I've been a reader of Stephens' work for some time, and enjoyed reading about the successes of various expats throughout the region. The reason this gets 3 stars is because every tale is about an expat who ends up having an almost 'storybook' adventure and, like all storybooks, lives happily ever after amongst their riches or in their castles. While a few of these stories sprinkled throughout the book would have added some vibrant color, an entire book of tales such as these was a bit much. I expected and would have appreciated the book to feature primarily regular-joe-type expats who are somewhat successful in Asia, yet still somehow have achieved successes that aren't out of reach of the average person with enough ambition.

This book tells how people not only dream of different lives, but live them. You too can share their joys as well as their misadventures. Visit with them and enjoy the tales of the famous and not so famous visitors they have intertained. How can you make a living when you had nothing to start with. This not a "how to" book but shows what can be done when you set your mind and heart to the task. Mostly the characters have raised above the crowd in their likes, desires, and true life experiences. Reviewed by Dave and Connie Pryor.

In this book, Stephens introduces the reader to some of the fascinating expatriate men and women he has come to know over the years. The stories are biographies of action photographers, artists, philosophers, entrepreneurs, sailors, environmentalists, and others, and are as varied and alluring as Southeast Asia itself. A word of caution: those who are dissatisfied with their present lives or occupations may be influenced by these characters and run off to distant lands seeking adventure or their own fortune