John Burdett
Bangkok 8
The first book in the Sonchai Jitpleecheep series, 2002
For Sofia
Like all the men of Babylon, I have been proconsul; like all, I have been a slave. I have known omnipotence, ignominy, imprisonment. Look here-my right hand has no index finger.
– Jorge Luis Borges, “The Lottery in Babylon ”
In the whole world there is no one who does not welcome it like reason.
– Confucius, talking about jade
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I thank Sandra Bacon for her great help and kindness in a difficult moment; Nick Wolff for sharing the burden of research; Nong Ruamsantiah (not to be confused with any character bearing those names) for showing me Thailand at grass roots level; and, in no particular order: Thip, Nit, Tao, Toy, Marly, Lek, Da, Song, Mimi, Yen, Jin, Ay, Wan, Pat, Nat, without whom this book would never have happened.
AUTHOR’S NOTE