Intended as a reminder of Europe for soldiers and clerks of the empire, the city of Dalat, located in the hills of Southern Vietnam, was built by the French in an alpine locale that reminded them of home. This book uncovers the strange 100-year history of a colonial city that was conceived as a center of power and has now become a kitsch tourist destination famed for its colonial villas, flower beds, pristine lakes, and pastoral landscapes. Eric T. Jennings finds that from its very beginning, Dalat embodied the paradoxes of colonialism - it was a city of leisure built on the backs of thousands of coolies, a supposed paragon of hygiene that offered only questionable protection from disease, and a new venture into ethnic relations that ultimately backfired. Jennings' fascinating history opens a new window onto virtually all aspects of French Indochina, from architecture and urban planning to violence, labor, metissage, health and medicine, gender and ethic relations, schooling, religion, comportments, anxieties, and more.

About the Author
Eric T. Jennings, Professor of History at the University of Toronto, is the author of Curing the Colonizers, and Vichy in the Tropics.

Reviews
"In the masterly hands of Eric Jennings, the history of Dalat becomes, not just a case study of a colonial holiday site, but a window into the dreams, fears and tension of colonialism." Canadian Journal Of History "An outstanding book... In a riveting sequence of chapters, the author develops a multilayered analysis of life in Dalat." American Historical Review "An excellent work... Jennings' book testifies to his prominent position in the field of French colonial history." -- Michael Vann Reviews In History "[A] remarkable book, which is impeccably researched... An eye-opening, eminently readable, highly impressive work." H-Net Reviews "Professor Jennings of the University of Toronto is a specialist in French colonial history and this work reflects his expertise in the subject." -- Michael Kyle Asian Affairs



Book Information
ISBN 9780520272699
Author Eric T. Jennings
Format Paperback
Page Count 376
Imprint University of California Press
Publisher University of California Press
Weight(grams) 544g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 28mm