So begins this lovely volume of exquisite photographs from Laos, a country whose remote regions are still hidden away to all but a few inquisitive scholars and venturesome travelers. The capital city of Vientiane and far-flung regions of the country are richly illustrated in 150 color images. The photographs recount the author's personal journey to towns and villages in the 1990s, portraying ethnic minorities and lowlanders, their traditional life and work, and the natural environment and terrain. Apart from a descriptive introduction, the captions provide the only text. The author...