No comments about Fodor's Beijing, 2nd Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

5 comments about Unpaved Roads.

1. "I think I'll retire and write a book about my travels." Many have tried but few have done so as successfully as David Wagner. This easy-to-read book is filled with so many anecdotes and insights that readers actually feel they are travel companions of Dave and Flo in their 13-month odyssey throughout Asia. Unpaved Roads is truly a joy to read!
   
   Mark H. Rossman, Ed.D Professor Emeritus



2. Enjoy the trip----Follow Dave and Flo's 13 month journey through Asia and you'll wonder why you're sitting still. Never before has a book transported me so far--it made me feel, taste, and see the places and people being described. Dave has a way of making all their challenges and experiences sound enticing, worthwhile, and downright life changing. And you'll definitely want to know Flo by the time you've finished the book.
   Read this book with a group of friends who want to travel and you may just find yourself on the next plane to "somewhere".



3. When I curled up to read Dave Wagner's "Unpaved Roads", I was looking forward to an interesting tale of someone elses adventures. However, soon I was hearing the sounds, smelling the aromas, tasting the foods, and meeting the people; in fact, having a much richer experience through reading his book than I might have had had I actually traveled the same path in person. Flo and Dave's loving hearts open doors into other people's lives and allow them to experience (and share with us through their book)the facinating diversity of other cultures while celebrating our common humanity.



4. Amazed a couple in their 60s seek and share such an adventure. This travlelogue is inspiring and insightful. My spouse and I have decided to take on an exotic adventure after reading about David and Flo's travels. We plan to take a different path, but on Unpaved Roads.



5. I wasn't expecting to be so entertained. But I was! The author will take you along in his journey from the deadliest bus rides to the side splitting camel ride. The sense of humour was great and there were times I laughed so hard my ribs ached. As Dave takes the reader through places like Shri Lanka, India, Thailand, Vietnam and China I felt the experiences of the sparkling night sky, the smell of ethnic foods in the air and the festive sounds that filled the streets. Unpaved Roads will provide the reader with an opportuntiy that you would not normally have! A Great Read!

No comments about Innovation in China: The Dawning of the Asian Century.

5 comments about Culture Smart! China: A Quick Guide to Customs & Etiquette.

1. Folks... this is the most basic of travel books. It skims over the history of China and then offers a few tips at the end of the chapter. The pronounciation guide is worthless at it does not begin to descibe how a person who was not educated in China would attempt the complicated sounds of Mandarin. The place names are spelled with traditional Chinese spelling... which is great unless one is purchasing this book as a guide in the first place. The Culture Shock! series by the same publisher is far more helpful to the Western traveler! Save your money!



2. Love it! Informative, brief and with a sense of humor.



3. Generally this guide will be helpful to any traveller wishing to garner a cultural appreciation of China.
   
   However, two points regarding the language must be made. Page 160 says "A working knowledge of a mere 3,000 [Chinese characters] gives you a mastery of most menus and street signs; if you want to read the newspapers you will need about 7,000." More accurately, with 3,000 Chinese characters you probably know as many as the poorer of the Chinese locals, can read 90% of what you read in the newspaper and will have absolutely no problem with any street sign nor menu.
   
   Also, page 170-170 discusses the dilemma a foreign teacher had when wishing to buy a dice (die, as in a six-sided gambling/gaming cube) the people s/he was with prior to setting out didn't know the character, except for one very old man who wrote the character down. On reaching the shop the shopkeepers didn't understand that character! However, a simple check of a dictionary will reveal that the word for dice is "shaizi", which comprises 2 very simple characters, the first, "shai", just 6 strokes, being the same as "se" (colour), only pronounced differently. The second, zi, is only 3 strokes and is an extremely common character added to many nouns.
   
   When I consider her layperson's purposes, I don't really blame the author for this misinformation. It is only a travel guide, and a reasonable one at that. However, possibly for information about the language of a country we need to speak to a broader cross-section of those in the know.



4. This little book has a lot of necessary information and was useful to me while I prepared to study abroad in China. I wish it had a bit more phrases in the back, but found it was a great starting place if you want to know about China in an introductory or general way.



5. I am disappointed with this book on a variety of levels. First of all, about half of it is devoted to Chinese history, which is not why one would buy such a book. One needs a "quick guide to customs and etiquette" to avoid social faux pas and to keep from accidentally offending people, not to learn about Chairman Mao's Long March. (The historical information is interesting, but sketchy at best, and shouldn't it be found in a different kind of book anyway?) It would seem that a whole bunch of this historical information has been added as filler to double the size of the book.
   
   Secondly, somehow the discussion of how foreigners are viewed by the Chinese made me feel vaguely uncomfortable, and I am not sure why. There was just something awkward there. (Maybe I just don't like stereotyping..?)
   
   Thirdly, while there is discussion of customs there is a dirth of "watch out for this" warnings. For example, we are warned that the Chinese view blowing the nose as being somewhat gross, so if you have to do that, leave the room. This is the kind of information that visitors need - no one likes rude folks, but it's hard sometimes to know what is considered rude in another country.
   
   Fourth, there is lots of other kinds of filler besides the historical information - like spending two whole pages explaining that cell phones have been very quickly and widely embraced in China, and how it was in the bad old days, like ten years ago. (Who cares...)
   
   Finally, the author seems to suddenly switch over in the last quarter of the book from giving advice to the tourist to giving advice to the business person, and goes on and on for pages and pages and pages about how to behave at a business banquet. Then she says that such banquets are becoming increasingly rare. So why did we just waste all that space talking about them??? Sigh....
   
   Save your money, and look up "Chinese customs and etiquette" on Google.

3 comments about Routes to Roots: Settling in Hong Kong.

1. This is a must for international companies with offices in Hong Kong - and for all executives and professionals relocating to the territory.

   Penned by one of Hong Kong's most seasoned executive-accommodation scouts, Routes to Roots delves deeper than any other property location guide I've seen, in terms of offering useful information.

   In fact, some of Hong Kong's tour guide publications should regard this book as competition. Why? Because it is a collection of interesting facts coupled with the kind of light-hearted touches that make it a compelling read for tourists, business travellers and residents alike.

   Author Icy Kwok has years of experience in finding living quarters for Hong Kong's incoming expatriates. But it's clear she's done lots of extra homework to explain legal points and cultural issues, unearth historical facts and offer shopping and dining-out tips that all add up to practical, everyday advice for newcomers.

   As well as opening up a potential career for herself as an author, Ms Kwok runs a Hong Kong relocation company called Routes to Roots, which, of course, finds accommodation for expatriate arrivals. All surefire readers for her book!

   Quite the businesswoman.




2. This book is a MUST for those moving to Hong Kong. It offers all the practical and immediate advice required when setting up in a new city - facts about rental costs in various areas, tenancy agreements and conditions, utilities, furniture, apartment space, what to bring and not to bring, schools and banking. Mildew, hard mattresses, escalator etiquette, shopping, pets, doctors, customs and traditions ...it's all here. Take it from someone who has read the book only months after arriving in Hong Kong. I wish I had the book prior to arriving but it hadn't been published. It explains all that I needed to know and is far more concise than surfing the Net. A smooth transition means you get to enjoy all Hong Kong has to offer faster and with less stress. Presented in easy to read format, no other book offers this level of specific guidance.



3. I recomend this book to everyone who needs some esential helps about Hong Kong and rent, contracts, buildings.... everything that you need to start your new life in Hong Kong

No comments about iSpeak Chinese Phrasebook, Summer 2008 Edition (iSpeak).

2 comments about Guilin (Chinese/English edition: FLP China Travel and Tourism).

1. Anyone who has visited this beautiful area of China will enjoy this collection of color photos. The text, in English and Chinese, is brief, but the outstanding photos tell all. This small book is a wonderful reminder of memorable scenery.



2. This book, small in size, is packed with superb photography of one of the most beautiful regions in the world. The limited text provides information as to where each photo was taken (both in English and Chinese). Printing quality is excellent.

No comments about Inside Stories of the Forbidden City.

No comments about Adventure Guide China (Adventure Guides Series) (Adventure Guides Series) (Adventure Guides Series).

No comments about The Capital of the Tycoon: A Narrative of a Three Years' Residence in Japan. Volume 2.