The Loop: A Photo Journey Around Southeast Asia

I agree with the other reviewer that the writing really stood out. The pictures were beautiful, but since it was a photography book, I expected that. But I didn't expect the writing to be as engaging, insightful, and funny as it was. That line about being crammed into a crowded bus and being twisted into Kama Sutra positions made me laugh out loud too. The whole story about the slow boat in Laos was funny also. But what was really cool was that both during and after the laughs, there was real substance in all of the writing. The little indigenous kids in Vietnam, the problems with damming on the Mekong river in Laos, and the stuff about the truck being stopped in Thailand because it was close to the Burma border - all of it was really interesting and thought provoking. I recommend this book to lovers of photography and travel writing.

I love this! It is so much more than just beautiful photos; it takes you deep into the heart of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia. The photos are breathtaking! It was such a breath of fresh air to see Southeast Asia in a different light than what is usually portrayed on television. The writing sealed the deal for me, it made the photos come to life and I truly visualized everything. It was such a pleasure to read the travel-writing chapter. I laughed out loud many times especially when trying to imagine “a battered and deep-fried backpack.” It’s also very informative and makes you think about life and what we take for granted. Traveling to Southeast Asia has always been a thought, but after reading this book it is now a goal. You had me at “Kama-sutra like embraces with strangers.”

Glimpses of ancient and modern, and every page magnificent. Dane captures the beauty of both humanity and nature in places most of us will never get to travel.