5 comments about Beijing and Shanghai (Eyewitness Travel Guides) (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. I brought this travel guide with me to Beijing and Shanghai and in general thought it was useful and well-written. Unfortunately, the tiny serifed typeface was just too small for me to read easily. Not a problem for many people, but it sure was for me. I thought most of the information was accurate and helpful. I did not like the way they organized the book by mixing Beijing and Shanghai--I went to Beijing and wanted all that information and then I went to Shanghai and wanted all that info. I had to watch the color coding and page information to be sure I didn't wander into the wrong city (not in real life, only in the pages of the guide). It was a little heavier than I expected and I would be willing to sacrifice some of the high quality pictures and paper in order to make it lighter. Even considering the things I didn't like about the book, I would still buy it since the info was solid.



2. A real guide for a first time visit. Loved its contents, pictures, maps, suggestions and graphs of the major places of interest.



3. My husband and I bought this book right before we took a 3day tour to Beijing. It was a good help in a few areas to prepare us in our trip. I would suggest this book to anyone who plans on making the trip to this area of the world.



4. I have all Eyewitness Books on Travel & am hooked because of the photos. Most travel books have great info but nothing replaces arriving & seeing what you have identified from the comfort of your own home. As a person with one eye (due to cancer - too much chemo) this is very important to me. Faster than online....This one is exceptional & therefore I took the time to do a review for my next Asian trip. Hopefully it will help someone have a fantastic trip.



5. It was my first time in China and I went to both cities. The book was very informative, complete, well illustrated, and easy to read. Everybody in my group kept asking me to read it. I got to see other people's books and they did not come close. I strongly recommend this book.

5 comments about Japan (Country Guide).

1. THe book has a lot of information, it covers everything you will need to do in Japan. I stayed at the Washington hotel in Sujuku, Tokyo, a great location and a nice quiet, clean and efficient room.
   
   I DID NOT like the layout of the book. It was difficult to find things to refer back as a reference. THey are not listed in a logical order, some under activities, some under sights and not much of anything listed under the index. So, if I am trying to find a sight that I remember was mentioned in the book, chances are, it would not be in the index and I would have to sift through the pages and guess where the location was or, use a lot of bookmarks for easy refererence.
   
   Also, the location of the sight is not clearly marked. This can be a problem since Tokyo's train stations are so large, without specifics, you may get off at the site and wander around until you can find someone who speaks English and is willing to help, not always easy.



2. For years, Lonely Planet's Japan guide has been the benchmark among the many books available on the trendiest country in East Asia. The latest edition of their Japan guide continues to provide the high quality their readers have come to expect.
   
   High points of this edition include:
   
   - LP's authors seem to have found something to do in nearly every corner of Japan. While I still believe that to enjoy Japan best you must find your own places to enjoy - not just the ones within walking distance of a Starbucks - LP will help keep you from getting lost as you make your way from the train station to the twice-daily bus on the way to the Onsen In The Middle Of Nowhere (and if there is a Starbucks nearby that onsen, they'll tell you about that, too).
   
   It's especially helpful that they list smaller diversions like the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum right along side of more famous attractions such as Yokohama's Chinatown - these are very helpful for people with a couple of hours to burn while they wait for their train.
   
   - Restaurant suggestions. I don't use LP's restaurant choices religiously, but they are extremely helpful if you're unused to Japanese food (or with someone new to it); LP lists everything from high-end kaiseki restaurants to railway-station ramen stands to chain izakaya (pubs) with English menus - the last are an excellent way to try out different types of Japanese food without the guesswork.
   
   -Lodging. LP shines here in their recommendations of ryokan (Japanese style-inns) and minshuku (pensions), most of which don't appear on Expedia or even Japanese-language websites. These are great places to enjoy real Japanese hospitality, and LP knows which ones are welcoming to foreigners, which have the best food, and which have the best onsen (hot springs).
   
   -Japanese text. I can't emphasize this enough - it's absolutely critical to have Japanese translations of city names, train stations, attractions, and other important locations (hospitals, anyone?) written in Japanese as well as English. If you speak little or no Japanese, the text not only helps you read most signs outside of the major metro areas, it helps you to ask for directions, navigate restaurant menus, and maybe even learn some kanji.
   
   Here are a few things I took issue with in this edition:
   
   -Inaccurate transportation information. Don't worry, LP is generally reliable throughout the book and won't steer you wrong. The problem is what gets left out, particularly in the airport transportation category. For example, nobody bothers to tell you that Keikyu Railways provides service to Haneda Airport from Shinagawa for less money and in a shorter time than the Tokyo Monorail, which is silly because the last edition of the guide didn't make this mistake.
   
   LP also heartily recommends taking the Keisei tokkyu limited express service from Narita Airport instead of the all-reserved Skyliner. Don't even *think* about this if you have heavy baggage or are unused to crowds in Japan. The tokkyu is a commuter train and you'll be riding with several hundred close (literally) Japanese friends by the time you reach Ueno.
   
   -Toyoko Inn. LP directs budget travelers to this chain of cookie-cutter business hotels several times in this edition. Although Toyoko Inn is very popular among foreign travelers in Japan because of their English website and free rice-ball breakfasts, the chain is often more expensive than hotels with better service. Toyoko Inn's "Flintstones-tech" beds (my term) are my archenemy after repeatedly messing up my back. Do yourself a favor and make reservations at Toyoko's rival, Route Inn. Route Inn hotels have a free full breakfast for those who book online, often include a free onsen in the hotel, have more comfortable beds than Toyoko, and have rates that are often lower.
   
   In addition, Tokyu Hotels, Sunroute Hotels, Solare Hotels, Washington Hotels, and other business hotel chains have English websites that deserve your attention before Toyoko.
   
   -The "Safety" section lists what to do in case of fire and earthquake, but doesn't mention typhoons. Although most modern Japanese buildings are safe refuges in a typhoon, LP ought to devote at least a paragraph to safety precautions to take if you get stuck in a city in a typhoon's path - and several hit Japan every summer and fall.
   
   -LP's traditional wittiness is lessened somewhat as their writers turn over. Last edition's clever description of active volcano Sakurajima was: "Looming over Kagoshima is the brooding cone of this decidedly hyperactive volcano." The new authors call it "frisky." Say it with a knowing smile, folks: "Frisky" does not go in the same sentence as "volcano."
   
   Although again there isn't a overwhelming amount of new information in this book, LP's guide fits into the travel plans of just about anyone: Hardcore backpackers, exchange students, couples and even business travelers will all find the something useful in the guide for them.
   
   As always, the LP guide remains your best bet for exploring Japan.



3. Everything about modern and traditional Japan with emphasis on travel and living related information....open source travel guide to Japan, featuring up-to-date information on attractions, hotels, restaurants, nightlife, travel tips and more



4. Although Lonely Planet has good contents about all the places to visit, the suggested walks aren't as good as others. The complete descripitions of all the places doesn't orientate first vists wiht "don't live Tokyo withot.." suggestions. Terrible maps and no pictures make this guide a real bible.. not to talk about its size...



5. We've travelled all over the world using Lonely Planet guide books, and we've had a great experience with them. The Japan book on the other hand was the most useless guide book I have ever seen. We would arrive in a bustling part of Tokyo, open the book, and it would say, "just walk around, everything is good." I didn't spend $25 on a guidebook for that. The whole book seemed lazy, there were maps printed upside down, sights they write about and don't place on their maps and the most amazing things we did in Kyoto weren't in the book, we learned about them through our hostile. If you are going to Japan, don't buy this book, I would have preferred to have no book at all because I spent so much time frustrated at this book.

5 comments about Day Of The Dragon-King (Magic Tree House 14, paper).

1. I hate the way the Dragen King wanted to burn all the books in China. But I am glad that Jack and Annie saved one. They escaped eveything.



2. When Jack and Annie found out that they were going to China, they went straight to the treehouse. They met Morgan there, and she told them that they had to save a library in China. The dragon king was going to burn all the books, because he didn't like them. Jack and Annie saw a huge map of the castle where the emporer lived and they used it to help them find the library. In the end, Jack and Annie saved the library and were heroes again.
   
   I liked this book because of the Terra Cotta soldiers (we have one of these at home !), the Chinese hats that Jack and Annie wore, and the dragon kings clothes. And I think I'm a good judge of Chinese things, since I was born in China !



3. this book Its great because anyone liked cartoon this book would like him



4. My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!



5. My four year old son is in love with this chapter series! A friend suggested it to us since he seemed ready for a more advanced reading material at bedtime. My husband reads him a chapter every night...sometimes more because they don't want to stop. It's become a great tradition for them, and something they both look forward to. We love that there are so many in the collection! Start with number 1 and just continue. :)

5 comments about The Places In Between.

1. In theory, it is easy to hate an Eton educated upper class Scotsman who decides it'd be a lark to walk across Afghanistan six months after the fall of the Taliban. But after reading Stewarts book, I have to say it is extremely good. We learn next to nothing about Stewart here outside of the details of daily walking. He is cold, he has dysentery, he is hungry, etc other than that, the focus is almost entirely on the people he meets, and I cannot think of a travel book that does a better job of honestly relating the lives of the people the writer meets.
   
   Not every Afghan in this book is a noble tribesman; some are downright unkind to Stewart. Others are incredibly welcoming. Some are Taliban supporters; some are not. Some are drug dealers and some are subsistence farmers. I think the honestly in Stewart's portrayal of the Afghans he meets is very respectful and his writing of this book is the best outcome of this kind of experience I can imagine.



2. A quick read that covers in his eye's the way of life of a people or culture that most of us will never comprehend. I don't know why he did it either; maybe it's that some people are apt to roam the world. Stewart is not a Novelist, as some people have tried to critique him on unfairly, but does write in a fashion that you can relate to. It is more of a journal than a story but I found it very interesting and informative. Why some reviews have tried to compare Rory Stewart to Barbour who is the original traveler, explorer extraordinaire is beyond me. I don't think he ever really tried to make himself out to be someone he is not although he is an accomplished Diplomat and PR veteran from the first Gulf War. My opinion is that we should all read this short book just to gain some insight into the minds of the Afghanistan culture. They are a proud people that in some ways more respectful and polite, especially to travelers, than anyone in the western world (not in all ways but in some).



3. I borrowed this book from a friend, he explained a Scot crosses Afghanistan on foot shortly after 9/11/01. Seems like it would be action packed? Not quite, it must be hard to write a revealing travel journal about a people that aren't very revealing themselves. Although the Muslims do consider themselves first class in terms of hospitality towards travelers believe it or not.
   
   Well, it's a welcome window on a world that we are educated on very little and as you read further you understand why so little is known. First, it is very hard to get to. Second, literacy and technology seem to be very sparce and thus info on this area does not travel far.
   
   An interesting excerpt, one night Mr. Stewart is going to bed as villagers listen to a translated BBC transmission of Bill Gates explaining bundling Internet Explorer with Windows; these villagers marry their first cousins and do not use toilet paper they could not possibly have an idea what Mr. Gates is talking about.
   
   You have to respect Rory's timing in all this, to him it is simply an opportunity to finish his epic trek. And after the reader finds out he can speak Persian fairly fluently that "danger element" an American reader might have intially presumed about his adventure seems to dissolve into a snapshot of conversations that seem perfectly logical.
   
   Bottom line, it's worth your time. But perhaps a little reading up the modern history of Afghanistan wouldn't hurt. Stewart skims the political history in a way that I would have felt shorted if I hadn't read up on it elsewhere.



4. The book is a rather detached narration and at the end one feels the author needed to say more; an analysis of the people, their life, the wretchedness and an absolute destruction of the society. it seems that he is unaffected by what he sees!
   
   The value of reading the book is a realization of the absolute devastation of the lives of the Afghans. A rich culture being driven to a primitive state where participants have become numb to their surroundings and life has little value. The book is undoubted peppered with a few good perspectives, such as the global media hype on the Bhuddah's destroyed by the Taliban (a sad affair in its own right) but pale compared to the numerous villages and people burnt and killed by them.



5. Afghanistan is a country that I wanted to understand better. This book did not help in that regard. Yes, it was an easy read, but I did not learn much about that part of the country. The writer never explained sources of income, sources of food, opportunities or hopes. In the end I felt that I read a book about a man who is taking a stupid journey, and I wasted my time reading about a senseless venture. Why take a walk through central Afghanistan in the middle of the winter with no real reason or support, a few weeks after the fall of the Taliban? Serves him right to freeze, get dysentery and in general have a miserable trip.
   
   If he was on a CIA mission, then it would have been helpful to let us know what he was looking for and how he was going to find the requested information. As is was, it simply seemed a senseless walk.

5 comments about Lonely Planet China.

1. I spent a month in China with this guide book. The city maps were not great, but they were the best maps I found in any guide book. When I got back from my trip, someone gave me a hilarious new novel that takes place in China -"Sweet and Sour July"- about a group of tourists making their way from Hong Kong to Beijing and seeing everything in between. I highly recommend both of these books if you are planning a trip to China.



2. I used this book during my second trip to China in summer 2007. We did not take any organized tours. We used it in Beijing, Shanghai and Hunan province and we took its advice and avoided Shenzhen.
   
   That out of the way, I found the book eminently useful. There is enough Chinese script in it to show a taxi driver where you want to go by pointing to the characters. Every place name has a set of Chinese characters you can point to. The maps are particularly useful (of course), but I thought they could have edited out some of the color pictures for more maps. Can't get enough maps in a travel book.
   
   I did not really read this book until we actually landed in Beijing. From there it was pretty much a thing I could immediately pick up, figure out and use to get moving. The descriptions of things are acurrate.
   
   I'm not sure why some reviewers are complaining that the descriptions are too short or simple. China is a massive country of 1.6 billion people over a huge land with dozens upon dozens of cities -- more detail would double the book's weight.
   
   If you have to go to China (which I wouldn't really recommend) then you cannot go wrong with this book. It's a starting place, and a savvy travelor will find one of the millions of internet cafes available to look up more things in depth, or just ask questions of other travellers or hotel workers, shop clerks, waiters, etc. Anyone who wants more information than this book offers should just book an organized tour for their entire trip and have their hand held the entire time. Or better yet, take a cruise. Otherwise, this book will get you started and the rest is easy to figure out. It's very easy to travel around China. My first trip I didn't even use a book or a Chinese-Engilsh dictionary or even the internet.



3. I was born in China and lived there for more than 20 years. Since I moved to the States, I have traveled in China frequently on business and for family reasons.
   
   I am planning a trip to China with the rest of my family who traveled in China only once in 2006. To help them organized for the trip, I was looking for a guide book. I browsed this book in a local book store. I was shocked to see that it contains so much value-judging commentaries about Chinese history, customs, government policies, etc. Unfortunately the authors seem to understand little about Chinese history, culture, politics, economy and business. Some of their commentaries are blatantly racist. In describing Chinese moving around in their own country (whether Tibet or Xinjiang), on their own free will, the book's use of "hordes" and "flood" is derogatory, if not plainly racist.
   
   I do not intend to buy this book to brain wash my kids: They are going to China with an open mind and will be there to see with their own eyes and to judge on their own. Thank you very much.
   
   I also found quite a few misleading information about some popular sites. Other readers have already commented on some of them.
   
   So thanks to the authors for spending so much time on the commentaries and not enough time on providing accurate information for tourists, I am not buying this lonely planet.



4. An exceptional travel guide. Do not count on the prices being accurate but the big picture is spot on.
   
   There are two problems with the Lonely Planet guide: it is too heavy for a traveler; it is on the banned books list in China (but my copy was not taken in my last two trips).
   
   Death by Lonely Planet refers to guiding thousands of tourists to a once untouched spot. The Lonely Planet guide is a blessing and a curse.



5. We are independent travelers who usually travel with Lonely Planet. China is changing so fast it is hard to keep any guide up to date, but the travel and site information here was generally accurate and very helpful. I was disapointed in some of the restaurant recomendations.

5 comments about River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze (P.S.).

1. Here are a few of the many reasons to like River Town, Peter Hessler's account of the two years he spent as a Peace Corps volunteer in the city of Fuling, in Sichuan province in China. First, it's so honest. Hessler includes the good and the bad, including all of his mistakes and misunderstandings. In particular, I admire Hessler's unsparing account of the hostile crowd incident, which occurs just before he is about to leave Fuling. Then there's the artful way he interweaves observations about history, particularly the effects of the past (in particular, the Cultural Revolution) and the future (the construction of the Three Gorges dam). If you've ever spent any time living in a society very different from your own, you'll appreciate the way Hessler depicts the things that make him uncomfortable in Fuling (even though he becomes used to many of them): the constant honking of cars, the pollution, the way people stared at him or screamed "hah--looo" in his face, the obligatory drinking bouts. Most of all, however, there is his skill at characterizing the many people he meets; he has an eye for the detail that makes the people of Fuling seem as if you've met them too, even though you never will.



2. Excerpts from this book first appeared in "The New Yorker". Their charm prompted me to buy the entire book (in hardback, yet!), and I was not disappointed. Hessler writes fluidly and charmingly about his experience in China, teaching English as a foreign language to Chinese students. An altogether beguiling book.
   
   In similar vein, I highly recommend Mark Salzman's "Iron and Silk", a more idiosyncratic, but equally charming memoir.
   
   Also Brad Leithauser's novel "Equal Distance", fictional, and set in Japan, rather than China, but equally evocative in its own way.



3. I read very few books, but I just could not put this one down...I have studied Chinese - Mandarin for two years and I will be moving to China in May of this year for work...so with all of that in mind, I was anxious to learn more about the culture of China and to experience how an American was accepted into a smaller town in China. The humor and detail that he puts into his writing makes it very enjoyable to read...I would recommend this book to anyone interested in everyday life in China and how the history of the country plays into this.



4. For anyone who's been tempted to respond to one of those ads to "teach English abroad," River Town offers an insightful window into the world of expat instructors--in this case to Chinese students. Peace Corp volunteer Peter Hessler trades his life as a Princeton grad, Oxford M.A., and disillusioned potential Ph.D. candidate, for a new life as "He Wei," an English language and literature teacher at Fuling Teachers' College in Sichuan province. For two years, between 1996 and 1998, Hessler lived and taught in Fuling, a city of 200,000, where locals could not recall having seen an American ever before and remembered seeing only one other foreigner since 1949. The vignettes Hessler creates from his encounters with a fascinating cast of characters were so evocative and enjoyable that I forced myself to read only two chapters a day in an effort to savor each moment with this tome.
   
   Living in China presents challenges for all expats, but during his first year, Hessler felt the additional pressure of being held under a microscope by both his students and the town folk, to whom he seemed such a novelty. As a result, the author devises some interesting and effective strategies for both coping with the strains of his life in Fuling and for absorbing as many cultural nuances as possible. Through the sketches he presents, Hessler tries to answer the questions "what experiences lead up to one's ability to cope and succeed in a foreign environment," and "at what point do the benefits start to outweigh the challenges?"
   
   One of the author's key strategies for both fitting in and for learning about local culture was to become fluent in Mandarin as quickly as possible. He also tried to pick up as much local dialect as possible. Mastering the language helped to ingratiate "He Wei"with his students, colleagues, and the town folk, but also unlocked the mysteries of Sichuan. As Ernest Hemingway lingered in bars, Hessler hung out in tea houses, soaking up local culture. He experienced some challenges from locals who either did not appreciate his presence or wanted to take advantage of him, but he never gave up trying to be accepted. Eventually, persistence paid off, and he developed a rapport with the local people and won the trust of many students.
   
   One of the strategies that led to his success was Hessler's ability to laugh at himself and find humor in almost any situation--essential as an expat. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this book is Hessler's ability to look determinedly at the bright side. Hessler's observations on the differences between Americans and Chinese culture are also a highlight. Some of the most interesting parts of the book are when he presents student reactions to writing assignments and their adaptations and dramatizations of English literary texts. As a result, the book provides fascinating insights on many topics, such as history, money, jobs, family values, youth culture, education, and the economy. It is clear that this teacher learned as much from his students as they learned from him--or possibly more.
   
   Even if you have no desire to teach or live in China, you will likely enjoy hearing about Hessler's "river town." This teacher deserves an A for the effort he made to truly experience and learn about the average Chinese life and for documenting his sharp observations in such entertaining detail.



5. Others have already provided in-depth reasons as to why they rated this book five stars, but these are mine:
   
   1. Hessler's work reads like a suspenseful novel; I couldn't put it down for several days and learned a good deal.
   2. Hessler never comes off as remotely condescending toward the people of Fuling, which is unfortunately more than I can say about most authors of travelogues.
   3. Hessler includes excerpts from his students' essays, letters, and newspapers that communicate more about Chinese culture than could any formal history book.
   
   I am currently reading another of Hessler's books, Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China's Past and Present and recommend it to anyone who enjoys River Town or any historic nonfiction.

5 comments about India (Country Guide).

1. This book was very helpful. It has chapters on every region in India. It gives good hotel recommendations. It also describes what to see if you are only in a place for some number of days, which is very helpful. The only negative is that it is too big to carry around everywhere.



2. Right on time! Book in exact condition as described. Fortunately for me, the book gave me a critical piece of information that I needed a visa before I entered India that I had not realized I needed as a tourist.



3. The book was quite helpful in most respects. I was disappointed with one of the eating suggestions, it was the worst meal we had in India. The book saved us in Shimla when we were planning to fly back to Delhi. There is a strict weight restriction on luggage which we had missed in our travel documents. We still flew back, just sent the luggage by an alternate means. The book is quite complete and was very useful in many ways.



4. I like Lonely Planet Guides - having enhanced holidays in places from Myanmar to Maine using them. The LP India is particularly useful for independent travellers.



5. The book was informative. I was hope for a little more cultural and regional info and map content, but you can't have everything I suppose. The problem is how many books can you carry, especially this size? Do your homework before you go and then carry this book for hotel, transportation, and other info. I understand the rough guide to India is a good complimentary book. But you'll need another backpack to carry both.

2 comments about Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes and Travels in the Other China.

1. Despite the glossy cover, this cookbook has been over 20 years in the making. It dates back to the authors' travels in tibet in the 80s, and then when plans for the book were made by their book agent, of further research trips in the 00s. Having visited China during the same timeframe dating to the 80s, I can attest to the wonderment of discovering the "other" China, of meeting caucasian chinese citizens from turkic tribes who speak perfect mandarin, of tasting perfect kebobs and roasts from mongolian and muslims cooks, of the religious mysticism of tibet. and it is this exotic "other" china on which this book is based on.
   
   Since authentic cookbooks of even relatively well known minorities such as tibetans are hard to come by in english (and I suspect in chinese as well), it is a real treat to discover the cuisines of the uighurs and the mongols, and the dai and the hani, albeit for the most part reverse-engineered by the authors. Interspersed between the recipes are the authors' travel anecdotes of varying quality.
   
   Indeed, it is their traveller's perspective passing through and re-engineering the dishes that admittedly exposes my own bias and ultimately my reservations about the book. With the bar for cookbooks set ever higher, the gold standard is for ethnic cookbooks to be written by cultural residents in the locales where the food is from, whether native or adopted, these people have had presumably years of experience making the food, as well as, the language skills and acumen(to get published!) in order to communicate this to us in the western mass market.
   
   i certainly await the day when an enterprising young tuvan or uighur can share her grandmother's recipes with us (perhaps most likely in a blog rather than a glossy cookbook) but until that day comes, this book will remain a treasure.
   
   i've had the pleasure of attending a forum hosted by james oseland, inviting jeff and naomi to discuss their new book. but i paid for my copy and do not have any financial disclosures to declare.



2. As Beijing Olympic Games approaches, people in China has been extremely busy and so have been those who are against China for one reason or another. Recently, we've witnessed the Lhasa riot, the overwhelmingly biased coverage by the Western media using fabricated footages, the often violent disruptions of the Olympic touch relay across major Western cities, and now, there is this "cook book".
   
   First of all, the timing of this book is interesting. According to the authors, it was their long time editor who had commanded them to do this book. Equally revealing of a shared deep-rooted hatred and colonial bias against China is how the editor, and the authors call Tibet among themselves, instead of Tibet region of China, they refer it as par of the Central Asia, it shows that deep down, they really hate to see Tibet is part of China now, instead of part of India or the British Empire. And has anybody else noticed their collective eagerness to rush this "cook book" out before the Games? Coincidence or part of a pathetic, ill-intentioned collective effort orchestrated by some mysterious institution?
   
   Once understand where those people came from, it's not hard to learn the hidden meaning behind the buzzword used in the sub title and throughout the book: the other China. China is consisted of 56 major ethic groups, while Han is the largest. The author claims that non-Han Chinese citizens "are not considered by the government to be Chinese" is totally false and seriously misleading! I wonder would the authors dare to highlight this false statement to the Chinese authority next time they apply for a visa to go to China (to make more money off her)?
   
   The authors are heart-broken by the "many social changes" happened in China in the past 20 years. What's so terrible? Twenty years ago, the whole country was poor and so was the Tibet area. When a country is booming, people from relatively developed areas will migrate to less developed areas to make personal wealth, just like what Americans did in the migration west. If the authors really want to blame somebody, blame capitalism, not Chinese government, unless they secretly want the whole country still frozen in poverty so various cultural thieves can continue to get rich from there.
   
   In conclusion, as a "cook book", this is valueless! Just like no matter how many video types you shot about Mike Tyson's games, you are still not qualified to publish a textbook about boxing. Rather, this is a propaganda commanded by outside power to "tie-in" with the Olympic Games, so they can bark at the country and people whom so generously allowed them to poke around while getting handsome rewards from the Western capitalism system. The question for the rest of us is: should we pay to reward them as well?

5 comments about Thailand (Country Guide).

1. For my first trip to Thailand 10 years ago, I purchased just about every guide book available. Only one book has stood the test of time - Lonely Planet Thailand. Over the years, I have picked up new editions as they have become available. From personal experience, I would argue that the quality of my trips has increased along with the quality each subsequent edition. As tourism, culture and economics in Thailand evolves, so too does Lonely Planet Thailand, keeping pace with changing social trends, places of interest, as well as places to avoid. All this, of course, in addition to the vast body of information critical to planning where to stay, what to eat and what to do while in-country. More than a strong recommendation, this book is a must-have for any traveller to Thailand.



2. Very useful for new tourists. Book is organized by location and subdivided by events, sights, restaurants, hotels and more. It has a detailed map and lots of pictures too. It gives a good honest summary about different locations, what's worth your time, and what to be careful about as well. Very useful- highly recommended.



3. 
   This very recently updated guide is the best I've seen. If you only want to rely on one guidebook, this is it.



4. I have bought many guidebooks over the years and would say that lonely planet has the best. No, it is not one of those guidebooks filled with pretty, glossy photos but a clear, concise guidebook with pertinent information designed for all travelers whether you are a budget traveler or a jetsetter. Very user friendly, always updated. If you are only going to use one travel guide, cut to the chase and pick up lonely planet.



5. Lots of information. The websites are in general up to date. There is a lot to see in Thailand so this book covers a lot of the popular areas.

5 comments about Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China (P.S.).

1. Honestly, good for people with experience in China or not, but I think it resonated with me in particular because I have experienced much of what he describes. It also provides interesting background and history on the language and politics. His mastery is the ability to observe and conceptualize his environment without passing judgment. This is one of the major difference between Oracle Bones and China Road by Rob Gifford (China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power). Oracle Bones is also much deeper.



2. Throughout the 90s I traveled to China a lot, as part of several research projects through my university. Though I have been hampered by not speaking the language (I started Chinese lessons three different times), I had wonderful hosts who introduced me to a wide range of things going on. I spent 6 weeks in 1993 teaching at Peking University, and was there when the disappointing news about the Olympics were announced. I was there in 1999 when we bombed the Chinese embassy.
   
   Reading Hessler's book took me back to all these times, but gave me also so much more. He has done a fabulous job of exploring many different scenes and characters in the China of the 90s. I did not get the chance to spend time in the countryside, so I really enjoyed those parts of the book. Also, his ongoing stories of former students or of the Uighur Polat give great insight into the flow of events in this period. Going back to the 50s and 60s, with the stories of people's experiences in the cataclysmic events of the Mao era of China's recent history remind me of the similar stories I heard from my friends who had also lived through these periods.
   
   I love the continuous story of the Oracle Bones themselves, and all the people, past and present, who were tied up in the stories of their discovery, interpretation, and preservation. And the late section of the book on the written language, and the attempts at change, was particularly interesting.
   
   I am now motivated to go read Hessler's earlier book, River Town. He is clearly an author with a sensitive eye to what's been going on. I hope he as more books in mind.



3. It's refreshing to find a book on China by a journalist with some knowledge of and, even better, an interest in really learning about sinological matters. Since the end of the Cultural Revolution, Western journalists have written their books on China: at first largely from the perspective of being the rare Westerner in a newly opened up China, and then over time with increasing emphasis on his or her observations of China's political and economic situation--invariably in the context of the reporter's personal experiences in China.
   
   ORACLE BONES, too, is personal, not that we get to know Peter Hessler very well (though a "Postscript" titled "Meet Peter Hessler" presents a short autobiographical sketch), but in the sense that we experience China through his "I"s. Unlike many earlier books by journalists, though, there isn't much focus on leadership politics here; instead the warp of the fabric of this book is perspectives on Chinese (and Uighur) culture and history.
   
   If that is the warp, the weft principally follows the story of Chen Mengjia, a renowned scholar of "oracle bones" (scapulae and tortoise shells inscribed with writing and used in divination practices a few thousand years ago). Chen Mengjia was branded a rightist in the late 1950s, and he subsequently committed suicide at the onset of the Cultural Revolution. In the course of Hessler's journeys--not all related to Chen's story--the writer learns pieces of Chen's story (only a little of which is consistent) and a whole lot more about 20th century Chinese and Western sinological history. It's refreshing to find Hessler's views so well informed; you'll find nothing here, for instance, about the so-called Chinese "ideograph" that sullies so many books that refer to the Chinese writing system.
   
   Hessler, now a Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker magazine, was once a Peace Corps volunteer English teacher in China, an experience that he describes in his earlier book, RIVER TOWN. He devotes a good part of this book weaving in descriptions of his encounters with his former students and of their post-education lives. Hessler also discusses the life of a Uighur that he befriends in China, and who subsequently travels to the U.S. and successfully seeks asylum. In these stories, Hessler doesn't flinch from the terrible realities of Communist China, and they are often brutal; at the same time, though, the U.S. (specifically, Washington, D.C.) doesn't get off easily in the depiction of the everyday difficulties that confront Hessler's Uighur friend, including racism and robbery.
   
   Hessler's style gives the appearance of effortlessness when you just know how much work must have gone into the book. His keen observations often express subtle truths, such as when he comments, "There is always something sad about furniture in a museum" (p. 384) and his empathy conveys genuineness, e.g., when he confronts a scholar with a personal criticism of Chen Mengjia that the now old man felt forced to write when he was a youth (p. 390). You want to continue hanging out with Hessler and see what more he learns. It's a disappointment then when, even at some 450-plus pages, the book quietly ends.



4. Hessler uses his own experiences, combined with detailed experiences gathered from native friends throughout the important regions of China to describe their lifestyle and situations in regards to growing up and making their own lives in "The New China." As Hessler describes the current status of economic regions and interpersonal relationships, he also weaves in ancient and recent history creating a resource for understanding why the Chinese react and function as they do.
   
   A compelling read. I speak Chinese, my wife doesn't, and we have both found Hessler's books intriguing and understandable. "River Town" is also excellent. Hessler allows you to remember how it feels to be in that situation--even if you never have been.



5. 
   Never does Hessler mention the raising importance of China on the world stage. By avoiding the subject he toys with a tension that is best only alluded to: we as westerners are aware of China on the horizon; his job as a journalist is simply to offer well vetted evidence. All of this sets a stage for an understated humor.
   The idiosyncrasies of particular regions in China (as in any country), are illustrated by slang. For example, one Sichuanese student named Willy, who sought his fortune in Wenzhou, writes to Hessler of his "backward and yashua [toothbrush] hometown--Sichuan". Throughout the story is the word "jiade". Meaning pirated, jiade becomes a catch-phrase and an inside joke that we're in on.
   A method employed throughout the book is that of a parallel narrative: Artifacts A through Z. These are loosely interconnected chapters that pepper the book's 458 pages. They function as historical vignettes; Hessler here has an opportunity to contrast his travel documentary within the context of ancient Chinese history. In Artifact A, we are introduced to the Oracle Bones of the book's title. Oracle Bones are the oldest surviving Chinese writing. Named in Chinese "jiaguwen", they were ideas carved onto tortoise shells and cow scapulas. Cryptic passages such as "The king goes to the hunting field; the whole day he will not encounter great wind" or "We ritually report the king's sick eyes to Grandfather Ding" were, depending how they broke apart, read as an oracle. "The irony of Chinese archeology" Hessler points out, "is that the earliest known writings attempt to tell the future. . . . From the Shang, the voice of the turtle speaks." Throughout the different Artifact chapters the author demonstrates his diverse and growing knowledge of archeological sites, past dynasties, and oracle bone era written characters compared to their classical and contemporary counterparts.
   The plot shifts toward a more investigative thriller. Mr. Hessler follows a thread of a story for The New Yorker: did historian Chen Mengjia commit suicide and, if so, why? Mengjia had travelled to the Unites States in the 1930s. There he documented ancient Chinese bronze artworks that had wound up in private hands. The Artifact chapters also begin to follow this theme. Part of the intrigue in this subplot lies in the how so many of the older generation in China were persecuted and threatened under Mao. Mengjia's book was published later by the communists. Only they had a different idea for the title: Our Country's Shang and Zhou Bronzes Looted by American Imperialists. As the author unravels what happened, he must, upon interviewing elder intellectuals, word his questions carefully so as not to offend. This story dovetails nicely into Chairman Mao's misguided-- and later aborted-- attempt to simplify the written Chinese character. We find ourselves uncovering a linguistic mystery.
   In a story like this, being a journalist is a perfect job to keep things interesting. Whether we're in a border town across the river from North Korea for a National Geographic piece, or in a threatened hutong neighborhood in Beijing (where he finds an apartment-- and the next story) he moves the tale along. We witness the sad fate of Falun Gong members as China "cleans up" for a State Visit in Beijing. Later, the attacks of September 11th allow us a peek into the expatriate world as a news starved Hessler buys jiade videos to see more of what happened in New York. All along we are aware of the tremendous rate of growth in the country. The locals say, "we live in chai nar" (meaning "demolish where?").
   Reading Oracle Bones is a learning experience. The placement of the Artifact chapters is an enjoyable way to break up the story, and there are many facts woven into the book by way of this lexicon. Having myself lived outside the States for several years, I could identify with some of the difficulties Peter runs into. As the Olympic games approach, and with China in the news, I have been checking the bylines of my New Yorker magazines for Mr. Hessler's name, to learn what he has been up to. I enjoyed the book and recommend it.