5 comments about Hitchhiking Vietnam.

1. I am not sure what it was, but after finishing this book I have a bad taste in my mouth. I applaud the intentions of the author and the subject matter is irresistibly interesting. However, it was hard for me to get into at first because the book kind of rambles and it takes a while to get into her style. The style ended up suiting the journey very well as it was a slow and haphazard journey through the various aspects of Vietnam.

   Karin suffered many difficulties on her travels and I got very frustrated for her. She made it seem so difficult to travel around Vietnam (and she speaks Vietnamese!) that I am not sure that I want to go anymore. She experienced horrible guides that only wanted to squeeze as much money out of her as possible and a motorcycle that I was frustrated with and would have ditched long before she ever did! After reading some of the other reviews, I can now see why others would say that she is arrogant and haughty. It is almost as if she tries so hard to say that she isnt, that she comes across as being so...

   It was hard to get a feeling for her relationship with other people. She was an excellent observer and I really enjoyed her colorful metaphors and descriptions, but was frustrated because I was unable to grasp her feelings for Jay and her Mom. She has a strange journey with Jay and I couldn't quite figure out how they interacted together. Also, she talks about her Mom incessantly, but never really discusses her Dad.

   I was also very frustrated with her attempt to rescue some endangered species. She decided to support the illegal black market trade in endangered species because she felt that she could save a few animals. I was very disappointed with the reception that she received from the nature reserve, but am not really sure how she could have resolved the situation any better.

   Karin has an interesting writing style, although it may seem forced at times, and I was impressed that she did not romanticize her trip. She provides an honest portrayal of her backpacking experience and I definitely want to check out her documentary and the website to gain a more accurate portrayal of her journey and who she is.




2. I saw Karen at a reading years ago in SF when she was promoting this book. She could not speak Viet at all other than a few simple words. She made several inaccurate comments that made many Vietnamese Americans in attendance look at each other in puzzlement, but everyone was too polite to point out her errors to her. One of the commments was about how a truck driver's salary was less than the cost of postage of her letter to the US! Oh, my God! The woman has no idea what she was talking about at all. I didn't bother to read her book for years after that, but one day I found myself with time to spare and with only her book on the shelf at a friend's house.
   
   Dull layman writing with plenty of offensive conjectures.
   
   Actually, I don't blame Karen for writing the book. Everyone is entitled to her opinion regardless of faults. I do blame her publishers and editors for not knowing better, for not fact checking.
   
   Hopefully, this book will just vanish in time.



3. Karin Muller is an honest, fun and entertaining writer and world traveler.
   The book is a joy to read (finished in 3 days)
   I have read her newest book Japanland and loved it.
   As I always do when I read a book by a writer I love, I trace other books by them.
   Many times older books are not as good, as many writers mature and get better with life's experiences.
   Not in this case, I was not disappointed and very happy that I did not take to heart the reviews on Amazon.
   We also bought her book ALONG THE INCA ROAD and I can't wait to read it. (It is in my husband's suitcase and he is on his way to New Zealand.
   Karin Muller is the kind of woman you would be happy to call your friend.



4. I applaud her for being a lone Caucasian female traveler which is hard to do in any lesser developed country. She is also a good writer and had her moments in the book.
   
   Otherwise, she seemed quite naive about the culture and state of Vietnam, was overly optimistic about the people and when she was disappointed, became extremely bitter about her experience.
   
   If you want to read about reasons not to visit Vietnam, read this book. I would also change the title of the book because it is misleading. She really only hitchhiked about the last quarter of the book.



5. After reading this book, I would never consider a trip to Vietnam. Ms.Muller showed no redeeming features to the country and there has to be some! All authorities were corrupt, some people were thoughtful and friendly but most came across as mean and selfish and unhelpful. The author may have looked at her actions as adventurous but I looked at them as being unprepared and at times, even stupid. Can't recommend this book to anyone.

5 comments about Give Me the World (Adventura Books).

1. Leila Hadley is one of the most descriptive writers of our time. Her words leap off the page and take you inside the story to enjoy her travels, right alongside her. "Give Me the World" is so much more than a travel log or journal. Ms. Hadley invites you along as her guest and urges you to see and feel what she has experienced, to be a part of her journey. You come away with an intimate knowledge of the Far East, as much as if you had seen it all yourself. I enjoyed my time in Bombay,Bangkok, and Singapore and recommend it to anyone who has a spirit of adventure. "Give Me the World" was an experience not to be missed.



2. FIVE STARS. This book is one of the most enjoyable reads I've had in a long time. A travel memoir so vibrant and alive, it's hard to believe it was written fifty years ago, by a writer who was then in her twenties. So much fun to read - impossible to put down.



3. Written in 1958 and out of print for more than 25 years, Hadley's timeless story of traveling the Far East enchants the reader with the beauty and clarity of the writing, its confiding tone and the author's honesty and enthusiasm.
   
   But Hadley, 25, divorced, and the mother of a six-year-old boy, is assailed with doubts when she finally boards the cargo ship that will bear her and Kippy to Manila and Hong Kong. Dissatisfied with her life as a public relations executive in New York, "which seemed to claim from me barely more than an acceptance" she had expected departure to confer immediate elation. It doesn't and tossing off the smart scarlet coat "that still wasn't paid for," she frets that "all my preconceived ideas would turn out the same way, flattening with experience into dim shadows."
   
   She needn't have worried. Relaxing into the unstructured languor of shipboard life, invigorated by Kippy, "artless, untroubled and reacting in accord to a single heart and a single mind," her sense of wonder blossoms. Hadley has a gift for description, for making the sights, sounds and smells she perceives come alive in the reader's mind.
   
   In Manila and then Hong Kong, everything fascinates her - the rooms, the people, the sights, the food. She remarks guiltlessly on the service. "I felt too light-headed and too comfortable to reflect philosophically on the social implications of cheap labor" and marvels at the oddities in the food market. "Centuries of famine and overpopulation have driven the Chinese to experimental extremes in nourishment....Nevertheless...I prefer Chinese food to French - it's prettier, the flavor is more subtle, and it's much less fattening." Treated to a restaurant banquet, she gamely tries everything. "Until I had almost eaten the last of them, I didn't realize that the lima beans were newborn mice coated with honey."
   
   Hadley is easy with people (most of the boors she runs across are Americans), with a blithe expectation of mutual respect which seems to work. Though most helpful acquaintances are men the prospect of inappropriate sexual advances is scarcely mentioned except for one tongue-in-cheek, "as I was protected by a small child instead of a husband."
   
   It's one of those ugly Americans who, in Bangkok, introduces her to the California, a schooner which seizes her imagination and becomes the real soul of her trip. "How wonderful to travel with uncertainty...to come slowly and quietly to places where there were things you did not know." After three and half years the four American crewmembers are a close unit and want no part of a woman's disruptive influence. Though Hadley begs and pleads for them to take her to Singapore, they refuse.
   
   But when she and Kippy show up at the docks in Singapore, they capitulate. Hadley has a rare gift for visceral communication. With her we feel the efficient organization of the boat, the camaraderie among the crew, the damp, the lousy food, the accumulation of grime and salt on skin, the harsh rasp of a moldy cigarette, the heart-soaring joy of being aboard.
   
   She takes a keen interest in getting to know the crew, surprised at how their disparate personalities contribute to shipboard harmony. Kippy's easy acceptance of everything new, from a delightful shower of squid to the draconian rule that he remain silent during all meals, charms without resorting to cuteness.
   
   The difficulties of everyday tasks, from using the head to preparing a meal are described with good-natured humor and her description of their attempts to teach her to sail are hilarious. Coming into an anchorage one day, the crew takes down the sails. "I smiled to myself, because I finally knew what the Genny meant. It was the general term aboard for the Genoa jib, which I thought was a beautiful name for a sail."
   
   In each port Hadley takes everything in, letting sights, sounds and smells sink into her. Kippy finds sightseeing with his mother boring but will tag behind the crew endlessly. Hadley conveys the bustle and crowds and smells of Eastern markets, the Tamil's annual painful penance day, the luxury of a bath.
   
   On her customary dawn watch she reflects: "On land there was such an infinite variety of people and things over which my consciousness could flow, but now all my consciousness and senses were suddenly confined and focused on the minute area of a schooner...a universe that I could walk around in seconds."
   
   In Ceylon her stint was over, to be resumed again in Beirut, five months later after an interlude amid the wonder and squalor of India. Though she is dazzled by a meeting with Indira Gandhi, it's Kippy's amah, Lucy, who becomes the complex embodiment of India. The quirks, customs and personalities of individuals and the happenstance of traveling, whether it be the aftermath of a violent dust storm or the intricacies of bargaining or the play of light on the Taj Mahal, hold her attention in the moment.
   
   Though Hadley is open to people and seems to expect (and get) the best from locals, she does not hesitate to vent disapproval or dislike. But when she gets to Beirut and meets the usurper George, the fussy provisional addition to the California crew, she pounces. Describing his British tropic regimentals, she conveys a prig. "He was talking to the colonel in French and emitting little neighing laughs at the colonels remarks."
   
   Unabashedly jealous, Hadley's rancor is checked only by occasional defensiveness and, later, by the need for harmony aboard. Hilariously funny, her behavior for the first time emphasizes her youth and, perversely, her femininity as George is always prodding her to dress up and try new hairstyles. And then there's the meeting with the American destroyer in Rhodes which rings perfectly true and perfectly evokes one of the better `50s comedy movies.
   
   All too soon, the trip comes to an end. Hadley had expected to return to New York fresh and eager but feels instead as if "I had suffered metamorphosis in reverse, a butterfly become a caterpillar."
   
   "Like love, travel is absorbing. Everything else withdraws to make room for its emotional demands and the expansion of one's senses."
   
   And she has one more surprise in store for the reader, a shock, which on reflection, seems perfectly in character.



4. This was a great read. It was not a quick read, but fascinating! I loved that she added on extra information at the end so you know what happened after the sailing trip ended. I highly recommend this.



5. I'm on page 58 and I'm not sure I'll get much farther. The book is full of physical descriptions, but the author, herself, seems distant. Traveling with a six year old should seem significant, but Kippy's impact on the traveling experience has gotten little attention. I'm not convinced of her feelings about the places she visits, either. Too dull for me.
   
   To compare: I really enjoyed KITE STRINGS OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS and TALES OF A FEMALE NOMAD. I finished Without Reservations, but liked it less than the first two books.

1 comments about LUXE Los Angeles (LUXE City Guides).

1. Los Angeles has been going through a revival of sorts with lower crime, new constructions, and fewer ghettos. It has become the largest metropolis in America and it is a city unlike any other in the USA.
   
   This guide is very small and easily fits in your back pocket. It has no maps or detailed description of any one destination. A few tidbits of why a destination was recommended is provided, but that is about it. I highly recommend to rent a car with GPS in Los Angeles especially since this guide provides no maps or directions (just the addresses).
   
   Los Angeles is full of ethnic diversity and this guide misses out on almost all ethnic related sites. It doesn't even include Chinatown (not as big as NYC or SF but worth seeing) and Koreatown (biggest in the US and one of the most hip places to hang out in LA. It has some of the best bars, clubs, and restaurants in LA. Just ask many movie stars who hang out there).
   
   The guide also totally excludes Armenian (largest Armenian population outside of Armenia), Thai, and Mexican locales. In other words, it is missing bunch of cool ethnic places you ought to be checking out.
   
   It does a good job of covering the glitzy and glamourous part of LA (mostly in the West side and Beverly Hills). It offers no shortage of places to eat, drink, sleep, and shop. Too bad it only covers maybe 25% of Los Angeles.

No comments about Lonely Planet Citiescape Kathmandu (Lonely Planet Citiescape. Kathmandu).

3 comments about In Search of Southeast Asia: A Modern History (Revised).

1. Wow! What a volume. As I mentioned in my review of a Cambridge History of the same region, ignorance of this region is simply not wise, and I would dare say not an option. In this day of terrorism and other geopolitical concerns, we remain ignorant of this region at our peril. This book will give the reader a good basic explanation of the ten countries (at the time this book was published) that make up this region.
   
   This work is divided into five parts. The first part is entitled "The Eighteenth-Century World." In it, the authors describe the various forces affecting peasants, tribal peoples, village-life, etc. over the region as a whole before focusing on specific countries (many of which were colonies at the time.)
   
   Part two, entitled "New Challenges to Old Authority" goes country/region by country/region and talks about the major changes coming to the region, much of which is brought by the European powers and the expansion of the role that they have had there for more than 200 years by that point. The section covers from 1750 to 1875.
   
   Part three is entitled "Framework for Nations." This shortest section of the books looks at various forces, such as economic transformation, that are affecting the entire region.
   
   Part four, "Social Change and the Emergence of Nationalism" basically covers the first few decades of the twentieth century prior to World War II. Effects of the newer, more direct, forms of colonial systems are discussed as well as the emergence of nationalism, first in the Philippines, throughout the region.
   
   Part five contains an examination of the post-war history of the region, focusing on the themes of independence and social change.
   
   This is a heavy work and dense at times, but that is to a point unavoidable due to the subject matter at hand. However, this is a must-have volume for anyone wishing to become familiar with the modern history as well as the peoples that make up one of the world's least discussed, but most vital regions.



2. If you are interested in history, or perhaps if you just had to sit through history way back when, you probably heard about "no taxation without representation", Gettysburg, Disraeli, the Magna Carta, Charlemagne, Voltaire, and Cheops' Pyramid, to take a few out of the grab bag. Whether or not you've heard of similarly central and basic events or people in Southeast Asia is another question. Most people in English-speaking countries are a bit vague if asked about Arakan (a long independent kingdom now part of Burma or Myanmar) or Cebuano (one of the most important Philippine languages), Tu Duc (the last major emperor of Vietnam who died in 1883) or Kartini (a Javanese woman whose letters are a monument to modernization and change in Indonesia). I first used the 1973 edition of this book more than 30 years ago when I had to teach an introductory course on Southeast Asia. I found it an invaluable source of information, in an excellently organized format. The authors wisely did not try to cover two thousand years or more of history for the eleven countries-Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, East Timor, Brunei, and the Philippines-making up the region. They begin with an excellent picture of the 18th century world, including fishermen and rice farmers, religion, trade, local rulers and colonial rulers (at that time, only the Spanish in part of the Philippines). This section alone is worth the price of the book as a marvelous integrated history. The next section deals with the way each major society dealt with the impinging outside world, which arrived in the shape of colonial economic and political encroachments and ultimate control. Each colonial power adopted particular measures, producing differing reactions from the inevitable nationalist movements. Meanwhile Chinese and Indian businessmen, then Japanese military occupation added new elements to the historical mix. People who want up-to-date material must look for the later edition. My edition of IN SEARCH OF SOUTHEAST ASIA does not discuss much after 1960, leaving out the Second Indochina War, the economic transformation of Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia since then, the impact of oil in Indonesia, and the Cambodian genocide. But in any case, as an introduction to Southeast Asia, as a background work for the study of any one of the countries mentioned, this book would be hard to beat. It contains some excellent maps and detailed information on a myriad subjects. Its style is serious, but not unreadable. If you read the whole thing, you will know more about Southeast Asia than 99% of Westerners. And that's a shame.



3. This is a wonderful introduction to the history of Southeast Asia, ranging from the early modern period of the region to the influence of colonialism on the society and culture of Southeast Asian countries. There is also good background information on the individual countries which comprise the area.

2 comments about Treasures of China.

1. this book is a must read for all ardent followers of world history. it reveals a lot of priceless heirlooms of mankind which far exceed other world heritage such as the colossus of rhode the library of alexandria and temples of incas. surely a very must buy for all amazon buyers



2. A beautiful book giving concise summaries and photographs of the most astounding sites and national treasures in China. A very helpful book for someone planning a trip and wanting to visit some of the spectacular scenery and sites of China.

5 comments about Martin Yan's Culinary Journey Through China.

1. The book starts off by literally taking the reader through a journey - A journey that totaled more than 65,000 miles throughout China over land, sea, air, and waterways during a three-month period. I learned something new myself reading this book. I have always tried to explain to people how to understand the balance of flavors, taste and textures of food. Martin Yan explains it in one easy thought - yin and yang. "Yin represents the feminine, yielding, darker, more mysterious forces, while yang stands for the masculine, harder, brighter and hotter ones. In the world of food, yin might be cooler, moister, softer foods, like winter melon, asparagus or crabmeat. Yang might take the form of chiles, ginger, fried foods or red meat." The concept of the yin and yang also fit the textures of the food as well. The next part of the book talks about special equipment, tools and techniques. The recipes include Hot and Sour Beijing Dumplings, Duck Soup, Seafood in an Orange Basket (an incredible dish that is so easy to make), Minced Poultry with Walnuts in Lettuce Cups, Mongolian Roast Lamb, Mushrooms in Fragrant Broth, Steamed Garden Vegetables, Fish in a Bamboo Leaf, Steamed Spareribs in Plum Sauce, Tofu Custard with Tropical Fruits, Honey Walnut Prawns, Ginger-Date Wontons, Asparagus with Sweet and Pungent Dressing, and Spicy Fun See Noodle Salad. The recipes are well written with a little history for an item of each recipe. Food styling and photography of this book are outstanding. Some of the ingredients in the book will only be found in specialty shops or Oriental markets, i.e. dried black mushrooms, nori (Japanese seaweed), Sichuan peppercorns and dried bean thread noodles. This book was aiming to be the first book to receive a perfect score from me, until the very end of the cookbook. Martin Yan wrote an incredible book. I felt the last two pages of advertising took a little bit away from the book however



2. This is my most used cookbook. Great explanations and easy instructions. Anyone can with this cookbook.



3. I bought this book when it first came out after watching Martin Yan's cooking show on PBS. He's a great chef and teacher. I was lucky to buy this book as my first intro to chinese cooking. If I had bought another book, I might have been too intimidated. But Martin Yan's book of simple recipes with complex flavors was the perfect start to learn how to cook chinese. The recipes are easy, simple and delicious. You'll want to cook them over and over again, and before you know it, you'll begin to experiment on your own, using the simple techniques you learn in this book. I've made almost every recipe in it, and nearly every one has turned out great. From the pot-stickers to the soups to the salads to the stir-frys, all of them tasty and easy to make. The one thing I disagree with Martin Yan on is his saying "don't stare-fry, stir-fry," meaning that you should always keep stirring the food around in your wok (or fry pan). I've found many recipes benefit from a little charring here and there, so less stirring can often add tremendous flavor in some of the dishes. Anway, I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have over the years! It's one of the best in this genre of cookbooks.



4. I love this book. Not only is Martin Yan entertaining, he provides a look at his learning experience traveling through Asia and it's culinary history. There is also great information on building an Asian pantry, what supplies and cookware you need, ingredient information and how to use everything. Recipes are very easy to follow and he provides easy directions. Your favorites are a lot easier to cook at home than you'd think!



5. Martin Yan's book is a treasure. Many friends think I can do Chinese cooking effortlessly. Maybe not so, but with this cookbook you can make some basic and some not so basic Chinese dishes. Kung Pao and Hot and Sour soups are made over and over, and I've yet to tasted better in any restaurant. Hail to the chef!
   
   Barry Marshall

3 comments about Dream-of-Jade: The Emperor's Cat.

1. Dream-of-Jade is a fabulous and fantastic story that emphasizes kindness, generosity, diplomacy, and common sense. The setting is beautiful, the characters are delightful, and nestled throughout the stories are bits of humor, pieces of irony, and the occasional new vocabulary word. Mr. Alexander's book is smart and charming, and as good a read for adults as it is for children. As an added bonus, the artwork, while more impressionistic than many children's books, adds to the flavor of the story quite well, providing a detailed enough view of events that one can see them while not detracting from the reader's eager imaginings.



2. Come laugh with me and allow an Imperial Feline to draw back the veil of Time that obscures Imperishable Truths. You doubtless know Lloyd Alexander as a prolific writer & author of medieval fantasies. In "Dream-of-Jade" his wonder-filled stories tell us about ancient China and Emperor Kwan-Yu. "Jade" is the cat who stole his affections.
   
   The author dedicated his book to "my dear cats who told me these tales." Fables can be enjoyed 'time and again' - - these were first published in CRICKET magazine in 1976. We learn how historical events were clarified by the wisdom of "Jade": how she cured the emperor, wrote the Law, and most importantly made the emperor laugh. Her beautiful green eyes & white fur is realistically portrayed through the artistry of D. Brent Burkett. He, as well as the cat, get in a few 'swipes' at pompous know-it-all bureaucrats. Some of the tongue-in-cheek humor may be lost on the youngest listeners but they will love the highly stylized speech with "important" words, and the rhythm of complicated 'titles' - such as this on page 36: "the Glittering Repository of Highly Valuable Objects."
   
   If we listen attentively as any cat lover should, we will realize there are often lessons for adults to be found in children's picture books. Reviewer mcHAIKU suggests that you allow yourself to be hypnotized by "Dream-of-Jade."



3. This book is actually several stories about the Dream-of-Jade Cat and the Emperor. There are beautiful illustrations and the stories good, this book is rated for ages 9 - 12 and I agree.
   
   The stories are:
   How Dream of Jade Looked at the Emperor
   How the Dream-of-Jade Cured the Emperor
   How the Dream-of-Jade Made the Emperor Laugh
   How the Dream-of-Jade Chose a Gift
   How Dream-of-Jade Wrote the Law

2 comments about A Year in Marrakesh.

1. Oh to be able to relocate to an exotic city and write for an occupation! That's what occurs in "A Year in Marrakesh". While other English citizens are touring Morocco, Peter Mayne relocated there, to become a part of the city of Marrakesh and to come to know it. There are many lively characters here, painted with a comprehensive brush that shows them to be, if not real people, than so realistic seeming that you never find yourself saying, "Yeah, right, like you'd actually meet someone like that."
   
   Also, this book give a gentle entry into the mindset of average Muslim people.
   
   This book will not shake your world-view, but it may give you the hankering to pick up stakes and relocate for a year or more. And isn't that what good travel literature is supposed to do?



2. This bk was written in 1953. The author uses many French and Moroccan arabic phrases in his writing which makes the experiences & people he encounters feel more authentic but if you aren't familiar with those languages it'd be a frustrating read. Mayne's vignettes are quirky...I never felt as though I got to know him or like him but it was a fairly quick read so I didn't care that much.
   There are other books that get to the heart of the Morocco better & deeper with more humor & humanity such as Tahir Shah's "The Caliph's House."

1 comments about Russia Map by ITMB (International Travel Maps).

1. I got this map before going to Mowcow to get on the Trans-siberian railroad. One of the features is that it has a small street map of Moscow also. Much to our surprise, there was a bridge across the Moscow river that was not shown on the map. That is terrible considering all the decisions that as a foreigner one makes on a map of an unkown area. We were already in Moscow when we found this out so I could not return it. We used it to track the rest of our trip, but I wonder what other inaccuracies it may have had. I also found the quality and strength of the paper not to be very good for continuous use; it did not stand well to daily use. It started tearing at the folds almost immediately after we started usinsg it. Next trip I will search for a better quality map. You should do the same.