1 comments about Thailand - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette (Culture Smart!).

1. This was a good intro book to Thailand and it's culture with a little Thai history thrown in too. It is a fast read. Our daughter is in Thailand for 6 months through a study abroad program with her college...and my husband and I are planning to go there for 2 weeks this summer. We felt this book gave info that some of the other 'tour' books left out....as the title suggests, it includes customs and etiquette of the Thai people. I'd definitely recommend this book to all traveling to Thailand. (The only draw back is that it was written in 2003 and could be updated a bit.)

5 comments about News from Tartary: A Journey from Peking to Kashmir (Marlboro Travel).

1. I haven't bought this edition yet. I read this while in Nepal and India and loved it. It is one of the finest pieces of travel writing I know of. I rank it with Harrer's "Seven Years in Tibet", Newby's "A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, Thesiger's "Arabian Sands" and Stark's "Valleys of the Assassins." No new-age, PC navel-gazing here: just an honest and humorously-told narrative of an adventurous overland crossing of central Asia in a turbulent time. If you are interested in central Asia, I think this book is a must.



2. This is probably the best travel narrative ever written about China (although Owen Lattimore's 'The Desert Road to Turkestan' is a close second) and has influenced a great deal of subsequent writing about the region--not in content, but in style. Fleming presents himself as a bumbling amateur traveller, a mild eccentric, and someone who has only the vaguest idea what's going on. Later writers, attracted no doubt by the fact that this book has stayed in print for nearly 70 years, have taken this as justification to write narratives which revel in their own ignorance. But Fleming's amateurishness is merely a pose, and the book is full of humorous detail on life in China at that time, backed by sound journalism and knowledge of the political situation. It's also full of perceptive observations on the people he meets and their behaviour, guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of the modern traveller when coming across their latter day counterparts, both Chinese and expatriate foreigner.



3. Peter Fleming's "News from Tartary" is a classic travel book about trekking through the wilds of Asia. Unfortunately, it has been badly served by this edition; it's overpriced and lacking in quality. It doesn't have the 26 illustrations of the original; it doesn't even have the absolutely necessary map. Reading it is like watching a great movie without sound or captions. Fleming (Ian Fleming's brother, as it happens)would have had a well-turned phrase of damnation had he seen how this edition emasculates the original. I urge you to read the book, but not this way. Go online and buy a used copy of the hardback for not much more (over 50 copies were listed when I checked abebooks.com)and enjoy Fleming's travel saga as it deserves to be enjoyed. I feel cheated; readers should be informed when a reprint edition is, like this one, incomplete. My one star rating is not for the writing--its for this shoddy presentation of a great travel book.



4. "News from Tartary" is number 64 on National Geographic's list of 100 all-time best adventure books -- and it deserves the ranking. The author, Peter Fleming, brother of James Bond creator Ian Fleming, would deny that the book is about an "adventure" and claim that he and companion Ella K. Maillard merely took a long walk through Chinese Turkestan and, oh yes, crossed the Himalayas. Maillard wrote her own book about the trek, "Forbidden Journey," and it's also worth reading.
   
   "News from Tartary" is the story of a seven-month, 3,500 mile journey in 1935 from Peking to Kashmir, beginning by train and continuing by bus, foot, camel, and horse. Fleming is the British amateur par excellence. His equipment consisted of "a rook rifle, six bottles of brandy, and Macaulay's "History of England." He claims no qualifications or expertise to speak of, no purpose in traveling other than his own entertainment, and he gained little in the way of earthshaking wisdom that he shares with us. (If you read Maillard's book, you will find that his modest and self-mocking attitude may not be too far from the truth -- although Fleming is certainly an outstanding writer and journalist.)
   
   This is a cracking good story, more informative than it may seem, and charmingly told. Of an acquaintance, Fleming says that he "had seen me act more than once at Oxford, but he was of a forgiving disposition and prepared to let bygones be bygones." And, the author to the contrary, it was an adventure. Fleming and Maillard traversed some of the most unforgiving terrain in the world at a time in which banditry and political strife were rife. Fleming describes vividly the Chinese, Tungans, Turkis, and Tibetans they meet, the impossibly remote oasis towns at the foot of the Himalayas, and the passage across 15,000 feet mountain passes into British India. One of the more interesting elements of the book is the intrusion of modern politics into this narrative of exotic lands and unchanging people. The pair encounter civil war, Russian soldiers and airplanes in Kashgar, and "Great Game" intrique.
   
   I recommend you read this book with a good map at your side - or better yet buy a used copy of the original hardback edition which has a map and some good photos.
   
   Smallchief



5. Peter Fleming (1907-71) was Ian Fleming's (James Bond) older brother. Peter first rose to popularity in his 20's, during the early 30's, with 3 major travel/adventure books about trips through Brazil (33'), China (34') and Central Asia (36'). 'News from Tartary' (1936) is the last of the three and describes a 6 month 3500 mile trip from Peking (Beijing) due west across Chinas western provinces and south to India ("Tartary" is a Western term roughly meaning Central Asia). At the time China's most western province of Sinkiang (sometimes known as "Chinese Turkestan") was embroiled in a complex struggle of colonial and civil wars with Russia, China, etc.. and was a black hole of news. Sort of like Chechnya today, it held a certain dangerous fascination for intrepid western adventurers. Fleming traveled with Swiss writer Ella Maillart (1903-97) who was herself an accomplished adventurer, although not so well known in the English speaking world, she also wrote her own book about this trip and the two can be read for profitable comparison. There are many re-prints of News in circulation but the original edition is best as it contains dozens of fascinating black and white photos, thick rough-cut paper and a color tri-fold map of the route.
   
   'News from Tartary' is today considered a classic of travel literature ranked #64 on National Geographic's "100 Best Adventure Books". It is an early example of "British understatement", the bumbling amateur English gentleman who travels for no reason other than traveling, as would be copied in the post war years, with authors such as Eric Newby. Fleming graduated from Oxford with an advanced degree in English literature and while he believed in adventure, he wondered how - in a modern world of motor vehicles, trains and planes - real adventure could be written of anymore. Just as Cervantes in 'Don Quixote' believed in the spirit of chivalry, but knew its time had passed, he was able to write about it through a bumbling knight who could be laughed at. Likewise Fleming sought to disarm his readers with word play and self-deprecation, thus strengthening the more serious parts of the book and lending the author more credibility - Fleming succeed, in the readers eyes, not because of physical prowess and skills, but despite them. By being an approachable everyman, he is more able to vividly convey to his readers - who probably have never been to remote central Asia and never will - how it feels to travel through the Gobi desert on camels, arriving in oasis, going through sandstorms and traveling through the Himalayas.

1 comments about Sacred Koyasan: A Pilgrimage to the Mountain Temple of Saint Kobo Daishi and the Great Sun Buddha.

1. Okay, just to put all the cards on the table, I was already predisposed in this book's favor at first sight. Shingon Buddhism and its founder, Kukai (Kobo Daishi), sparked my intense fascination all those years ago when I first started acquainting myself with Japan and Japanese Buddhism and has remained a persistent if sometimes understated obsession ever since. And my visits to Shingon's mountain headquarters, the extensive temple complex up on Koyasan, remain one of my fondest memories of the 1990's. So, yes, I was thrilled to see a substantial book-length study of Koyasan finally come out in English. And given Koyasan's immense importance as a religious site, about time too!
   
   Given all that, the book still exceeded my expectations and is probably one of the most thoroughly enjoyable as well as brass-tacks informative books I've read in quite a while. The style is deceptively informal and colloquial, even a bit cheesy now and then, but a veritable mountain of painstakingly thorough research and years of firsthand experience have been weaved into this narrative with a deeply serious enthusiasm that only comes from true labors of love. All of which trumps the fact that, in a way, this is not a specialized work of groundbreaking original scholarship in the sense that something new has been translated and/or analyzed in expert's jargon. Rather it is a superb synthesis of such studies skillfully and accessibly unpacked while informed by a keen observational eye--all rendered in the engaging format of a kind of personally meaningful travelogue.
   
   Indeed, a vividly concrete account of getting to and leaving Koyasan frames the main body of the work, the latter of which comes alive with detailed descriptions of the main buildings of this extensive temple complex--what they're like, what they contain, what goes on there, their place in the overall institutional framework, and such--AND the temple town and its many old and quirky shops (including a venerably vintage sake shop) as well as Koyasan's many and varied ritual and festival cycles all taking place at these many locations. Coupled with this and giving it depth is a highly reliable retelling of the life and thought of the man who established Koyasan in the 800's, Kukai (Kobo Daishi) along with the many legends that grew up around him--and then a fascinating and thorough history of Koyasan starting with Kukai's immediate disciples and following the tale through the ages up until the Meiji persecutions of the late 1800's and on into present times. One also gets a good solid portrait of the average life of a monk at Koyasan from youth to old age, from novice to head of the Shingon order.
   
   A short review such as this actually can't do justice to both the variety and the fine level of detail packed not only in the main narrative but also in the footnotes. Definitely check the latter or you'll be missing out. That said, this is not a travel guide in the sense that you are given info about travel routes and accommodations and such; if you are actually planning to physically visit Koyasan, you will want to consult other sources for that. But for understanding what's actually going on once you get there this book might very well be almost indispensably useful. Anyway, whether you're riding up the cable car starting your own pilgrimage or sitting somewhere on the other side of the world imagining it all, "Sacred Koyasan" is just the thing for getting into the spirit of this holy place at once highly civilized and cozily rustic, quietly austere and exuberantly festive, mystically esoteric and down-home familiar, freshly contemporary and old as the hills.

2 comments about Philippines: The Land (Lands, Peoples, and Cultures).

1. A MIGHTY FINE BOOK WITH GOOD NARRATIVE AND FANTASTIC PHOTOS. I TRAVEL OFTEN IN THE PHILIPPINES, AND THIS BOOK ACCURATELY CAPTURED THE PEOPLE AND THE LAND. IT IS A NICE COMFORTABLE READ, ESEPCIALLY WHEN YOU'RE PLANNING YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE AND WHAT TO DO AND SEE NEXT. SALAMAT PO AND MABUHAY FROM AMERICA!



2. i was very please with the product that i bought. it not only was in prestine condition, it was delievered to me straight away - actually coming a week early.
   i would definatly recommend buy from this seller.

No comments about The Rough Guide to Kerala.

1 comments about Cool Hotels: India, Maldives, Sri Lanka.

1. Students of architecture, hotel and commercial building design, and travel will all find much to attract in Cool Hotels: India, Maldives, Sri Lanka: it features the best hotels of the region, from rustic to big city, and discusses craftsmanship, artistic d‚cor, and landscaping qualities which make each hotel exceptional. The meat of Cool Hotels lies in its full-page color photos of both interior and exteriors of featured hotels.

5 comments about Ancient Angkor (River Book Guides).

1. A lovingly prepared compilation of superb color photographs, maps, history and scholarly explanations of the major world monument that is Angkor Wat. The authors thoughtfully include suggested itineraries ( ranging from one to six days ), sites ranked by interest, peak times and locations for photographing and even helpful suggestions for accomodations. A must for planning a visit to Angkor Wat or for preserving memories.



2. This book is a fantastic combination of pictures and facts for people wanting to visit the Angkor temples. The pictures stir the imagination and the text provides the facts to go with the pictures.

   In fact I recently used this book as my guide while visiting Angkor. It provides a section for each of the most-visited temples and will also give you information on suggested time to put aside for each visit and the best time to go. In fact, my guide at Angkor said this was the best guide book he had seen, and I saw other people using this same book to guide themselves around the temples like I did.

   This book provides suggested itineries to the temples and the best times to visist for photography. whether you can actually manage to combine the two is debatable on a short visit. The books main downfall is not its content, but its weight which is quite heavy because of the good quality paper used.

   The climate (extremely hot and humid - air conditioning is a worthwhile investment) can make visiting these monuments as trial at times, but they are worth the effort. All the buildings are unique, covered in exquiste carvings (which books can only hint at) and original. Some are still partly swallowed by the jungle. Straight out of indiana Jones.

   Get this book, let your imagination wander and visit these amazing ruins if you can before too many other tourists turn up - for they are a world wonder not to be missed. And don't forget your camera - these are places begging to be photographed.




3. This book will guide you step by step (literally) through the magnificant temples of Angkor. And even if you weren't planning to go, you will want to for sure, after viewing Michael Freeman's superb photographs and reading Claude Jacques' expert commentary.

   No matter where you wander on the very large site of Angkor, Freeman and Jacques are right alongside you, suggesting places to look and explaining what you are looking at. There are maps and temple plans, a glossary, and an index. For visitors with limited time, the suggested itineraries (from one to seven days' length) will let you make the most of your visit.

   The book is especially helpful for photographers. Freeman, who has photographed professionaly at Angkor for over a decade, describes the best vantage points and subjects, suggests the best time of day to shoot, and provides itineraries that take you to each location just when the light is best.

   The book is well designed and contains many helpful features. For example, a cross-referenced list of architectural features and mythological scenes makes it easy to locate temples that contain whatever the visitor is most interested in seeing.

   In short, carrying this book with you is like having an expert photographer and historian as personal guides during your visit to Angkor. You probably won't even need to engage an actual guide, unless you want to pick up a bit of local color; everything you need is right there in the book.




4. Claude Jacques is an expert on Angkor, and has studied its history for 30 years. Photographer Michael Freeman has been taking pictures of Angkor for over 15 years. Together Ancient Angkor is the product of a partnership that has yielded over 350 color illustrations, and a well-written guide to the ruins of Angkor.
   
   Included are detailed plans and descriptions,[even of lesser known temples not found in other guides]. The book is well thought-out -with suggestions of various itineraries, and information on hotels and other items pertaining to travel . This serves not only as a great tourist guide for travellers planning a trip to the ancient ruins but also a great book for armchair travellers with lush color illustrations and meticulous descriptions.



5. Buying this terrific Angkor temple guide book does not mean you shouldn't hire a licensed Khmer guide (not to be confused with a driver, who are not allowed to take tourists inside the temples) because the guides are schooled in the history of the temples, are fluent in a particular foreign language, able to advise on shopping, touring the countryside, cultural tours, but can take you to see temples when the light is best, the crowds the smallest & then explain what you are seeing. Buy this book, figure out what temples you want to see, read the history section & the sections on the temples you're going to see. Once you return, reread the sections on the temples you've seen, as it will give you a greater enjoyment of the incredible artistry & majesty of Ancient Angkor. This book does not replace a licensed guide, it enhances the experience. I also recommend Dawn Rooney's book because she writes about remote temples that are not in this book & in more detail, but I found her floor plans confusing.

No comments about Instant Thai: How to express 1,000 different ideas with just 100 key words and phrases! (Instant Phrasebook Series).

No comments about Moleskine City Notebook Tokyo.

2 comments about Kazakhstan (Bradt Travel Guide).

1. Unfortunately, my copy is missing about 65 pages in the middle, 185-248. Also pages 249-312 are duplicated.



2. What a pity the previous correspondent didn't return his FAULTY copy of Kazakhstan for a replacement. Because that is what it is - a mis-printed copy. This book is excellent, the sort of guide your fellow travelers would want to borrow every day. Highly recommended.