1 comments about Village India.

1. The focus in the book is definitely not on the cities of India.
   
   A detailed visit to some village in India is described in the Prologue. It isn't clear, however, what village that is or in what general area it is. The annotations to the photographs in this prologue say they are from different regions and so don't seem to provide a clue as to where the village in the Prologue is. The book jacket refers to opening with a "typical" Indian village, although the book itself presents enough diversity that one wouldn't think there was a "typical" Indian village.
   
   I had expected, given an author who had traveled extensively in India, that this book would consist of similar up-close descriptions of villages from all over India. Instead the book appears to be a survey organized by Indian state, making general remarks about the villages within each state. The lack of intimacy seems compensated, to a small degreee, by the annotated photographs.
   
   I did not find a single footnote in the 250+ pages of this book. So how and where on his travels did the author learn and verify that "Man has inhabited India continuously for more than three hundred thousand years"? How to tell what is due to the author's original research and what relies on other sources? The bibliography is only 2 pages long and unannotated. So how would one check any of the facts or assertions presented by the author? However, much of the book lacks the first-hand feeling of someone who has traveled in India over many years. Perhaps a decision to present a survey makes this encyclopedia feeling unavoidable.
   
   The bulk of the book is organized by state (the jacket refers to a "state-by-state odyssey") and these within the south, east or west. But the only map I found covers less than one page (page 8) and is consequently quite cluttered. Nowhere in the discussion of the villages of any state did I find any map to situate that state (apart from it having been in a south, east, or west region). It's possible to find a covered state on the map on page 8 but because that map covers all of India it doesn't provide detail on each of the states. Perhaps detail was thought not to matter, since even discussion of the villages seems to be, except for the anonymous village of the Prologue, at the general level of the villages of this or that state.

No comments about The Kapoors: The First Family of Indian Cinema.

No comments about An Englishwoman in India: The Memoirs of Harriet Tytler 1828-1858.

5 comments about Beatles in Rishikesh (Penguin Studio Books).

1. Visually, this book is a treat. Thick pages similar to the recently released Anthology, great graphics and font. The photographs of the Beatles, who are relaxed and acting like themselves are intriguing. I was disappointed, however, that I sat down and read this book in its entirety in a little over an hour. While Mr. Saltzman's casual chats with the Beatles are interesting there's no great revelations here that many fans won't already know. The photos are good but are pretty repetitious, most of them having been taken in about three different sessions. This book makes a great "coffee table" book and a good conversation starter but don't buy it expecting to learn anything new - it's just not there.



2. The photographs in this book are truly a treat for any Beatle afficionado as well as anyone who comes across this book.

   Although there is little in the way of fresh factual material, the pictures, text and recreating the 1967-1968 period in the Beatles' career is sure to delight any reader.

   I like the way the author describes the sitar, an Indian stringed musical instrument that Ravi Shankar and George Harrison popularized in Western music. This book shows the cultural blending, the introduction to the western world at large a musical instrument that was, for many years, not well known outside of the middle east. George, under Shankar's tutelage masters the sitar and the Eastern influence can be heard in many of his later works as well as post-Beatles works.

   John Lennon, of late 1965 "Norwegian Wood" fame is not as entranced with the eastern world and eastern philosophy as his bandmate. John, from all accounts, keeps an open mind, yet maintains his own established values and beliefs. His approach to the Eastern experience appears to be that of an intellectual curiosity; he does not appear to embrace it on a personal or philosophical level. He seems to remain outside, yet looking in with the idea of learning more about what he is witnessing.

   I think most Beatles fans will appreciate the book. It does a rather thorough job of covering the Beatles' 1967 trip to India and the influences their trip east had on them for the remainder of their careers together as a band. It is, in some ways a refreshing peek behind the Eastern curtain into a part of their lives that many other works do not cover as fully.




3. I found this book to be more filler than substance.



4. I went to Rishikesh, India in the fall of 2000. I realized why George was so amazed of this northern India town where the Ganges turns down from The Himalayan Mtns. I was blessed to have visited such a beautiful place, as my 94 year old grandfather from Delhi and my dad (Who's originally from northern India) took me to some amazing spots in Rishikesh. I felt so free. I felt the 'magic' The Beatles experienced. This book illustrates the journey of the fab four's 1967-68 visit for 'relaxation & meditation' and the outcome (Many of the songs recorded for "The White Album" were written while hanging and meditating at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram) The pictures (taken by the author of this book) are large and will grab you - This book is for The Beatle fan in you or someone you know. JG "The Bear"



5. First of all, this is a visually beautiful book. The typsetting (which is large and, unusually, centered throughout), the gorgeous photographs, the colours, it's all very lush and evocative. Great coffee table book!
   
   That being said, the story is very engaging and creates a charming and compelling snapshot of a brief but heady time in an engaging era. The intimate portraits of the Beatles, both photographic and in writing, are sure to please Beatles fans and maybe the casually curious, as well.
   
   Unfortunately, the story is fairly short. More of an essay than anything else, but given the story being told, it could only be so long. The author writes about a specific time and place and doesn't pad it with a lot of extraneous things, and it is what it is.
   
   This is a book that's sure to delight Beatles fans and also those who are interested in the times, trends, and mood of the mid-late sixties. I found the book captivating, and I'm glad to add it to my collection of great coffee table books and books about the Beatles.

5 comments about Lonely Planet Pakistan.

1. Well, I have not read this book yet. I was thinking of buying it but I saw two crucial mistakes on this site alone. The map of Pakistan shown on the back cover is wrong, Kashmir is shown as part of India which is absolutely wrong. Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed area according to UN. one-third of Kashmir is under Pakistani control and even it is shown under Indian map. Second, the historic Badshahi Mosque in Lahore is called the Lahore fort. To me, these two mistakes in only a few pages shown on this site is a big turn-off, so I'm skeptical of the research and knowledge of the authors.



2. ...Primarily, the Map is wrong. Azad Kashmir is such a beautiful part of Pakistan, and they cokmpletely miss it. They go on to show that Entire Kashmir is a part of india.
   The book is also missing insiders scoop. Perhaps just using this book aas a reference, and Using other guide would be better. The authors also give a fake image of Pakistans politics, and its intolerance, as a matter of fact its very tolerant...As long as you aren't calling for trouble, you're all right!



3. Without bringing my political affiliations and leanings into this review (...), I can safely vouch for this travel guide to Pakistan. Informative, thorough, honest and highly enjoyable, Lonely Planet has come through again! I utilized their travel books throughout my recent trip to India and Pakistan and was never led wrong (infact they have saved my behind a few times, especially in Pak), but overall enhanced my experience as they encouraged me to try new and different things while there and also gave me some pointers on how to interact with the locals. One negative point to mention: Lonely Planet Pakistan doesn't stress and/or inform about the heckling, whistling, and unwanted male attention foreign girls (even those who are of Indian origin) have to suffer through, enough.



4. The book is written very well. Gives all the information a traveller could possibly use. The only thing wrong with is the map of Pakistan and Kashmir. Kashmir is shown to be a part of India which is totally wrong. One part of Kashmir - Azad Kashmir is independant whereas the other half is occupied by India. The map of Kashmir should be corrected to earn the fifth star.



5. It gives you an insight into the history and the people of Pakistan, as well as everything a tourist should know, i.e. cheap places too stay, what to eat, how to travel, the local customs, etc. And, by the way, there's nothing wrong with the map, though perceptions may differ as to which part(s) of Kashmir are free & democratic and which are not.

4 comments about Lonely Planet Maldives.

1. It was a good book about an overview of Maldives but did not focus much on the interior travel within Maldives and getting around its myriad of islands



2. There are four main tour books for the Maldives, and this one is a good place to start. (Another good one is the Michelin guide.) This book gives a general overview of the islands and many of the resorts. Divers will want the Divers' Guide to the Maldives to fill out the information here.



3. I find this guide very useful in terms of choosing the resorts. It has good descriptions of all the resorts in terms of facilities, clients, food served and activities. The resorts are in different chapters according to the different atolls. So, it is a good guide for choosing the right resort according to one's taste



4. Like all Lonely Planet guides, a mine of useful information, that proves invaluable in picking the resort that best suits your interests and pocket. A good section on diving and snorkelling. Well worth the money.

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

No comments about Italian Expedition to the Himalaya, Karakoram and Eastern Turkestan, 1913-1914.

No comments about Lonely Planet Rajasthan.

No comments about The Nepal Trekker's Handbook.