The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1971, Blaðsíða 56

54
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
WINTER 1971
ly read, it’s fault becomes its greatest
virtue. The reader who Takes it a chap-
ter at a time will be well rewarded. To
open -the book anywhere, to begin
reading at any paragraph is to be car-
ried into a world so different from
our own that it might well be another
planet.
Mr. Bloodworth writes: “Southeast
Asia is like the durian (fruit) — prick-
ly, strange, smelly and beautiful, revolt-
ing, enchanting, an offence and an ad-
diction. I am not an academic with all
the facts and figures at my fingertips
“But I have made the Far East my
diet for 16 years. My object ... is to
break it open and offer the reader a
taste.”
The taste is intriguing, if a little
too rich for a steady diet. The author
reveals to the reader presidents and
peasants, Ho Chi Minh and Viet Cong
irregulars, Prince Sihanouk and a
Cambodian peasant who confided, “If
Sihanouk should make us work as hard
as the Chinese Communists, we should
simply DIE.”
Asian leaders who before were only
sinister names in news dispatches
come to life. We see Ho Chi Minh as
not only the mastermind behind the
Vietnamese nationalism but also as
the man who kept his vow to Hanoi’s
street-walkers that 'they would walk
the streets at night for the rest of itheir
lives. Now they are street cleaners.
The ordinary Asians are here too.
The Manila policemen who regard
racketeers and criminals as their na-
tural allies and, as such, something
to be cherished, for when crime is
eradicated so is the policeman; the La-
otian soldiers who fire their guns into
the air because their religion forbids
the taking of lives; a Vietnamese leader
rumored to feed those who displease
him to his pet tiger; peasants who
give their children such disagreeable
names as Stinky and Bitchy in the
hope of deceiving the greedy spirits
of their ancestors who might otherwise
gobble them up — these and innumer-
able other facets of Asian life make
this anecdotal history of South-east
Asia a delight.
James Richardson & Sons, Limited
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650-1722) had the
uncanny ability of appearing before his adversaries a day earlier
than expected. Marlborough’s skill on the battlefield was only
exceeded by the adroitness, candor and success of his diplomacy.
His continual accuracy in evaluating the connection between
•'cause and effect" is still admired today.
The Research Department of Richardson Securities of Canada
js vitally conccrncd'with the pivotal investment issues of "cause
and effect". Our research analysts carefully examine and evaluate
potential investment opportunities for our clients.This informa-
tion is then forwarded, through our instant communication sys-
tem to Richardson Securities representatives in North America,
Europe and the Far East.
Marlborough made his military and diplomatic decisions in the
light of the latest and most precise available information.NVc feel
that investment decisions should be made with nolcss care and
deliberation.
Isn’t that what you want from the people through whom you
invest.
li
Richardson Securi ties op Canada