between Thai and Cambodian communities, particularly among the older generation. One of my favorites in the collection.
6. Don't Let Me Die in This Place
An American old man on a wheelchair due to a stroke, is forced to move to Bangkok to live with his family - American son, Thai daughter-in-law and a couple of grandkids. He struggles to adjust to Thailand, while reminiscing his loss of independence and like-minded company. The slapstick humor of the old man was top notch! This was the most hilarious story of the collection.
7. Cockfighter
A 15yr old girl Ladda is the narrator. She watches her Papa, once the best cockfighter in town, lose his status and dignity. A violent local thug, Little Jui, through corruption and power tightens its grip over the village. A coming of age story. Not among my favorites due to a vague ending.
What I loved:
-The experience of soaking it in while on a Thailand trip.
-The variety of themes. From tourist, to locals taking a tour, illegal migrants, immigrants, dependents…
- Most of the stories were offbeat. Each giving a different glimpse of Thailand beyond the postcard version.
What I didn't like:
The first two stories felt a little shallow compared to what followed.
Overall:
A very good collection and a lovely introduction to Thailand through the eyes of people who actually live there, rather than the Thailand sold to tourists.
Another couple of recos on English Thai literature from a local bookseller were "Letters from Thailand" and "Bangkok wakes to Rain", which I am looking forward to try.
I loved most of the stories in this collection. The first two were a little shallow, but things really picked up after that.
Also, calling these all short stories (40-50 pages each) feels a little unfair. Some of them are long enough to qualify as novellas. The last story (Cockfighter) was practically half the book!!
What's it about?
Seven stories set in contemporary Thailand, looking at family, relationships, growing up, tourists and locals, cultural differences, politics and the not-so-glossy side of the Thailand that tourists usually see.
A glimpse of the stories (an attempt to recall these when i read the review after a couple of years)
1. Farangs
A young Thai boy, whose mother runs a beachside motel, falls for an American tourist.
2. At the Café Lovely
Two brothers go out for a birthday treat at a midnight café. What starts as a simple outing becomes a small window into family relationships, childhood innocence and the influence of Western culture.
3. Draft Day
A couple of families wait to find out whether their kid will be drafted into the Thai military by a lottery system. A story about privilege, guilt and friendship.
4. Sightseeing
A young man takes a trip with his mother to a remote Thai island before leaving home for college. His mother's worsening eyesight is the main pivotal theme. This story was among the best.
5. Priscilla the Cambodian
A young Thai boy befriends Priscilla, a Cambodian refugee girl. Their friendship exposes the prejudice and hostility between Thai and Cambodian communities, particularly among the older generation. One of my favorites in the collection.
6. Don't Let Me Die in This Place
An American old man on a wheelchair due to a stroke, is forced to move to Bangkok to live with his family - American son, Thai daughter-in-law and a couple of grandkids. He struggles to adjust to Thailand, while reminiscing his loss of independence and like-minded company. The slapstick humor of the old man was top notch! This was the most hilarious story of the collection.
7. Cockfighter
A 15yr old girl Ladda is the narrator. She watches her Papa, once the best cockfighter in town, lose his status and dignity. A violent local thug, Little Jui, through corruption and power tightens its grip over the village. A coming of age story. Not among my favorites due to a vague ending.
What I loved:
-The experience of soaking it in while on a Thailand trip.
-The variety of themes. From tourist, to locals taking a tour, illegal migrants, immigrants, dependents…
- Most of the stories were offbeat. Each giving a different glimpse of Thailand beyond the postcard version.
What I didn't like:
The first two stories felt a little shallow compared to what followed.
Overall:
A very good collection and a lovely introduction to Thailand through the eyes of people who actually live there, rather than the Thailand sold to tourists.
Another couple of recos on English Thai literature from a local bookseller were "Letters from Thailand" and "Bangkok wakes to Rain", which I am looking forward to try.
February 3, 2026
Generalno kada čitam zbirku priča gledam neku prosečnu ocenu, pa tako i ovoga puta. Mada postoji priča koja mi je ostavila baš jak utisak, kako vizuelni tako i emotivni. Zapravo, sve priče su napisane tako da sam imala veoma realistične slike u glavi, što mi se jako dopalo.
Nažalost, rekla bih da je poslednja priča, odnosno jedina novela, ovde najslabija, te da je umesto nje bila još jedna ili dve priče ova knjiga bi možda dobila i peticu.
Ova zbirka opisuje Tajland, ali ne kao bekpekerski raj na zemlji, jeftino mesto da se dodje do zabave i prosvetljenja, već kao zemlju gde žive stvarni ljudi, i ti ljudi imaju stvarne životne puteve neretko krojene po meri turista ili drugih državnih okolnosti. Izmešta nas iz te idealizacije turista i na pomalo bolan način pokazuje svet “iza zavese” koji je neretko taman, težak, ali u isto vreme i svet gde izadjete bosi na peščani sprud i gledate nebo sa milion zvezda.
Nažalost, rekla bih da je poslednja priča, odnosno jedina novela, ovde najslabija, te da je umesto nje bila još jedna ili dve priče ova knjiga bi možda dobila i peticu.
Ova zbirka opisuje Tajland, ali ne kao bekpekerski raj na zemlji, jeftino mesto da se dodje do zabave i prosvetljenja, već kao zemlju gde žive stvarni ljudi, i ti ljudi imaju stvarne životne puteve neretko krojene po meri turista ili drugih državnih okolnosti. Izmešta nas iz te idealizacije turista i na pomalo bolan način pokazuje svet “iza zavese” koji je neretko taman, težak, ali u isto vreme i svet gde izadjete bosi na peščani sprud i gledate nebo sa milion zvezda.
August 5, 2025
A strong mixture of short stories that were a mixture of dark, humourous, gut wrenching and heart warming - well observed and highlighting overlooked and often stereotyped dynamics and contexts - 3.5
December 31, 2021
This is a collection of short stories which focus on complex family relationships. Although set in a culture not very familiar to me, the themes are universal. The writing is strong.
April 17, 2023
very enjoyable! loved learning more about thailand from the perspective of locals as opposed to that of farangs. loved the short story format, the writing was so good, i was sucked into every single one!
July 22, 2022
I loved each of these short stories—a first. I loved that they focused on intimate family relationships to explore complicated, non-romantic(!!) emotions: a college-bound son and his going-blind single mother, a younger and older brother coping after their father's death, kids witnessing their parents' prejudice toward refugee neighbors, family friends divided by a class-rigged draft, a daughter losing her dad to pride and cockfighting, even the plague of white tourist trash on a dude and his pet pig.
I loved the landscape and nostalgia shaped by the author's Thai background, and the universally Asian experiences in the specificity of their daily lives. I loved the aunties and mamas and the delicate urgency in showing how adolescents, often children, negotiate the good and bad around them.
These stories are told as easily as you or I breathe. I especially loved the easygoing conversation and humor that filled these pages despite serious subject matter, the way this, in fact, makes writing real above all else. (In direct contrast to dry cinematic melodrama.) What a treasure to sit at the foot of a master storyteller and just listen.
And lastly, I love best that Lapcharoensap did his MFW, published this stellar national bestseller, approved the dozen international translations, moved to Wyoming (and now Brooklyn) to teach and never published another book again. A legend. I really try not to use the word "love" lightly these days, but I really, really can't emphasize enough how much I appreciated all of these stories.
I loved the landscape and nostalgia shaped by the author's Thai background, and the universally Asian experiences in the specificity of their daily lives. I loved the aunties and mamas and the delicate urgency in showing how adolescents, often children, negotiate the good and bad around them.
These stories are told as easily as you or I breathe. I especially loved the easygoing conversation and humor that filled these pages despite serious subject matter, the way this, in fact, makes writing real above all else. (In direct contrast to dry cinematic melodrama.) What a treasure to sit at the foot of a master storyteller and just listen.
And lastly, I love best that Lapcharoensap did his MFW, published this stellar national bestseller, approved the dozen international translations, moved to Wyoming (and now Brooklyn) to teach and never published another book again. A legend. I really try not to use the word "love" lightly these days, but I really, really can't emphasize enough how much I appreciated all of these stories.
November 12, 2024
Overall I really liked this collection. The biggest thing I noticed while reading it is that while the author certainly doesn’t cater at all to the western perspective when explaining or examining things, the writing itself is so Next Great American Novel (which makes sense given that he has an MFA from Michigan) that I felt catered to. Like when I read the first sentence of the novel, I knew I was gonna like it, and that’s bc it sounded like many of the other American books I love. (To be clear this isn’t a criticism, just an observation.)
As for the last story - I guess I get that it was about masculinity and feminism but like are bras and lingerie and boobs really the only symbols for feminism? And why is that when male authors write from the perspective of women they are always talking about their breasts. Like never once have I thought about my boobs to the extent that women written by men do.
As for the last story - I guess I get that it was about masculinity and feminism but like are bras and lingerie and boobs really the only symbols for feminism? And why is that when male authors write from the perspective of women they are always talking about their breasts. Like never once have I thought about my boobs to the extent that women written by men do.
August 31, 2012
I got through four of the seven stories and that was enough benefit-of-the-doubt-giving. The stories all sound the same, which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing if the voice had anything but this deadened quality to it. Melancholy, longing, sublimated emotions, a sense of being an outsider—all of these have been conveyed more effectively in other works. Here in Sightseeing, everything is just so bloodless and bland. I also had issues with the artificial-sounding dialogue and the writer-workshoppy scene setting that ends up being ineffectual nonetheless, but the book is so inconsequential that it’s not even worth devoting more time to critiquing it, just like it wasn’t worth suffering through the rest of the book.
October 15, 2026
A nearly uniformly excellent set of short stories set in Thailand (I read to accompany a trip there), most of them some aspect of coming of age from the perspective of a boy, often one whose mother looms large. All carefully observed, morally complex, in many cases dealing with the collisions of old and new or Thailand and US tourists or power imbalances and corruption. Each different enough that I kept going with interest.
Briefly:
Farangs A young man's fling with an American tourist--which turns out to be part of a series of serial disappointments where he falls in love but the women are just using him to pass the time when in Thailand and move on after.
At the Cafe Lovely A young boy follows his older brother to a brothel, bad things happen but he grows some.
Draft Day In some ways felt the most universal, a set of boys in a room, many with their mothers, waiting with a mixture of dread and excitement to find out if they'll be drafted in a lottery that is some combination random and some combination corrupt.
Sightseeing A young man goes on a trip with his mother who is losing her visions to a rare disease, the most moving in the collection.
Priscilla the Cambodian Poor families in a township, a group of even poorer Cambodian immigrants, brutal at times, but also perhaps the nicest depiction of a relationship between a boy and a girl in the collection.
Don't Let Me Die in this Place The only one I didn't like.
Cockfighter The longest in the collection (90 pages) and reads more like a novel or a novella. A struggling family, mother sews bras, father supplments his income with cockfighting, all seen from the perspective of their teenage daughter. They collide with the town bully/corrupt/rich person which painful consequences all around.
Briefly:
Farangs A young man's fling with an American tourist--which turns out to be part of a series of serial disappointments where he falls in love but the women are just using him to pass the time when in Thailand and move on after.
At the Cafe Lovely A young boy follows his older brother to a brothel, bad things happen but he grows some.
Draft Day In some ways felt the most universal, a set of boys in a room, many with their mothers, waiting with a mixture of dread and excitement to find out if they'll be drafted in a lottery that is some combination random and some combination corrupt.
Sightseeing A young man goes on a trip with his mother who is losing her visions to a rare disease, the most moving in the collection.
Priscilla the Cambodian Poor families in a township, a group of even poorer Cambodian immigrants, brutal at times, but also perhaps the nicest depiction of a relationship between a boy and a girl in the collection.
Don't Let Me Die in this Place The only one I didn't like.
Cockfighter The longest in the collection (90 pages) and reads more like a novel or a novella. A struggling family, mother sews bras, father supplments his income with cockfighting, all seen from the perspective of their teenage daughter. They collide with the town bully/corrupt/rich person which painful consequences all around.
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