5 comments about Bottled Water.

1. Bottled Water is a novel that makes the countries we read about in the news real and vivid to us, and it makes us laugh, cry a little, and pause for thought about the lives of others, whether in Cuba, Israel, Turkey, or the more off-beat location of Bulgaria. Somehow, the main character gets himself adopted by local families in these countries to see and feel how they live, and he and "the brotherhood" (the other multicultural Americans in their mid-twenties he travels with) also manage to get into exotic and exciting adventures from the Full Moon Party in Thailand to meeting a multi-millionaire with body guards up close in Bulgaria. And throughout is woven a thread of love. This book is fresh and entertaining!



2. Fantastic depiction of the trips all of us take when young and in search of ourselves. The author and his crew were lucky to have such action packed travels to far away places and cultures, traditions and realities. I liked the way each place was presented and how the best features were emphasized. It doesn't sound the trips were well planned so the spontaneity of events keeps the reader on the edge of his seat. I like the open mind of the crew and how they land at places without any prejudice and feel of American superiority. Very often we all see how Americans are very close minded and opinionated when they set foot across the Atlantic or Pacific and how they make fools of themselves when something not related to the Yankees or Lakers is discussed. The World is not flat and it certainly does not look like a Wal-mart parking lot. I liked the author as he escapes from this well familiar stereotype. I certainly hope he has more coming!!!



3. Most of us only dare to dream of chucking the 9 to 5 gigs for world travel and more importantly, adventure. What Chris and his two friends find while they are away is more than a vacation but nothing short of life lived to its fullest.
   I enjoyed reading the book because it caused me to ache for my lost youth. I realized that the adventure of life is somewhere between what you actually do everyday and what you dream of doing everyday. If you are still stirred by travel to far away lands and the mystery of meeting new people, you will love this thrill ride!



4. Sometimes literature can vividly evoke an image of a time, place, or city, stirring up the desire to visit and track down distant locations and adventure. Have you ever entertained the idea of taking a prolonged sabbatical from your job or day to day grind to circle the world? The author of Bottled Water does just that and he is able to conceptualize the meaning of journey based on location and situation. Here is something novel to think about. Let us suppose for a moment that we all have the time and ability to travel around the world in search of something but you don't know what that something is. How would you go about doing this, what would you search for, what would you discover about yourself and those around you? During the voyages of bottled water, we witness lost love, unforgettable scenes, and situations that are thought provoking while others perhaps humorous. A great read!



5. Me pareció un libro muy rico y interesante, donde se puede no solo descubrir distintas realidades del mundo, pero también conocer el estilo de viajar y de con-vivir de un equipo muy bien equipajado!!! Es apasionante la manera del autor de pasar a hablar de descricciones muy dettalladas de ambientes y hechos a estados de animo personales intimos que el lector puede apriciar con la misma humildad con la que fueron pensados!Lo aconsejo a todos aquellos que quieren hacer un viaje, por lo menos virtual, alrededor del mundo, no pèrdiendo nunca de vista el sano divertimento, la pasion de descubrir y un gramo de locura...que va siempre bien!!!

5 comments about Hard Travel to Sacred Places.

1. The Publishers Weekly review in my opinion says it all. The book is well and accurately characterised as pretenious, sophomoric and self-absorbed. Every one has experienced loss in their life. Little useful, sustaining or enlightening will be learned from this book. A big disappointment



2. I read this because I liked the title, and thought the idea of the book - travelnig to a powerful place during a difficult time in life - was promising. The book turned out to be darker than I expected - but it was still moving and memorable. I read this book years ago but still recall passages and ideas from it. I think if I went to Cambodia or other places mentioned, I'd reread this short book - just to help give me a deep emotional context to consider while I'm there. Good - easy to read - but it might stay with you.



3. I couldn't differ more with the review by T. Gilbert! Sure this book is self-absorbed - but as the author journeys into himself he finds a universal suffrage. The author's courage to face off against death is remarkable in these times of flippancy and shallow know-it-all attitudes. The author is a wonderful guide through the darkness - and to be admired. There's nothing at all sophomoric that I could find in the book, nothing. It's as serious as it gets. The way that the author divides up the journey into a lusting/ignoring/hating triad of suffering is as an intuitive an expression of Buddhism as I have ever come across in my studies. Perhaps "every one has experienced loss in their life"; but few of us dare to share the accompanying humiliation with each other, or ourselves. Thank you Mr. Wurlitzer!

   I also suggest Inside Thai Society: Religion, Everyday Life, Change by Niels Mulder and Bali, Sekala and Niskala: Essays on Religion, Ritual, and Art by Fred B. Eiseman for an exploration of how Buddhism can help guide us over, around, and under the many hurdles in life.




4. service was excellent and book was in condition described



5. The author wallows in self pity and is always sick while staying in the best possible hotels (and never fails to drop the names of famous people who have done likewise). Having visited the same sites in Thailand and Cambodia in good health and a tight budget, I am appalled that this experience could be reported in such a distorted and negative way. Only a perverse curiosity about if the book could get worse kept me reading. It did get worse.

2 comments about The Treasures and Pleasures of Thailand and Myanmar: Best of the Best in Travel and Shopping (Impact Guides).

1. The Treasures And Pleasures Of Thailand And Myanmar: Best Of The Best In Travel And Shopping is an absolute "must-have" for international travelers looking to obtain quality goods or souvenirs from Thailand at a reasonable price. Intended as a supplementary resource and not a general-purpose travel guide, The Treasures And Pleasures Of Thailand And Myanmar focuses specifically upon obstacles, negotiation techniques, and tips and tricks for those interested in shopping for everything from gemstones to textiles to artworks and much more. From learning how to walk away from the "touts" that try to lure tourists into overpriced stores (overpriced because the store must pay the tout a 10% to 40% commission for the service!), to a step-by-step introduction to the art of haggling, to knowing how to avoid paying thousands of dollars for what might be a cheap knock-off gemstone, to why even the locals may not always obtain the best deals (some shopkeepers can give tourists a lower price than their repeat local customers - who would expect the same bargain every time they walked through the door) to dealing with cultural differences and much more, The Treasures And Pleasures Of Thailand And Myanmar zeroes in on exactly what the money-conscious tourist in Thailand needs to know.



2. My partner and I just went to Thailand( Bangkok and Chiang Mai) for some hardcore antique shopping spree to decorate our house and expanded our collection. The information given was very useful and of course along the way we found more little shops not covered in the book. But the book definitely directs you to the right neighborhoods as far as antique goes(what we were after)
   I highly recommend it to people who are after quality goods wether it's jewelry or furniture or antique or whatever. and Thailand has SO MUCH to offer!!!

1 comments about Diving Southeast Asia: A Guide to the Best Dive Sites in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand (Periplus Action Guides).

1. 
   This book is Pre -tsunami. & Pre-enviromental-ban for Sipadan
   
   CONS:
   1) This edition is basically the same as the 2nd edition. If you have #2 then you don't really need #3. Just call ahead and make sure the LDS info is correct.
   
   2) Although some of the information may have been updated since the 2nd edition, sloppy editing ruins the book. Maps are not on the page indexed and are not on the page referred to in the paragraph. You'd really expect better editing and not just #2 regurgitated with add-on info.
   
   3) Many of the contributors also have their own Dive Guide/Book published, so you may find some duplicate info.
   
   4) Doesn't list all major dive shops in the area, (but it comes pretty close). Doesn't list dive shops on the smaller islands (not even reputable ones).
   
   5) Publishing company extremely rude (Periplus Singapore) and unhelpful to the public when called at the number listed.
   
   PROS:
   1) Maps of the entire region are very helpful especially if you want to be sure whether you are diving island 3 or island 4a. & your dive guide doesn't know - unfortunately happens more than you think since everyone wants to do their divemaster/instructor training course here. Just show the boat captain the map and he'll tell you.
   
   2) This book packs a lot of detailed info on each and every area and dive site. All you need is a Guide that knows where the fish are and how to get back to the boat.
   
   3) This book often contains more pertinent and detailed info than many "single area" books out there.
   
   4) All the contributors are highly respected and very well-known in their own areas and beyond. Most are regular contributors to dive magazines and have their own guides published. Some still take groups out despite owning their own dive shop, travel agency, internet cafe, Tshirt stand, satay and fruit juice stall.
   
   5) Good quality photos and paper.
   
   6) Nice map of the region inside the front cover.
   
   Overall one of the better dive books out there. You will find this one really helpful for:
   *Planning dive trips in S.E. Asia
   *Knowing where you are
   *What to look out for at a site/area
   *Alternative dive resources for S.E. Asia (Lists of websites diving & otherwise).

No comments about Thailand: Traveller's Wildlife Guide (Travellers' Wildlife Guides).

No comments about Insight City Guide Bangkok (Insight City Guides (Book & Restaruant Guide)).

No comments about Thailand's Islands & Beaches (Regional Guide).

No comments about Customs & Etiquette Of Thailand (Simple Guides Customs and Etiquette).

2 comments about Thailand: The Golden Kingdom.

1. This is a great coffee table book! At a reasonable price. It is loaded with beautiful photography of many different aspects of Thailand. If you love Thailand you will love this book. If you know nothing of Thailand this book will make you want to learn more. When your friends see it they will be ooing and aawing.



2. This was a gift for a friend that loves Thailand and lived and traveled there extensively. He loved this book. It is a great reminder of all he loved about such a beautiful country.

4 comments about Chasing the Dragon's Tail: The Struggle To Save Thailand's Wild Cats.

1. "Like his first book, Jaguar, Rabinowitz's Chasing The Dragon's Tail is a telling testimony to the difficulties emarked upon in the attempt at large predator conservation. Rabinowitz's books are a must read for anyone interested in habitat preservation and conservation."



2. Self-indulgent prose about a self-involved man's self-pitying and self-important journey halfway around the world to assert himself and his culture on other people. I'm not qualified to comment on his zoological practices, but I don't come away impressed with him. His writing is C level work -- simply wretched. It does have the quality of being revealing, but not necessarily of the point he labors and fails to make. This book is a depressing first-person account of cultural imperialism. No wonder Americans are so universally reviled in other countries...



3. This is the true story of a biologist with a dark past heading to a small Asian country to study leopards. Though the story is about animal conservation, the human interactions are what make the bulk of it. The author is an emotional person, and the conveyance of his feelings and thoughts in his writing make this story very entertaining. He is also very candid about some of the things he did in Thailand.
   
   I have to say one more thing about his writing style. As I was reading the book, I could picture myself hiking along the trails of the forest reserve, or talking to the forest monks. I cringed and felt helpless as I read of the daily cases of skinning and cooking animals alive. And I felt the sense of helplessness and frustration of trying to stop an entire nation from devouring every bit of wildlife left.



4. This book describes the day-to-day life and frustrations of renowned conservationist Alan Rabinowitz in Thailand. While the large mammal biodiversity of the country is amazing, it is being severely depleted. The large mammals are victims of a local culture that seems to think of wildlife as free wealth to be plundered for subsistence or luxury.
   
   While he is primarily a conservationist, Dr. Rabinowitz sometimes assumes the role of animal rights advocate as he describes acts of heartless cruelty by the locals towards animals. Examples: a python which is skinned alive by some of his servants (it is easier to remove the skin when the animal is alive), and a magnificent gaur (the largest wild cattle species in the world) which had died a slow death from starvation after its jaw had been shattered by a bullet.
   
   A distinctive feature of Dr. Rabinowitz's passionate first-person narrative is that he cares for wild animals as individuals apart from his desire to save them as species. His study animals are given Thai names and not numbers. He is emotionally involved with their well-being and does not maintain the cold detachment towards them that one might expect from a scientist. He also does not hesitate to give vent to his anger and anguish when one of the animals he has grown familiar with dies a horrible death at the hands of poachers. His view of the local culture is heavily influenced by how they treat animals and is understandably negative. This has been described as "cultural imperialism" by a reviewer but it is hard not to be moved by the sufferings of animals which are skinned alive and left to die in agony. Readers would have to judge for themselves on this point. In my opinion, Dr. Rabinowitz would have failed in his duty as a conservationist if he did not portray accurately the problems of saving Thailand's biodiversity - and most of the problems undoubtedly stem from the fact that the local culture does not see animals as deserving basic human sympathy, kindness and ethical treatment. "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
   
   Apart from the above sociological aspects of conservation in Thailand, the book contains a lot of information about the mammals themselves and their ecology. There are detailed descriptions of radiocollaring leopards and other wild cats which are very exciting, as are some of the descriptions of the largest cat of them all, the tiger.