Apparently, and I didn’t know this before, no one really explored the Mekong River until intrepid white folks arrived. Sure, many of them were racist, cruel, and exploitative, but we should admire them for… reasons?

I mean, I get it. They were courageous. But for what good g——-d reason?

There is a nice but underwritten section about medieval Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. But mostly it’s just infuriating.

And did you know that the author has many friends who are Asian? He does. We should admire him for that, is the implied lesson.

The only good bit is a lengthy discussion of various proposed infrastructure projects, especially dams, on the river. A little boring, but well worth publication in a specialty outlet focusing on foreign affairs.