Culture and History:

Butler-Diaz, Jacqueline, Editor. 1999. Laos: New Aspirations, New Challenges. In addition to a wide range of articles on modern Laos, this book includes a comprehensive bibliography of research in English about Laos by Arthur Dommen. Tempe: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Arizona State University. Paperback. Evans, Grant, Editor. 2000. Laos: Culture and Society. Paperback. 373 pages. Includes articles on Lao literature and language. Seattle: University of Washington Press. Paperback. 373 pages. ISBN: 9748709043. List price $24.95. Stuart-Fox, Martin. 1997. A History of Laos. Covers the period from the founding of modern Laos as a French colony to present day Laos. London: Cambridge University Press. Paperback. 272 pages. ISBN: 0521597463. List price is $19.95

Multimedia:

CDs and tapes of popular and classical/traditional Lao music can be purchased both in the U.S. and in Laos; songs can provide useful exercises for students in writing out lyrics which are usually in poetic form and thus can provide the teacher an opportunity to introduce some basic poetry forms as well. Very few films on Laos or on Lao-Americans are available. There is one film on Lao-Americans that I have used frequently and would recommend for purchase. It is called Too Much Air to Breathe, and was produced by Priscilla and Sylvain Coudoux of Samsara Productions in Washington, D.C. It includes interviews in Lao (with English voice overs) of a Buddhist monk, a Buddhist nun, a Buddhist novice, and Lao lay people, including teenagers, from a temple in Virginia. It is a wonderful starting point for good discussions in Lao on culture and identity. It can be ordered from Priscilla Coudoux, Samsara Productions, 1335 Massachussets Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003 Email address is samsaracom@earthlink.net Phone is 202- 543-1672.

Language and Literature:

Kerr, Allen. Lao-English Dictionary. Originally published in Washington, D.C. by American University Press, 1972. Currently publishing rights are held by White Lotus Publishers in Bangkok. Order from them through email at ande@loxinfo.co.th Outhin Bounyavong. Bounheng Inversin, translator. 1999. Mother's Beloved. Seattle: University of Washington Press. A bilingual edition of a collection of short stories by a well-known Lao author. Hong Kong University Press: ISBN: 0295977361 Paperback. 198 pages. List price is $14.95. (Available on Amazon.com for $11.96) Yates, Warren G. and Souksomboun Sayasithsena. 1995. Lao Basic Course. Paperback. 350 pages. Originally published by the Foreign Service Institute, this revised edition is available from Hippocrene Books: ISBN 0781804108 List price is $19.95. (Amazon.com charges $13.96.) Lao Primers, Grades I, 2, and 3. Originally published by the Royal Lao Government, these primers were reprinted by Pragmatics, International and are available through the Hmong Bookstore in St. Paul, Minnesota. Since most publications prior to 1975 and some in the diaspora use the spelling system found in these texts, students need to be introduced to some materials written in this system, as well as materials using the current government's spelling system. These texts provide a basic introduction to this older system which is still in use by many adults educated in the earlier period.

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