Beautiful color photographs portray traditional methods of making clay pots in Southeast Asia, in this book that emphasizes the central role of ceramics in people's lives. The book is organized into sections by country: Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Malaysia, and shows the different aesthetics and traditions of each region. Individual potters are highlighted, and each step of the pot-making process is portrayed, from digging, grinding and processing clay, to forming vessels, applying slip and decorations, and firing the clay. Shippen, a British potter who has lived in Thailand for the past eight years, notes that fewer and fewer young people are continuing this traditional craft. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)