Customer Rating: 
Summary: Evocative Oral History of Malaya and Borneo
Comment: This a moving, interesting collection of oral histories, mostly from Malaya and Borneo, plus one (and, sadly, only one) fascinating account of operating a steamer on the Yangtze River in pre-war China (despite the title, this book has no other accounts of China and none of Hong Kong or Macao). Many of the accounts come from rubber plantation managers in Malaya and district officers deep in the wilds of Borneo. Lots of wonderful detail of colonial life, right up to the end. Includes some accounts of the Malayan Emergency - frightening tales of being in a plantation house surrounded by jungle, waiting for Chinese communists to come and kill you! (A subject also treated (very well) in Noel Barber's War of the Running Dogs (also recommended).
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Comment: This is really interesting history of a complex and wonderful place, told by the people who were there. Sometimes oral histories don't work, but this one certainly does: the period is brought to life. Brilliant.
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