Books
Enchanting Asia Series
My three most recent books were commissioned by John Beaufoy Publishing in the UK as part of the ‘Enchanting Asia’ series. The hardback Thai edition is co-published with Asia Books. This brand new series are pictorial visitor guides showing the main cultural attractions that a tourist might expect to see on a two week visit.
The 190 images in each book are accompanied by an introductory text with an overview of the history, geography, culture, festivals, food and so on. The second section is of images with extended captions. Here in Asia the books are available in Asia Books throughout Thailand and Monument Books in Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. In Europe and the USA they are available at all good bookshops and online at Amazon.
I am currently working on Enchanting Myanmar, a project that I am particularly excited about as it is the most fascinating country in Southeast Asia.
Enchanting Thailand
A country of intrigue and adventure, Thailand’s exotic mix of glistening temples, extraordinary annual festivals, idyllic tropical islands, and genuinely hospitable people has made it one of the world’s most popular and rewarding travel destinations. The country is home to a distinctive culture that enables old traditions to sit comfortably within a prosperous and progressive society and enrich the lives of all who visit. One of the original “Asian tiger” economies, over the past two decades Thailand has survived boom and bust, undergone recovery, experienced political upheaval, and still welcomes all travellers with a warm and gracious smile. Enchanting Thailand is a vivid and colourful introduction to all the major tourist sites and places of interest throughout the country, from the cosmopolitan metropolis of Bangkok to fascinating but little visited regions in the northeast.
Size 260 x 215 mm / 10” x 8”. Extent 80 pages.
ISBN 978-1-906780-52-1
Price £9.99 paperback
Publication November 2011
Enchanting Laos
Few countries conjure up such a sense of mystery and intrigue in the traveller’s mind as mountainous, landlocked Laos. Regarded as Southeast Asia’s sleepy backwater for many years, Laos’ communist government ensured that the country remained closed to the outside world. Unconcerned by neighbouring Thailand’s dash for modernity, Laos resolutely moved at its own pace. When the door was finally eased open for travellers in the early 90s, it revealed a beautiful country with a fascinating culture and an ethnically diverse population. Today, Laos is well and truly awakening from its slumber. The capital, Vientiane, bustles with renewed energy, but many of Laos’ attractions lie beyond the capital, where the rural population still ekes out an existence as subsistence farmers, fishermen, market traders and merchants. For many in the countryside, little has changed, and that is part of Laos’ enduring appeal for visitors.
Size 260 x 215 mm / 10” x 8”. Extent 80 pages.
ISBN 978-1-906780-52-4
Price £9.99 paperback
Publication November 2011
Enchanting Cambodia
A country of astonishing natural beauty and home to the incredible temples of Angkor, Cambodia is one of Southeast Asia’s most fascinating destinations. The fact that the country is now firmly on the itinerary of many cultural travelers, however, is nothing short of remarkable.
In the 1970s, the country’s name became known for the brutal reign of the Khmer Rouge and its haunting legacy of genocide. Remarkable then that today Cambodia is a youthful and optimistic country determined to move forward rather than look back.
Phnom Penh is a city revitalized. The skyline of Cambodia’s once sleepy capital has been pierced by its first high-rise, and the red dirt roads, now sealed, are filled with gleaming SUVs and swarms buzzing motorcycles. For a city that has endured more than its share of bloodshed and destruction, today’s youthful exuberance and palpable energy are a welcomed by residents and visitors alike. Confirming that the country’s future is indeed bright, the bourgeoning capital city is now home to exquisite Buddhist temples, chic boutiques, and relaxed riverside dining and entertainment venues. Yet despite the positive change being witnessed today, any time spent in Phnom Penh must still include reflective visits to the sites of the country’s horrific past. Two of the most visited places in Phnom Penh are still Camp Cheoung Ek, one of many infamous Killing Fields sites, and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former high school that became a torture centre known as S-21.
For the visitor, Cambodia is a land of contrasts inhabited by resilient forwarding-looking people whose art and culture continues to inspire. For these reasons and more a personal journey to enchanting Cambodia is truly one of discovery.
Size 260 x 215 mm / 10” x 8”. Extent 80 pages.
ISBN 978-1-906780-52-7
Price £9.99 paperback
Publication November 2011
The Traditional Ceramics of South East Asia
In 2005, I completed the Traditional Ceramics of South East Asia, the result of two years research and many trips to rural villages in the region. The book was published by the University of Hawaii Press in USA and A&C Black in the UK. It documents the life and work of traditional potters in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. The text is supported by more than two hundred photographs.
I have also lectured at the Yingge Ceramics Museum in Taipei and at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, and have led arts-based tours in Thailand and Laos. Please contact me if you are interested in organising a lecture or tour.
Below are reviews of the book, along with two pages from the Laos chapter. The book can be purchased online through Amazon.
Publisher: A & C Black (1 Jun 2005)
ISBN-10: 0713661542
ISBN-13: 978-0713661545
Size 27.6 x 22.6 x 2.8 cm. Extent 224 pages.
Reviews of the Traditional Ceramics of South East Asia
“A beautifully illustrated reference book for potters and anyone with an interest in the anthropology and sociology of South-East Asia.” - The Collector
“This is not only a beautifully illustrated and useful reference source for potters but, a documentation of traditional craftsmanship and a way of life that looks set to disappear.” - Craftsman Magazine
“This is a poetic survey, lavishly illustrated, of the state of contemporary earthenware production across five countries on mainland Southeast Asia. The author is the guide in this book, and he records statements from the potters themselves about their art, and adds technical information about ceramics materials and processes.
This is not an academic book yet it has already been cited as source for trying to pinpoint the place of manufacture for a specific storage jar shape from 400-500 years ago and it will also be useful to researchers on prehistoric earthenware.
Shippen describes his book as “unashamedly a personal one”. Besides his unconditional passion for pottery, his poignant vignettes are heartwarming and, at time, heartbreaking. The well-written text is augmented by spectacular photographs taken by the author himself. He captures pots being formed by a grandmother on a bare turning table, pots set outside woven bamboo huts to dry, amidst the intensive heat of firing, being loaded onto ox-drawn carts or river craft for market, and stacked by picturesque roadsides. Other pots are shown in use in a backyard distillery, moss-covered but full of pure drinking water at village house front gates. In the photographs one sees a timeless rural world that is quickly disappearing in the face of relentless development. Traditional pottery is at the soul of that world and the author is a peerless guide.” – the late Dr. Roxanna M. Brown, former Director of Southeast Asian Ceramics Museum, Bangkok University
“I think you have done a really wonderful job – it is a very, very impressive book and the photographs are incredible. I even like the colour of the cover and of the text on the dust jacket!” – Coll Minogue, potter and publisher of the ceramics magazine The Log Book, UK
“I am a ceramics student in British Columbia, Canada, and have recently been given the opportunity to read your wonderful book, “The Traditional Ceramics of South East Asia”. What a treat! I am completely blown away by the photos and the sensitive writing, as well as the great detail in which you managed to describe the various making and firing processes. I myself lived and taught in Bangkok, as well as travelling throughout the region, for three years and your book brought me closer to the feeling of being there than I have felt in the five years since returning to Canada. As it was South East Asia that inspired me to craft, your book brings it full-circle. Thank you very much for this amazing book!” – Sarah Lawless, Nelson, BC, Canada
“Mick Shippen, with eyes wide open draws you instantly into a dialogue of observation on many levels. This book is as much about the people – potters (mostly women) who openly acknowledge that they are faced with the dilemma of the survival of their craft in the 21st century – as it is about those traditional pottery making and firing techniques which are so rapidly disappearing. The warmth and friendliness of the potters is ever-present, their willingness to invite Mick into their homes and workshops to record their craft is testimony to his passion to document their skills before they are lost forever.” - Robert Sanderson, The Log Book, UK
“ This book is wonderful. Lesser mortals would have done the work to gain a PhD. The whole feeling of the book is of love and care for the deep losses in this evolving world. The pics are excellent. The way every object is contextualised succeeds beautifully. Your writing style is delightful – easy, picturesque, evocative and quite devoid of academic pretension. I admire your work. You have added something truly important to human knowledge.” – Paul D Johnson, Australia www.pauljohnsonsculpture.com
“ I just wanted to touch base with you and say thank you for writing such a wonderful ceramics book about SE Asia. Your book was my inspiration to apply for an NCECA grant, that I received, to research pottery in Burma for a month.” – Alix Knipe, USA www.alixknipe.com
From the chapter on Laos:
I was also a contributing writer the the highly acclaimed To Asia With Love, and To Myanmar With Love published by Things Asian Press. My work will also appear in the forthcoming To Thailand With Love.
