Review of Anthony Reid, A History of Southeast Asia: Critical Crossroads

I first read this book in the warm humid climate of northern Queensland. As in Java, volcanic activity early in the earths history has left rich, fertile soil where grains, fruit and vegetables thrive. Rainfall can be plentiful or sparse; irrigation and water control are the keys to taming natures whims. This setting was just right to appreciate Tony Reids comprehensive, detailed and readable history of Southeast Asia. The book begins with a discussion of the people inhabiting the regions humid tropics. As with many studies of the past being written today, climate and geography are not mere backgrounds but causal in human history