5 comments about Finding George Orwell in Burma.

1. Slowly but surely I'm reading through this book. So far so good. Nothing spectacular, but the author did what she intended to do...try to draw parallels between George Orwell and his life and his books with Burma and her situations. Like many writers from the West, I think it's seen through the eyes of a foreigner, so even though she probably has great understanding of the country and its history and people, I get this feeling that it's more like a study to her than something really personal. But it is well written, no doubt about that.



2. Finding George Orwell in Burma is one of those rare finds (no pun intended). This book has allot of depth where the reader actually feels like they are sitting in the tea houses where most of the story takes place. The contrast between Orwells "1984" and "Animal Farm" (although a theory) in relation to this book is profound and makes the overall read even more fascinating. Given the fact that Burma is such an oppressive country, this book shows true color through its people.



3. I lived in Burma in the late 80's because of my father's U.S. government job. I find most American's know little about Burma (as I did not before I went there.) The current regime has sealed off the country, so that its people suffer behind a veil. They are hidden from the rest of the world. Through the lense of a study of Orwell, the author provides a window into a country few know about. I loved that this book was short and accessible. I recommend this to anyone who wants to find out about Burma. You don't have to be a George Orwell scholar to understand the comparisons. (Although, I'm an English teacher and thought the author made some insightful observations.)



4. I visited Burma recently for a tourism visit. I read this book in preparation. Since much of the narrative is in historical terms, I didn't, at first, get a sense of what to expect. Only on my return did I realize that it gave me a much richer experience than I otherwise would have had. It is an often beautiful book. I got to see a number of the places that are mentioned in the book, but I frequently recalled her descriptions, rich with historical context, when I was there.
   
   What I gained from reading this book before my visit was to sit-in on the conversations that the author had with both seemingly ordinary and some extraordinary Burmese. Not knowing the language, and being a casual visitor, I wouldn't have dreamed of talking politics when I was there. This book is hardly a journalistic contemporary history piece, but the author asked all the questions of ordinary people that you would want to ask, but can't. Burma is an exceptionally beautiful place, but I was always conscious that I was seeing only what tourists are allowed to see. There was no obvious evidence of the horrible events of just a few months ago, but armed with the author's experiences I could better see what was around me.
   
   The parallel narrative involving Orwell was quite effective. It made me want to reread Animal Farm, and seek out Burmese Days. For potential visitors to Burma, I would also recommend The Trouser People: A Story of Burma in the Shadow of the Empire



5. Emma Larkin methodically followed Eric Blair's footsteps in Burma. As an expatriate Burmese (having left the country in 1969), I find her description of the present socio-political situation in Burma and the parallels she draws with Orwell's vision of the human condition rather fascinating. I agree with Larkin that Blair's experiences in Burma had a definite impact on Orwell's views about the nature of human societies, but more interestingly, it is clear from the way Larkin describes many Burmese in her book (especially the kind of english books they read) that the impact of the british colonial period on Burma was substantial. What is then the more subtle message here? How much Burma changed a single colonial officer (a rather moody and pessimistic type at that!), whose later books did influence the way the world views colonialism, communism, fascism and other totalitarian regimes or how much England changed Burma (where the present regime is totalitarian)
   I like the literary style of the book (easy to read) and there are many interesting and illuminating details about Blair and Burma. but perhaps the narrative is a bit too naive to really give a deeper understanding of what Blair experienced in Burma and more importantly what Burma went through in history to reach the present state of "State". Human societies (even the "isolated" burmese society!) and individual human beings (even Blair) are very complex in nature and beyond the comprehension of a single person whether it is an Orwell or a Larkin. I do admit that I read books not to find the "final explanation" to any kind of problem, but to enjoy and I really enjoyed reading this book.

4 comments about Frommer's India (Frommer's Complete).

1. Many times throught this book it mentions that India is not for the fainthearted. Amen to that. Please take this book and plan your trip well in advance to benifit from the best India has to offer. This book is very specific on where to eat, sleep and how to get around with minimal ripoffs. The introductory travel sections are manditory reading. You will receive advice on how to handle unwanted attention from rude men ("strike them")and advice on the water, ("do not open your mouth in the shower"). The guidebook will tell you what sights to avoid and the ones to go out of your way for. Each of India's states are discussed in detail. This book is well written with humor and bluntness and I found it fun to read even after our trip.



2. I agree with the other reviewer that the beginning section on India is quite useful in providing tips to travelling in India. However, once you get there, the book has a few shortcomings, for example:
   1) Maps. While there are maps of entire regions, there are very few city maps. So, through reading the book, I had been cautioned that taxi drivers may take more circuitous routes to my destination, but I nonetheless had no clue on how to get there myself.
   2) Addresses. The book lists many great stores, but often does not give you more information than the street name or market name. This does not help when you're dependent on your taxi driver. On two occasions, I wanted to visit a store mentioned in the book, but never ended up finding it. One taxi driver did make a concerted effort (stopping three times on the road to ask), but we eventually ended up at a store where he would get commission because we couldn't find the store (also where a detailed map would come in handy).
   3) Yoga. It is hard to believe that a travel book on India could hardly mention yoga or have any recommendations on where to go. I don't think it's even in the index (!).
   On this trip, we also had the Lonely Planet and the Rough Guide, which were much more informative. The benefits of Frommer's are that it is a more recent (2004) edition and it weighs less (but buy maps!).



3. Before going to India we checked out every travel guide the library had. We ended up taking both the Frommers and the Loneley Planet guides. Each give a slightly different view. We were relatively happy with both of them. (I messed up on the stars, but the comment edit function won't let me change them. I would have given this 4).



4. Frommer's is packed with information, and it's reasonably well organized. It covers a huge and diverse country with a reasonable amount of detail. It's written to appeal to a wide range of travelers, but it's probaly most useful for people who are (1) traveling on their own rather than on a group tour and (2) planning to go mid- to high budget, not low-budget. (Mid-budget in India will get a you a long way -- food, services and rail are amazingly inexepensive as of March '07.)
   
   There's a bit of hysteria in the section on getting ready -- you don't need all those immunizations unless you're going to places where the specific disease is endemic. Check on-line with the US Centers for Disease Control for more realistic advice.
   
   In contrast, the authors are right on target when they warn repeatedly about minor scams. From the moment you go through customs you will be approached by people who have some offer that's a scam or semi-scam. Even when you hire a good guide from a good company, there's a high probability that you'll be taken to a shop whose owner gives the guide a commission. It's endless and ultimately an amusing game, and Frommer's does a great job of hoisting the warning flag. Pay attention - from the second you arrive.
   
   The book also warns against trying to drive yourself in India. I've driven in places like Sao Paulo, Bogota, Rome and Mexico City (and Boston!), and I agree with that warning. Driving in India was scary 25 years ago and it's even more so now due to the great increase in traffic. There are clearly rules of the road, but you'll be dead before you figure them out, so hire a driver locally, fly long distances, and take the train inter-city when flying doesn't make sense.
   
   The discussions in the front of the book about what's good and what's great are excellent and valuable in helping you decide how to spend limited time in India. The suggestions are divided into rankings of sites and rankings of "moments" or experiences. In the back, theres a short but useful section on Indian history and on its multiple cultures, knowledge that you can use to put what you see into context.
   
   The book's one major fault is the lack of good city maps, as mentioned by another reviewer. Even the state maps are poor in terms of identifying good roads and main rail lines. There's a reasonably good explanation of how the rail system works and it tells you what class of travel to book, but that section would be improved with a clear description of what you get at each level of service. (The top level of overnight train is 1 AC which is a 2- or 4-berth air conditioned compartment, and the bottom level is Sleeper, which is a bare bench in a wretchedly crowded coach.)
   
   The book is organized by state and region, and two places that could be twelve hours apart may follow one another in the text, with no indication of their separation. It can take an hour or more to go 30 miles on a main highway; a table of time between major points of interest would help readers plan a realistic itinerary.
   
   Despite these shortcomings, Frommer's India is a solid guide packed with useful information. Not perfect, but very good.

5 comments about Mangoes & Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels Through the Great Subcontinent.

1. I just got this book yesterday and I'm already planning my week's meals based on the recipes! :)
   I've made Andhra Style Scrambled Eggs so far and they are DELICIOUS, especially served with plain basmati rice, ghee and pickle.
   All the recipes in here sound very interesting. The dal recipes(tok dal and mountain dal) look like they'll turn out great.
   Being an Indian, I can certify this book contains authentic recipes that people cook and eat everyday at their homes in India. This is what makes this cookbook different from the other so called Indian cookbooks....the other books just offer a westernized Indian selection while this book focuses on home cooking that is prevalent in India.
   The previous reviewer perhaps eats Indian only at restaurants where everything is over spiced and the delicate flavor is lost. I just came back from visiting India and I saw that very less spices and masalas are used in rural Indian homes.
   I LOVE this book and will always refer to it when I'm in the mood for some different Indian food...although I cook mostly Indian at home, this book offers a lot of different recipes and variations from various local regions....so much so that I'm sure I'll be proficient in Indian cooking in no time!
   
   UPDATE: These are all the recipes I've tried from their book so far
   1) Scrambled Eggs (5 stars)
   2) Cachoombar (3 stars)
   3) Cauliflower Dum (3 stars)
   4) Tamarind Pulao (3 stars)
   5) Bangla Dal with a hit of lime (4 stars)
   6) Tilapia Green Fish Curry (5 stars)
   7) Karnataka Chana (2 stars)
   8) Hot Cucumber Salad (2 stars)
   9) Fish Bolle Curry (3 stars)
   10) Chappatis (3 stars)
   11) Prawn White Curry (4 stars)
   12) Eggs with curry leaves (4 stars)



2. The pictures and stories of the travels through the region are fabulous, but if you are looking for good instrutctions and pictures of the recipes, this is not the cookbook you are looking for.



3. I've had this book for about three months, and have flipped through it many times, but this weekend I finally bought the staple ingredients that many of the recipes needed, and tried out three of them. They all turned out delicious! Don't be put off by strange ingredients, they were all very cheap, and easy to cook with.



4. A beautiful book that can be a coffee table book, cookbook, and an adventurous travel read. It has gorgeous colorful pictures with short vignettes about the recipes and people of India. It will transport you to a different world and the cooks will not be disappointed with the unique recipes.



5. Plain and simple,..a must-have book. The recipes are well written and clear, the authors stories about their travels through the sub-continent are interesting and lend to their credibility, and they also have fantastic pictures, as well as information as to where to buy some of the more exotic ingredients...this book lacks nothing.

5 comments about Shanghai (City Guide).

1. I recently returned from a trip to Shanghai and thought this was a great guide to the city. Although I love to explore most places on my own, I found Shanghai to be slightly intimidating (especially with all the ongoing construction), so I was definitely thankful I had this book with me.
   Pros:
   * Up-to-date information
   * Offers a lot of good insight into Shanghai and the Shanghainese. I found the sections like identity, cuisine, economy, and architecture to be quite readable and interesting.
   * Good maps
   Cons:
   * I was surprised by the other reviews, as my edition has Chinese for each address mentioned in the book. I agree that you initially expect the Chinese to be in the text (next to the romanization), but it's actually on the map keys. This is a minor flaw but did not affect me, as I often looked at the maps when I decided where to go. I guess if you never consult this section however, you might not realize that it's there.
   Bottom line:
   This was the most up-to-date guide I saw, and (as far as I know)is the only one with comprehensive listings in Chinese--they got me where I wanted to go every single time I took a cab. Good job.



2. This book gives ou a nice overview of the region, and incredible specific tips for visiting Shanghai.



3. This book is amazing. First time using a guidebook and first for the Lonely Planet. Will definitely buy more. Maps wonderful, chinese names for everything and very good restaurant recommendations. Found a tiny restaurant off a back alley and was amazing for a great price. Wonderful spend and would recommend to everyone!!!



4. I have read this book cover to cover in anticipation for my trip to Shanghai. I am hoping that it will save me time and money by giving me a view of the city and details that would take many months to aquire. It was an easy read and well organized. I would however recommend that you do a search online for hotel rooms as there are many deals in the hotel market that were not even mentioned in the book. Happy Trials, BB.



5. As of June 2007, this book has become out of date. Many of the shikumen houses that I went to visit have been torn down in Shanghai in an effort to modernize the city by 2010 for the World Expo. Maps of the metro subways are also out of date. The book currently has partial maps of the 2 lines. There are now 5 different subway lines and still many more to be built. This book is a great introduction to Shanghai, but it is out of date (just like pretty much all the other books on the city).
   
   To sum it up, pretty good book, but just don't count on the book being your only source of information on Shanghai.

5 comments about Motoring with Mohammed: Journeys to Yemen and the Red Sea.

1. It is truly a gifted writer who sets you down in a strange and foreign land such that the boundry between the narrative and your personal grasp of the story is effectively blurred. Eric Hansen is such a writer.
   
   Hansen is pursuing the grail of his buried notebooks in a off-limits military zone on the Red Sea coast of Yemen. His story, and it is a great one, is about the cultural adventures he experiences in his hope to retrieve a lost part of himself, the journals he had buried 10 years previously.
   
   "So intent was I on uncovering the traces of my past that no object or thought seemed too insignificant. Even the litter spoke to me that first morning. I wandered aimlessly, searching for deeper meanings."
   
   His depictions of Yemeni culture are riveting & compelling, a culture that is still holding on to its ancient orientations. Hansen becomes captivated by the Yemeni people & their customs. His search for the buried notebooks moves to the background as his visa is extended and he settles into the daily round of an ancient way of life.
   
   "That morning, for the first time, I was willing to admit that the search was not going well, and that maybe it wasn't important anymore. Accepting this fact, I caught a glimpse of my own fate. Regardless of what the notebooks contained, it was clearly my need to wander to remote places and lose myself in strange situations that had drawn me back to Yemen . . ."
   
   Narrative entertainment doesn't get any better than this - most highly recommended.
   
   Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



2. This is a fascinating (and educational!) travelogue about the geography, environs, people, culture and customs from a part of the world that too few people are familiar with. In an odd coincidence - while I was reading this book - a veritable storm-in-a-teacup whipped up, as US DEA cracked down on qaat (khat) chewing across the country.



3. I have read many books that fall within the "travel literature" genre; Motoring With Mohammed is hands down my favorite. I rarely read books twice, but I read this book once every few years and never tire of the way Eric Hansen describes his experiences in Yemen during his quest to recover his lost journals. His eclectic combination of anecdotes are simple but beautifully written. Upon reading this book, you are left with the essence of Yemen, her people, and Mr. Hansen himself. A warning: If you lend this book to a friend, you will never get it back. I am on my seventh or eighth replacement copy!



4. "Khat ... also known as qat, gat, chat, and miraa ... is a flowering plant native to tropical East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula... Khat contains the alkaloid cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant which causes excitement and euphoria... Traditionally, khat has been used as a socializing drug, and this is still very much the case in Yemen where khat-chewing is predominantly, although not exclusively, a male habit... Khat consumption induces mild euphoria and excitement. Individuals become very talkative under the influence of the drug and may appear to be unrealistic and emotionally unstable. Khat can induce manic behaviors and hyperactivity... A recent British study found khat to be much less dangerous than tobacco or alcohol." - from Wikipedia
   
   Peripatetic scribblers wander to such obvious destinations as Italy, France, Greece, China, India, Australia, the Amazon, or Alaska, then write a book to tell the rest of us vegetables all about it. Here in MOTORING WITH MOHAMMED, accomplished travel writer Eric Hansen immerses the reader in North Yemen. (Where, you say?) North Yemen squatted next to the Red Sea just to the south of southwest Saudi Arabia, and joined with South Yemen in 1990 to become the Republic of Yemen.
   
   Hansen's narrative is served up in two parts. Well, three, actually. The first takes place in 1978 when, after a 7-year period of wandering in other backwaters, the author is shipwrecked in the yacht "Clea", on which he was part of a five-person crew, on the uninhabited North Yemen island of Uqban. The first four chapters describe this experience, during which, for safekeeping, he buried on the island the wrapped journals of his previous adventures. The trouble is, he forgot to take them along when he and his companions were eventually rescued after fourteen days.
   
   The book's second part - thirteen chapters - takes place during a ten-week period a decade later when Hansen returns to North Yemen to retrieve his cached journals. Unbeknownst to him, however, is that Uqban Island lay in a security zone virtually inaccessible to foreigners. This fact becomes frustratingly clear as he unsuccessfully conspires with local help to cross the twenty miles of water separating the mainland from the island. Meanwhile, he cools his heels exploring, and falling in love with, much of the rest of the country. It's this developing love affair with North Yemen that's the basis for most of MOTORING WITH MOHAMMED.
   
   Whether he's tiptoeing across a precarious slope in the interior mountains, or witnessing the execution of a murderer, or participating in a communal qat chew, or sweating in a bathhouse, or feasting on stewed sheep's heads, Eric has a talent for observing the details that enrich the subsequent tale:
   
   "There is a trick to cracking open the skulls. You place the thumb of one hand in an eye socket (with the eyeball still intact), and span the skull and grip the roof of the mouth with the fingers. The other hand grasps the lower jaw. A sharp twisting motion is accompanied by a sickening snap and a popping sound. When done properly, the slippery skull and jawbone come away in two pieces. Then you prise open the cranium." (Happily, this passage refers to the feast, not the execution.)
   
   As the eighteenth and last chapter reveals, the author made the fortuitous acquaintance of the Yemeni ambassador to the United States at a Washington, D.C. photo exhibit of his nation's architecture eight months after the former returned to America sans journals. In the Middle East especially, it's all about whom you know. Thus, five months after that, Eric, shovel in hand, is sloshing through the Yemeni surf to a "fishing boat that smelled of rancid shark oil and pureed dates", which, Allah willing, can convey him and an agent of the National Security Police across the sea to Uqban. Truly, as the title of this chapter implies, "It was written."
   
   I shall most certainly never make it to Yemen. Yes, researching "San'a", the capital of Yemen, on the Web does almost compel me to visit on a whim. But, being married, my own happy-go-lucky journeying days are over. Besides, Yemen seems at times to be, um, a bit too raw. But, through Hansen's eyes and wonderfully evocative prose, I'm taken there in fine style, and that's what a five-star travel essay is all about.



5. This is a very interesting book that proves life is more interesting than fiction. The improbablity of searching for those notebooks....
   I like the calm approach that Mr. Hansen took to the most unpredictable of circumstances he was in.
   If you need a prod to get up and go on that trip you have been dreaming about for years, let this book fuel the fire.

No comments about Dubai Explorer : The Complete Residents' Guide (Living & Working for Expats).

1 comments about Singapore (City Guide).

1. We are planning a short trip to Singapore and I found this book to be very good at pointing out things that were a must-do and what was a waste of time. Also had very good lists of things such as indeginous foods (and what was in them), language barriers (very amusing section), things to watch out for etc. Also had a great overview on food, where to eat and what was not worth it. It was good at listing things that were a one-day trip must do and a 3-4 day trip must do.
   
   I definately liked this book over some of the other travel books I have read. It has a very personal touch (some amusing anicdotes) and a good perspective on things.

5 comments about Thailand (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. This is a great book with beautiful pictures, maps and nice glossy color pages. The only problem being that it is out of date! Having said that, I would not recommend it for your guide book if travelling to Thailand. Wait for an updated issue.
   I am well travelled in Thailand and some of the descriptions in the book make me feel like I was travelling in Thailand 20 years ago! Hope this helps...



2. I found Eyewitness Travel Guide for Thailand very informative, and easy to read. It had tons of pictures, facts, FYIs, and did I mention pictures? Like Eyewitness I agree that a picture is worth a thousand words. I also bought Lonely Planet's Travel Guide for Thailand, but liked Eyewitness' much better. Lonely Planet's Travel Guide had a more standard layout for the abundant amount of facts, but was limited on the pictures. The phrase at the bottom of Eyewitness' book holds true, "The Guides That Show You What Others Only Tell You."



3. This is a good quality book, something you could open and open again.
   Highly recommended!



4. Love these Eyewitness Guides and received the item in perfect condition, just in time for the weekend, a fire in the fireplace, a warm blanket, a cup of hot chocolate, and away I went to Thailand! Thanks for making an Ohio winter almost bearable!



5. this is one of the best travel books and series of travel books. it is complete and offers all the detail the savvy traveler could want.

3 comments about Malaysia and Singapore (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

1. This is an excellent product in many ways. Good text, gorgeous pictures, informative re shopping, food and cultural matters - the beautiful photos of same help a great deal. This is less useful as a primary guide book like the Lonely Planet, which has more nuts and bolts information re places to eat, stay etc., than as anexcellent adjuct. They are really good together to give a complete picture. I lived in Singapore some time ago, and have traveled extesively in Maylasia, and the iformation in the book looks to be acurate as far as I can tell.



2. If you are looking for where to stay, where to eat, what is cool, get a Lonely Planet guide. This is a typical DK Eyewitness guide - packed with detailed historical and cultural information, superb illustrations, an easy-to-follow maps. The information is well-written and is presented in a easy-to-read-and-grasp manner.
   
   I usually get both the Lonely Planet (or similar) and DK.



3. I used this guide for a 2 day trip to Singapore. The guide was helpful as an overview to Singapore. We used it to find an authentic Malay restaurant on Boat Quay, which was really excellent, and seemed to have a lot of locals, even though it was in a tourist area. There is actually a lot of interesting things to do in Singapore and the guide helped us find them.

5 comments about Old Kyoto: The Updated Guide to Traditional Shops, Restaurants, and Inns.

1. If you are visiting Kyoto for a few days or more, you need to purchase this book. The author tells you all of the amazing shops to go to that have real history and standing in Kyoto. When visiting these shops, I felt like I stepped into a piece of history. It isn't the only book you will need in Kyoto - I would also get The Rough Guide to Japan and use the Kyoto section or just another travel book on Kyoto that will provide info on temples and shrines. You can also just go to the visitors center at Kyoto station and get maps there. Bottom line: The old stores of Kyoto are slowly being replaced by new construction, so when visiting Kyoto makes sure to bring this book to see more than just temples and shrines !!



2. Great to have a guide that is focused specifically to Old Kyoto. It offers information beyond that of other travel guides and is perfect if you are interested in finding special places that may otherwise be missed. The author's personal knowledge and experiences there add to the quality of the book.



3. At first when I received this book, I was bummed that there were no colored pictures, but after I started reading it, I could not put it down. I really felt like the author was giving me a private tour of the shops, restaurants and inns featured in this book. I also bought Kyoto Seven Paths to the Heart of the City, which has beautiful and artistic photographs. I would recommend getting both books, one for the detailed information and one for the visual gratification of Kyoto. This book will go to Japan with us on our trip.



4. The book itself is exquisite, from its cover to its size, its binding, and pages. The text is well-written, witty, and quaint.
   
   The recommendations for accommodations are out-of-this-world beautiful!
   However, to our utter dismay, we could not even come close to affording the least expensive option - I am talking about hotel rooms which cost $500 and above per night. Granted, there were a few for $200 and above a night, but still....
   
   I recommend this book for someone (lucky) who wants the time of their life in the most astonishing of places to live and eat; without strings attached to money.
   
   For those of you out there who are middle class, just forget about getting this guide. It's a big tease.



5. This is a lovely book. The author lived in Kyoto for many years before moving back to the US. It has a listing of all the nice little shops and restaurants that you want to go to. These are (fortunately) not in most of the tourist guides. Note that this book does not include tourist attractions, so get something else for that.