Travel Books

Excellent second book in the series of the Outlander. I am almost finished and ready to start reading Voyager. You should have at least two books of the series with you, so that you don't have to wait for a week or so for the next book. Oh aye, these are excellent books, to be sure!!

This subsequent installment following Outlander is riveting. This series has caused me to do additional research into the Jacobite wars and I have found the books to be pretty accurate in their broad strokes. Excellent characterizations and an attention to detail keep them interesting even when plot slows a bit. Worth the time it takes to work through these ponderous books.

This book is amazing. As the second in a series it holds my attention and ignites my imagination.

If you like Hustler you will love this book - if I wanted Pornography I would order it on Pay per View. Totally unnecessary porn as in Mister Raymond putting fingers into Claire's vagina in order to save her life! Randall buggering Jamie and Jamie letting him after Randall had already let Claire leave. Yeah I know he gave his word of honor but I don't believe any true Highlander would let himself be buggered for the sake of honor. If you are anything like me you will find yourself skipping pages at a time in order to avoid this trash.

Boring to the point of fatigue through a lot of it. If you are having trouble sleeping this is the book for you.

Maudlin enough at times to bring on nausea.

Crisis after crisis after crisis and all they have to do after each crisis is bang each other's brains out and that makes everything all right.

I'm sorry I had to give it one star.

Dragonfly in Amber is the second book in Diana Gabaldon's phenomenal "Outlander" series. At the end of Outlander, we left Claire and Jamie Fraser in an abbey in France, exiled from Scotland. At the opening of Dragonfly in Amber, we find Claire back in the highlands in 1968, investigating the fates of Jamie's men at the battle of Culloden - with her red-haired daughter Brianna: Jamie's daughter.

As the search for Jamie's men, and then Jamie himself, unfolds, Claire finds herself revealing to Brianna and their friend Roger her history with Jamie in the past - and we learn the other half of her and Jamie's adventure as they attempt to prevent the carnage they know is coming in the Jacobite rising and its culmination at Culloden.

As with Outlander, I have nothing but praise for Dragonfly. Although I did not race through Dragonfly as quickly as I did Outlander (this time it took me roughly a month to read Dragonfly's 950 pages as opposed to the week it took me to fly through Outlander's 860 pages), I still loved it. Every time I picked the book up, I could not put it down without having read at least 100 pages, if not more.

Dragonfly in Amber had me in turns gasping, laughing, and (at the end) crying. Sometimes I did all three at once. Even though I knew the battle was an inevitability - and we, as readers know this from Claire's search in Inverness from the beginning of the novel - I found myself hoping ad praying that Claire and Jamie could somehow prevent the disaster. Having been to Culloden battlefield myself, I cried at Gabaldon's description of battles and the uselessness I knew Jamie and Claire's self-appointed mission to be.

In fact, I immediately picked up the third book, Voyager, and am already 450 pages into it. Gabaldon delivers a powerful narrative, drawing the reader fully into her world: you cry with Claire, scream with rage for Jamie, and end on a hopeful note with Claire and Brianna, searching for the man whose love for them endures through the ages.

This is a great read for every age. Young and old need to better understand the Vietnam War.

I served in NAM as an infantry platoon leader with the First Infantry Division in 1969-1970. The book brought back many memories.

Of particular interest was the last chapter on War. the authors make it clear that the pre-emptive invasion of Iraq by "W" is not on their list of acolades for the President. Who would better understand this than a Vietnam Veteran.

Read this book and share it with your children and grandchildren.

Author of Mr. NewHeart (New Heart): Heart Attack to Transplant and Beyond

Preview my next book "The Face of War" when you Google "David Hollar's Storefront." It is my memoir of my year in Vietnam and how I came to be a wager of peace

Hal Moore sums up his interesting life in this short book. It's only partially tied to the 1965 battle in the Ia Drang Valley. Still, he describes moving events in 1993 when he, Joe Galloway, a few veterans and a couple of former North Vietmanese officers meet to reflect, re-live and celebrate sacrifice on both sides. They even hold hands and pray.

The book is more about the important events in Moore's life: how he got to West Point,side-trip to Dien Bien Phu, assignments to Korea, leadership lessons and views on warfare.

One of the problems I had reading the preface is I couldn't figure out who wrote it. I also question why the authors characterize the war as good nationalists driving out the bad foreign invader,namely the United States. Moore seems to say in the end, the good guys won: "...they (the North Vietnamese) were fighting so hard because, like America's own revolutionaries, they had a burning desire to drive foreigners out of their native land...and now that the guns had fallen silent and peace had return to their land they proved to be proud fathers, good husbands, loyal citizens, and, yes, good friends."

My impression was and is the North Vietnamese were fighting to unify the country under an NVA banner. The real losers were not the Americans but the South Vietnamese. After the NVA victory an estimated 100,000 South Vietnamese were executed, others died in reducation camps and at sea. Despite what Moore/Galloway write, I don't think there's any moral equivalency between us and the North Vietnamese on one side, the South Vietnamese on the other.

I was a member of the original cast of their first book. Today we are met in Franklin, Tennessee, to remember the 17th November of '65, the happy few who made it out of Albany, the second part of the Ia Drang Valley battle that Randall Wallace would not film about. I'm sure that this book will be as good as the one I had the great honor though maybe not the pleasure of participating in its making. I only heard that it was finally out in print today and as many of those of us who are here gathered rushed to acquire an early copy. When I have read it, I shall send a sequel review and though I'll have to wait til my return home to peruse it, I highly recommend it, cite unseen.

On November 13th 1965 in the Ia Drang Valley an American battalion of only 450 men engaged three regiments of North Vietnamese soldiers in the first major battle between American and Vietnamese forces. The Americans were outnumbered by TWELVE-TO-ONE! "Over the next four days and nights 234 American soldiers perished in desperate hand-to-hand combat along with THOUSANDS of attacking North Vietnamese troops." This battle was "the bloodiest of the entire Viet Nam War." The co-author's Lieutenant General (Ret) Moore who was a Lieutenant Colonel at the time and Joseph Galloway a reporter at the time (and by force of necessity and courage, became a soldier during that battle) were also the author's of the now infamous book "We Were Soldiers Once... and Young", which was also made into a big name Hollywood movie. The basis of this follow up book... was to have some of the remaining survivor's from the American side... not only go back to the actual physical battlefield where the ghosts and souls of their fallen comrades remain... but to meet face to face their counterparts from the North Vietnamese Army.

Completing this story to the satisfaction of the author's, entailed multiple trips back to Vietnam, and the overcoming of multiple hurdles made of red tape. There were many gut-wrenching situations that included tears and overcoming deeply engrained biases, that festered for four decades. It is amazing the mutual respect that was shown between the two countries commanders... and the eventual friendship... between two men... whose only goal in 1965 was to kill each other... and kill everybody associated with them. There were many lessons learned... that were learned too late to save thousands of lives. As a Vietnam era veteran myself... what was rewarding for me... as well... I believe... as for the loved ones of all the departed... was the utmost respect each commander had, not only for the bravery and courage of their own troops... but that each held the same opinion of the opposing soldiers. Both men stated in their own words, that after post battle intel was discussed... both commanders collaborated, that so many of the dead from both sides... were literally intertwined... so fierce was the "HAND-TO-HAND-COMBAT".

There are very detailed and interesting historical discussions regarding the Battle of Dien Bien Phu where the French were defeated by the Vietnamese in 1954. Vietnamese Senior General Giap said: "that he simply didn't understand why the Americans had not carefully studied the French war in Vietnam and the Battle Of Dien Bien Phu, particularly since, by the end, the United States was financing more than 70 per cent of the cost of the French military actions and providing much of the equipment and ammunition in that war. He told us if we Americans had studied what happened to the French surely we would never have come halfway around the world to take their place in Vietnam and pursue a long bloody war that ended just as badly for us as it had for the French."

On November 8, 2003 at one of the annual Ia Drang reunions in Washington, D.C. one of the survivor's Jack Smith gave a speech:

"AT ONE POINT IN THE AWFUL AFTERNOON AT ALBANY AS MY BATTALION WAS BEING CUT TO PIECES, A SMALL GROUP OF ENEMY CAME UPON ME AND THINKING I HAD BEEN KILLED (I WAS COVERED IN OTHER PEOPLE'S BLOOD), PROCEEDED TO USE ME AS A SANDBAG FOR THEIR MACHINE GUN, I PRETENDED TO BE DEAD. I REMEMBER THAT THE GUNNER HAD BONY KNEES THAT PRESSED AGAINST MY SIDE. HE DIDN'T DISCOVER THAT I WAS ALIVE BECAUSE HE WAS TREMBLING MORE THAN I WAS. HE WAS, LIKE ME, JUST A TEENAGER.

THE GUNNER BEGAN FIRING INTO THE REMNANTS OF MY COMPANY. MY BUDDIES BEGAN FIRING BACK WITH RIFLE GRENADES-M79'S TO THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ABOUT THEM. I REMEMBER THINKING: OH MY G-D, IF I STAND UP THE NORTH VIETNAMESE WILL KILL ME, AND IF I STAY LYING DOWN MY BUDDIES WILL GET ME. BEFORE I WENT COMPLETELY MAD, A VOLLEY OF GRENADES EXPLODED ON TOP OF ME, KILLING THE ENEMY BOY AND INJURING ME. IT WENT ON LIKE THIS ALL DAY AND MUCH OF THE NIGHT. I WAS WOUNDED TWICE AND THOUGHT MYSELF DEAD. MY COMPANY SUFFERED NINETY-THREE PERCENT CASUALTIES... NINETY-THREE PERCENT!"

To undertake this trip... to not only go back to the battlefield your friends were killed on... as you killed the enemy... to keep from being killed yourself... but to meet and befriend that same enemy... I can tell you from first-hand experience... that takes a unique-different individual... and not everyone on this earth who's been through war... could come to grips with that. I know I still have too much inside of me... in hidden... and un-hidden chambers... of my very soul... to want to take such a journey. G-d bless America... and an extra blessing deservedly goes to all of us who have served.

I think the title We Are Soldiers Still is most fitting. It is pretty commonly felt by most vets that the experiences of youth while in uniform never really leave us. The old saying "once a Marine" is true for most folks who have served in the military. "Once a sailor", "once a soldier", etc. That Harold Moore, Lt. Gen (Ret.) and Joseph L. Galloway, a former correspondent chose to write We Are Soldiers Still in the way they did is a tribute to their honesty and integrity that many authors today could learn from.

We Are Soldiers Still is not really about war. Instead it is about old warriors, both American and Vietnamese, finding it within them to put out old fires and bury old hatreds and travel to the site of one of the most intense battles of the entire Vietnam War; a crucible where brave boys on both sides gave all.

In November of 1965 the 1st Battalion of the 7th U. S. Cavalry, about 450 troopers landed in a small clearing in the central highlands near the Cambodian border. In the area were three regiments of the PAVN (Peoples Army of Vietnam); 66th, 32nd, and 33rd. What ensued was a battle to the death that tested the metal of young boys in both armies. In the end the American were the victors. Victory is always a relative thing, however. 305 casualties for the Americans and an estimated 3000 to 5000 for the PAVN.

The battle for the Ia Drang valley was the first head on engagement with regular army troops on both sides. The participants were highly trained and highly motivated. This battle was one of the few times that the North Vietnam Army stood toe to toe with the Americans and slugged it out. No hit and run tactics here. The results were expensive.

Harold Moore, Joe Galloway along with Sgt. Major Plumley, Bruce Crandall, Lt. Gen. Nguyen Hu An and Chu Huy Man, and others make the trip to Landing Zone X-Ray. Old enemies become new friends and the killing ground simply didn't look the same.

For those interested in the war in Vietnam We Are Soldiers Still is moving and insightful and is a must read. As others will point out the world in 2008 is a far different place than it was in 1965 and countries that once fought each other are now trading partners. It is fitting that men who once tried to kill each other should become friends. That's really a strong part of We Are Soldiers Still.

I highly recommend.

Semper Fi

Kids of all ages love these books,both boys and girls find this series of stories fun and enjoyable.

my son really likes these books, the shipping was fast and easy. just click and read. no need to spend gas money when you can shop with ease at home.

They are wonderful. My six year old twins are fascinated. We read two chapters to them a night and they are transfixed. The parents and the children in this house highly recommend this series!

Mary Pope Osborne is such a talented writer. I really like her books. I wonder how she got her ideas...

This Magic Tree House Boxed Set has proven to be a wonderful past time for my granddaughter. She reads every evening before bed and it's a time to quiet down and prepare for sleep!! She loves her Magic Tree House books and I intend to get her the rest of the series very soon. The books are just the perfect length with lots of thrills. Your kids will love them.

This is the third book of the Diana Gabaldon Outlander and of all the years I have been reading, they are my favorite series. Ms. Gabaldone will keep you in laughter and you will shed plenty of ters and she takes you on a journey with Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser. You will experience alot of history and become a part of what you read. Excellent books and Voyager is one of my favorites

Third in the series and just as riviting. I read this one cover to cover, almost non-stop, save for eating and some sleep! I just love this series.

This book is part of a series, and although I haven't actually gotten to it I can be absolutely sure it is going to be exciting. One thing to remember however, is that every one of these books begins slowly, and until you get into the first 2-3 chapters it's slow going. But do keep reading!

The history of Scotland, France, etc., that Ms. Gabaldon attaches to these stories is historically accurate, too.

Awesome books by a great writer.

Okay, I'm going to keep this review brief.
This is after all the third book in this series and chances are if you've read the other two you'll probably read this one as well...

I am so happy to have found this series, I love it. I think it's great fun...well that is if you like to be kept hanging on the edge of your seat. I love the characters and the history and the storytelling is great!

Last night I was getting to the end of the book and feeling disappointed that it would be over until I remembered that there are three more books in the series! and more on the way!

While working at a bookstore, I decided that I needed to read one sci-fi and one romance novel just to get a feel for the genre. I selected Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" for the romance novel, and was absolutely captivated by her story and style. I devoured the first three books in less than six weeks--an amazing feat for me as a slow reader with sight impairments--and have started at least 200 people on these books since then. I've had exactly 2 negative reactions.

Voyager, as I said above, is my favorite of all the books so far. In the last 300 pages or so, Gabaldon's plot moves at breathtaking speed, tying up many ends. The conclusion is stunning. In a year when real time/distance travel is curtailed by high gasoline prices, the "Outlander" series--and "Voyager" in particular--is a mental escape of the first order. If you need some place to go on your "staycation," I would strongly suggest Scotland in the mid-1700's, and a visit with Jamie and Clare Fraser. You won't be disappointed.

I was hoping for something along the lines of "A Year od Adventures," but I didn't like this as much. It's divided up into chapters for different modes of travel, which means (for example) that there's a whole section on train trips. That's not really my thing.

When I buy travel books, I want to learn about places I'd never heard of before. That's getting tougher, 'cause I've heard of all kinds of places - did you know we have a whole state called "Delaware"? - but there are still a few out there. Most of them aren't in this book.

Get "A Year of Adventures" instead.

This book was purchased as a gift for someone who travels around the world. I was not disappointed! The quality of the book is great! The pictures are beautiful. There were so many different suggestions of places to travel. I was very satisfied!

The photography is stunning and the text is is clear.
The book gives good ideas for a tailormade type of vacation.
My niece uses it for school projects as she has no internet access.

What a wonderful book, worth every penny. The pictures are the best. Gave this as a gift to a couple who travel the world and they loved it. You feel like you are there or very much want to be there.

A great book - really different from a lot of the other travel books I've read. I actually ended up getting two of them as gifts. In particular, it breaks down trips by type - such as by rail, by car, by plane and also by such things as trips involving gourmet food or following in the footsteps of Ansel Adams. Great pictures as well.

No technology, no living animals except man (and much of mankind is little more than animals), no living plants, the world in the midst of a prolonged winter. It's depressing to think the world could come to this. The book still sends chills down my spine weeks later.

The Road is an excellent book. Through a unique writting style the author allows you to live the simply raw terrifying experience of a father care for his on a post apocalytpic america. It stirs and meddles in our most basic instincts of protection of our young vs. a scenario of complete dispair.

I did not have sky high hopes for this book. I've been through that and knew better. My hopes were moderate. Even so, they were dashed. I realize that the minimalist approach the author took was meant to create a haunting atmosphere and it did work, but there was SO MUCH MORE he could have done with the 'story'. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen. Heck, I kept waiting for ANYTHING to happen. Unfortunately, the entire book can be summed up as follows;

We have to keep walking.
Okay Papa.
We should eat.
Okay Papa.
Okay.

And that's what passes for a 'great book' now in our TV, WalMart, McDonald's culture.

Here's what "The Road" is not. It's not science fiction. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic America but it doesn't bother to go into any detail about what happened. It's not an adventure story. Our protagonists don't fall into the hands of an evil army and forge a daring escape. It's not a traditional story. If you're looking for a three act arc with beginning, middle and end it's not here. You get a beginning and maybe an end, that's it. So what is it? To me it's about us; as a race, as individuals. Ask you're self what would happen if the world changed tomorrow? Changed in such a way that everything we know, our cars, our food, our friends, our sky were all gone. How would you adapt? How would you survive?

In McCarthy's "The Road" we follow a man and his son down a road as they move east towards the sea, their world reduced to themselves and a shopping cart which they push slowly forward. Through their eyes we see the planet as it has become, a forever gray sky, humans reduced to cattle, giant fires that sweep across the land. The writing, the dialogue, even the punctuation is minimum. Often it felt repetitious and too simplistic, but I was still drawn to their struggle. After some time reading, I knew I wasn't going to get a predictable "Hollywood" story. Rather, I was just going to get their story; a story that anyone of us might face some day, utterly lacking in adventure, predictability, and even dialogue but a story that reeks of paranoia, fear, and uncertainty.

Is "The Road" a classic? I don't know if that's for us to decide, but it's a perfect read for those in high school and on up. So maybe some 12th grade Lit. Class will debate the "classic" question, because people seem to be debating it now. And the fact that they're debating now tells me that McCarthy doing something right.

I've been trying to read this book for about six months, and I can never get more than 1/3 of the way through. It's frusterating because I have yet to read a negative review, so I assume it must just be because I am stupid that I don't like the book.

It's the end of the world and a father and son are traveling down a road. That's it? Yes, that's it. Maybe if the father's narrative used proper grammar and actually said things that made sense, it might have had more meaning, but as it is it is just meaningless garbage.

Every other page is a description of them building a fire and burning a tin can of food, and almost every paragraph ends like this: What is it, Papa? I don't know.

Eventually, I decided not to waste another minute of my life reading it and built a fire with it, keeping myself and my child (each the other worlds entire) warm as we ate from a tin can. What is it, he asked? I didn't know.

I compared it with three other guidebooks, and this one is hands down by far the best. I also like his sense of humor, and his ability to give us foreigners a realistic taste of the local culture. It is down to earth, not superficial, and it must have been a lot of work to write this guide! The first thing I did when I arrived in Oahu for the second segment of my trip was to go to the bookstore at the airport and buy his book for Oahu.

This revised edition is very comprehensive, written with a sense of humor and candor. Looking forward to visiting the island with book in hand to "test out" the recommendations.

I found this book to give good recommendations for places to see on the island. Some were not as spectacular as described. Also it would have been helpful to have better overview maps. Those are obtainable for free in other publications such as rental car guides. Places to eat were good recommendations.

Whatever you need to know about the Big Island, it's in this book. Excellent info, updated and concise, in a very readable form.

First rate guide to the Big Island. I bought their Kauai book years ago when I visited, and this one is just as good. You truly feel like your getting insider tips, and not just a project for a travel writer on assignment. Don't hesitate on this one.

Bryson is well-known for his travelogues but here he takes us through his growing up years. All things mundane related to childhood turn interesting and are set aglow when touched by his genial wit. Bryson's companionable style is evident in this very entertaining memoir which is also a tribute to a much safer, much more innocent, and much more personable lifestyle of 1950s America. At times warm, at times wise, at times nostalgic, and always funny, this is a heart-warming chronicle of childhood by a gifted humourist which brings back cherished memories of our own.

If you spent any time in the 50's this will be a laugh out loud perspective that will not disappoint. Bryson is smart, funny and just has a gift for narrative.
The humor may be more appealing to males but I am not really sure.
Enjoy this treat.

It's a historical text book wrapped in a delightful tale of a "regular" kid from the 1950s. And I will say, funny, funny, funny. I was reading it on an airplane and I was laughing out loud almost to the point of my embarrassment. Bryson is very sharp. He supplements his childhood anecdotes with (sometimes shocking) historical facts. He successfully juxtaposes the good and the bad. Every time I turned the page, I wished America could return to a "simpler" time and then I'd turn another page and count my blessings that we have moved on. It made me long for the smell of grammar school coat closets and thank goodness we weren't all blown to pieces with a nuclear holocaust.

If you like TV, toys, kids, adults, baseball, movies, state fairs, underage drinking, family vacations, teenage pranks or anything relating to history at all, I would recommend this book as a must read.

My son has been raving about Bill Bryson's for some time now, but I was not sure that they would appeal to me. After hearing others rave about his memoir: The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, I thought this might be a fun audio book. I am sorry I waited so long to try Bryson's work.

This memoir was terrific. It leaves you with a feeling of appreciation for the simple things in life. Bill Bryson and I were born a year apart, and as baby boomers growing up in the 50's and 60's, I found this memoir to be a trip down memory lane. He talks about his mom's bad cooking, his strange relatives, going to the store for penny candy (candy cigarettes), playing outdoors until dark, first crushes, Saturday at the movies, loss of innocence etc. He could be describing a whole lot of baby boomers in this memoir. This book is hysterical, and there were many times I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard. The audio version is highly recommended.

It is a constant theme in Bill Bryson's books - he always points out what is (or in this case, was) good and enjoyable about his life's experiences. His exaggerations are done for comedic effect, but also to illustrate a point. I always leave the confines of his pages feeling like I have been transported to a different place or different time. Have we become so consumed with what we have, what we want, and how to get them that we have lost many of the enjoyments in life, or is it that being an adult just isn't as much fun as being a kid?

I'll have Bill know that because of him I won't be doing my part to contribute to our consumer-driven economy. I'm putting off enlarging and vastly improving the size and quality of my TV. More money for books, I suppose...

Having read positive reviews of Marten Troost's "Lost on Planet China," I was disappointed to learn that the book did not live up to my expectations. As Troost is an experienced travel writer, I was completely taken aback by his condescending tone throughout the book. All of his observations of China and the Chinese people were negative. He went from one place to another, without spending enough time to understand the culture, or to learn about the people and place. It was evident that there was a lack of interaction with the local people and one wonders how good of a travelogue this is if his interaction was mostly with another fellow American. There wasn't an attempt to understand the culture, but rather superficial observations of life there. Half way through the book, I realized there was a lack of purpose in his journey. It almost felt like he was writing about China just for the sake of it.

There are definitely much better books out there in this genre. Two that come to mind are Peter Hessler's "Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China" which explored modern day China and Colin Thubron's "Shadow of the Silk Road" which chronicled the author's travel through modern Asia along the ancient Silk Road from China to the Mediterranean.

I am scheduled to go on a two week trip to China on Oct. 15th. After reading Troost's book I'm contemplating canceling it. That's how depressing this book is. Pollution, pollution, pollution, spitting, peeing and defecating in the streets, mutilated and disfigured beggars everywhere, animal cruelty, repulsive food, brothels and gay bars in hotels,noise everywhere,lunatic drivers,insane taxi drivers, cheating of tourists, hard seats on overcrowded trains. This is the depiction that Troost gives. Not a pretty sight. Rarely does Troost talk about anything uplifting, beautiful or cultural in China (except for Tibet). What is one to think of this portrayal of China? Since I have never visited China I am a loss to evaluate this book. Clearly Troost is no friend of the Chinese Tourist Office.

Have you ever been in a group of people when one of them inadvertently makes a crack that has everyone splitting their sides with laughter, but whose next intentional attempts at humor fall flat? Unfortunately, Mr. Troost has too, for his own literary offerings have followed that particular trajectory much to my surprise and dismay.
This is the third of his 'travelogues.' His first one, about his time spent on the island paradise of Kiribati, was a charming little gem of a book. His second, which was more or less a continuation of his first, had its moments but seemed a bit world weary and lacked the vitality of the first. This book is, I hate to say, little more than a dog and pony show. For Mr. Troost having found his trope, or schtick more aptly, proceeds to hack away at the problem of writing a book by stringing together a series of non sequiters composed of an action (I went here), a problem (it was horrible/inconvenient/foreign because of this), and a trite and predictable one-liner or aside. This is entertaining for about the first 35 pages of the book and then begins to wear thin, very thin.
No two ways about it, the glib are gifted. All other things being equal those with the gift are more likely to succeed than the tongue-tied. The problem is that glib doesn't translate well to paper. What sounds clever often reads inane, not to say juvenile. So we find with this book whose premise is so thin: Let's run around China for a couple of weeks and gather observations for a book timed to drop just when all of the tourists to the Beijing Olympics are looking for topical, contemporary, easy to read, books on China.
Thus the inconsequential chatter and easy banter that characterize this book (well, at least as much of the book as I could stand), probably would be more palatable if told as party jokes or at some other informal gathering of friends. As a book it comes off as inane and bit forced. For instance, on the phenomenon of the dearth of surname variety: "It's become so problematic that no one knows Hu's Hu in China." What, you may be thinking to yourself, is not funny about this? It may not be funny ha ha but it is certainly funny hu hu! There, see how annoying it is, and this is a book that is chockablock full of this kind of humor. It is funny at first but really wears thin after the third, or fourth or fifth, or sixth, or seventh, or eighth, or ninth or tenth, or eleventh encounter all in the space of just a few pages.
On the other hand, what can one do when one is faced with the problem of having to write a book about a place, people, and culture one knows next to nothing about and hasn't any time to ameliorate the problem? I guess he does what Mr. Troost has done; does a bit of research in the library (and some of the historical, cultural stuff that he does include in the book is interesting--if too superficially treated to be fascinating); he speaks to people who do know about the country, people and culture; he takes a whirlwind tour of the country gathering anecdotal evidence and finally, he throws it all together in a haphazard fashion and peppers it with solipsistic witticisms (or something approximating wit from a distance. For instance, the hardback version of the book is small and red, ho ho).
I can't recommend this book. Go and read his first one if you want a really good read. This one seems to come from a different person.

Lost on Planet China had me laughing out loud, cringing, and managed to evoke a gag reflex all within 100 or so pages. I have also read the author's other 2 books and found them just as informative and hilarious. He gives a completely different perspective than most travel writers and isn't shy at poking fun at himself. What's odd is that I had a large desire to visit the South Pacific Islands, especially Fiji, as well as China. Not so much any more. And I'm pretty sure that the author decided not to give his kids lung cancer by moving the family to China once he had traveled it for himself. p.s. Thanks for saving the chicken.

I began reading this book thinking it would be an easy and fun way to learn more about China. I did learn a few things about china-only a few. The writer rarely had an interpreter and reported things from his American point of view without finding anything out about the thoughts of the "Chinese people". I guess he thinks you can learn about a huge nation just by observing-without interacting with the people involved. An anthropologist he is not. His book is generously sprinkled with juvenile male "humor?" which became more and more tiresome as the book went on. I will never torture myself with any of his other writings. What a waste of time.