The Real First White Rajah of Borneo
Posted on 28. Mar, 2024 by Paul Sochaczewski in Articles, Sultan and the Mermaid Queen
Real First White Rajah of Borneo" class="thumbnail" height="220" width="200" />I belong to a small group of people curious about the life and times of Alexander Hare. When we get together, we ponder an improbable question: How did an ambitious 19th-century slave-owner, harem-builder, and political arriviste become the First White Rajah of Borneo?
The bigger question: How does one become king or queen numero uno? More specifically, how might I become the first Supreme Leader With Wisdom Like Solomon Whose Eyes Spot Prey Like an Eagle and Whose Courage Rivals That of a Tiger of my own country?
Read MoreThe Sultan and the Mermaid Queen
Posted on 02. Apr, 2010 by Paul Sochaczewski in Books, Sultan and the Mermaid Queen
The Sultan and the Mermaid Queen is a non-fiction collection of some 70 essays and articles which describe rarely written-about Asian people, places and events; most have appeared in the International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, CNN Traveller, Geographical, Travel and Leisure, Destinasian and other leading publications.
Meet the last elephant hunter of Vietnam, who has reached Michael Jordan-like status through a very Asian-accented product endorsement. Understand why 19th century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who spent eight years in Asia, has a better claim to the theory of natural selection than Charles Darwin. Meet the homeless man in Hawaii who has the résumé to prove he’s the real last emperor of China. Learn why isolated Indian villagers are angry at the Monkey God Hanuman for not returning their sacred mountain. Bargain for good luck on the Philippines “amulet island”. Learn why the white elephant is being used by Burma’s generals to try to justify their hold on power. Ponder the disappearance of Bruno Manser, a Swiss Robin Hood who vanished in a Borneo jungle while trying to help the downtrodden Penan tribesmen stand up for their rights. Play golf on the world’s highest course. Speak with the Sultan of Yogyakarta and learn about his love affair with the Mermaid Queen.
Read More