Explore the rich world of Cambodia! Whether you’re planning a visit, love history, or want to understand its culture, these books are a great place to start. From the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat to the heartbreaking Khmer Rouge era, Cambodia’s history is full of stories worth discovering.
These recommended books cover Cambodia’s history, culture, language, food, and politics. Learn about the resilience of the Khmer people, the secrets of traditional Cambodian cooking, and the country’s journey through its past, present, and future. Whether you’re curious about the Cambodian genocide or the modern political scene, there’s something here for everyone. Start your journey into the heart of Cambodia today!
Best books about Cambodia
These books offer insights into Cambodia’s recent history, focusing on the Khmer Rouge era and its impact on society, politics, and the economy:
First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung
A powerful memoir of the author’s childhood under the Khmer Rouge, offering a personal view of the regime’s atrocities and their effect on ordinary Cambodians. The Cambodian-born American author wrote this non-book that was later adopted as a film, directed by filmmaker Angelina Jolie.
This personal story of the author touches the heart and soul of most readers, while also guides us through what it’s like to survive the Khmer Rouge period as a little.
When the War Was Over by Elizabeth Becker
An in-depth history of Cambodia during and after the Khmer Rouge, providing historical context from an American journalist who covered the conflict.
“Cambodia’s Curse” by Joel Brinkley
Examines the political and economic challenges Cambodia faces, highlighting the lingering effects of the Khmer Rouge era.
“The Gate” by Francois Bizot
A French anthropologist’s account of his imprisonment and release by the Khmer Rouge, offering rare insights into the regime’s inner workings.
“Stay Alive, My Son” by Pin Yathay
A memoir of survival during the Khmer Rouge genocide, detailing the author’s struggle and resilience amidst the horrors faced by his family.
Books about starting/doing business and investing in Cambodia
Essential Cambodia: A Guide for Foreign Entrepreneurs, Investors and Managers
Cambodian American entrepreneur Allen Dodgson Tan’s book is a good read for foreign businesspeople and investors. It’s a work of his more than a decade doing business in Cambodia. Not surprisingly, Michael Hayes praised that “This book is an absolute must-read for any and all foreigners interested in investing in Cambodia.”
Recommended Books about Cambodian History
The first step to understand this beautiful country is by starting to learn more about Khmer history, culture, and arts. From the glorious Angkor era to the year zero or genocide, these selected English-language books about the history of Cambodia will help you grasp a sense of the people, culture, and politics through the chronicled timeline. If you’re passionate about Cambodian history, here’s a list of selected books to get an in-depth understanding of beauty and darkness of Cambodian past.
Cambodian Wooden Houses (1500 years of Khmer Heritage) by Darryl Collins & Hok Sokol (not yet available on Amazon)
A New Sun Rises Over the Old Land: A Novel of Sihanouk’s Cambodia by Suon Sorin and Roger Nelson The title and story is a translation from the original Khmer book (popular among Cambodian scholars). David P. Chandler, author of A History of Cambodia, praised this new book saying that “Reading this passionate, absorbing novel, it’s poignant to re-enter a period that was filled for many Cambodians with optimism.” Buy it on Amazon
A History of Cambodia
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2IuEkHu)
David P. Chandler is one of the most regarded historians of Cambodia. This well-researched book examines the death of Pol Pot, the fall of the Khmer Rouge, and the Vietnamese invasion of 1979. However, it’s his remarkable analysis of the country and its politics that resonates with most of Cambodia’s scholars and researchers.
When The War Was Over: Cambodia And The Khmer Rouge Revolution
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2KBIs8Z)
Veteran journalist Elizabeth Becker covered Cambodia and Southeast Asia for the Washington Post back in the 1970s. This book about a modern history of Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge gives you an insight into the country during the internal conflicts as witnessed by a foreign correspondent.
Traumatic Pasts in Asia: History, Psychiatry, and Trauma from the 1930s to the Present Included in this book, there is a chapter ‘Haunting and Recovery in Post-Khmer Rouge Cambodia by Caroline Bennett. The auhtor explored how relations with the dead as well as the experience of haunting opened way for Cambodian people to rebuild their modern society.
A Short History of Cambodia: From Empire to Survival (A Short History of Asia series)
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2KCIv4A)
This is one of the most readable history books about the strange tragedy of Cambodia. Through this book, by John Tully, you’ll get the balance of ancient and modern history. The author’s coverage of the post-World War II is helpful.
It helps most people to understand the importance of Southeast Asia in the Cold War apart from the U.S. War in Vietnam. John Tully’s observations and impressions are compelling.
Cambodia’s Curse: The Modern History of a Troubled Land
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2KBEEog)
When this Joel Brinkley’s book was first released, it’s often criticized for factual errors. However, if you’re fascinated by the modern history of Cambodia, you cannot really skip this book with an interesting, catchy title.
Pol Pot: Anatomy of a Nightmare
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2mwep8T)
Philip Short the author offers readers through the lens of French. Well written and researched into a horrible period of Cambodia’s history, the book Pol Pol: Anatomy of a Nightmare is a good read with historical background. You’d gain insight of Saloth Sar, his childhood, youth years and his final way to total power.
Haing Ngor: A Cambodian Odyssey
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2KySyHi)
The Cambodian author Haing Ngor (also know as Dith Pran in the ‘Killing Fields’ movie tells the world about struggling story of surviving the Khmer Rouge. Haing Ngor’s personal story is human survival (from the genocide) and triumph. [Haing Ngor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haing_S._Ngor) was murdered in LA in 1996.
– by Haing Ngor (Author), Roger Warner (Author)
– Hardcover – February 2, 1988
The Khmer Kings and the History of Cambodia: BOOK I – 1st Century to 1595: Funan, Chenla, Angkor and Longvek Periods
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2yGIqJu)
This is one of several books about Cambodian kings.
Before this book, The Khmer Kings and History of Cambodia, the author’s work has appeared online: “The Last Khmer God-King” (Phnom Penh Post, October 2012); “Yuon: What’s in a Xenonym” (Phnom Penh Post, February 2010); Preah Khan Reach and the Genealogy of Khmer Kings (2008).
– by Kenneth T. So (Author)
– Paperback – November 1, 2017
9 The Khmer Rouge: The Notorious History and Legacy of the Communist Regime that Ruled Cambodia in the 1970s
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2Q2VoI6)
– Charles River Editors (Author)
– Kindle edition – October 1, 2018
Soul Survivors – Stories of Women and Children in Cambodia
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2Q2jYcd)
The most fascinating read in this book is the personal stories of a dozen of Cambodian survivors who told how they survived and thrived after the Khmer Rouge regime.
– Bhavia C. Wagner (Author), Valentina DuBasky (Photographer)
– Paperback – July 20, 2008
Why Vietnam Invaded Cambodia: Political Culture and the Causes of War
[Buy it on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0975395106/?tag=tbun27_cambodia-20)
This book is the first comprehensive, scholarly analysis of the causes of the Vietnamese invasion. At its core are two separate but related histories covering the years 1930 to 1978.
All My Silent Years
[Buy it on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1733493107/?tag=tbun27_cambodia-20)
This is the story of a young girl dragged across the jagged edge of history who must learn to forgive herself for the law she broke to stay alive.
Must-Read Books about Angkor Wat History
Are you planning to spend a great time in Siem Reap? What’s a better way to delve deep into the ancient time of Angkor? Built in the 12th century, the grand, complex architecture is an expression of Khmer civilization and one of the planet’s largest religious monuments.
Many centuries later, Angkor Wat temple and its rich history still and will continue to amaze the travelers, tourists, historians, and researchers from all over the world. This is a list of recommended books about Angkor Wat you should read before visiting Cambodia. Get one of the books from our list of 10 best Angkor Wat History books. You should read some of these Angkor Wat history and guide books.
Angkor Wat: The History and Legacy of the World’s Largest Hindu Temple
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2r0f3xS)
Did not realize that the Angkor Wat Temple complex was Hindu? This book centers around the architecture of the temples that were influenced by Hindu and Buddhist religion.
What elaborated about the architecture and building may be hard to follow. But the featured photographs make this book very worthwhile.
– Published: December 19, 2017
– Charles River Editors (Author)
Angkor: Cambodia’s Wondrous Khmer Temples
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2qZ1hLi)
If you’re interested in detailed monument-by-monument itineraries and maps to the temple sites, this is one of the few books you should read.
In some way, this book is like the bible for any visit to the temples, including the best restaurant tips. This book is the must-have guide to Angkor Wat!
– by Dawn Rooney (Author), Magnus Bartlett (Photographer), Peter Danford (Photographer)
– Fifth edition (July 29, 2005)
Angkor Wat: Time, Space, and Kingship
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2KerVbT)
This is one of the most insightful, scholarly, unorthodox, and well written books about ancient Angkor for most people.
The 360 pages detailed the principles of 12th-century Khmer temple architecture. Therefore, it’s not highly recommended for the travelers and backpackers because it is dauntingly technical.
– Published: 2000
– by Eleanor Mannikka
Khmer Mythology: Secrets of Angkor
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2r33HIL)
This books explains the mixed Hindu and Khmer myths that lie behind the carved reliefs at Angkor Wat. The Khmer Mythology: Secrets of Angkor is one of a few excellent books on Khmer mythology.
The book discusses the rulers, Buddhist and Hindu interplay, and outstanding description of individual ruins. You’d find it quite helpful if you are traveling to Siem Reap and want to read up on what you will be seeing.
– Published: May 1, 1998
– Vittorio Roveda (Author)
Sacred Angkor: The Carved Reliefs of Angkor Wat
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2Jumt3n)
For those who are fascinated by the magnificent carvings of the long galleries, the corner pavilions, pediments, lintels, this is another excellent book on this particular subject.
– Published: 2007
– Vittorio Roveda (Author)
A Dragon Apparent: Travels in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2KgtcPI)
This is one of the must-read books for those who enjoys travel writing or anyone interested in anthropology or in the recent history of South-East Asia.
Overall, this book is both informative and entertaining for most readers.
– Published: December 19, 2003
– Norman Lewis (Author)
Ancient Angkor (River Books Guides)
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2uV9X8g)
The book provides an excellent overview of the Angkor temples. If you’re heading to Cambodia and visiting the ancient Angkor, you should get this book with you.
It’s as if you’ve got a historian and a photographer as your personal guide while visiting the wonder temple of the world.
– Published: January 16, 2009
– by Michael Freeman (photographer) and Claude Jacques (historian)
A Woman of Angkor
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2uYKHhn)
A Woman of Angkor book? What’s in a book title? Well, this book is wonderful work of historical fiction by John Burgess, an American author and journalist.
If you’re looking for the best way to learn about Khmer culture, then you should get this book.
– Published: January 21, 2013
– by John Burgess
Temple of a Thousand Faces
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2LK5Q8t)
The author wrote that “a story set nearly a thousand years ago, an empire is lost, a royal love is tested, and heroism is reborn.”
The 544 pages gives most readers a wonderful historical fiction. A good metaphor is reading this book is like really living in Ancient Cambodia.
– February 5, 2013
– John Shors (Author)
The Map of Lost Memories: A Novel
[Buy it on Amazon](https://amzn.to/2OqAJ0o)
This fiction is the author’s “quest to make the greatest archaeological discovery of the century soon becomes a quest for her family’s secrets.”
This novel about Angkor has these three elements in one: adventure, romance, and history.
– June 18, 2013
– Kim Fay (Author)
The Angkor Guidebook: Your Essential Companion to the Temples
[Buy it on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/999637274X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tbun27_cambodia-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=999637274X&linkId=e98982b598858029ae7f8b8684220069)
First time to visit Angkor Wat temple? If you’re prepping for a trip to see the real Angkor, you should consider getting this book. It’s an insider’s guide to the history of the ancient Angkor.
– 3rd edition (2016)
– Andrew Booth (Author)
Focusing on the Angkor Temples: The Guidebook
[Buy it on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/6164235316/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tbun27_cambodia-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=6164235316&linkId=e53ead02eafad226923f55972f1a9157)
In addition to texts, you’ll find the illustrations and detailed maps useful to guide you through the temples of Angkor. The book focuses on more than 80 ancient temples in Siem Reap.
– 2017
– Michel Petrotchenko (Author)
Angkor the Magnificent – Wonder City of Ancient Cambodia
[Buy it on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1934431028/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tbun27_cambodia-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1934431028&linkId=2a391f94b9257d918b0daafff261df3a)
Incredibly, Helen Churchill Candee is a survivor of the Titanic. In 1922, she traveled to Cambodia and explored the mysterious jungle capital of the ancient Khmers before writing the book.
– Paperback – October 1, 2010
– by Helen Churchill Candee (Author), Kent Davis (Editor), Randy Bryan Bigham (Afterword)
Fictions About Cambodia
– [The Governor’s Daughter](https://amzn.to/2L7XPG8) (The Mysteries of Colonial Cambodia Book 1) by Khmer American author Sambath Meas
– Samantha Sutton and the Temple of Traitors This 320 page novel is about mystery-adventures of a teenage heroine (Samantha Sutton), who joins her archeologist uncle in excavations at the Preah Vihear temple’s clifftop.
– [The King’s Last Song](https://amzn.to/2N0D5C6) by Geoff Ryman (Author)
– [In the Shadow of the Banyan: A Novel](https://amzn.to/2L7FWaw) by [Vaddey Ratner](https://vaddeyratner.com/) (Author)
– [Khmer Legends](https://amzn.to/2DmtsfC) by Demaz Tep Baker
Travel and Memoirs:
Troubling the Water: A Dying Lake and a Vanishing World in Cambodia book by Abby Seiff, a foreign journalist who has covered Cambodia, Thailand, and Nepal. She announced her book relase on Twitter: “So! After years of work, my book is due out in two months which is pretty surreal and extremely terrifying. If you’re at all interested, I hope you’ll consider preordering it – which is apparently very helpful.”
– Lonely Planet Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos & Northern Thailand (Travel Guide) Paperback – August 15, 2017
– Lonely Planet Cambodia (Travel Guide) Paperback – August 21, 2018
– Moon Angkor Wat: With Siem Reap & Phnom Penh (Travel Guide) Paperback – October 2, 2018
Also good read:
– Popular Cambodia Books
– The Best Asian Literature, Historical Fiction and Audiobooks
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