3 comments about Vanished Kingdoms: A Woman Explorer in Tibet, China, and Mongolia 1921-1925.

1. In the early 1920s, explorer Janet Wulsin and her husband Frederick journeyed the far reaches of China and Tibet to study the people and the lands of these remote regions - the photos from their expedition come to life in this collection, along with several dozen hand-painted lantern slides that appear in color. Vanished Kingdomsis a rich archive of treasures which charts the findings and peoples of a bygone world. Any serious collection of Asian treasures - both art and cultural - will find Vanished Kingdoms an essential addition, unparalleled in scope and coverage.



2. 80 years after, we know a voyage thru the Tibet, Chine and Mongolia for the eyes and the pen of a young lady. A different land and people, a great aventure, great images, someones hand-coloured.



3. Fascinating book of adventure & discovery. For the reader the fact that the photographs, taken in the 1920s are gorgeous and outstanding, is a revelation for us. Also a very interesting human interest story is revealed.
   I thouroughly enjoyed it and encourage others to take this journey to a world no longer available to us.

1 comments about Chinese : A Language Map (Language Map Series).

1. I really like this product because in just a handy map sized phamplet you have access to a lot of word translations with the phonetics in paraenthesis. We will be going to China soon and this will come in handy.

No comments about Zagat Shanghai Restaurants: Pocket Guide (Zagat Survey: Shanghai Restaurants).

1 comments about Climbing Everest: Tales of Triumph and Tragedy on the World's Highest Mountain.

1. I ordered this book not noticing it really is for young readers, but it was probably the most straightforward reading I've done in a while. Ms. Salkeld clearly knows her stuff and I actually learned some information not previously read elsewhere. I recommend this book for any school library.

2 comments about Culture Shock! : A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette: Beijing.

1. I got "Culture Shock: Beijing" in anticipation of a brief trip to the city combining some teaching with a family vacation. I enjoyed reading about the local culture but did not anticipate that it would be of much practical use, since it seems more geared to Westerners who become permanent or semi-permanent residents of the city. It's not a "traditional" guidebook so if you need the names of hotels or shops, etc., seek elsewhere first.
   
   However, I became very gratified to have read it when the deputy director of the institute where my husband had been teaching invited us to dinner at a restaurant - I knew a lot more about dining etiquette and felt much more at ease. It also came in handy for advice related to haggling for purchases. So, even if you are "just" travelling as a tourist, it's definitely worth it - it's a fun read and you may just get some pointers you can really use.



2. This book was written by Kay Jones and her business partner- the top intercultural specialists in North America, IMHO. It is designed for ex-pats and professional users- if you are staying for a few months, if you are relocating to Beijing, or if you have business there often, you will love this. It is not designed for vacationers.
   
   Also, if you are going to the 2008 Olympics and renting a place for a few weeks, get this one. It covers cars, rentals, utilities, food, etiquette, and living arrangements you will encounter.

5 comments about Here Be Yaks: Travels in Far West Tibet.

1. In this spiritual and scientific journey disguised as a travelogue, India's leading geographer exposes the reader to the majesty of the mountains, lakes and rivers of far western Tibet. Her personal style of writing evokes comparison to a Theroux or Iyer but is distinct as would be expected from the pioneer and entrepreneur of Geographic Information Systems in India.
   
   The thoroughness of the research in the history, geography and geology of this remote area reminds us that the author is a leader in her field. However, what captures us is the scientist's spiritual quest to reconcile herself with the loss of her husband. Her journey, as it turns out, melds with that of the pilgrims that converge on this area considered holy by four different faiths.
   
   Towards the end of the book, Lahiri makes the astounding discovery that the source of the river Sutlej has shifted by many miles. Even in these days of satellite imagery and Google maps, she is able to recreate the excitement of exploration reminiscent of the discoveries of the Missouri and Congo headwaters.
   
   A travel journal that is more a journey of the soul, this page turner will engage the searcher and the surveyor.



2. This is a most gripping and unusual book. A good story, travel interest, personal feelings and if that were not
   enough true scientific research! To anyone who might be planning a journey to Tibet this will give invaluable pointers over where to go, how to, what to take and critical cultural elements. The international perspective of the author is combined with local knowledge and insight of she and her travelling companions.



3. This traveller's account reminded me vividly of my own trip across Tibet in 1987. Twenty years later it conjured up memories of capricious weather, devout pilgrims, rancid yak butter, tea which might be better called soup, the unfathomable devotion of Tibetans, sunburned noses, indescribable sanitation, breathtaking temples and palaces, the appalling destruction of monuments and buildings by Red Guards and above all, the landscape. Is there anywhere else on earth that comes close to matching the colours, drama, inaccessibility and mystery of Tibet's topography? The star of this journey is the landscape, brought to us with the eye of a geographer. Not only does the author bring dramatic vistas alive as she travels from Lhasa to Tsaparang, she explains them too with textbook clarity. Her journey, part pilgrimage, homage and exploration, takes the reader to Mount Kailash, sacred to Buddhists, Hindus and Jains and more interestingly, to the little visited and destroyed Tsaparang, centuries ago the capital of ancient Guge in far west Tibet. Over the centuries it has been visited by Jesuits, Kashmiri Muslims and intrepid travellers and explorers, not always happily. But as the author recounts, the greatest destruction to Tsaparang and its temples and art, happened in our own lifetime at the hands of Cultural Revolution zealots. Still, with an explorer's optimism and determination, she scrambles up the ruins of Tsaparang into chambers hewn out of the hillside and discovers wanton destruction but also the vibrant remains of murals, hundreds of years old. To have come this far and seen what few of us can only dream of, is a singular accomplishment. Yet there is one last goal to tackle: a return to Tibet's landscape to research the source of one of Asia's great rivers, the Sutlej. Is its commonly accepted source near Mount Kailash and Lake Manosarovar correct? Or is there a mystery to be solved? Using accounts of earlier explorers, especially Sven Hedin and Swami Pranavananda, and applying a geographer's keen eye and GPS and satellite imagery, we can add the name of the author to her illustrious forebears. For she makes a compelling case for discarding the popularly accepted source of the Sutlej for another. This entertaining book therefore is not just a travelogue. It is a piece of history which on my bookshelf rests besides Hedin, Swami Pranavananda and Alexandra David-Neel's accounts of their journeys to incomparable Tibet.



4. Her Be Yaks: Travels in Far West Tibet is a travelogue chronicling a group of ordinary people who embarked upon an extraordinary journey to Tibet's Mount Kailash, a peak revered by four faiths. They battled physical exhaustion and altitude sickness on their arduous journey, all to perform the sacred kora (circumambulation) of Mount Kalish and seek religious inspiration. Author Manosi Lahiri was one of this group, searching for consolation after the loss of her ancestors; in the course of journey, she solved a geographic mystery concerning the source of the river Sutlej, a matter that had been contended for centuries. Part adventure, part scholarly narrative, Here Be Yaks is an amazing look at Tibet through a visitor's eyes, and highly recommended.



5. Manosi Lahiri's book is a magnificent story of ordinary people on an extraordinary adventure. Mrs. Lahiri combines a cartographer's eye for geographical detail with sensitivity to the thoughts of companions, and a storyteller's flair for the interesting.
   
   HERE BY YAKS takes the reader along a trail following ancient paths that are still lightly travel today. It gives the reader a glimpse of Tibetan culture which is often mentioned in casual conversation but is little understood or actually experienced.
   
   The book has all the elements of a search for a Shangri La taking one through a kaleidoscope of landscapes and people in the solving of a geological mystery. It's a great read. I recommend it highly.

2 comments about Fodor's Beijing, 1st Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. I'm leaving for Beijing this Thursday, May 17, 07, and prior to having this book, I was worried about names, cities, map, language, and pretty much EVERYTHING. Having the book has calmed me, there's great suggestions, events, places to see, walk, bike, and drive to. There's English names, there's pronunciation, and most impressively, there's clear Chinese characters given at the end of each chapter for you to show the taxi drivers.
   
   This is, if I'm not mistaken, the most updated version on the market, (as LP and others are releasing editions later on this spring/summer) so it's an obvious pick for anyone looking for an updated guide to Beijing and surrounding areas.
   
   I'll further continue my review upon my arrival home, after putting this guide to the test.
   
   
   -----
   
   June 4, 07
   Baaack!
   I was there for 9 days, and in those nine days I've probably seen more than the residents of Beijing. The hutongs, the markets, the million and one temples, all breath-taking. I took most of the suggestions on sightseeing, went to the Lama Temple, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, basically all the sites that Fodor suggested. I did most of my shopping for gifts and souvenirs in beijing, but held back because a lot of people were telling me that hong kong was the place to shop (as i was going there after beijing). Well I learnt on my own that if you want the knockoffs, then beijing is the place to be. But if you want the authentic stuff, then hong kong is the place to be. Anyway, this guide had great and up to date information concerning where to shop and for what.
   
   I did not test the nightlife section. Not really my thing. I need sleep.
   
   I did test the Food suggestions, as I went to Metro Cafe (an italian place which was apparently very good). It was good, but not the best italian food i've had. If anything, I was just glad to be eating something familliar. THE BEST italian place that I found was at the Ritz Carleton Hotel, called Cepe. I'm telling you, it was like a breath of fresh air after eating chinese food for all those days. The reason I'm not giving the guide a 5 is because spending all the time in Beijing, I started meeting various people who'd give me their personal favorites on where to go and what to do so I found myself going against the guide and more on word of mouth by the end of my trip.
   I also wasn't fond about the organization of the book. I found myself constantly looking for a specific place or a specific map with the translation and it wasn't fun flipping through and through a million times.
   
   All in all, I would not have had such a great time if I didn't have this guide. I only wish i had Fodor's Hong Kong for the little time I spent there. I had to take a tour instead.
   
   cheers.



2. I bought this book because it is the most recent guidebook out there for Beijing, and it's been OK. However, I wish I had gotten a different guide. This is the first edition, and there are a number of small, but irritating and confusing mistakes. For example, the Panjiayuan market is given as being in two different, far apart, locations on two different maps in the book. The book gives the characters for the Dashanzi neighborhood in reference to the Danshanzi arts district, and this is not enough for a taxi to get you there. Subway closing times are inconsistent on different pages. All this adds up to a way less than satisfactory guidebook experience. I also found the organization of the guidebook less than efficient. All in all, I wish I'd gotten the Rough Guide, and I over-rated the importance of having the most recent guide published (you can just look up a recent subway map on the internet!).
   
   The book does have good ideas for things to do in Beijing, and I had a great month here doing stuff that was well off the beaten track. The maps were OK, though the pull-out map adds very little.

4 comments about "I Give Seven Chicken": And Other Travel Experiences in China.

1. This is a very interesting book about Chinese culture. It was a journal written and based on all of the author's endeavors while traveling abroad to China. With the author's clever sense of humor, this book was not only interesting but also funny at the same time. This book is a must read, I'm sure you'll laugh at least once! I did!



2. This memoir was a fascinating read for a person who has never traveled to China, like me. Many of the experiences were funny and eye-opening. The different chapters were very informative in making one aware of cultural differences. Make sure to read the "potty" experiences of the author while visiting China. Very funny! I would highly recommend this well-written journal.



3. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! The author has the ability to make you live the experiences with her. I laughed out loud many times as I was reading "I Give Seven Chicken." Be sure to read this book!



4. I found this book to be interesting but not the hysterical comedy that it proposed to be. Gave some insight to life in China from the viewpoint of a young woman.

No comments about China (Rough Guide 25s).

5 comments about South of the Clouds: Exploring the Hidden Realms of China.

1. I've spent over 8 years in Asia with much of it in China and have always enjoyed reading books about China. Many though, do not come close to capturing the modern thoughts of China as it changes from an agricultural to industrial power as this book does.
   
   If you are looking for a deeper understanding of how many Chinese feel on the street, with threads of intrigue, history and current events I heartily recommend this book.



2. 
   Faison brings us closer to the people of China and gives us an honest view of himself and how his own personal uncertainties influenced his choice of going to China and his life there. He dates a woman, who like China, has deep secrets, and he dates another who's personal choices help him understand himself. He visits the sauna massage to have a human touch and someone to talk with.
   
   I like this sort of armchair "travel" book because it skips the tourist sites, hotel/restaurant reviews and encyclopediac history in favor of narratives about the people and the times. You will not read about the Great Wall nor Summer Palace here, and the Xian soldiers are only here because they are part of a story about real, everyday people.
   
   These narratives are rich and memorable: the emmigrants and their familes of Fujian, a bootlegger, a sadly compromised government guide in Tibet, the slow build up to and the ensuing confusion of Tienamen Square. The sky burial, haunts me now, a day after finishing the book.



3. Wow... I just started reading this book two days ago and I'm completely engrossed... wished i had started reading it on a weekend, in order to read it faster!!!
   Having been in China just a couple of months ago, I wish I had read this before my trip. Seth Faison provides lots of information about China society, culture, history and politics without sounding too judgemental. This is one book I'm sure I'll come back to. Essential reading for these times!



4. I'm sure that with technology, there are no secrets. I give it four stars instead of three stars because people who take issue with his contradictions will want to read this. Break out the highlighter pens. I laughed when he acknowledges for the first time (and then frequently throughout the book) that Chinese women are fodder because I've heard the lengthy and boring explanations by those who refuse to admit that about themselves. Use a different color to highlight the many times he feels that Chinese have developed an "obsession for money" and that Chinese women use him to get magazines, currency exchange and see him as marriage material while they cannot afford his expat coffee or sundae. (The kinds of things he was asked for, many people would have no problem giving without the burden of the economic and racial differences between the giver and the receiver. Obtaining magazines are a big deal FOR EXPATS in China. There have been some socially retarded incidents of too much asking but I think the Chinese are better at showing when that's been inappropriate of Chinese so I think he could have been clearer about that.)
   
   Then use a third color highlighter for the many times that he is reliant on the generosity not just material but the generosity of Chinese attention that helps him acclimate and get his job done. People and perhaps especially Chinese fail to draw the comparison that the percentage of Chinese immigrants who enjoy that thorough a level of generosity overseas is much less than the percentage of nonChinese who are helped by Chinese in China. I bear him no rancor though I can't imagine he would appreciate this review. I haven't laughed so much READING in a while. The pungent motives and unspoken assessments are not a shock and I think he's very clever and remembers that many Chinese know this so he presents them for consumption. It's his admissions that save him just as when Kip Fulbeck's narrator admitted that he wouldn't want his daughter dating someone like him. LOL. I wonder if M. Faison (French Huguenot! LOL) has ever been frustrated that Chinese don't realize how clever he is. This book is not about "dating." It's about world politics and its instruments. And his cleverness is not in his confessions of eliciting confidences but in the entire book.
   
   A good companion to this book is Thailand Fever written from both Western and Thai perspectives (as interpreted by a Westerner apparently) with tips on how to successfully navigate the cultural misunderstandings to forge successful romantic relationships. The tone of Thailand Fever is different because the goal for the Westerner is different. I don't think that the authors of either books speak for all Westerners although Thailand Fever tends to generalize. Some expats may welcome South of the Clouds and refer to it to reinforce their criticisms; however, this book fails to explain that Asians and notably the Chinese are very good at ignoring other people and becoming invisible when they are not being appreciated or well-regarded sincerely so there is something to be said when they help you.
   
   I'm fed up with the lack of Asian male faces in American media while Asian women are left exposed and devalued so that this kind of reporting is part of the mainstream depiction instead of just a blip. I'm calling quits on going to the movies and closely considering every American media purchase I make (including magazines) from now on. I've had it!



5. I recently re-read Seth Faison's marvellous book on a return trip through China. I was in Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and then Hong Kong all in the space of a week. Faison's book was like a becalmed harbor that I could return to -- every time I got on a plane or settled down to bed. His crackling prose and incisive view of China and the gentleness with which he explained what is a tangled and complex place were something I looked forward to each day. It's a great book and deserves the widest possible attention.