David Chandler , A History of Cambodia; Brother Number One (both Westview Press). In A History of Cambodia Chandler, the acknowledged authority on Cambodian history, examines the changing fortunes of the country during the two thousand years of its existence. His considered biography, Brother Number One, serves to shed some light on the enigma of Pol Pot, a man with mild manners, but a genocidal bent.

Amit Gilboa , Off the Rails in Phnom Penh - Into the Dark Heart of Guns, Girls and Ganja (Asia Books, Bangkok). A shallow, seedy, sensational account of expat life in Phnom Penh. Gilboa sets out to shock rather than to create a literary masterpiece.

Claude Jacques , Angkor (Konemann). One for the library rather than the suitcase, this generous volume tracks the rise and fall of the great Khmer civilization. Bright, readable history and thorough technical descriptions of the temples are interspersed with stunning photographs and detailed temple plans.

Henry Kamm , Cambodia - Report from a Stricken Land (Arcade, US). The truth of contemporary Cambodian history laid bare - an informed and authoritative narrative of the complex international manoeuvres which destroyed Cambodia's chances of an early recovery.

Norman Lewis , A Dragon Apparent (Picador/Transatlantic-Pubns Inc). Now only available as part of the Norman Lewis Omnibus: A Dragon Apparent; Golden Earth; A Goddess in the Stones, Lewis's colourful travelogue describes his journey through Indochina during the last years of French rule.

Dith Pran , Children of Cambodia's Killing Fields (Yale University Press). A moving compilation of memoirs from those who experienced the Cambodian holocaust first-hand.

Dawn Rooney , Angkor (Odyssey, Hong Kong). A comprehensive introduction to the temples of Angkor, with the benefit of detailed plans and a monument-by-monument guide to the main temples.

Vittorio Roveda , Khmer Mythology (Thames and Hudson/Weatherhill). Roveda explains the legends and histories behind Angkor's incredible carvings, bringing numerous reliefs to life.

David Smyth , Colloquial Cambodian (Routledge). An easy-to-use introduction to written and spoken Cambodian.

Chou Ta-Kuan , The Customs of Cambodia (Siam Society, Bangkok). A translation of the intriguing accounts of thirteenth-century Chinese Mandarin Chou Ta-Kuan. His detailed chronicles offer an amazing insight into daily life at Angkor, at the peak of the Khmer Empire.

Usha Welaratna , Beyond the Killing Fields (Stanford University Press, US). As fearful Cambodians fled the country in 1979, thousands of refugees were left without homes. Welaratna's perceptive book examines the experiences of nine Cambodian refugees who settled in the United States to rebuild their lives.

Ray Zepp , The Cambodia Less Traveled (o/p). Part travelogue, part dated guide book, this rare edition is worthy of a read if a copy can be found. Reveals the wonders, limitations and frustrations of travelling through Cambodia in the mid-1990s.