Sihanouk: Prince of Light, Prince of Darkness

Rating:
Summary: Neither Light nor Darkness!
Review: Having read most, if not all, of Milton Osborne's previous books on Cambodia and S.E. Asia, I found this book a big disappointment. The author seems to have re-written chapters from a previous book and added a few new ones but did not undertake new research for this book about Prince (now King) Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia. I served as Private Secretary to King Sihanouk from 1981-1991 and I believe that the Cambodian monarch is a much misunderstood monarch. Certainly not a perfect human being but neither a "prince of darkness". It is a great pity that Osborne does not pay much attention to Sihanouk's leading role in bringing a certain peace to Cambodia.

Rating:
Summary: illuminative; Sihanouk as self-enamored patriarch and more..
Review: the author's description of the subject's adept manuevering between larger powers in a time of considerable instability is enlightening; Sihanouk is portrayed not only as monarchist, but politically keen and not above his own level of terroristic manipulation of events (as depicted in the Sumlaut rebellion)