Temple in the Clouds: Faith and Conflict at Preah Vihear

by John Burgess

"Temple in the Clouds" is an ancient and modern history of Preah Vihear, the amazing cliff-top temple in northern Cambodia. Dating to about one thousand years ago, the sandstone monument was built by the same civilization that created the famous temples of Angkor. In modern times, its location near the border of Cambodia and Thailand gave rise to a feud over ownership. In 1962, the World Court ruled that the temple belongs to Cambodia, but the issue remains an emotional one in both countries. 232 pages, with 79 maps, diagrams and photographs.

232 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2015

About the author

John Burgess is the author of the historical novel 'A Woman of Angkor,' set in the 12th Century golden age of Cambodia’s lost Angkor civilization. The short description: She’s beautiful, she’s spiritual, she’s got a secret. The book recreates daily life in one of the world’s greatest yet least-known ancient cultures. John has written three other books: 'Stories in Stone,' a non-fiction account of how French linguists recovered Angkor’s forgotten history by decoding inscription stones, 'Temple in the Clouds,' a history of Preah Vihear, the amazing cliff-top temple that has been the subject of a border feud between Cambodia and Thailand, and 'The Stairway Guide's Daughter,' a novel set at Preah Vihear in the 12th Century. It will come out in mid-2017.

Before turning to writing books, John was a reporter and editor at The Washington Post. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Karen.

Reviews

[Daniel Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never heard of this temple before, yet the author clearly presented the fascinating history of this structure - and in particular, the modern conflicts surrounding it.

[Caleb Benadum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Very interesting and well-written history of preah vihear temple. I went in 2005, and its great to learn more about this magnificent site.

[Tanyong]

a brief preview of the thailand-cambodia conflict. though the book was slowly ebbed into being very subjective in the last 50 pages. caught me off guard a bit.