Cleo Odzer

If I hadn't lived in Bangkok for four years, I would dismiss much of what Odzer says as improbably absurd. Parts of this book started out as something of a doctoral dissertation, but it goes easy on the scholarly babble - in fact she shares many of her emotions. Her experiences, conversations and the relationships she forms with people in the sex trade are an eye opener. Given the treatment and low status of women in Thailand, prostitution turns out to be one of the few ways that a poor woman can be aggressive, entrepreneurial and bring home the bacon - sometimes to an entire village. This book should be required reading for anyone thinking about living in Thailand (despite the fact that it's outdated now),… (mere)

This is the Worst book I've ever read.

The title of this book is utterly misleading. Ms. Odzer goes to Thailand to study women in the sex trade, but she quickly reveals that she is revolted by the work they do and that she is squeamish about stepping into the sex clubs in which they work. Instead, she spends the rest of the book going on about an affair she had with a married Thai man. How angry she is at his wife. How unfairly life is treating her. And on and on. It is boring, not even remotely informative. As a reader, I felt as used as the Thai people with whom Ms. Odzer interacted, and I felt no sympathy or empathy for the author or her actions… (mere)