Reviews (7)

Outstanding Photos and history
I purchased three books on Angkor Wat after my week visit to Siem Reap, Cambodia and this book was by far the best I have seen.The photos are excellent and the narration in very informative.It is expensive but worth it.

Awesome Angkor
Wow, what a spectacular book, truly amazing.I was blown away by the quality of the photography, the reader actually feels like they are in the jungle amid the ruins of Angkor.I have never visited Angkor Wat and probably never will, but after experiencing this book, I feel somehow that I have been there.The quality of the book is superior and the book even comes in a wonderful case.The publisher should be congradulated, it's a luxurious book.Some books are extremely expensive and you wonder why, I can assure you, you will not ask that about this one.If you have any interest in this subject or just like to own beautiful things I urge you to purchase this book, it will be a jewel in your book collection

A Must-Have Book on Angkor Temples
Through his magical photographic eye, Jon Ortner has created a wondrous collection of striking images and scholarly prose.His perfectly lit photographs and well-documented historic descriptions allow one to easily understand this complicated ancient subject.Each temple is clearly organized into relevant sections from the central Angkor area to the rare and never-before-seen temples in the outer lying areas.If you have visited Angkor - Ortner's book is the perfect addition to your library.Or, if you have not visited, this book provides the perfect impetus. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Angkor (Extinct city)    2. Archaeology    3. Architectural & Industrial    4. Asia - Southeast Asia    5. Cambodia    6. History - General History    7. International Architecture - Asian    8. Pictorial works    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Temples    12. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 500 to c 1500    13. History of art: c 500 CE to c 1400    14. Places & peoples: general interest    15. Religious buildings    16. South East Asia    17. Photography    18. History    19. Travel   

Reviews (5)

Frommer's Thailand
Great and informative. Really could have reviewed a few more of the really exceptional top end restaurants in Thailand known mainly to the locals. More pictures of the area's you are visiting would be nice. My favorite hotel in the whole of Thailand would have to be Anantara Goldern Triangle - not to be missed.

Unjustly Maligned
I like this guide for the very reason others seem to bash it: it's written for the non-backpacker who would rather avoid sleeping on a luggage rack or eating in a hole in the wall. Been there, done that. But now I'm older and and can afford to budget a luxury or two when I travel. There's plenty of information on the sights, streets, spectacles, etc., but as noted, the tips on accommodation focus on 3.5-star places and above.

The author assumes too little of the traveler to Thailand
I bought the Frommers book mostly to meet the spending limit required to get free shipping for my online order .. and because it's smaller than the LP and bigger than Fodors (not bad), which I already have .. and I was curious.I've been to Thailand several times and speak decent Thai.This guide book is like your parents' or your grandparents' guidebook, though it tries in little ways to be different.It's characterization of travel in Thailand, and assumptions about your attitudes, says to me "you don't really want to see the real Thailand".They feel you'll be happiest at the newest, more expensive, cleanest, most Western hotels and restaurants and that you'll be more interested in the best-run, well-lit, safe and sanitary and `gee those curious Thai' types of attractions. They encourage you to be wary and worried (not always a bad idea, but hey, Thailand is a very safe place compared to the Americas!) and concerned about your hygiene (Thais, on average, are more concerned about hygiene than Westerners).
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Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Thailand    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Asia / Southeast   

Reviews (15)

This book stays next to my desk in all seasons.
It is a great pleasure to be able to casually open A YEAR IN JAPAN, which stays next to my desk, and find a page by chance.On any given day, I might see a lovely two-page spread of maple leaves; an absorbing story (one of my favorites) in the author's fine print/cursive mix about her task of carefully tracing out the characters of a sutra in order to gain admittance to the Moss Temple; a tempting diagram of "sweets made especially for moon viewing"; an account of GUYS AND DOLLS performed by an all-female, Japanese cast; an illustration of a very comforting view from the inside of a Japanese taxi.
Great gift for anyone interested in Japanese culture
This is a very nice book capturing the Japanese culture and everyday life. The wonderful drawings make this book unique. Excellent for anyone looking for something besides the ordinary travel guide.

O-Bento for the Soul
This isn't a Happy Meal or a steak dinner or an endless buffet of plot twists.It's a perfect balance of subtle flavors.
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Subjects:  1. (Kate Tower),    2. 1979-    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Asia - Japan    5. Description And Travel    6. Essays & Travelogues    7. History - General    8. In art    9. Japan    10. Themes, motives    11. Travel    12. Travel - Foreign    13. Williamson, Kate T.    14. Art / Design / General    15. Popular culture   

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast    2. Reference - Guides (General)    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. Singapore    7. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (3)

Even better than what is taught in school @^:^@
Very high Quality book. The chapter entitled "The Country and Its People"is an excellent account and analyses of our Philippine history.Even better than what is taught in school here.You will be ready to appreciate my country during your visit.It contains many, many beautiful color pictures on high quality paper.I would read this book before I left & take the latest edition of the Lonely Planet Guide with me.

Great travel book
The Philippines tourism bureau should distribute free copies of this book, because it really does a good job of showing off the country in all its glory.I recently spent a lot of time looking at various travel books to research a trip to Palawan/El Nido, and this was the only book that I felt covered the topic adequately.Besides the great text, the book is packed with beautiful pictures!

a treasure in a travel book
I just finished reading the chapter entitled "The Country and Its People" in Traveler's Philippines Companion. I consider it to be one of the best, if not the very best, accounts and analyses of the history of a nation thatI've ever read. My wife, who is Filipino, said it is easily superior inbreadth and depth to what she learned in school.Impressively, itaccomplishes this in a most succinct fashion. I never expected to find sucha treasure in a travel book.I now feel much enlightened on the subjectand therefore well primed to appreciate the country I'm about to visit. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Philippines    5. Travel & holiday guides    6. Travel / Asia / General   

Reviews (1)

An absolute "must-have" for international travelers
The Treasures And Pleasures Of Thailand And Myanmar: Best Of The Best In Travel And Shopping is an absolute "must-have" for international travelers looking to obtain quality goods or souvenirs from Thailand at a reasonable price. Intended as a supplementary resource and not a general-purpose travel guide, The Treasures And Pleasures Of Thailand And Myanmar focuses specifically upon obstacles, negotiation techniques, and tips and tricks for those interested in shopping for everything from gemstones to textiles to artworks and much more. From learning how to walk away from the "touts" that try to lure tourists into overpriced stores (overpriced because the store must pay the tout a 10% to 40% commission for the service!), to a step-by-step introduction to the art of haggling, to knowing how to avoid paying thousands of dollars for what might be a cheap knock-off gemstone, to why even the locals may not always obtain the best deals (some shopkeepers can give tourists a lower price than their repeat local customers - who would expect the same bargain every time they walked through the door) to dealing with cultural differences and much more, The Treasures And Pleasures Of Thailand And Myanmar zeroes in on exactly what the money-conscious tourist in Thailand needs to know.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast    2. Southeast Asia - History    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. Asian / Middle Eastern history    7. South East Asia    8. Travel & holiday guides    9. Travel / Asia / Southeast   

Editorial Review

British born author Simon Winchester lived in Hong Kong before setting off on a journey up the Chang Jiang or Yangtze River as it is most often referred to in the West. In Read more

Reviews (32)

Me like pictures!
Maybe I should be a little embarrassed about this, but my first reaction is...why weren't there any pictures?
Yes, terribly disappointing!
I agree totally with Yau in the previous review. Mr. Winchester is more interested in sharing the British (yawn) history of China, not giving us much else about the culture and beauty of the Yangtze and its people. I have been to China 2&1/2 wks and also taken a cruise (5 days) of the Yangtze and for him to make it all so boring is more than annoying, it is almost criminal. Perhaps his ego supersedes him. I would not buy this book, in fact I was uanble to even read more than a couple chapters, it was that boring and dry. The one by Mr. Hessler is an absolute winner.I read it once a year at least to refresh my amazing memories of China.

Disappointing...
Simon Winchester's journey up the Yangtze river is often poetic and overruns with historical detail every eddie of the way up the river. If anything, this is an incredible historical text of China. The author's research is impeccable and undeniable. However, every word of the way through this book I couldn't help but feel a profound disappointment in what could have been, but clearly is not, one of the the most epic journeys of our time. Mr. Winchester's timing was perfect, a trip up the Yangtze before the Three Gorges dam would change it forever and as the country is experiencing a rebirth that will soon make it the largest economic superpower in the world where it is destined to stay for the next century.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Essays & Travelogues    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign   

Editorial Review

Before Everest, there was Annapurna. Maurice Herzog led an expedition of French climbers to the summit of this 26,000-foot Himalayan peak in 1950. At the time of the assault, it was the highest mountain ever climbed, a remarkable feat in itself made all the more remarkable by the fact that it had never previously been charted. Herzog and his team not only had to climb the darn thing, they had to find the route. As riveting as the tale of the ascent remains nearly half a century later, the story of the descent through virtually unsurvivable--think avalanche and frostbite, for starters--conditions is unforgettable. Herzog's masterful account, finally back in print, is a monument of courage and spirit, an epic adventure excitingly told. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Great story, flawed method.
Reading the other reviews of this book, I'm reminded of a quote from one of my favorite, although little known Sean Connery movies, where he plays an Arab pirate.At one point Connery says to his second in command: "It is good.""What is good?", replies the other man."It is good to know where we are going," answers Connery.Alas, Herzog and his men didn't know where they were going, and spent a month wandering around looking.It would have been good to send out an initial recon group to find the mountain before they started out.Or, to paraphrase an english adventurer, "to lose a pack animal is unfortunate; to lose an entire mountain seems downright careless."

An Amazing Story of Incredible Human Endurance
Wow! This is one of those real life adventure stories that has you wondering how much more the people can endure before they collapse and die. These guys climbed one of the world's most difficult mountains with old climbing technology. What they lacked in modern equipment, they made up for with strength and fitness. The more I read about mountaineering, the more I agree that it is 75% mental and 25% physical. Being in the best physical condition possible definitely gives you a better opportunity for success on high ground. If you liked this book, I encourage you to read my book "Rocky Mountain Adventure Collection". Best wishes on your adventures in life!

Mountaineering Classic
A marvellous book. Remarkably written, griping, and inspiring. A must for all mountaineers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1919-    2. Annapurna    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. General    5. Herzog, Maurice,    6. Mountain Climbing    7. Mountaineering    8. Nepal    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Travel    11. Herzog, Maurice    12. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY    13. Travel / Polar Regions   

Reviews (2)

The only comprehensive guide to the gardens of Kyoto
This book is an indispensible aide to anyone planning a trip on his own. This book contains over 50 individual entries describing the gardens of Kyoto and environs, grouped by geographic location within the city. Overview maps for the different districts show the approximate location of the individual gardens, so that the traveller can put together itineraries for daytrips in the Kyoto area.
A Guide to The Gardens of Kyoto, Marc Treib and Ron Herman
Don't leave home without this book! Anyone who is planning a trip to Japan (resident foreigners included) and has even the slighest interest learning about the Gardens of Kyoto should buy a copy of this superb book, which is small enough to carry in your shoulder bag. The book contains gives the balance of detail,giving good a historical background and landscape points overview. This is a buy you will not regret. Well done to the authors. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - Japan    2. Gardening    3. Gardening/Plants    4. General    5. Japanese Gardens - General    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Gardens (descriptions, history etc)    8. Japan    9. Landscape art & architecture   

Reviews (14)

This book captures Thailand's soul.....
As someone who has recently "discovered" the magic and charms of Thailand, like many who've come away from first visits the huge variety of sights, sounds, tastes and "life" leave us perplexed yet so eager to learn much more about this wonderful culture! "Travellers' Tales Thailand: True Stories" answers many of our questions in such a fun way through interesting, even fascinating stories about real people and real places in Thailand.
pack it in your suitcase
This collection of essays are each written by various people ranging from tourists to natives and conveys a good sense of the diverse aspects of life in Thailand. Used as a compliment to a standard travel book, it will benefit anyone planning a visit to Thailand.

Thus far, the best of the many Travelers' Tales books I've read
I am a great fan of the Travelers' Tales series, which has added immeasurably to the pleasure of my travel, and to the recollection of those travels.But this is my first review of one of their books; reviewing collections of short pieces is tough, because you must limit yourself to overall impressions, there isn't space to describe every piece.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast    2. Description and travel    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. Social life and customs    5. Thailand    6. Travel    7. Travel - General    8. Travel & holiday guides    9. Travel writing    10. TRAVEL / Essays & Travelogues   

Reviews (47)

A hunter, a humanitarian, a lover of nature
A lot of tigers and leopards die in this book.If you belong to PETA, then, this isn't the book for you.Jim Corbett begins with the premise that tigers and leopards who kill humans must be killed.
Man eaters of Kumaon review
Man eaters of Kumaon is a fantastic book about hunting Royal Bengal tigers in the Indian Himilaya. The author describes his thrilling hunts with great descriptive passages and when he hunts, he does so with great care and passion. In fact he shot the Pipil Pani tiger because he was eating sheep, goats, and other small domestic animals. He shot the Bachelor of Powlghar because he had attacked one of his freinds. The bachelor of Powlghar was recorded as being one of the largest Bengal tigers ever, he was ten foot seven inches over curves!
A classic
The author could describe each scene so well you thought you were there in his shoes. He describes nature like no other. I bought this book used for $0.25 , I wasn't expecting much - it is for sure one of the best books I have ever read.
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Subjects:  1. Essays    2. Essays & Travelogues    3. Foreign Language Study    4. History: World    5. Hunting - General    6. Hunting Sports    7. Italian    8. Language    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Biography: sport    11. History / India    12. History, World | India    13. Hunting or shooting animals & game    14. India   

Reviews (3)

Travel Perfume
I just unwrapped my Insight Giuide Vietnam from Amazon. It has some of the most beautiful photographs I have ever seen. The travel text is simply icing on the cake. Anyone involved in a trip to Vietnam will want this book on their shelf. This book will excite your imagination, and guarantee that you will have beautiful memories of your trip even if you lose your camera.

Insight Pocket Guides Vietnam (2nd Edition)
Although it includes most of the information I found in Fodor's, it wasn'tas detailed.It's as if the writer assumes the reader knows his way aroundHanoi or other larger cities.Top sights to visit are blurred together. Maps were difficult to read.

Vietnam Bound
While the Insight Guides do not provide the best info as far as hotels andrestaurants, they give excellent background info and tourist info.A greatresource. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Travel & holiday guides    6. Vietnam   

Editorial Review

From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years, and as a result has experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach.While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.Read more

Reviews (31)

Good, but not as good as other Lonely Planet
As a disclaimer, I am a huge fan of the Lonely Planet travel guides. I like to travel, and have lately traveled to quite a few countries following recommendations from Lonely Planet. Just before going to Turkey, I was in Greece "with Lonely Planet".
Inaccurate and out-of-date
This guide is seriously out of date. This applies not only to prices, and relative prices, but also to critical information about what is available and how to find it. Having used it (Sept., 2006), my advice is not to rely on it without checking independently that what it says is available and how to get there is correct. Otherwise you may find that you have been expensely (in time or in money) misled. Since you should check with other sources, you might as well simply forget this guide, which is one of the worst I have ever used. Its recommendations about what is worth seeing and the state of hotels, while often useful, can also be wildly wrong.

Reliability is 50-50
My wife and I just returned from a two-week trip to the Aegean coast of Turkey.While we were certainly better off with the LP than without it, we found the sections on the Aegean coast to be unreliable.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Eastern    2. Middle East - General    3. Middle East - Turkey    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel Guides    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Turkey   

Reviews (9)

Many deficiencies
I always purchase Lonely Planet (LP) books when I travel, and they have never steered me wrong.But, this LP Korea edition doesn't seem to follow the standard format to which I have become accustomed.To start with, the table of contents is almost non-existent.The table of contents in many LP books can be up to 10 pages.In this book, the table of contents is half a page.It is very difficult to find the section you are looking for.
Decent, but lacking...
To say that this guidebook is lacking would be a bit of an understatement, unfortunately. Why? Because, for example, it includes absolutely NO coverage of one of South Korea's larger cities, Ulsan, which is famous for being the home of the international Hyundai motor company, and was also one of the host cities during the World Cup in 2002. The population is over 1 million people, and to think that such a significant (if slightly industrial) city could be overlooked is proof that the authors of this guide have only scratched the surface of what Korea has to offer the world. Otherwise, I have to give them credit for producing a guide for the country AT ALL, considering that there are hardly any worth buying out that now as it is. I just recommend that for the next edition they do a little more research before publishing it.

Good Korea coverage in onl y 400 pages
I travel to Korea on business trips lasting 2-3 weeks, and the many sightseeing days mixed into those frequent trips has allowed me to evaluate this and several other Korea guides. This Lonely Planet's guide covers Korea efficiently, in 400 pages, by including details you'll need, and leaving out details on obscure cities rarely visited, and omitting rambling historical notes found in guides such as Moon Handbooks' South Korea (~850 pages!).For example, Lonely Planet covers Busan's Geumgang Fortress in less than half the text used by Moon Handbooks; however, the latter fails to provide adequate directions on getting there, and forgets to warn of the maddening crowds found on holidays, and weekends - important info included in Lonely Planet Korea. Faced with the challenge of Busan's tens of thousands of restaurants, Moon Handbooks chooses to review NONE and only suggests city areas to look for them, while Lonely Planet Korea gives us helpful reviews of specific restaurants. If like me you plan on spending more than a few days in Seoul, you'll find it useful to combine Lonely Planet Korea with Lonely Planet Seoul, because the latter includes far more detail for your Seoul visit.Be sure to visit the tourist information centers (found in major airports) upon your arrival and get the free city maps.I suggest you withdraw extra Won from the ATM's in Seoul (or Busan's Gimhae airport) because you'll find ATM's that accept international cards very difficult to find in cities outside Seoul. Don't buy Moon Handbooks' South Korea unless you're planning a Korea trip length of over a month and need details on obscure cities, and want pages of historical info on every city. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Asia - Korea    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Korea    6. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (36)

What would Theroux say today, over 20 years later?
I read this book over a week-long period, almost 20 years after he rode the Iron Rooster through China.The many commentaries of country life, the weird customs of the people and the constant yearning to shoot birds for food made me wonder if China today is still like it was 20 years ago.I certainly hope it is not, but Theroux's style and detailed observations of miniscule events make this a very interesting, graphic read.I had the sense of where I was in the country, from the barren desert to the freezing mountains and every track inbetween.I didn't want to get off the train.
Scrutinizing The Inscrutable
For many travel writers, the point is more in the journey than the destination. That is especially true with Paul Theroux here. Whether it is the rubble of the Great Wall, the desolate wastes of Inner Mongolia, or the awe-inspiring vistas of Tibet, Theroux uses the various places of China he encounters by rail as a backdrop for what interests him most, the people.
What a trip!
I promise you will live this journey! It is incredible how Theroux describes the people, the places. A rail journey through China was nothing short of heroic back then, and I am sure would be nothing short of heroic now. I met the people, sat on the train, ate the strange foods, could taste the strange foods, slept on floors, in what is kindly described as inns. The rail stations, the villages, the towns.And the weather. I cannot imagine freezing like that, or sweating like that. Or can I???
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Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Asia - Far East    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. General    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel / Asia / Far East   

Subjects:  1. Comics & Graphic Novels    2. Fine Arts    3. General    4. Graphic Novels    5. Humor    6. Literary    7. Comics & Graphic Novels / Literary   

Reviews (1)

Excellent practical information, improved cultural suggestions
The Lonely Planet guides are very often the best when it comes to providing practical information such as maps, changing money, the best way to get from A to B, etc.This edition of the Tokyo guide is no exception.It has everything you need to plan your trip and to get around Tokyo.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - Japan    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Japan    6. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (8)

trans Siberian Handbook
Have just finished the trip - this guide is fantastic the trip would have been a lot less without it.Every one around us borrowed it

The best book for Trans-Siberian travelers
I have used this book multiple times while traveling the Trans-Siberian.During my first trip, it helped me to get my bearings and to plan the practicalities.On subsequent trips, I was able to enjoy the detailed maps and information about stops along the way.It is very accurate and detailed.I still found a previous version useful several years after publication.It does focus primarily on stops directly on the route.For those who with to travel further afield, I wrote the book ROAMING RUSSIA: An Adventurer's Guide to Off The Beaten Track Russia and Siberia.The Trans-Siberian Handbook is an essential book for Siberian rail travelers.I highly recommend it.

Really helpful
I found this book to be of great help in planning my Trans-Siberian trip.It is organized and contains information that will definitely be indispensible along the way: basic translations of common terms, general info on departure cities other than Russia and things I would never think of adding to a travel guidebook.Read more

Subjects:  1. Former Soviet Republics    2. Railroads - General    3. Russia    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Siberia    7. Travel / Russia    8. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Reviews (5)

very helpful
I gave this book as a gift to a family member who was going to the Ukraine, and we found it to be very informative and useful.

Ukraine Travel Guide
This is a great book to learn part of the history of the Ukraine, what to see while you are there, what to be cautious of, and how to get around.Very informative.I really liked the section in the back with Ukraine/English translations.This book will travel with me as a ready reference while I am in the Ukraine!!This is the first Lonely Planet book I've purchased and I'm sure there will be more!

Not up to lonely planet standards
The lonely planet series has generally been wonderful.Every time I bought one, they were not only a fun read but were chalk full of info on things to see and do.The Ukraine book, however, seems very disappointing in comparison.For one, the book is very small for such a big country.The author only visits a number of selected cities and totally ignores whole sections of the country, especially in the east which has 5 pages for the entire section.Even within those cities she does visit, however, the sightseeing oppurtunities (according to her) appear very sparse, the accomodations listed are very limited, and there is very little information about day trips or things to see outside the city. Finally, the entire book is very politicized.It looks like she wrote the book during the Orange Revolution, and got caught up in the strong nationalistic and anti-russian feelings that accompanied it.Unfortunately, this also shows through in her writing.
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Subjects:  1. Former Soviet Republics    2. General    3. Russia    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel - General    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Ukraine   

Reviews (13)

As good as dead . . .
This is the angriest book I've read about women in Islamic countries since Geraldine Brooks' "Nine Parts of Desire." Author Ann Jones, who has written before of violence against women, finds no reason to applaud the so-called liberation of women in post-Taliban Afghanistan, where traditional ultraconservative attitudes toward women (which she points out have no basis in Islam itself) continue to prevail. Considered property to be bought and sold, they have lives that often lead to child marriages, domestic violence, prison, murder, and suicide. A woman at odds with either her husband's or her father's family, the author argues, is as good as dead. She often holds accountable the often glamorized mujahadin, who fought the Soviets for a decade with arms from the West and then, after driving them out, went on to destroy much of what was left of the country with a long civil war.
Unravelling the Afghan Victory...
Okay, we never found the monster Osama Bin Laden, but look at what we did accomplish. We whupped the Taliban, chased down Al Qaeda, and broughtTruth, Justice and The American Way to the humble and grateful Afghanis.Oh, and we liberated the women folk too, while we were at it.People Magazine ran stories about women with nothing but one rat-tailed comb and a lot of grit opening up beauty salons. Men were free to fly kites, and everyone could listen to music and enjoy the harmless pastimes forbidden by their cruel opressors. With the U.S. running things, women could toss aside the burkhas and veils. Everyone was going to be free, equal and happy.After the pain and anger of the September 11th tragedy, we were back. Mission accomplished.So why is this Ann Jones stirring up trouble, looking around and telling us different. Why is she interviewing Afghani men and women? We already know they're better off now.Ms. Jones takes a deep look at what the overthrow of the Taliban means to the average Afghani, nd to the women in particular. What she sees is disquieting and discomfiting because it takes us beyond the spin.Her first-hand descriptions and conversations with Afghani women and men reveal not Kabul a la Disney, but one more Potemkin village.The rosy pictures of happy independent women heading to shops, offices or university classrooms are as phony as the doctored Iraqi photos of crowds straining to tear down Saddam's statue. "Men are first," is one of the first words we hear from an Afghani woman in the book's early pages. "Kabul in Winter" indicates that not much has changed except for the tune played in the American press. The destruction and the fighting continue...but now, America isn't paying much attention. After all, we already won. Who needs to hear about the Taliban regrouping? Or that women are slapped around by their husbands, their voices are suppressed, their actions monitored, just like in the bad old Taliban days. For those who want a dose of reality, Jones delivers. For those who want feel good infotainment, there's always Fox News and the talking heads who never get nearer to Afghanistan than a Pentagon press release.

Hard times in Afghanistan for women , educators and local citizens
This is an excellent book regarding the problems of the Afghan culture in regard to treatment and feelings about women and the conditions under which the educators must work.Ann Jones shows in detail some of the serious threats that the average Afghan deals with on a daily basis.The culture is imbedded with religious attitudes and will be a very, very long time changing or advancing.Democracy...a theory they dont understand as they have no frame of reference to compare with what they have now and in the past. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Afghanistan    2. Anthropology - Cultural    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Asia - Central    5. Asia - Central Asia    6. Customs & Traditions    7. Description And Travel    8. History    9. History: World    10. Islamic Studies    11. Kabul (Afghanistan)    12. Social life and customs