Best Tibet Travel Guides
From A to Z, the Penguin Drop Caps series collects 26 unique hardcovers—featuring cover art by Jessica Hische It all begins with a letter. X is for Xinran . Inspired by a brief 1994 interview with an aged Chinese woman named Shu Wen, Beijing-born, London-based journalist Xinran ( The Good Women of. China ) offers a delicately wrought account of Wen's 30-year search for her husband in Tibet, where he disappeared in 1958.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is the third book I've read by Xinran and I just ordered two more because this author writes like an angel."
"To me it was quite interesting reading something that had a plot but so packed full of information and how it was written you can't help but to learn something new every time you read it, that is something I never experienced before outside of a textbook."
"I have been an avid reader since a child, and I would put this book in the top 5 of the best books I have read."
"Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet is told in simply lyrical language that will stir women's hearts & souls... & make you want to find what else this author has written."
"Reading about Tibet and its people, the animals, and the family traditions is both educational and gives new understandings."
"One of the most beautiful and heart wrenching stories I have ever read."
"As though time itself stops in a world of mountain and air and space and the search for a beautiful ever lasting love becomes the most important thing to Shen Wu."
"If your going to the Chinese Tibet border and want to learn about that area through reading a fictional story this is a wonderful way to do it."
"Part spy thriller, part Dharma travelogue, part spiritual autobiography . Pistono, raised with the belief that social activism is a core responsibility, began traveling to Tibet in 1999, motivated, in part, by his fascination with Tertön Sogyal, a nineteenth-century mystic and “Tibet’s great champion and protector.” Pistono follows in Tertön Sogyal’s footsteps while telling the mystic’s astonishing story, from his father’s insistence that he join a band of highway robbers to serving as teacher to the XIII Dalai Lama and guiding Tibet through political turmoil and the intrusion of British forces.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"She was reading the new Dan Brown novel and I was reading, In the Shadow of the Buddha by Matteo Pistono. What I was reading is factual, yet it reads and flows like a great novel. This book is mystical, tragic and loving all at the same time."
"Mr. Pistono weaves together three stories: the story of his pilgrimage to Tibet to learn more about the 19th-century mystic Terton Sogyal (the previous reincarnation of his current-day teachers), the historical story of Terton Sogyal's involvement in politics and his relationship with the 13th Dalai Lama (predecessor to today's 14th), and a modern day story of human rights abuse in Tibet, which began when individual Tibetans asked him, at great risk to themselves and to him, to take human rights abuse information out of Tibet."
"Through Matteo's courage and devotion we can be moved to turn the tides of the future for religious freedom in Tibet-the freedom that we are so blessed to have in our own country-a gift we are able to share if we choose to do so. The more people who shed light and speak out against religious persecution help to keep the flames of freedom burning. This is a time-sensitive issue as the next Dalai Lama has been chosen through means by which the Buddhists have no say; chosen for political reasons not religious, and not in the historic fashion as all previous Lamas have been chosen."
"If you're interested in Buddhism, the Tibetan people, or China's nefarious agenda in Tibet, I can't recommend this book highly enough."
For more than twenty-five years, both separately and together, Duguid and Alford have journeyed all over the outlying regions of China, sampling local home cooking and street food, making friends and taking lustrous photographs. They've learned techniques from home cooks and market vendors: to shape noodles quickly and easily, to make warming family soups, easy stir-fries, succulent pulaos , and aromatic grilled kebabs. There are cumin-scented chicken kebabs; pea tendrils dressed with sesame oil and dark vinegar; lamb patties with chopped green herbs; slices of spice-rubbed roast pork; enticing salsas and condiments; and succulent noodles of many kinds, served in aromatic broth or dressed wth lively sauces. And in Beyond the Great Wall the authors celebrate that other China, its diverse cultures, appealing food traditions, and vibrant daily life, with the passion and color it deservesa must-have for every food lover, and an inspiration for home cooks and armchair travelers.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Another brilliant book by this wonderful team."
"a great travel log of the regions outside of the 'wall'."
"I have all of their books.......visually stunning, great recipes, as much a travel book as it is a cookbook !!...."
"Now books on regional cooking reveal how varied Italian food."
"Generally good, but not as good as some of her earlier work."
"Very good."
"Very interesting reads."
Best Turkey Travel Guides
Based on the memoir Anatolian Days and Nights , Tree of Life presents more than 100 accessible recipes inspired by Turkish food traditions found in the authors' travels. - Laurel Bibby, World Travel guide "The evocative descriptions of how the authors came across the recipes make for a romantic and inspiring read". Packed with vibrant recipes, this book is laced with the aromas of the country’s rich culinary history, offering something for everyone: chicken with walnut sauce, jeweled beet dip, dilled yogurt soup with chickpeas and rice, and rose milk pudding—you’ll want to get cooking at once!”. —Maria Speck, food journalist and award-winning author of Simply Ancient Grains and Ancient Grains for Modern Meals "The very freshest vegetables from your own garden or the farmer’s market deserve a cookbook that honor nutritional vitality, as well as the hundreds of generations of great cooks who have refined Turkey’s favorite recipes into a kaleidoscope of tastes, aromas, colors and textures. Our small town loves to entertain and this cookbook is the new kitchen ‘Bible.’ What a way to live!”. —Pat Straube, Owner of Orchard Hill Country Inn, Julian, California.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"With quotes by Persian poet Rumi and Turkish proverbs opening each chapter, not only beautiful photographs of Turkish home cooking make the mouth water, but of modern-day Turkey, including both cityscapes and countryside, whirling dervishes, women working the land, selling produce and preparing meals, and fishermen."
"Each recipe includes color photos and a description that helps the reader understand how the dish is used in Turkey, as well as some flavor from the authors as they describe how they first encountered a particular dish and obtained the recipe."
"Whether you're a vegetarian or a carnivore like me, there is something for everyone in this book."
"Not a coincidence the title "Tree of Life"-. Truly a beautifully composed book."
"This book is absolutely amazing, the recipes are awesome, some are easy to make, and the pictures are fabulous."
"Beautifully illustrated and I have learned techniques from recipes I've tried."
"Loved their travel book adventures and anxiously awaited this cookbook that reads like a family cookbook of experiences."
"It is beautiful, well laid out, and a joy to read and enjoy the wisdom shared throughout the book."
Best Taiwan Travel Guides
In The Food of Taiwan , Taiwanese-American Cathy Erway, the acclaimed blogger and author of The Art of Eating In , gives readers an insider’s look at Taiwanese cooking with almost 100 recipes for both home-style dishes and street food. "In this appetizing collection, Erway ( The Art of Eating In ), an acclaimed blogger at Not Eating Out in NY, takes readers on a cultural and culinary tour of Taiwan that will engage armchair travelers and foodies alike… From pantry staples such as chili bean sauce, ginger, and rice wine to the vibrant night markets that take over entire streets, she offers an insider’s perspective of the Taiwanese lifestyle and reveals what makes a dish distinctly Taiwanese. In Cathy Erway’s new cookbook The Food of Taiwan , she explicates all these recipes and more, filling a great gap in our knowledge of Chinese cooking, inviting you to mount your own dinner party.” —Robert Sietsema , Eater NY.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great place to start if you are missing the food your Grandma made for you."
"Any special ingredients were easy to find at a chinese supermarket or on Amazon, though there are some recipes that won't need a special trip."
"For anyone who loves food, travel, Taiwan, SE Asia, and cultural flavors--this book is a must-read."
"Beautifully done book."
"Given as gift to someone who just returned from Taiwan."
"This is an amazing book! Erway wrote a beautiful book about the land, culture and, yes, food of Taiwan."
"Interesting info but some recipes not so suitable for home cooking."
"In addition, the recipe only used 2 T of the mochi mixture per meatball, resulting in an extra 3 cups of mochi mixture leftover. - Pan-Fried Leek Buns: The filling was good and I appreciate the suggestion for Chinese leek substitutions, but the recipe does not say to pan-fry the buns on both sides... yet the photo on the cover of the book, as well as my experience, told me that they should be fried on both sides. - Pork Meat Sauce: After my Three Cup Chicken experience, I decreased the soy sauce called for in Pork Meat Sauce (prepared in a similar style with a long braising time in a soy-based sauce), and it was much more enjoyable. - Taiwanese Pork Belly Buns (Red-Braised Pork Belly and Marinated Cucumbers recipes): For the Pork Belly recipe, I found that 2 cups of water diluted the flavor of the other ingredients in the braising liquid. This book is an excellent survey of Taiwanese cuisine – but be cautious if using it as a cookbook and only regard the recipes as a base or inspiration for your own cooking, as the recipes are lacking in thorough testing, specificity in less common ingredients, and precision in measurements."
Best Nepal Travel Guides
On assignment for Outside Magazine to report on the growing commercialization of the mountain, Krakauer, an accomplished climber, went to the Himalayas as a client of Rob Hall, the most respected high-altitude guide in the world. Ascending the mountain in close proximity to Hall's team was a guided expedition led by Scott Fischer, a forty-year-old American with legendary strength and drive who had climbed the peak without supplemental oxygen in 1994. Krakauer examines what it is about Everest that has compelled so many people -- including himself -- to throw caution to the wind, ignore the concerns of loved ones, and willingly subject themselves to such risk, hardship, and expense. In March 1996, Outside magazine sent veteran journalist and seasoned climber Jon Krakauer on an expedition led by celebrated Everest guide Rob Hall.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"“Into Thin Air” is Jon Krakauer’s best-selling memoir of the 1996 Mount Everest tragedy. It tells the story of Krakauer’s experiences as part of the ill-fated commercial expedition to Mount Everest in May 1996. In order to write his story, Krakauer, who was already an experienced mountaineer, would join the Adventure Consultants team in climbing Everest, and then write about his experiences afterward. Krakauer admits writing “Into Thin Air” in order to explain the Everest tragedy from his perspective. If Krakauer had left his story right there, it would have been an outstanding book about death and survival on Everest."
"The book was fantastic and the man who read it has a great speaking voice and did the book justice."
"It's the wet dream of preppers or Alex Jones survivalists that think there is a poetry in nature, but would spend way too much time buying the right shoes and never actually follow through."
"All his family wanted from him was a phone call or a card every now and then just to know he was alive. Imagine finding out your child died of starvation...attributed in part to not using a freaking topographical map!"
"I really enjoyed reading this story of triumph laced with tragedy. He was a journalist, on assignment, funded entirely by the anticipation of him telling the entire story upon his return."
"Chris McCandless wanted to experience life simply living off the land, which he did for a short time, after many adventures traveling cross-country with very little in the way of money or possessions, ending up in an abandoned bus in the wilderness of Alaska."
Best Vietnam Travel Guides
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Vietnam and Angkor Wat will lead you straight to the best attractions this beautiful part of the world has to offer. Explore the floating markets of the Mekong Delta, the hill towns in the north, and all the best beaches to be found in between; zip around old Hanoi in a pedal-powered cyclo; and be sure to indulge in the exquisite local cuisine. With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Vietnam and Angkor Wat truly shows you what others only tell you. "Known… for its four-color maps, photos and illustrations, the [DK] Eyewitness Guides are extremely user-friendly for travelers who want their information delivered in a concise, visual way."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Do understand though, that the EW series travel books are basically more in-depth colorful travel brochures."
"I live DK guides and this one is no exception."
"Not sure if it will serve me when I'm there, but I'm enjoying reading it in advance."
"DK Eyewitness guides are the only ones I buy."
"got good use for recent trip."
"I visited Vietnam and Cambodia so this was perfect."
"Excellent with a multitude of bright, crisp color photos."
Best China Travel Guides
“This is history on a grand scale, with a sweep and ambition that is rare… A proper historical epic of dazzling range and achievement.” —William Dalrymple, The Guardian The epic history of the crossroads of the world—the meeting place of East and West and the birthplace of civilization It was on the Silk Roads that East and West first encountered each other through trade and conquest, leading to the spread of ideas, cultures and religions. For Frankopan, the brutish West owes its more enlightened traditions to the lands east of Italy and west of China, which were, for centuries, 'the centre of the world'… Frankopan marshals diverse examples to demonstrate the interconnectedness of cultures, showing in vivid detail the economic and social impact of the silk and the slave trades, the Black Death, and the Buddhist influence on Christianity.”. — The New Yorker “In his new book, The Silk Roads , Frankopan has created something that forces us to sit up and reconsider the world and the way we've always thought about it… The book takes us by surprise right from the start.”. —Nishant Dahiya, NPR “This is deeply researched popular history at its most invigorating, primed to dislodge routine preconceptions and to pour in other light. “One of Mr. Frankopan’s gifts as a storyteller is his ability to draw unusual connections across his vast canvas… [he] packs his tale with fascinating trivia… Frankopan has written a rare book that makes you question your assumptions about the world.”. —Sadanand Dhume, The Wall Street Journal “Frankopan casts his net widely in this work of dizzying breadth and ambition… Those opening to any page will find fascinating insights that illuminate elusive connections across time and place… Frankopan approaches his craft with an acerbic wit, and his epochal perspective throws the foibles of the modern age into sharp relief”. — Publishers Weekly (starred review). “A glorious read. “In his new book, The Silk Roads , Frankopan has created something that forces us to sit up and reconsider the world and the way we've always thought about it… The book takes us by surprise right from the start.”. —Nishant Dahiya, NPR. “Superb… Peter Frankopan is an exceptional storyteller… The lands of the Silk Roads are of renewed importance, and Frankopan’s book will be indispensable to anyone who wants to make sense of this union of past and present.”. —Philip Seib, The Dallas Morning News. “This is, to put it mildly, an ambitious book… By spinning all these stories into a single thread, Peter Frankopan attempts something bold: A history of the world that shunts the centre of gravity eastward… Mr. Frankopan writes with clarity and memorable detail… Where other histories put the Mediterranean at the centre of the story, under Mr. Frankopan it is important as the western end of a transcontinental trade with Asia in silks, spices, slaves—and ideas.”. — The Economist. “It’s time we recognized the importance of the East to our history, insists this magnificent study… The breadth and ambition of this swashbuckling history by Peter Frankopan should come as no surprise… A book that roves as widely as the geography it describes, encompassing worlds as far removed as those of Herodotus and Saddam Hussein, Hammurabi and Hitler… It is a tribute to Frankopan’s scholarship and mastery of sources in multiple languages that he is as sure-footed on the ancient world as he is on the medieval and modern… Deftly constructed… The Silk Roads is a powerful corrective to parochialism.”. —Justin Marozzi, The Sunday Times (U.K.). Frankopan upends the usual world-history narrative oriented around ancient Rome and Greece and the irrepressible rise of Europe… In a series of brisk chapters—The Road of Faiths, The Road of Furs and so on—studded with state-of-the-art research that is sourced from at least a dozen languages, the author brings wondrous history to vivid life… In The Silk Roads, Peter Frankopan has provided a bracing wake up call.”. —Matthew Price, The National (AE).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Schools teach its students of the Roman Empire, the subsequent Dark Ages, the Norman conquest in 1066, Henry VIII and the Tudors, the American War of Independence, the Industrial Revolution and the First and Second World Wars. As the author states: “For centuries before the early modern era, the intellectual centres of excellence of the world, the Oxfords ad Cambridges, the Harvards and Yales, were not located in Europe or the west, but in Baghdad, and Balkh, Bukhara and Samarkand”. We are seeing the signs of the world’s centre of gravity shifting – back to where it lay for millennia”."
"The author's depth of knowledge and resource access, coupled with his polyglot skills, weave a centuries long tale of intrigue across a region of the world little known or travelled today. The story of the European debacle of the same time is repeatedly narrated, engrossing the reader in its internecine religious wars. Piles of skulls and cities entirely wiped off the face of the earth are ignored in favor of the administrative advantages of Mongol rule. Information is 'quickly transmitted' across the sands, mountains and rivers - this when 30 miles a day was the fastest a horse or man could travel. Other books in the vein of Central Asia would include The Poison King, Balthazar's Odyssey, The Ornament of the World, The Emergence of Modern Islam, Chasing the Sea, The Shied of Achilles and best, Millennium by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto. The ridicule of Western advances coupled to dictatorial domination and horrific tortures could just as easily describe Islamic, Indian, Chinese or Russian worlds. As for his Palestinian views, well, they are biased, leave it at that... Can't wait to enjoy My Fair Lady, his Mediterranean yacht for charter..."
"I had assumed we would be learning about the history of the silk roads and the many dynasties that rose and fell along the route - the Songdians, the cities of the Tamir Basin for example. I thought this would be an Asian centric book showing the silk roads impact on Han Dynasty China and the steps that had to be taken to keep the route secure. Or perhaps how the silk road brought Buddhism to the west and mixed the artistic sense of the descendants of Alexander's army with the Central Asian Buddhist cave dwellers."
Best Laos Travel Guides
Lonely Planet. Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos & Northern Thailand is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Tempt your tastebuds with pho noodle soup in Vietnam, sail past the limestone peaks of Halong Bay, or experience the transcendent tranquility of temples like Angkor Wat; all with your trusted travel companion. Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - customs, history, art, music, dance, landscapes, environment, cuisine Over 70 maps Covers Hanoi, Halong Bay, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Golden Triangle and more.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I found that as it covered 4 countries, it doesn't provide the really rich information on any of them that you get in other Lonely Planet guides."
"I know that space is limited, as 4 countries are in the book but there are a lot of travel details that are missing (travel times, getting there and away, etc.)."
"I can't read, but the pictures were really pretty."
"Arrived promptly."
"Left packaging feedback as well as the envelope was completely open when received."
"Content is ok and useful, but with Kindle version very difficult to find right place."
"Already making the plans 2017..good info!"
"I guess I'm too used to the Michelin guides, which let you know a ranking of things to see."
Best Thailand Travel Guides
Wander through wild orchids in Mae Hong Son, charter a longtail boat on the Andaman Coast or look for tigers and monkeys in national parks; all with your trusted travel companion. Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - current affairs, history, politics, arts, architecture, environment, food & drink, responsible travel Free, convenient pull-out Bangkok map (included in print version), plus over 100 maps Covers Bangkok, Central Thailand, Ko Chang, Chiang Mai Province, Northern Thailand, Hua Hin, Southern Gulf, Ko Samui, Lower Gulf, Phuket, Andaman Coast and more. Check out Southeast Asia on a shoestring, a comprehensive guide to stretching money for an extended trip across the region. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was hoping for more photographs in this guide but there is not very many at all."
"This book was most useful for giving me ideas about things to do in various parts of the country without me having to do any planning."
"Another informative and accurate Lonely Planet Guide."
"It turned out to be full of a LOT of information - some of which we will use, and some we won't."
"Lots of info, but the E-version is not as user friendly."
"Basically unusable in practical and practice."
"I found the information lacking in detail, the organization - messy, and just from the nature of the Kindle format - really difficult to navigate (nothing like having to flip for 5 minutes on your low battery phone, while standing on a sweltering street corner and sweating through your clothes for the fifth time that day, just because you saw a temple, whose name you know you had seen only yesterday on a random page, yet now you can't locate for the life of you)."
"The flowery writing, lack of pictures and slightly outdated information made me quickly switch from scrolling through its pages to (free) sources like wiki travel."
Best Macau Travel Guides
Cruise Victoria Harbour aboard the Star Ferry, ride on the Peak Tram for amazing views, or explore the Mong Kok markets; all with your trusted travel companion. Full-color maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - cuisine, history, arts, cinema, architecture, religion Free, convenient pull-out Hong Kong map (included in print version), plus over 40 color maps Covers Hong Kong Island, Aberdeen & the South, Kowloon, New Territories, Outlying Islands, Macau and more.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Compared to the Time Out series, the organization of this book makes it much harder to use. The maps in the back don't compare to Time Out series."
"I was staying on Lantau (outlying island, connected by speed rail that takes 11 min to Kowloon and 20 minutes to Hong Kong) for business for six days, and this book helped me target which parts of Kowloon and Hong Kong I wanted to hit when I went on in. Big ol' Buddha statue (50 feet tall) built on top of a lush jungle peak on Lantau, accessible by bus or cable car. Cable car was fantastic, offering views of HK, hilly jungle landscape, and the Buddha as you approach it. And if you thought that transforming religious or cultural icons into moneymaking ventures was only an American tradition, then you were wrong! Crossing from Kowloon to downtown Hong Kong, it is a great experience to take in the cityscape in either direction. Shout out to the dudes at the basketball court across the street that let me join their game and then didn't respect my jump shot ('MURICA!). Although the art leaves something to be desired, the casually dismissive and ridiculously critical plaques accompanying the artwork is high comedy. -Hong Kong Museum of History was closed for a special event when I tried to go there, which is unfortunate as I was really hoping to see if the government redwashed anything."
"I've been to Macau before, but a lot has changed in Macau in the last ten years, so I bought this book in the hopes that it would contain some info about the newly formed Cotai Strip portion of Macau. Thankfully Macau has a pretty good tourist bureau, and we were able to find some good walking tour maps as well as maps of Taipa and Coloane at one of their local offices."
"By that I mean that if you wanted to learn as much as possible about Hong Kong it is a good source for information but if you want a suggested tour for a 2-day or 4-day or other period of time to be in Hong Kong and with a focus on the sights, food, outdoor activities, museums or other area of focus, the book is of no real help."
"The reason I'm giving this two stars is because of the misleading maps. Well no, the temple is actually not next to the park at all, but feel free to wander around for half an hour trying to find it up and down steep stairs, only to find it a block away from where the map suggests."
Best Indian Travel Guides
This is the miraculous and triumphant story of Saroo Brierley, a young man who used Google Earth to rediscover his childhood life and home in an incredible journey from India to Australia and back again... At only five years old, Saroo Brierley got lost on a train in India. A Long Way Home is a moving, poignant, and inspirational true story of survival and triumph against incredible odds. Born in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, India, Saroo Brierley lives in Hobart, Tasmania, where he manages a family business, Brierley Marine, with his father.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It is the real-life story of Saroo, a five-year-old child in a village in central India, who gets lost and finds himself transported all the way east to Calcutta, some 1800 kms away. However Saroo always wonders about his origins, with clear memories of his birth mother Kamala, his kid sister Shekila and elder brothers Kallu and Guddu, whom he looked up to as a child two decades before. Gradually, over five years, with incredible patience and perseverance , Saroo, at age 30, using Google Earth's satellite images and Facebook, miraculously locates the train station with the identifying features of his childhood. Saroo soon goes to India and reconnects with his birth family to the great delight of his elderly mother Kamala and his siblings Shekila and Kallu, who are now married with children. It is a great tribute to these wonderful technologies which make it possible for the adult Saroo to sit ten thousand miles away in Hobart, Australia and exactly locate the water tower and overpass of his childhood memory and find out the correct name of his village. Going through the early chapters where Saroo survives for six weeks as a five-year-old in Calcutta, I had palpitations as I felt anxious that nothing terrible should befall young Saroo!"
"When 5-year-old Saroo is accidentally separated from his Indian family at a train station, he ends up surviving on the streets of Kolkata (Calcutta) on his own for 2-3 weeks before being taken to an orphanage. Fast-forward 25 years, and Saroo chooses to search for his biological family, which he does with the help of Google Maps, Google Earth and Facebook."
"Saroo was born in a small suburb of Khandwa, India called Ganesh Talai, which was an important place for him all his life including when he would initiate the long and tiresome search for his mother. Although this story wasn’t written by Saroo himself, ghost writer Larry Buttrose did an exceptional job at capturing the emotion and details of the journey. A poverty-stricken neighborhood, with a mud house and the only form of electricity coming from a candle, Saroo’s family had to work very hard to support each other. Guddu, the eldest brother, went to work every day, washing dishes for many hours just to make only half a rupee. Anyhow, Saroo and his family ultimately resorted to begging for money at local markets, railways, and neighborhoods. The author did an exceptional job at showing how much his family did to be able to support him by using many examples of his mother and brothers going out for long work days even if it meant earning enough to buy a simple loaf of bread. The author emphasized the importance of his adoptive parents and gave a good idea of what role they played for him following such a tragic loss of his biological family. “Mum and Dad were very affectionate, right from the start, always giving me lots of cuddles and making me feel safe, secure, loved and above all, wanted. The author was able to make me feel guilty for having such a good life by showing the struggle of this five-year-old boy losing his family with no money, no one to talk to and no way of how to find himself home."
"This is a unique story about a boy who became lost in India, adopted, relocated to Australia and his, eventual, return back to India in search of his birth mother and family."
Best Bhutan Travel Guides
Jamie Zeppa was 24 when she left a stagnant life at home and signed a contract to teach for two years in the Buddhist hermit kingdom of Bhutan. As a teacher of English literature, Jamie Zeppa would understand how the story of her journey into Bhutan could be fit into the convenient box of "coming-of-age romance," a romance with a landscape, a people, a religion, and a dark, irresistible student.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I rarely read non-fiction, especially personal journey memoirs, but I'm so glad I decided to pick up this very well-written book that pulls you in and lets you experience just what Ms. Zeppa did."
"She starts out with great trepidation, wondering whether she has made a huge mistake and having no idea if she will have the strength of constitution or character to survive without her accustomed level of personal comforts and safety."
"A wonderful story and a great fit for me."
"Anyone who has lived in an unfamiliar country for an extended amount of time will love this book, in particular, English teachers abroad."
"I'm interested in travel in Bhutan."
"Jamie Zeppa embraces the differences and learns to love the country of Bhutan even as she is torn by the conflict between the Nepali Bhutanese and the original inhabitants."
"Zeppa is a strong storyteller who takes you along on her exciting (although unconventional) journey to Butan."
"Excellent- read it whilst in Bhutan."
Best Armenia Travel Guides
A Finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. A New York Post Must-Read. “Part family heirloom, part history lesson, The Hundred-Year Walk is an emotionally poignant work, powerfully imagined and expertly crafted.”—Aline Ohanesian, author of Orhan’s Inheritance “This book reminds us that the way we treat strangers can ripple out in ways we will never know . MacKeen’s excavation of the past reveals both uncomfortable and uplifting lessons about our present.”—Ari Shapiro, NPR. Growing up, Dawn MacKeen heard from her mother how her grandfather Stepan miraculously escaped from the Turks during the Armenian genocide of 1915, when more than one million people—half the Armenian population—were killed. Just before killing squads slaughter his caravan during a forced desert march, Stepan manages to escape, making a perilous six-day journey to the Euphrates River carrying nothing more than two cups of water and one gold coin. Reading this rare firsthand account, his granddaughter Dawn MacKeen finds herself first drawn into the colorful bazaars before the war and then into the horrors Stepan later endured.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Beautifully written by the grandaughter of an Armenian holocaust survivor, who draws her story from the five notebooks. her grandfather left behind as well as her own research and indefatigable efforts to retrace her grandfather's death march. across the Syrian desert."
"I first learned about the Armenian Genocide when I was living in Lausanne, Switzland, Reading a pocket book “Le Genocide Armenien” about the horrible facts, and since then I was impressed how people little knew about the tragic events of the Armenian people in Otoman Turkey during First World War. As I am getting prepared for my first trip to Armenia I found this book and followed the author Family odyssey through the pages of this hundread year walk that had put the writer and her survived grand parent on the same trail – one on searching of surviving and the other of recounting its saga."
"young woman wants to go to Syria to find out where her grandfather had traveled during the ethnic cleansing of the Jewish people during the time period of WW1.The Turks were killing the jews.her grandfather was forced out of his home and forced to march on foot 1000 miles total."
"This gripping story alternates with MacKeen's 2007 journey to Turkey and Syria to retrace his 1,000-mile trek, in which she met the descendants of a Muslim Arab who saved her grandfather's life despite his ethnicity, his Christianity, or the political narrative of the times--that Armenians were dangerous."
"This was an amazing account, from the horrific first hand experiences of the authors grandfather, an Armenian who, against all odds, survived the genocide perpetrated by the Turkish."
"Very interesting story, I had never heard about the Armenian genocide."
"I would recommend this book for anybody looking to learn more about the Armenian Genocide, for though the book is largely experiential, MacKeen includes letters being sent by ambassadors, newspaper accounts, and political background."
Best Maldives Travel Guides
Get to the heart of Maldives and begin your journey now! Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - including customs, history, art, literature, music, dance, architecture, politics, wildlife, and cuisine Over 22 local maps Covers Male, Ari Atoll, Utheemu, Rasdhoo Atoll, Gan, Baa, South Male Atoll, North Male Atoll, Raa, Noonu, Addu Atoll, Haa Alifu, and more.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book covers all the details that you really need to know and would have never thought that you should need to know!"
"great resource for folks going to Maldives especially since Yelp and Google maps arent quite mature yet."
"very helpful for my visit to Maldives."
"The maldives edition is less informative than its usual prints."
"Guides well thanks a lot."
"Some pages badly printed."
Best Russian Travel Guides
With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Morocco truly shows you this country as no one else can. With guidebooks to hundreds of places around the globe available in print and digital formats, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides show travelers how they can discover more. DK Eyewitness Travel Guides: the most maps, photographs, and illustrations of any guide. "Known… for its four-color maps, photos and illustrations, the [DK] Eyewitness Guides are extremely user-friendly for travelers who want their information delivered in a concise, visual way."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I love every DK book that I get - they are the best."
"Pricey, but beautiful pictures await inside."
"as advertised, excellent photography and maps."
"it is a fantastic country to visit and the Travel Guide does it justice."
"Love Eyewitness Books!!"
"Great guide for planning your safaris!"
"I'm always a fan of the KT guides, and this one is particularly impressive."
Best Cambodia Travel Guides
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Vietnam and Angkor Wat will lead you straight to the best attractions this beautiful part of the world has to offer. Explore the floating markets of the Mekong Delta, the hill towns in the north, and all the best beaches to be found in between; zip around old Hanoi in a pedal-powered cyclo; and be sure to indulge in the exquisite local cuisine. With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Vietnam and Angkor Wat truly shows you what others only tell you. "Known… for its four-color maps, photos and illustrations, the [DK] Eyewitness Guides are extremely user-friendly for travelers who want their information delivered in a concise, visual way."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Do understand though, that the EW series travel books are basically more in-depth colorful travel brochures."
"I live DK guides and this one is no exception."
"Not sure if it will serve me when I'm there, but I'm enjoying reading it in advance."
"DK Eyewitness guides are the only ones I buy."
"got good use for recent trip."
"I visited Vietnam and Cambodia so this was perfect."
"Excellent with a multitude of bright, crisp color photos."
Best Pakistan Travel Guides
“ No Way Down is both a gripping read and a clear-eyed investigation of the hubris, politics, and bad luck that brought on one of the worst disasters in modern mountaineering history.” — Michael Kodas, author of High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed. “Bowley relies on a copious study of the events and interviews with survivors and families to artfully and assiduously piece together an account of a fractious day in brutal real time. Fatality by fatality.” (Holly Morris, New York Times Book Review). “Unputdownable.... A portrait of extreme courage, folly and loss, leavened by a small dose of survival, as complete a version of the calamitous story as will probably ever emerge. [A] step-by-faltering-step recreation of the thin-air fight to survive, bristling with cinematic immediacy.” (Justin Marozzi, Financial Times). Bowley expertly puts together the complex story of what happened as eleven people died high on the summit slopes of K2 in August 2008.” (Joe Simpson, author of Touching the Void). Bowley wove his tale together after hundreds of interviews with dozens of people, and the result is a triumph of storytelling.” (Malcolm Ritter, Associated Press). As avalanches shear away ropes, darkness falls and rescue attempts succeed and fail, the book becomes impossible to put down….. “Both a gripping read and a clear-eyed investigation, No Way Down provides a compelling education in the game of climbing on the world’s highest mountains to readers who have never tied into a rope, and is an essential addition to any mountaineer’s bookshelf.” (Michael Kodas, author of High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"K2 is a mysterious, terrifying and yet magnetic place, and this account of the 2008 disaster kept me turning pages into the early morning hours."
"What these climbers went through to reach the summit and the price many of them had to pay was amazing and disturbing at the same time."
"This book is a true story about climbing K2."
"This book was written by a man who is not a mountaineer, so it is without the mysticism that is so often found."
"This book will give you an insight into some decisions that must be made at the worst of times."
"This book is a great story of what these climbers face and the risks involved in their aims to climb these high peaks."
"I expected the book to take me from beginning to end of one person's or one climbing group's experience."
"I couldn't put this book down."
Best Myanmar Travel Guides
With influences from neighboring India and China, as well as Thailand and Laos, Burmese food is a unique blend of flavors, and Burma Superstar includes such stand-out dishes as the iconic Tea Leaf Salad, Chili Lamb, Pork and Pumpkin Stew, Platha (a buttery layered flatbread), Spicy Eggplant, and Mohinga, a fish noodle soup that is arguably Myanmar’s national dish. From the Tea Leaf Salad to Chicken Coconut Curry, the book demystifies the ingredients and cooking techniques of Myanmar, opening up the restaurant’s incredible flavors for everyone to enjoy. "Informative recipes and concise historical background set an educational yet approachable tone, while the occasional misty mountain vistas or bustling Burmese city street scenes (captured by John Lee) provide a reason to slow down and consider Burmese culture as a whole. Already, I'm eyeing the classic mohinga, a noodle soup thickened with toasted ground rice and mashed catfish, seasoned with ginger and lemongrass." —Felicia Czochanski, Well + Good "Despite what some may consider unfamiliar ingredients and cooking techniques, “Burma Superstar” (the book) is incredibly accessible and, more importantly, fun.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you like cooking, reading , travelling , photography, and eating good food , you would enjoy this book a lot."
"After eating tea salad from Irrawaddy restaurant in Cerritos, California, I spent a day researching the recipe."
"This book is comprised of a lot of recipes that are in the sweet spot between both cultures."
"Burma Superstar is an amazing restaurant, and I'm very excited to try these recipes!"
"I gave this to my sister for Christmas and she loves it."
"Great recipes!!"
"This is a fantastic restaurant and beautiful cookbook."
"Easy to follow."
Best Singapore Travel Guides
Visit a hawker centre for Hainanese chicken rice and nasi goreng, marvel at the futuristic Gardens by the Bay, or shop 'til you drop on Orchard Road; all with your trusted travel companion. Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - food, history, architecture, politics, people, language Free, convenient pull-out Singapore map (included in print version), plus over 20 colour maps Covers Chinatown, the CBD, Sentosa Island, Colonial District, Marina Bay, the Quays, Orchard Road, Holland Village, Dempsey Hill, Botanic Gardens, Little India, Kampong Glam, Pulau Ubin and more.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Singapore is an incredible city-state and this Lonely Planet guide can help you explore it and experience its full richness and diversity."
"It packs a lot of useful, concise info into a small book and includes some small, non-touristy attractions."
"A lot of backpackers photograph the important pages of the book and simply carry the information in their smart phones."
"My husband took this to Singapore with him and found it very helpful!"
"very comprehensive guide to singapore, i especially appreciated the tips on current customs and etiquette."
"Always love Lonely Planted."
"Great guide for a three week trip."
"Even though all of this info is online, it's nice to have it in book form, plus we use it as a bucket list of sorts :)."
Best Japanese Travel Guides
Spotlighting the originality and creativity of the Japanese, debunking myths about them, and answering nagging questions like why they're so fond of robots, author Hector Garcia has created the perfect book for the growing ranks of Japanophiles in this inspired, insightful and highly informative guide. "Comprehensive and well informed, A Geek in Japan covers a wide array of topics in short articles accompanied by numerous photographs, providing a lively digest of the society and culture of Japan." — Martin Varsavsky, entrepreneur, founder of Fon and Safe Democracy Foundation. Among many topics, A Geek in Japan covers traditional culture, history, character, work, society, manga & anime, music, movies & television, Tokyo, and visiting the rest of Japan. "While not a traditional guidebook, A Geek in Japan certainly makes a reader want to hop on a plane to experience everything firsthand." "Hector Garcia's A Geek in Japan is a lightweight but enjoyable romp through modern Japanese culture, seen through the eyes of its writer, an amazingly inquisitive young Spaniard living in Tokyo."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is a superb book for those who are interested in everything related to Japan."
"We all certainly heard about Japan with all those clichés about bald samurais, white geishas, nerds with pimples, cafés with servant maids, censored porn and terrific buildings living up to the sky and beyond... Summarizing this country just like that feels kind of sad, isn't it?"
"This is an awesome book!!"
"I haven't finished it yet but I am already writing a review because so far it's been great."
"A must have if you are interested in Japan, want to travel to the country, live there, like technology, manga, history, modern life or if you just want to enjoy a nice, interesting and entertaining book."
"I had read this book already."
"If you have a child that is completely obsessed with Japan this is THE book to buy."
"This book was received probably and was both informational and fun to read."
Best Mongolia Travel Guides
Watch wrestling, horse racing and archery at a Naadam Festival, explore dinosaur bones in the Gobi Desert, or stay local-style in a ger (traditional felt tent); all with your trusted travel companion. Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - culture, history, gers, spiritualism, cuisine, tribal Mongolia, Naadam Festival, wildlife, environment Over 40 maps Covers Ulaanbaatar, Dadal, Olgii, Tov, Ovorkhangai, Arkhangai, Selenge, Khovsgol, Khentii, Dornod, Sukhbaatar, Dundgov, Dornogov, Omnogov, Bayankhongor, Gov-Altai, Bayan-Olgii, Khovd, Uvs, Zavkhan and more.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This guide was fantastic and very detailed."
"Very good guide."
"We were in Ulaanbaatar for 2 days and this guide made it very easy for us to plan."
"Good book to get oriented to the large country."
"This book was adequate to the task for our trip to Mongolia."
"Has a lot of information that is not online."
Best Turkmenistan Travel Guides
Dr. Gregory Levin's fascinating memoir of his life with pomegranates illuminates the botany, the history and myths, the astonishing range of tastes, and the health benefits--from folklore to pharmaceuticals--that make it the wonder fruit of our time. For more than forty years, Dr. Gregory Levin trekked across Central Asia and the TransCaucasus in search of wild and endangered pomegranates.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I've seen the same thing happen in America (you don't have to have a stupid government to have stupid tings happen to large collections) but the politics make this story all the sadder."
"He includes detailed descriptions of plant guilds that would grow well in dry places and some information that could lead readers to find sources of pomegranate germplasm. Reading this book right now is especially poignant as many place names he uses have been on the news as sites of bombing and military action."
"Easy to read and very informative."
"it is a beautiful story book explaining a lifetime journey with Pomegranates."
"Many many details that I didn't think lent a lot to the book and missing details I would have liked to hear."
"Some chapters of this book make you feel like you've just watched an Indiana Jones movie, while other chapters would make a great NOVA science episode. On his scientific treasure hunt for exotic pomegranates, Dr.Gregory Levin has--unassumingly-- run into vipers dancing on their tails, and seen cave paintings of kangaroos on the border of Iran and Turkmenistan!"
"Book Review: Pomegranate Roads. Published in San Diego Chapter New, California Rare Fruit Growers, October 2006 by Dave Silverstein. Last month's newsletter mentioned the book, "Pomegranate Roads" which has just come out. From the 1960s through the fall of the Soviet Union he collected well over 1000 varieties of Pomegranate, not to mention stone fruits, grapes and nuts indigenous to central Asia. He is the one responsible for the bulk of the pomegranate varieties in the collection of the USDA's pomegranate Germplasm collection."
"Pomegranate Roads is a one of a kind memoir that reflects the history of Soviet Science, the botany and culture of pomegranates, the personal history of an intrepid explorer and botanist who worked his entire life in the remote areas of Central Asia and the Caucasus to collect and protect the species."
Best Mauritius Travel Guides
This book describes the bird life of the region embracing Madagascar, the Seychelles group, the Comoros and the Mascarenes (comprising Mauritius, Reunion and Rodrigues) – a region that hosts nearly 400 species, many endemic. Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands is the comprehensive guide to the bird life of a region that embraces Madagascar, the Seychelles group, the Comoros and the Mascarenes (comprising Mauritius, Reunion and Rodrigues). In-flight illustrations present the bird from above and below, providing comprehensive coverage of the birds in the field.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Admittedly, with relatively few birds, searching the book was fairly easy, but the addition of the quick reference inside the two covers was so helpful to a non expert like myself."
"As in any guide, not all subspecies are listed but this volume seems comprehensive enough yet is handy size for field trips."
"This is a very nice field guide with excellent illustrations, range maps and everything you need to identify the birds you see."
"A pretty inclusive Guide for the area -- worth having and reading."
"Perfect field guide."
"Basically the only one and nice for a very specialized region."
"The range maps are virtually useless and the comments on bird frequency are preposterous."
Best Sri Lanka Travel Guides
Inside Lonely Planet's Sri Lanka Travel Guide:
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book did not give extensive coverage on places to sleep, particularly the lower range accommodation."
"Incredibly useful, well researched, and loving the new internet extras available."
"It is live safer for people that know nothing about Sri Lanka."
"From tea to dinner, to umbrellas, to hotel stays, to surf board rental, to bus travel to etc. Food is amazing, people are amazing, the country is filthy with trash everywhere you go."
"True to Lonely Planet guides, this one is a must-have."
"Went to Sri Lanka Jan 2016 after reading this to prepare."
"Instead of having more information, because they don't have to use more paper, there is less information. Following Lonely Planet guides actually keeps you from finding all the best places to stay, because you are relying on out of date, poorly researched information. Even the smallest places like Don Khon, or Thakhek, in Laos, or Cambodia, or wherever, will have hotels listed on Agoda, or Booking.com, or some other site, for example. You will also see other places listed on Google map which have links to reviews, with up to date listings and prices. You will also see where the concentrations of places to stay are in a town, that might not have a link, and then you simply go there and look around. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the way Lonely Planet was getting it's limited information, because in everything I read, it seemed that they had never visited any of the limited places they cover, and when I say limited, I mean limited."
"Arguably one of the worst guidebooks I have ever read or purchased."
Best Hong Kong Travel Guides
Ride the hair-raising tram to Victoria Peak, feast on seafood at Temple Street Night Market, or hike the delightful Hong Kong Trail; all with your trusted travel companion. Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - food, cinema, architecture, day trips, history, itineraries, culture, shopping, religion, art, music, theatre, literature Free, convenient pull-out Hong Kong map (included in print version), plus over 35 colour maps Covers Central, Wan Chai, Aberdeen, Kowloon, the Peak, Lamma Island, Lantau Island, Cheung Chau, Macau and more. Check out Lonely Planet Make My Day: Hong Kong for a unique guide that allows you to create your own itineraries. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This guide has some great information."
"Informative, to the point and never, but never misguides the traveler."
"Good tips, updated and complete."
"I've been to Hong Kong before, but it's been a few years."
"Excellent book, very informative, and updated."
"I've been finding Lonely Planet a bit erratic recently, but the Hong Kong guide seems to be back to their best standard."
"Well set out with numerous options for each of the many areas one can visit."
"As for the travel guide, I found it only adequate."
Best Bangladesh Travel Guides
Much of its coastline forms part of the world’s largest mangrove forests, the Sundarbans, home to the Royal Bengal tiger and many other flora and fauna. It is famous for its music, dance, and drama; arts and crafts; folklore; languages and literature; philosophy and religion; festivals and celebrations; and its distinctive cuisine and culinary tradition. Bangladesh has been regularly hit by floods and cyclones, but, contrary to what the world usually hears about natural disasters and poverty, there is positive economic growth and the country is one of southeast Asia’s largest exporters of garments to Western markets. After working for several years on various newspapers and magazines in Bangladesh, she was awarded a UNESCO Fellowship to Michigan State University and to the Press Foundation of Asia in Manila, Philippines.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Bangladesh is a beautiful country and in this book I came to know so many different things about that country."
"good book."
Best Afghanistan Travel Guides
Yet within the small haven of the beauty school, the line between teacher and student quickly blurred as these vibrant women shared with Rodriguez their stories and their hearts: the newlywed who faked her virginity on her wedding night, the twelve-year-old bride sold into marriage to pay her family’s debts, the Taliban member’s wife who pursued her training despite her husband’s constant beatings. Kabul Beauty School is a remarkable tale of an extraordinary community of women who come together and learn the arts of perms, friendship, and freedom. How Rodriguez, an admirably resourceful and dynamic woman, set to marry a nice Afghan man, solves this problem makes a great story, embellished as it is with all the traditional wedding preparations. Political problems ensued ("too much laughing within the school"), financial problems, cultural misunderstandings and finally the government closed the school and salon—though the reader will suspect that the endlessly ingenious Rodriguez, using her book as a wedge against authority, will triumph in the end.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Deep cultural beliefs and practices do have potential for evolution but they won’t be moved by brute force, rather by millions of small souls doing amazing things like sharing themselves in a loving way and giving others hope and knowledge to rise above their situations."
"Her story evolving with great insights of life in Kabul, especially the way woman live and what was perhaps even more interesting, is how Debbie managed to set up a great school, driven by her passion, while being sooooo emotional."
"As she teaches these brave women, she learns about the culture, the people and the beauty of that intriguing country."
"Her determination to help women in Afghanistan develop self-sufficiency in creating businesses acceptable for women to run, is inspiring."
"I could not put this book down."
"I was very intrigued with her level of committment to bring employment to women of Afghanistan."
"It also gave me a new. appreciation as a citizen of the United States!"
"I couldn't do what Debbie did."
Best Indonesian Travel Guides
The 10th anniversary edition of one of the most iconic, beloved, and bestselling books of our time. Sustaining a chatty, conspiratorial tone, Gilbert fully engages readers in the year's cultural and emotional tapestry - conveying rapture with infectious brio, recalling anguish with touching candor - as she details her exotic tableau with history, anecdote and impression. Three years later, after a protracted divorce, she embarked on a yearlong trip of recovery, with three main stops: Rome, for pleasure (mostly gustatory, with a special emphasis on gelato); an ashram outside of Mumbai, for spiritual searching; and Bali, for "balancing."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is an uplifting story of a woman who puts hectic life on hold, and allows herself to heal after a difficult divorce."
"Great quality and arrived fast!"
"A shortened version of this book would have been sufficient, but it is awesome to read how impactful Gilbenrt's book has been on a myriad of diverse lives."
"Somehow the massive popularity of this book made me think I wouldn't like it as much."
"Enjoyed the author sharing her story and all the ups and downs of her journey of self-discovery."
"I had to get my own copy."
"I could relate to several of the stories and loved hearing how EPL had inspired others."
"for my wife after seeing movie; she liked the book better."
Best Philippines Travel Guides
Swim at secluded beaches in the Bacuit Archipelago, take part in a colourful fiesta, dive remote reefs and magnificent walls at Apo Island or Balicasag; all with your trusted travel companion. Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, etiquette, people, culture, politics, environmental issues, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine. Over 90 maps Covers Manila, Corregidor, Luzon, Zambales Coast, Lingayen Gulf, Ilocos, the Cordillera, Batanes, Bicol, Masbate, Catanduanes, Marinduque, Mindoro, Boracay, the Visayas, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Samar, Mindanao, Palawan and more.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is true even in an island as rich in tribal culture as Mindanao. Also, information on museums is minimal."
"I didn't even take the book with me on the trip."
"This IS the book you want if going to the Philippines."
"To find Angeles City where I am working at an international school, you must click ON THE ROAD in the contents, then go to the heading AROUND MANILA, then scroll down to "Angeles and Cark Airport" click on this. I don't want to spend an hour trying to figure out their crazy methods of navigating the book."
"Many basic facts were either wrong or misleading (Sagada is neither a "mist filled jungle town" nor do hikes there need a guide)."
"This book contains far less usable info than the 10th edition."
"The physical version is much more practical, the electronic format is not suitable for the quick info searching that is needed while in vacation in a place one does not know."
"Even other backpackers laugh at the book, A chinese friend, even keep the book on the bottom of her backpack since it was useless, she said.. HOW CAN I GET MY REIMBURSEMENT?"
Best North Korea Travel Guides
In My Holiday in North Korea: The Funniest/Worst Place on Earth, Wendy shares a glimpse of North Korea as it’s never been seen before. Through poignant, laugh-out-loud essays and 92 never-before-published color photographs of North Korea, Wendy chronicles one of the strangest vacations ever. “A death-defying adventure, filled with despair and tiny pieces of hope, and beautiful ― I wish I was as brave as Wendy.” (James Altucher Bestselling author, entrepreneur, podcaster ). Her intrepid desire to discover the reality behind the stagecraft escorts the reader through My Holiday in North Korea with words and pictures that render this mysterious country both knowable and unknowable, and always fascinating. Simmons’ insightful and funny storytelling evocatively captures the deception, corruption, humor and, ultimately, anguished humanity of a bizarre nation. But more than that, it is Ms. Simmons ease at being a traveler to distant and strange lands that gives this book its unusual insight into what people behind a real iron curtain think, and yes, feel.” (Maria T. Lemmon Novelist, a screenwriter, and the author of Confessions of a So-Called Middle Child, and Making It Up as I go Along ). “Writer and photographer Wendy Simmons shares a personal account of her vacation to one of the most reclusive nations on the planet, North Korea. During her journey she finds herself caught between an international crisis sparked by the release of the Sony Pictures film The Interview and accidentally crashing the ‘wedding’ of a North Korean bride to be.” (Gabriel Sanchez Buzzfeed ).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book is funny for sure."
"This fascinating and heartbreaking memoir kept me riveted from start to finish."
"She didn't seem willing to understand the cultural differences between herself and the people of North Korea and many times it seemed she was being childish and difficult on purpose."
"Simmons's quips (read: "Driver nearly knocked Fresh Handler over for the girlie [pair of sunglasses]) throughout the book keep the dark subject matter light. I loved it straight through the end and fully felt the writer's pain: "...I could never stop wondering what kind of people my handlers could or would have been had they been born anywhere else."
"I felt like I was reading about Stalinist Russia where the people starved while the leaders lived in incomprehensible corruption and luxury and built obscene monuments to themselves."
"I felt like I was alongside Wendy on her journey navigating the absurdities of visiting North Korea. I recommend this as a great glimpse into the dichotomy that is North Korea and is particularly relevant considering our political climate, leaders on-going twitter wars, and of course nuclear testing."
"The book was interesting and an enjoyable read."
"The author is amusingly self-deprecating and the book is very funny, but true, without the author resorting to cheap cliched criticisms about "NoKO"."
Best South Korea Travel Guides
Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - including customs, history, art, literature, cinema, music, dance, architecture, politics, and wildlife Free, convenient pull-out Seoul map (included in print version), plus over 97 local maps Covers Seoul, Incheon, Jeju-do, Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, Cheongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Sokcho, Samcheok, Chungju, Daejeon, Gongju, Daegu, North Korea, Pyongyang, Panmunjom, the DMZ, and more. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Lots of errors ("See page..." doesn't actually lead to right page), needs to be updated (many recommended restaurants are closed), covers North and South Korea."
"For example, I went to Busan, the second-largest city in South Korea, and was surprised to find only 10 pages in the book dedicated to it."
"Great LP edition overall."
"Worth what you spend on it."
"Always a fan of the LP Guidebooks and this didn't disappoint."
"I’ve purchased books from the lonely planet before and this one is no different."
"The guide was useful in planning my trip to SK."
"It has some great recommendations for sights, bars, restaurants, etc."