Sultan & Mermaid Queen: Surprising Asian People, Places and Things That Go Bump in the Night

by Paul Spencer Sochaczewski

The Sultan and the Mermaid Queen is a collection of essays and articles that describe rarely written about Asian people, places and events; most have appeared in the International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal and other leading publications. Speak with the Sultan of Yogyakarta and learn about his love affair with the Mermaid Queen. Meet the homeless man in Hawaii who has the resume to prove he's the real last emperor of China. Learn why isolated Indian villagers are angry at the monkey god, Hanuman, for not returning their sacred mountain. Meet the last elephant hunter of Vietnam, who has reached Michael Jordan-like status through a very Asian-accented product endorsement. Play golf on the world's highest course. Bargain for good luck on the Philippines 'Amulet Island'. Learn why the white elephant is being used by Burma's generals to try to justify their hold on power. Ponder the disappearance of Bruno Manser, a Swiss Robin Hood, who vanished in a Borneo jungle while trying to help the downtrodden Penan tribesman stand up for their rights.

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2009

About the author

Paul Sochaczewski's highly acclaimed nonfiction books of personal travel include the five-volume Curious Encounters of the Human Kind series,An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles, The Sultan and the Mermaid Queen, Soul of the Tiger (with Jeff McNeely), and Distant Greens. Gary Braver, bestselling author of Tunnel Vision, said Paul's work is "in the great tradition of Asian reporting. The humanity of Somerset Maugham, the adventure of Joseph Conrad, the perception of Paul Theroux, and a self-effacing voice uniquely his own." Paul's handbook for people who want to write their personal stories, Share Your Journey, is based on the creative writing workshops he runs in more than 20 countries. Redheads and EarthLove are his eco-thrillers set in the rainforest of a mythical sultanate in Borneo.

Paul is an American writer (born in Brooklyn, New York), writing coach, conservationist, and communications advisor to international non-governmental organizations. He lives in Geneva, Switzerland, and has lived and worked in more than 80 countries, including long stints in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Paul served in the United States Peace Corps from 1969 to 1971, working as an education advisor in Sarawak, Malaysia. This exposure to Asia informed his writing, and as a result, most of his work has a Southeast Asian theme. He was also founding creative director of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency in Indonesia and Singapore.

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the stories and tales but since many selections were reprints of articles previously printed, there may be a little too much overlap and repetition if you've been a follower of the author' previous works. Had the book been approached as a new work rather than a compilation, it would have been 4-stars. Author Sochaczewski is an entertaining writer, and I've enjoyed his other books (especially "An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles" that uses the life and story of Alfred Russel Wallace as its base) immensely. All his books are part history, travelogue, documentary, ecology, campfire tales, and focus on Asia, which he first (like so many others) discovered in the 60s in the Peace Corps, which makes them good reading material for anyone who's lived or travelled in the region.