Mervyn Brown's "A History of Madagascar" is one of the most comprehensive works on the history of Madagascar from its earliest times to its modern development. It explores the Malagasy people, interethnic relations, the influence of the Merina kingdom, French colonialism, and the political dynamics leading up to independence in 1960. Brown, a diplomat and historian, provides in-depth analysis b…
Sandwiched between US-supported Thailand and Communist North Vietnam, the tranquil Buddhist kingdom of Laos - the original Shangri-La - became the centre of a major Cold War crisis in the early nineteen-sixties, when Mervyn Brown served there as deputy to the British Ambassador. War in Shangri-La is a fascinating and highly readable account of his often hazardous experiences, which included th…