Easy and Elegant Life

The Search for Everyday Elegance and the Art of Living Well.

Living History

Jim Thompson

Thank you Style Court for introducing me to Jim Thompson’s life and legend. I followed a link and down the rabbit hole I went into a life well-lived, indeed.

Thompson’s story is one, like Fitzroy Maclean’s or Patrick Leigh Fermor’s that shouldn’t be read too early on in a young life as one will expect to participate in all sorts of derring-do and adventure. It may be safely approached at a more advanced age when one may shrug off the taste for adventure but palpable fear of danger with a quick “Ah! If only I were younger…. it’d be Prague for me too m’boy!” (Good luck Mr. Green!)

From the website:
Ms. Goddard expressed great admiration for the Thai silk suit Thompson was wearing and expressed her wish to get one like it for a gentleman friend. Without hesitation, Thompson made her a gift of the suit and returned to his hotel wearing a raincoat belonging to his host.

But all is not rosy for the gentleman who revived an art form and entertained Noel Coward (Among others)

Thompson disappeared during Easter weekend, 1967 in the Cameron Highlands.

By then, Thompson had been in Thailand for nearly 22 years.

Read on dear friends. We have much to learn.

5 thoughts on “Living History

  1. Really interesting. A friend was in Thailand with the Peace Corps and brought me the silk frames. This was at least 20 years ago, and that’s when i learned the story.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.