"I stayed [in the forest] for two nights. The first night, nothing happened. The second night, at about one or two in the morning, a tiger came--which meant that I didn't get any sleep the whole night. I sat in meditation, scared stiff, while the tiger walked around and around my umbrella tent (klot). My body felt all frozen and numb. I started chanting, and the words came out like running water. All the old chants I had forgotten now came back to me, thanks both to my fear and to my ability to keep my mind under control. I sat like this from 2 until 5 a.m., when the tiger finally left." --A forest monk During the first half of this century the forests of Thailand were home to wandering ascetic monks. They were Buddhists, but their brand of Buddhism did not copy the practices described in ancient doctrinal texts. Their Buddhism found expression in living day-to-day in the forest and in contending with the mental and physical challenges of hunger, pain, fear, and desire. Combining interviews and biographies with an exhaustive knowledge of archival materials and a wide reading of ephemeral popular literature, Kamala Tiyavanich documents the monastic lives of three generations of forest-dwelling ascetics and challenges the stereotype of state-centric Thai Buddhism. Although the tradition of wandering forest ascetics has disappeared, a victim of Thailand's relentless modernization and rampant deforestation, the lives of the monks presented here are a testament to the rich diversity of regional Buddhist traditions. The study of these monastic lineages and practices enriches our understanding of Buddhism in Thailand and elsewhere.

Dawn of Memories is a journey into the realm of early recollections of childhood and a search for the meaning of the remembrances. Since 1894, first memories have been a subject of hundreds of investigations around the world. The age of a person’s initial recollections, the content of the memories and various other topics are of enduring interest to people of all ages. Early recollections yield deep insights into an individual’s personality and ways of perceiving life, and can help both individuals and clinicians to employ these first memories for personality appraisal and growth. Building on earlier studies, Dawn of Memories presents a clear and understandable framework for interpreting early recollections in order to enhance self-understanding and personal development. Numerous captivating and informative examples detail the meaning of first remembrances in historical figures and people from diverse backgrounds. Clarke also focuses on capitalizing on strengths and an awareness of potentialities that emerge from reflecting upon early recollections. Readers will come away from this enlightening work with a better understanding of their own memories, their lives as result of these memories, and how to use them to resolve current issues in their lives.