No comments about Try Cracow and the Carpathians.

2 comments about Lonely Planet Best of Shanghai (Lonely Planet Best of Series).

1. ... and I emphasize the word "basic". Fold-out maps with Chinese characters is helpful, but don't forget to bring a magnifying glass in order to read the maps. Found Time Out Shanghai much much more informative.



2. The maps were indispensible aids in getting around Shanghai and if I ever go back to that town and were only allowed ten pages from this book, I'd include the maps. I met another traveler in Shanghai who lost this guide and doubled back several blocks to find it again. He did find it again and was glad he did.
   
   That being said, it's not the gospel. Shanghai's a big town and there's no way to cover every single place to eat or thing to do. Given the short descriptions for many of the activities, there can't be enough room to explain everything you may need to get to them... the Propaganda Poster Museum is one such example. It's way way way off a beaten track, but I found it after asking a local security guard and showing the picture in the book.
   
   I'm ticked off the guide says there's a taco restaurant in Shanghai. I went there and the "taco" was more a Chinese interpretation of the Mexican classic. It was tasty, but NOT authentic. If you're homesick for good Mexican food, Shanghai's not the right place to be.
   
   Overall, I'm very glad I had this guide with me in Shanghai and I plan to continue to get Lonely Planet guides for my travels.

No comments about Old China in Historic Photographs (Dover Photography Collections).

5 comments about What the Lotus Said: A Journey to Tibet and Back.

1. Eric Swanson has written a dialogue about his quest for understanding the spiritual life. This is not a treatise on Eastern religion nor is it meant to be. This very well written little book asks us as friends to learn the lessons of arriving at critical moments in our lives, that those moments are pregnant with the possibility for change, and that this journal is one man's notebook on encountering a more meaningful existence. There is much to be learned here - about the humor that accompanies the most serious of engagements, the human foibles that are shared by all cultures, but also the vast unknown differences between Eastern and Western thought. Swanson's journey to Tibet and China is one of humor, of frustration, and one of finding how self can only be understood in the context of the greater idea of a timeless and formless universe. Without a page of preaching we learn a lot about Buddhist philosphy, ancient history of China and Tibet, and about the order of the lama system of enlightment. Don't expect a PhD in world religions from this book. Do expect (and receive) a warm, joyful, tender, and humorous tour through lands and peoples that seem so far away...until now.



2. Imagine going to a formal dinner in suit and tie, but not having had a shower or bath in weeks beforehand! Eric Swanson's humorous, poignant view of Tibet is rife with memorable visions. At times I burst out laughing and read passages to my companions on the bus. But the book is more than just a travelogue throught the dirt and grime of Tibetan poverty. It is about spiritual thirst and quest. Though this book is not as long or didactic as others ("3 Years in Tibet" or Alexandra David-Neels' works), I found it superb and will keep it and read it again. I didn't think that Eric was on an ego-trip!!! Jeez! Some reviewers are so strange! The ending was very touching, I thought. I especially liked the story of the envelope containing the strands of hair from past beings, including Eric's own head... the whisker of a dead cat... That kind of stuff always makes the old tears flow, which is good. So enjoy this sparkling little gem of a book! And enjoy your Western shower and deodorant!



3. This is not a horrible book - it's just not a particularly good one either. The book did not engage me and I never found it particularly interesting or insightful. I had expected to learn something about Tibetan Buddhism, but I did not learn much.
   
   Swanson seems to want to mix the genre of travelogue with interspersed chapters that attempt to wax eloquently on Buddhism. I found that he was not particularly successful in this and as a result it made the book disjointed.
   
   This is a short book and a quick read, so you won't waste much time if you do decide to read it....I just don't think I would recommend it to my friends.



4. This book is one of the better written of the stream of books that are now arriving from Americans visiting Tibet. The book flows on giving a realistic view of what life in China and Tibet is currently like and presents some beginning concepts of Buddhism to the uninitiated. Swanson is a wordsmith and the book carries greater depth than some of the others.
   
   We all carry who we are into our adventures and writing and Eric does this. Unfortunately he is a product of his NYC urban culture which prevents him and us from fully appreciating his adventure. This adds adds a touch of NY cynicism and self-indulgence. Atleast he put out the effort to learn some Chinese which is more than most Americans would do.
   
   It apppears that he is studying Buddhism for a good death rather than becoming enlightened. I would say that this book is a worthwhile read, but don't expect to have high realizations; this spiritual adventurer has a ways to go.
   
   Once again I am reminded of how soft we Americans have become as a culture. Our pioneering ancesters are long forgotten as well as our understanding that hardship isn't all bad. I wish there was more heart in this book, but then I wish there was more heart in most Americans for if one understands what the lotus really said one would be enlightened.



5. I was hooked by the jacket copy that said "if you ever wanted to go to Tibet, now's your chance" but was sorely disappointed. It is a thin book in every way, thin on substance, interest, detail, ideas. It's alternately pompous then aimless...the point of view is constantly ambivalent. Perhaps that is true to his experience, but it doesn't make for a good read. I'll keep searching for a real meaty travelogue of Tibet.

No comments about SHANGHAI TOURIST MAP.

No comments about Grand Canal, Great River: The Travel Diary of a 12th Century Chinese Poet.

No comments about Cults, Customs and Superstitions of India: Being a Revised and Enlarged Edition of 'Indian Life, Religious and Social'.

1 comments about Walking to the Mountain: A Pilgrimage to Tibet's Holy Mount Kailash.

1. If you have always wanted to know what travelling in Tibet is like, then this book is for you. Wendy Teasdill takes you with her as she travels from Lhasa to Mount Kailash in western Tibet. Written in an anecdotal form, it takes you on a journey of several hundred kilometers. You will be right along with her when she camps out under the stars, haggles for a ride, fords ice-cold rivers, stares at the mountain in awestruck wonder or enjoys a cup of tibetan tea in a yak-hair tent. A humourous, realistic account of travelling in Tibet, this book is a delight! You will enjoy the journey, whether is a means of re-living your own journey, as it was for me, or whether it one you intend to make or even if you choose to be an arm-chair traveller. Enjoy the trek!

4 comments about The Marching Wind (Equestrian Travel Classics).

1. Although The Marching Wind was written in the late 40's, this non-fiction story is still very intriguing in today's world. It relates the story of traveler/explorer Leonard Clark and his yak caravan journey through Tibet. Clark convinced the Chinese Nationalist leaders that he could find them an escape route through Tibet as the communists approached. At the same time, Clark plans to measure a mountain in Tibet that is reputably higher than Everest.
   The book is written as a detailed travel log of the expedition through the wilds of forbidding Tibet during incredibly cold weather for which none of the modern equipment used for extreme weather is available. The caravan is constantly on watch for the fierce Ngolog tribe members reputed to be highly aggressive and murderous. It is a well written and exciting story.



2. I noticed this book on my parent's book shelf when I was growing up. My 5th grade class had studied Tibet and I always meant to read it. Well, many years later, I finally got around to it and it turned out to be a rather interesting book. What makes it interesting is this glimpse at the many different people who make up the vast area of Tibet.

   The author, Leonard Clark, is a rather archaic type of fellow to read in the 21st century. It's somewhat akin to reading about a 19th Century explorer 50 years ago. The man, fresh out of World War II intrigue in this general area of China, decides that he wants to explore the area of a sacred mountain. The name of the mountain is Amne Machin and it is located deep in the thinly explored areas of Tibet. Mr. Clark briefly explains the background to his quest and, before we know it, he is on his way to Tibet with a mere $1200 to finance his travels. He is an odd sort of fellow who reminds you of a middle-aged bachelor British nobleman who explores for a living. His rare reflections on life indicate a rather detached point of view.

   We sense his quest to find and measure the height of Amne Machin although I didn't feel particularly excited about this aspect of his travels. I was most interested in the many different tribes of peoples and their remoteness from the rest of the world. Many of these different tribesmen are Mongols who date back to the original Horde. Mr. Clark has convinced the local military leader of the need to find an escape route from the unstoppable advance of the Red Chinese. Thus he is able to explore this lawless area accompanied by a small army. Mr. Clark is an astute observer of the many different tribes, flora, fauna, customs, topography and travails of the area. I found myself shivering with him in the many blizzards he seemed to encounter. I also found myself wondering if I, too, could survive on the various forms of food and drink that he subsisted on.

   This book didn't exactly grab me once I started reading it. In fact I kept it at the office and would read a bit of it several times a week during my lunch break. It left me wondering about whatever happened to these many tribes of people rather than wondering whatever happened to the author.




3. This is truly a well-written, great adventure. Although I think that Clark embellishes the dangers of his trip, you definitely get a good feeling of the difficulties and potential threats.
   (Immediate post WW-II period, during Chinese Civil War). Basically, it details Clark's expedition to explore Amne Machin, which he suspected to be higher than Mt. Everest. The probable real mission was however to map the region and prepare for a retreat of the defeated Chinese Moslem/Nationalist Army through Tibet. In any case, it makes for exciting reading, and Clark is a fine writer, with a good sense of humour and insightful comments. He's not a scholar, but a true adventurer; nevertheless, he seems to exhibit detailed knowledge over many subjects and appears to be an astute observor.
   I first read this book (hardback edition from the 1950s) some 30 years ago, and was quite pleased when I discovered that LongRiders has re-issued in paperback form. The paper and binding seems pretty decent, and the only real negative is the poor quality of the photographs, which are not reproduced on glossy paper. The other minor quibble is the fact that since this is a reprint, an introduction/retrospective would have been useful. This could have included some info on the fate of the author (he died under somewhat mysterious circumstances in the late fifties in South America) or Amne Machin (it's not higher than Everest) or even some info on the Qinghai region today. But again, these are minor points that shouldn't detract from a great story...



4. The formal reasons for Clark's 1949 journey in Qinghai (surveying uncharted mountains; archeological excavations; and aiding escape of Nationalist Chinese) may be mere rationales for his archaic 19th century-style expeditions. But the former OSS major certainly found adventure, with arduous conditions, bandit raids and political machinations recounted in melodramatic but serviceable prose. "Marching Wind" has useful ethnographic and scientific data from eastern Greater Tibet, though some critics doubt its accuracy. Clark briefly enjoyed fame because his flawed calculations suggested that the Anye Machin range had peaks higher than Everest, but the bulk of the book holds up better. Its main value may lie in detailing the tensions between the end of "old" China (already vastly transformed, as the presence of foreign devils like Clark confirms) and Chinese efforts to avoid or adapt to the impending Communist new order. The story often alternates between the anxieties of officials and communities loyal to the Guomindang, and the routine--not timeless--activities of people for whom epochal changes in China proper seemingly had little relevance. Despite use of a station wagon (no kidding) in the early stages, this Equestrian Classic will find readers among the growing number of trekkers to these remote regions. Owen Lattimore's slightly earlier travels and writings offer a substantive contrast to Clark's rather self-absorbed, but still worthwhile, account. G. Rowell, "Mountains of the Middle Kingdom" assesses Clark and other explorers of China's Far West, with many stunning photos.

1 comments about A Photographic Guide to Birds of China Including Hong Kong (Photoguides).

1. This book was very helpful when identifying birds of Hong Kong. The color photographs of each bird were clear and extremely helpful, and the descriptions helped me distinguish similar species if I was still in doubt after seeing the picture. The range maps seem accurate, and the book's small size makes it very portable and convenient to carry. The only drawback was that several species I saw, some fairly commonly, were not listed or pictured, so I was unable to identify them at the time. Overall, I would recommend this book for someone wanting to identify Hong Kong birds.