Koncocoo

Best Southeast Asia Travel

Lonely Planet Thailand (Travel Guide)
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
"We truly enjoyed using this guide while visiting Thailand."
"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."
"I won't make it to visit Thailand until next year so I can't compare this books accuracy yet; but it seems to be very detailed and honest."
"Basically unusable in practical and practice."
"The flowery writing, lack of pictures and slightly outdated information made me quickly switch from scrolling through its pages to (free) sources like wiki travel."
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Lonely Planet Indonesia (Travel Guide)
Take in a traditional gamelan performance, laze on hidden beaches, or hike volcanic peaks; 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, cuisine, environment, outdoor activities, responsible travel and more Over 60 maps Cov ers Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, Papua, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi 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
"Got the book."
"It contains very little new information, and info already out of date in the previous edition has simply been reprinted here (so the book will send you to try and visit museums that have been closed for 5-6 years!). "I had for editions given Lonely Planet's Indonesia guide 4 stars despite all its errors and shortcomings just because it remained the only practical guide covering the whole country, but this new edition is so much poorer than the previous one that it no longer deserves the same rating. Editing has also changed in a curious way: The regions themselves, once listed in a logical largely west-to-east order are now listed in a completely random order, with the furthest and least visited region of Papua now in the middle of the book, before the much more visited and accessible western and central regions of Sumatra and Sulawesi."
"very in depth, but not a single picture in the whole book."
"filled with great information."
"I borrowed this book via Kindle Unlimited."
"It was a very useful tool on our last trip to Indo."
"Still reading and studying."
"Great resource!"
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Lonely Planet Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos & Northern Thailand (Travel Guide)
Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher. Inside Lonely Planet's. Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos & Northern Thailand. Travel Guide:
Reviews
"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."
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Best Vietnam Travel

The Yellow Envelope: One Gift, Three Rules, and A Life-Changing Journey Around the World
After Kim and her husband decide to quit their jobs to travel around the world, they're given a yellow envelope containing a check and instructions to give the money away. "The Yellow Envelope is an intriguing and riveting tale of Kim's travel adventures. "The Yellow Envelope is an uplifting memoir of bravery and self-discovery." "If you're looking for a travel memoir with a unique twist, look to Kim Dinan's The Yellow Envelope : One Gift, Three Rules, and a Life-Changing Journey Around the World."
Reviews
"Before the couple leaves on their journey, friends give them a yellow envelope with a check for $1000 inside, asking them to give the money away during their travels but not to “overthink it.” Easier said than done, as the author finds out. I won’t spoil it for you, but suffice to say it’s rough going, with the most dramatic moments in the books revolving around the author’s relationship with her husband, who only reluctantly agreed to the epic journey his wife felt compelled to embark upon. We were both homesick and lonely and needy, but we were also frequently moved by our experiences together, and that made us patch over the holes in our relationship."
"Watching how her marriage and priorities change and grow felt like an intimately shared experience."
"That is the story of personal insights, of their discoveries in their relationship, their discoveries about others."
"Great adventure book - I loved the philanthropic and spiritual insight and following the couple's relationship journey."
"I really enjoyed this true story."
"Along the way they meet a lot of great people and give money away from the yellow envelope."
"This book is so good can't say enough about it and I've bought some to give away as gifts also!"
"Renews your faith in humanity!"
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Best Asian Travel Photography

BALI - Zen Traveller: A Quick Travel Guide
This Smash hit #1 Bestseller that beat out "Lonely Planet" and "Eat, Pray, Love" and is continuously listed in the "Most wished for" lists for Bali books will take you on a tour around the island to explore the quiet, magical parts of Bali, far away from the tourist crowds. a pearl farm that employs only women, an award winning coral restoration project recognized by the United Nations, a winery, turtle and bee conservation projects and so much more.... And, of course, the spectacular volcanic mountain ranges in the Inland regions with massive lakes, luscious rain forest and gorgeous rice terraces - absolutely breath taking! Communication, visa, currency/banking, accommodation, transportation, wifi/mobile usage and much more will be covered in Chapter 1. - or where you can find an organic restaurant in the midst of rice fields with beautiful views and healthy, delicious food? "A very thoughtful and accessible travel guide for a lesser-known, but no less amazing part of Bali.
Reviews
"Great book, the author has explained most of the interesting things in Bali in very soft and easy way."
"I have been to the beaches in southern Bali, but after reading this book I very much want to return to the island to visit Ubud and the other areas Ms. Gabrielle discusses in her book. This book includes helpful information for planning your trip to Bali, including maps, history, cultural and language tips, accommodation, transportation, weather, visa information and much more. All in all, this is an excellent and informative book that introduces us to new and wonderful sights in Bali and helps make it simple to visit these areas with a solid plan and itinerary."
"I used the guide, Gede Lausen, Gundi recommended in this book. Everything Gundi recommended to see is well worth it and those sites touted as somewhat lacking were verified through friends that went to those sites when we split up and went our separate ways a couple of days."
"Great book showing many places to visit in Bali."
"Indulging in the beauty of nature and enjoying those magical places away from the crowds - information that you dont generally read in most travel guides."
"This guidebook lays out the island into sections and offers suggested driving routes with maps."
"This book helped me understand the layout of the island, what makes each region special, and gave me the perfect starting point for making travel plans."
"Beautifully written, packed with practical tips on where to stay, how to get there, and detailed tips on best places to eat, wifi reception, how to get good tour guides and descriptions of best places to visit other than the common tourist destinations."
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Best Far East Asia Travel

Without You, There Is No Us: Undercover Among the Sons of North Korea's Elite
A haunting account of teaching English to the sons of North Korea's ruling class during the last six months of Kim Jong-il's reign Every day, three times a day, the students march in two straight lines, singing praises to Kim Jong-il and North Korea: Without you, there is no motherland. It is 2011, and all universities in North Korea have been shut down for an entire year, the students sent to construction fields—except for the 270 students at the all-male Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), a walled compound where portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il look on impassively from the walls of every room, and where Suki has gone undercover as a missionary and a teacher. "Remarkable…A deeply unsettling book, offering a rare and disturbing inside glimpse into the strangeness, brutality and claustrophobia of North Korea… Kim's book is full of small observations that vividly evoke the paranoia and loneliness of a nation living in fear and in thrall to its 'Great Leaders'…Her portraits of her students are tender and heartbreaking, highlighting the enormity of what is at stake." —O: The Oprah Magazine "A devastatingly vulnerable account... Kim’s stark and delicate language, intertwined with the suspense of being an undercover journalist in a foreign-yet-familiar land, truly humanized North Korea for me." —Foreign Policy "Readers intrigued by Kim Jong Un's recent extended absence from public view can gain insight into the repressive system that shapes North Korea's ruling class from Suki Kim's new memoir." "We in the West know almost nothing about life in North Korea, including even how its elites live (read Suki Kim's terrific Without You, There Is No Us for one of the few accounts)." "Suki Kim’s compelling reports for Harper’s , The New York Review of Books, and others have expanded and deepened our understanding both of life in the North, and the West’s profound misapprehensions about it.…[This book is] a fascinating, if deeply fraught document about the education of the North Korean elite, an aspect of the country that until very recently has been almost completely occluded… Kim’s access to the boys constitutes the unique nature of her book [and] illuminates just how sheltered they are." "A touching portrayal of the student experience in North Korea, which provides readers with a rare glimpse of life in this enigmatic country...Well-written and thoroughly captivating." "Strangely terrifying…A beautifully written book that greatly expands the limited bounds of what we know about North Korea’s ruling class." So skilled is Suki Kim in conveying the eeriness and surreal disconnect of the North Korean landscape that I sometimes felt I was reading a ghost story, one that will haunt me with its silences, with its image of snow falling upon a desolate campus, with the far laughter of her beloved students." — Kiran Desai, author of The Inheritance of Loss "Like an explorer returned from a distant planet or another dimension, Suki Kim has many extraordinary tales to tell, among them how different—and how awful—life is for those who live in North Korea. — Carlos Eire , author of Waiting for Snow in Havana "In language at once stark and delicate, Suki Kim shatters the polemic of North and South Korea. — Monique Truong , author of The Book of Salt "Combining a great novelist's eye for character and a skilled journalist's grasp of politics, Without You, There Is No Us helps us understand North Korea like nothing else I have ever read or watched. "Remarkable…A deeply unsettling book, offering a rare and disturbing inside glimpse into the strangeness, brutality and claustrophobia of North Korea… Kim's book is full of small observations that vividly evoke the paranoia and loneliness of a nation living in fear and in thrall to its 'Great Leaders'…Her portraits of her students are tender and heartbreaking, highlighting the enormity of what is at stake." —O: The Oprah Magazine "A devastatingly vulnerable account... Kim’s stark and delicate language, intertwined with the suspense of being an undercover journalist in a foreign-yet-familiar land, truly humanized North Korea for me." —Foreign Policy "Readers intrigued by Kim Jong Un's recent extended absence from public view can gain insight into the repressive system that shapes North Korea's ruling class from Suki Kim's new memoir." "We in the West know almost nothing about life in North Korea, including even how its elites live (read Suki Kim's terrific Without You, There Is No Us for one of the few accounts)." "Suki Kim’s compelling reports for Harper’s , The New York Review of Books, and others have expanded and deepened our understanding both of life in the North, and the West’s profound misapprehensions about it.…[This book is] a fascinating, if deeply fraught document about the education of the North Korean elite, an aspect of the country that until very recently has been almost completely occluded… Kim’s access to the boys constitutes the unique nature of her book [and] illuminates just how sheltered they are." "Strangely terrifying…A beautifully written book that greatly expands the limited bounds of what we know about North Korea’s ruling class." So skilled is Suki Kim in conveying the eeriness and surreal disconnect of the North Korean landscape that I sometimes felt I was reading a ghost story, one that will haunt me with its silences, with its image of snow falling upon a desolate campus, with the far laughter of her beloved students." — Kiran Desai, author of The Inheritance of Loss "Like an explorer returned from a distant planet or another dimension, Suki Kim has many extraordinary tales to tell, among them how different—and how awful—life is for those who live in North Korea. — Carlos Eire , author of Waiting for Snow in Havana "In language at once stark and delicate, Suki Kim shatters the polemic of North and South Korea. — Monique Truong , author of The Book of Salt "Combining a great novelist's eye for character and a skilled journalist's grasp of politics, Without You, There Is No Us helps us understand North Korea like nothing else I have ever read or watched.
Reviews
"In a lot of ways, she describes how the Kim family implements policies portraying the family as the caretakers of the North Korean people, when in fact they are bloody dictators using their leadership position to enrich themselves."
"Even so, these young men live a totally regimented life, doing menial jobs in addition to studies, subjected to frequent propaganda sessions and hardly ever allowed to see their own families."
"This book is a must read for all people concerned about the regime in North Korea or the tragic situation of the people in North Korea."
"I have visited the DPRK with the State Department and I am very uncomfortable with "visitors" who are under false pretenses."
"This book is a fascinating inside look of the brain washing and institutionalizing that occurs in North Korea."
"I have also read The Orphan Master's Son, another glimpse into the horror of life in North Korea, which was a more brutal and unsettling book in comparison."
"Especially timely, in light of current events, to have this personal insight into life in North Korea."
"These people are in my prayers."
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Best Central Asia Travel

The Places in Between
By day he passed through mountains covered in nine feet of snow, hamlets burned and emptied by the Taliban, and communities thriving amid the remains of medieval civilizations. We never really find out why Stewart decided to walk across Afghanistan only a few months after the Taliban were deposed, but what emerges from the last leg of his two-year journey across Asia is a lesson in good travel writing. By turns harrowing and meditative, Stewart's trek through Afghanistan in the footsteps of the 15th-century emperor Babur is edifying at every step, grounded by his knowledge of local history, politics and dialects. His prose is lean and unsentimental: whether pushing through chest-high snow in the mountains of Hazarajat or through villages still under de facto Taliban control, his descriptions offer a cool assessment of a landscape and a people eviscerated by war, forgotten by time and isolated by geography.
Reviews
"However, his need to push on at times, dangerously exhausted, in the face of life threatening danger presented a psychological dilemma that I grappled with on several occasions, trying to figure out this most unusual man."
"It is a wonderful read for anyone who wishes to discover the area... through someone else's eyes, as I did given the fact that current affairs have made it impossible for me to ever experience it firsthand."
"Rory Stewart's perceptive acceptance of a foreign world, leaves me shaking my head in admiration."
"It is a more a micro version because although there are broad references to the Russian occupation, Talaban, the Northern Alliance and the Karzai; the book is more about Stewart's personal interactions with individuals along the way. I do wish he had provided more detail on the lifestyles of the Afghans of different villages and their customs and family interaction but it was a fast paced travelogue more focused on his physical challenges to the environment and his own tolerance to limited food many times offered by very poor families."
"IT was a new look at history, fascinating and amazing in that when much the same treck was done in the 1920s, the same society and govt road blocks were in place, not much had changed...But, I wish he had had better gear, lhe was wet and miserable most of the time.. Quite a feat he accomplished, amazing he wasn't killed."
"This is a story of a journalist / historian walking on foot across Afghanistan, and an homage to a past trek done by an ancient ruler."
"This account of the author's walk across part of Afghanistan in 2002, right after the US had moved the Taliban out of power in much of the country, is most interesting."
"Very memorable, affecting account of a young man trekking through Afghanistan, who he met, what happened."
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Best Indonesia Travel

Eat Pray Love 10th-Anniversary Edition: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
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
"This book (somehow memoir doesn't seem to do justice to what Gilbert has produced) will make you silent in realizing profound and great wisdom before making you blurt sudden laughter upon reading the very next page."
"It motivated me to make my own trip and enjoy life and I liked that."
"This is an uplifting story of a woman who puts hectic life on hold, and allows herself to heal after a difficult divorce."
"This is an inspirational book that will show you spiritual truths through the authors personal journey."
"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."
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Best North & South Korea Travel

Without You, There Is No Us: Undercover Among the Sons of North Korea's Elite
A haunting account of teaching English to the sons of North Korea's ruling class during the last six months of Kim Jong-il's reign Every day, three times a day, the students march in two straight lines, singing praises to Kim Jong-il and North Korea: Without you, there is no motherland. It is 2011, and all universities in North Korea have been shut down for an entire year, the students sent to construction fields—except for the 270 students at the all-male Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), a walled compound where portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il look on impassively from the walls of every room, and where Suki has gone undercover as a missionary and a teacher. "Remarkable…A deeply unsettling book, offering a rare and disturbing inside glimpse into the strangeness, brutality and claustrophobia of North Korea… Kim's book is full of small observations that vividly evoke the paranoia and loneliness of a nation living in fear and in thrall to its 'Great Leaders'…Her portraits of her students are tender and heartbreaking, highlighting the enormity of what is at stake." —O: The Oprah Magazine "A devastatingly vulnerable account... Kim’s stark and delicate language, intertwined with the suspense of being an undercover journalist in a foreign-yet-familiar land, truly humanized North Korea for me." —Foreign Policy "Readers intrigued by Kim Jong Un's recent extended absence from public view can gain insight into the repressive system that shapes North Korea's ruling class from Suki Kim's new memoir." "We in the West know almost nothing about life in North Korea, including even how its elites live (read Suki Kim's terrific Without You, There Is No Us for one of the few accounts)." "Suki Kim’s compelling reports for Harper’s , The New York Review of Books, and others have expanded and deepened our understanding both of life in the North, and the West’s profound misapprehensions about it.…[This book is] a fascinating, if deeply fraught document about the education of the North Korean elite, an aspect of the country that until very recently has been almost completely occluded… Kim’s access to the boys constitutes the unique nature of her book [and] illuminates just how sheltered they are." "A touching portrayal of the student experience in North Korea, which provides readers with a rare glimpse of life in this enigmatic country...Well-written and thoroughly captivating." "Strangely terrifying…A beautifully written book that greatly expands the limited bounds of what we know about North Korea’s ruling class." So skilled is Suki Kim in conveying the eeriness and surreal disconnect of the North Korean landscape that I sometimes felt I was reading a ghost story, one that will haunt me with its silences, with its image of snow falling upon a desolate campus, with the far laughter of her beloved students." — Kiran Desai, author of The Inheritance of Loss "Like an explorer returned from a distant planet or another dimension, Suki Kim has many extraordinary tales to tell, among them how different—and how awful—life is for those who live in North Korea. — Carlos Eire , author of Waiting for Snow in Havana "In language at once stark and delicate, Suki Kim shatters the polemic of North and South Korea. — Monique Truong , author of The Book of Salt "Combining a great novelist's eye for character and a skilled journalist's grasp of politics, Without You, There Is No Us helps us understand North Korea like nothing else I have ever read or watched. "Remarkable…A deeply unsettling book, offering a rare and disturbing inside glimpse into the strangeness, brutality and claustrophobia of North Korea… Kim's book is full of small observations that vividly evoke the paranoia and loneliness of a nation living in fear and in thrall to its 'Great Leaders'…Her portraits of her students are tender and heartbreaking, highlighting the enormity of what is at stake." —O: The Oprah Magazine "A devastatingly vulnerable account... Kim’s stark and delicate language, intertwined with the suspense of being an undercover journalist in a foreign-yet-familiar land, truly humanized North Korea for me." —Foreign Policy "Readers intrigued by Kim Jong Un's recent extended absence from public view can gain insight into the repressive system that shapes North Korea's ruling class from Suki Kim's new memoir." "We in the West know almost nothing about life in North Korea, including even how its elites live (read Suki Kim's terrific Without You, There Is No Us for one of the few accounts)." "Suki Kim’s compelling reports for Harper’s , The New York Review of Books, and others have expanded and deepened our understanding both of life in the North, and the West’s profound misapprehensions about it.…[This book is] a fascinating, if deeply fraught document about the education of the North Korean elite, an aspect of the country that until very recently has been almost completely occluded… Kim’s access to the boys constitutes the unique nature of her book [and] illuminates just how sheltered they are." "Strangely terrifying…A beautifully written book that greatly expands the limited bounds of what we know about North Korea’s ruling class." So skilled is Suki Kim in conveying the eeriness and surreal disconnect of the North Korean landscape that I sometimes felt I was reading a ghost story, one that will haunt me with its silences, with its image of snow falling upon a desolate campus, with the far laughter of her beloved students." — Kiran Desai, author of The Inheritance of Loss "Like an explorer returned from a distant planet or another dimension, Suki Kim has many extraordinary tales to tell, among them how different—and how awful—life is for those who live in North Korea. — Carlos Eire , author of Waiting for Snow in Havana "In language at once stark and delicate, Suki Kim shatters the polemic of North and South Korea. — Monique Truong , author of The Book of Salt "Combining a great novelist's eye for character and a skilled journalist's grasp of politics, Without You, There Is No Us helps us understand North Korea like nothing else I have ever read or watched.
Reviews
"Some may consider it a novel of betrayal as the author admits that she took on a false identity to get access to a closed society in order to get the information presented here. I read and reviewed both in preparation for meeting this author at the UBUD writers and readers conference in Bali, Indonesia from 27 to 31 October 2016. It is difficult for a westerner to appreciate the acceptance of conditions of life described by Suki Kim that the population of North Korea endures. From a background of Korean pride, she makes several important observations on daily life at a school for elite youth in North Korea. By following the rules, and there were many, she would also be able to avoid sanctions from bosses, political minders, and possible government spies who would be checking on her compliance and motivation for being in North Korea. “I could not help noticing that if you replaced the word Jesus with Great Leader, the content was not so different from some of the North Korean songs my students chanted several times each day. In the current political environment of the US, replacing Jesus or Great Leader with “Trump” might explain some of the mindless reactions reported by the US press. Kim again makes a connection between governmental mind control and religion when she writes of Rachel, a colleague, searching for evidence of a bell which supposedly formed the basis for the establishment of an early church in Pyongyang. If these sad people wanted so desperately to hold on to the myth of their Great Leader as the rightful heir to Dangun, who could blame them?"
"Even so, these young men live a totally regimented life, doing menial jobs in addition to studies, subjected to frequent propaganda sessions and hardly ever allowed to see their own families."
"In addition to providing insight into a small slice of life in North Korea, Kim draws some interesting parallels between the absolute and unthinking devotion to the state and its "dear leader" required in North Korea with the absolute and unthinking devotion to certain interpretations of the Christian bible required by some evangelical faiths."
"I had to remind myself that these are North Korean students, no matter how privileged, there are so many things that are hidden from them.As Ms. Kim's students finally began to open up at the end of the book, I could not help but shed tears because no one will ever know what will become of Ms. Kim's "gentlemen" students."
"Especially timely, in light of current events, to have this personal insight into life in North Korea."
"The author, Ms Kim relates her experience teaching English to elite young men in a Christian School in North Korea."
"It was informative and somewhat painted a picture of the life she lead in North Korea."
"Ms Kim tells an compelling story about life in the dictatorship of North Korea as a "secret teacher" in a Christian sponsored high school for young men of the upper class, who were there to learn English."
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Best Singapore Travel

Mud, Sweat, and Tears: The Autobiography
Growing up on a remote island off of Britain's windswept coast, he was taught by his father to sail and climb at an early age. Inevitably, it wasn't long before the young explorer was sneaking out to lead all-night climbing expeditions. These passions led him into the foothills of the mighty Himalayas and to a karate grandmaster's remote training camp in Japan, an experience that soon helped him earn a second-degree black belt. Returning home, he embarked upon the notoriously grueling selection course for the British Special Forces to join the elite Special Air Service unit 21 SAS—a journey that would push him to the very limits of physical and mental endurance. Well told, personable, fast-paced, and undoubtedly a fascinating read.” (DAILY TELEGRAPH). Growing up on a remote island off of Britain's windswept coast, he was taught by his father to sail and climb at an early age. These passions led him into the foothills of the mighty Himalayas and to a karate grandmaster's remote training camp in Japan, an experience that soon helped him earn a second-degree black belt. Returning home, he embarked upon the notoriously grueling selection course for the British Special Forces to join the elite Special Air Service unit 21 SAS—a journey that would push him to the very limits of physical and mental endurance.
Reviews
"After reading his book on climbing Mt Everetts, this book was a must read."
"Find out who the real Bear is in this Frank and entertaining bio."
"Just OK-spent a third of the book on his childhood, a third of military training and the rest on exploits."
"I think this could be a great read for a younger person looking for their path to understand that goals are worth achieving and it takes a lot of hard work, mental toughness and sometimes failures to get what you really want."
"This book is pretty thick, but I just couldn't put it down!"
"His life, upbringing, and experiences were interestingly different. He definitely sees life from a kind perspective, and enjoys his world through the eyes of a man who honors God who made it."
"A must buy for anyone interested in surviving."
"Bear Grylls has pursued plenty or adventuring throughout his life to date and he has a particular talent for weaving his personal philosophies of deteminattion, self-reliance, loyalty and the value of firm friendships in surviving tough challenges, into his narratives."
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Best Chinese Travel

The Silk Roads: A New History of the World
“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
"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."
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Best Nepal Travel

Into Thin Air
As he turned to begin the perilous descent from 29,028 feet (roughly the cruising altitude of an Airbus jetliner), twenty other climbers were still pushing doggedly to the top, unaware that the sky had begun to roil with clouds... Since the 1980s, more and more "marginally qualified dreamers" have attempted the ascent of Everest, as guided commercial expeditions have dangled the possibility of reaching the roof of the world in front of anyone wealthy enough to pay for the privilege. By writing and reading Into Thin Air , Krakauer may have hoped to exorcise some of his own demons and lay to rest some of the painful questions that still surround the event. He takes great pains to provide a balanced picture of the people and events he witnessed and gives due credit to the tireless and dedicated Sherpas. Clearly, Krakauer remains haunted by the disaster, and although he relates a number of incidents in which he acted selflessly and even heroically, he seems unable to view those instances objectively. Heroism and sacrifice triumph over foolishness, fatal error, and human frailty in this bone-chilling narrative in which the author recounts his experiences on last year's ill-fated, deadly climb.
Reviews
"This book will expand your understanding of exactly why mountain climbing can be so extremely dangerous, and how in this case financial rewards and personal risk taking led to overcrowding on the mountain."
"Being able to give a first hand account of what happened throughout their journey on the mountain, and the events (at least what he remembers) that led to the death of a portion of the excursion. This was the first Krakauer book that I have read, and actually caused me to buy another one, as I enjoyed his writing."
"I recommend to read Lou Kasischke's book to have another perspective, that in my opinion is more straight forward and center the blame on different things than Krakauer, making more sense."
"The recent release of Everest (or reinterpretation) prompted me to read this as well as other books about the climbing season in question."
"Gripping story of the tragic Everest ascent on which many members of various climbing groups lost their lives."
"This was a pure tragedy with so much blame to go around that wasting time on blame after the fact is a sad and unnecessary cap to this story."
"This is the story of how eminently qualified guides and climbers can become so driven as to make literally every mistake in the book in an overzealous attempt to make a climb that has in the final analysis become over-commercialized and largely irrelevant."
"There's not a lot to say about this book that other reviewers haven't said 100 times already -- but I enjoyed it a lot and found that it kept my attention all the way through."
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Best Thailand Travel

Lonely Planet Thailand (Travel Guide)
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
"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."
"I was hoping for more photographs in this guide but there is not very many at all."
"We truly enjoyed using this guide while visiting Thailand."
"Another informative and accurate Lonely Planet Guide."
"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."
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Best Indian Travel

A Long Way Home: A Memoir
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. “Amazing stuff.”— The New York Post “So incredible that sometimes it reads like a work of fiction.”— Winnipeg Free Press (Canada)“A remarkable story.”— Sydney Morning Herald Review “I literally could not put this book down...[Saroo's] return journey will leave you weeping with joy and the strength of the human spirit.”— Manly Daily (Australia)“We urge you to step behind the headlines and have a read of this absorbing account...With clear recollections and good old-fashioned storytelling, Saroo...recalls the fear of being lost and the anguish of separation.”— Weekly Review (Australia) Born in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, India, Saroo Brierley lives in Hobart, Tasmania, where he manages a family business, Brierley Marine, with his father.
Reviews
"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."
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Best Japanese Travel

Lonely Planet Kyoto (Travel Guide)
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 and more rewarding travel experience - including culture, history, performing arts, crafts, architecture, gardens, politics, and tea Free, convenient pull-out Kyoto map (included in print version), plus over 28 neighbourhood maps Covers Arashiyama, Sagano, the Kitayama Area, Northern Higashiyama, Southern Higashiyama, Northwest Kyoto, Downtown Kyoto, Central Kyoto, Kurama, Kibune, Ohara, Takao, the Gion district, Kyoto Station Area, and more. Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing.
Reviews
"Brilliant and extremely useful guide as it happens with most of Lonely Planet guides."
"Great information; great walking tours."
"A nice clear guide to the area."
"Recommendable even for people living in Japan!"
"Had all the information I needed."
"This book was too superficial and didn't begin to do justice to such a memorable city."
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Best Philippines Travel

Lonely Planet Philippines (Travel Guide)
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. Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing. Paul Stiles is the author of "Riding the Bull".
Reviews
"I didn't even take the book with me on the trip."
"This IS the book you want if going to the Philippines."
"If you consider buying Lonely Planet Philippines, then printed edition is your only choice."
"Information on some hotels was glossy, for example they praised some hotels but when checking web, found numerous comments from those who stayed who gave exact opposite opnions."
"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)."
"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?"
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Best Russian & Former Soviet Republics Travel

Chernobyl 01:23:40: The Incredible True Story of the World's Worst Nuclear Disaster
From the desperate fight to prevent a burning reactor core from irradiating eastern Europe, to the self-sacrifice of the heroic men who entered fields of radiation so strong that machines wouldn’t work, to the surprising truth about the legendary ‘Chernobyl divers’, all the way through to the USSR’s final show-trial. Andrew Leatherbarrow lives with his fiance and their two children in Lancashire, England.
Reviews
"Great read and viewpoint on the Chernobly incident."
"(Not a whole bunch of scientific technical terms and info, but written for the average person) engrossing and verry interesting."
"Absolutely could not put this book down."
"Very interesting summary written by a Scottish fellow who was fascinated with how it happened, how it unfolded, who was involved, and the long-term consequences of the disaster, roughly equivalent to 440 nuclear weapons going off."
"Very well-written and interesting account of the Chernobyl accident, along with the author's account of his visit to Chernobyl, Pripyat and Kiev."
"The author really puts the actual "accident" in perspective and the fact he extensively sites his sources is impressive."
"I liked this book a lot."
"Loved hearing and following along with the book."
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