Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Asia - India & South Asia    3. Civilization    4. Description And Travel    5. Essays & Travelogues    6. Mishra, Pankaj    7. South Asia    8. Travel    9. Travel - Foreign    10. Western influences   

Editorial Review

For more than a decade following the end of World War II, Eric Newbytoiled away in the British fashion industry, peddling some of the ugliestclothes on the planet. (Regarding one wafer-thin model in her runway best, hewas reminded of "those flagpoles they put up in the Mall when the Queen comeshome.") Fortunately, Newby reached the end his haute-couture tether in 1956. Atthat point, with the sort of sublime impulsiveness that's forbidden to fictionalcharacters but endemic to real ones, he decided to visit a remote corner ofAfghanistan, where no Englishman had planted his brogans for at least 50 years.What's more, he recorded his adventure in a classic narrative, Read more

Reviews (21)

A Wonderful, Humorous Description of Travel
Eric Newby does an excellent job in writing about his adventures, or misadventures in the Hindu Kush.He is witty in that British way that many Americans may not understand.However, due to the popularity of Britcoms in the United States, Americans should be able to appreciate Newby's not so subtle humor.
Kush comes to Shove
Despite the occasional clunky writing [and who knows maybe because of the rough edges] this book possess a compelling charm that makes it a fun read for the most part, although it does get a tad tedious at times. Frequently hilarious, often amazing, sometimes sad, it is a book well worth the read, even if it is now ancient history.

Very entertaining
I've read Edmund Hillary's latest book.And now, for something completely different, we have Eric Newby's, um, "short" walk in the Hindu Kush.Newby is not at all a champion mountain climber like Hillary.Quite the opposite.But that is part of what makes this book interesting and funny.It is a great travel story, and I recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - Central    2. Description and travel    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. General    5. Hindu Kush Mountains    6. Hindu Kush Mountains (Afghanistan and Pakistan)    7. Newby, Eric    8. Travel    9. Travel - Foreign    10. Afghanistan    11. India    12. Travel writing    13. c 1945 to c 1960   

Reviews (14)

Poorly organized and not very handy
If your looking for an easy-reference, traveler's phrasebook...this certainly isnt for you. Buying this as a quick-reference guide to help me get through Korea for 2 weeks, I was rather dissapointed that all the phrases are kind of scattered throughout the book, while the whole first half is dedicated to grammar. If I wanted to actually learn the language, I'd have bought a text book, not a "phrase" book. At any rate, the organization of the book certainly made it hard to find what I was looking for when I needed it. And, while everything else is over descriptive, theres a very frustratingly small amount of info on numbers. They go into a lot of depth about the etimology of the numbers, but say only a few word on when to use what(i.e. these numbers are used over 100....well, how do I say 11,225...do I use all "Sino-korean" or do I mix in "Pure Korean">) In a country whose currency is set up such that few things cost lower than 1,000 won, a bit more explanation on numbers over 100 would be appreciated...and the "Quick Reference" number guide on the inside-back cover, since it only goes up to 100, is entirely worthless. Oh well, I guess I should've know since it's Lonely Planet.

excellent
This book is huge. LP korean phrasebook has everything you need and then some. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the language, studying it, or just looking for something to brush up on. Thanks amazon for the fast shipping.

Very good pronounciation and grammar tips!
While this title is not mainly a Korean /language/ title, or a book one expects to learn in depth language nicities, nonetheless, the book does an amazing job of condensing these minutiae very quickly, accurately, and somewhat completely (at a begginer level of course), in very clear language, without any weird linguist smarty pants fancy grammar jargon.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    3. Foreign Language Study    4. Korean    5. Language    6. Multi-Language Phrasebooks    7. Language self-study & phrasebooks    8. Pakistan    9. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Asia - India    2. Asia - Southwest    3. Guidebooks    4. Himalaya Mountains    5. India    6. Pakistan    7. Travel    8. Travel - Foreign    9. Himalayas    10. Indian sub-continent    11. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (2)

Great book for a great country
Pakistan is among the tourism world's best kept secrets, and this book throws open those secrets very well. Lonely Planet has always been good with detail and comprehensive coverage, and that trend continues with its coverage on Pakistan.
Wonderful details and descriptions
I found this book very helpful in getting to know this exotic country, full of adventure and culture.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Asia - Southwest    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Pakistan    6. Travel & holiday guides   

Editorial Review

Before the 1996 Everest disaster made that mountain synonymous with tragedy at 8,000 meters,there was K2. More technical in most routes than Everest, the world's second-highest peak is consideredthe ultimate achievement by many mountaineers. In 1986 K2 claimed the lives of 13 climbers in ninedifferent parties attempting its summit. Author Jim Curran was on the mountain during the ordeal, andthrough narrative and photographs, Curran documents the sagas of success, failure, and tragedy in a fatefulyear that captured the world's attention. Alongside the terror of avalanches, crevasses, and horrific stormsare stories of bravery and the indomitable human spirit. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Great Information for K2 Climbs
As a fellow mountaineer interested in climbing the mountain myself, I found the information in this book very helpful. It is a solid piece of mountaineering literature with something for every adventure enthusiast. If you are thirsting for high country adventure epics like this one (albeit on a much smaller scale), you should also explore "Rocky Mountain Adventure Collection", also available at Amazon.com.

A very engaging read
Ten years before the 1996 climbing disaster on Mt. Everest, 13 people died on the world's 2nd highest mountain -- and far greater climbing challenge -- K2. Although this book isn't as dramatic or well written as Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, it's still an excellent book full of true to life adventure and tragedy.
The title says it all -- and Heartfelt Account
Aside from being a great account of the tragic 1986 season at K2, Curran's book has the quality of masterfully weaving the author's sense of humor with his deeply felt emotions about lost friends.Read more

Subjects:  1. Description and travel    2. General    3. K2 (Mountain)    4. K2 (Pakistan : Mountain)    5. Mountaineering    6. Nature    7. Pakistan    8. Special Interest - Adventure    9. Travel    10. Climbing & mountaineering    11. Travel / Adventure    12. Travel writing   

Reviews (2)

General assumptions will lead to wrong conclusions.
V.S Naipaul should have stuck with writing fiction because his transition to non-fiction based on selected observations of Islamic practices based on some "Muslim countries" is appauling.
An Observer's Travelogue for Seekers
This book was part of my set of books I read while on a quest to understand Islam and Islamic peoples. The set includes Karen Armstrong's Islam, the Barron's Islam, Huston Smith's The World's Religions, The Essential Koran, and the Koran itself (translated, of course). Armed with a topical understanding of Islam, I began reading V. S. Naipal's Among the Believers. Wow. This is the book to understand some of the religious and political attitudes of people in Islamic countries. There are surprises and there are cases where Naipal establishes just what are the "balances".
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Subjects:  1. Travel    2. Indonesia    3. Iran    4. Islamic countries    5. Islamic studies    6. Malaysia    7. Pakistan    8. Travel writing   

Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Asia - India    3. Description    4. Guidebooks    5. Karakoram Range    6. Karakorum Highway (Pakistan)    7. Travel    8. Travel - Foreign    9. China    10. India    11. Pakistan    12. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (8)

Great Teamwork
Although I have nothing but the utmost respect for these reknowned climbers and their worthy attempt to summit K2, I did not enjoy this book nearly as much as some of the other climbing epics out there today. Classic historical climb
A 1953 climb still translates in 2002.This is a detailed account cowritten by two of the climbers and is very detailed including the long walk in.I was surprised how little mountain climbing had changed although it did appear distances traveled daily were less as they required 8 campsites to get to the peak.I find books on mountaineering expeditions very interesting although the climbs themselves contain long periods of boredom.This expedition is no different as a brutal storm stops the climbers just short of the summit.The book does a great job detailing how high altitude can effect a climber's body.One of the writers was a doctor. Not a People Place
At 28,250 feet, K-2 is the world's second highest mountain, 800 feet less than Everest.Mentally add 6,000 feet to K-2 for sheer meanness.Everest is considered a "snow" mountain; K-2 has everything.Snow, ice, rock, constant avalanches, loose shale and a generally evil disposition.Read more

Subjects:  1. (3rd :    2. 1953)    3. American Karakoram Expedition    4. Asia - India    5. Description and travel    6. K2 (Mountain)    7. K2 (Pakistan : Mountain)    8. Mountaineering    9. Pakistan    10. Special Interest - Adventure    11. Sports & Recreation    12. Travel    13. Climbing & mountaineering    14. Himalayas    15. Travel / Adventure    16. Travel writing   

Reviews (1)

Excellent.
I read this book years ago while I was living in France and I left my copy there. I have often wished I still had it. It's doubly entertaining and informative to read with the Peter Fleming book.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Essays & Travelogues    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. China    6. India    7. Inter-war period, 1918-1939    8. Pakistan    9. Travel / Essays & Travelogues    10. Travel writing   

Reviews (5)

rather unbalanced
althought this book is relativly well written and candid it seems as though the author does to full understand the culture and often misrepresents it. the pictures (although black and white) are quite nice and the descriptions of the elite in themajor cities such as karachi and lahore are close to true but not always agreeable. I visited pakistan for my friends wedding a few months ago and this book contradicts most of what i learned about their culture and ceremonies. what i found most misrepresented was the issue of sexism in pakistan. the author mentions how women have less authority than men but conveniently forgets to mention the respect and facilities they are awarded as mothers,sisters, and wives. all in all i felt this book isnt the best way to go if you really want to understand the country and the people of pakistan, this book isnt the best way to go.

By No Means Uninteresting
Having never been to Pakistan myself, I am perhaps not a fair judge of how accurate this book actually is. However, I am familiar with the Pakistani culture and I can comment on the style in which this book was written. Not for Professional Women.....
I work in foreign assistance and am very much looking forward to moving to Pakistan for my next job.I bought this book, as I have bought others in the "culture shock" series when I have worked/traveled in other developing countries for extended periods.Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Asia - India    3. Customs & Traditions    4. Etiquette    5. Pakistan    6. Social life and customs    7. Travel    8. Travel - Foreign    9. India    10. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Maps    2. Maps & Road Atlases    3. Middle East - General    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign   

Reviews (1)

A Photgraphic Misguide.
Years of birds and birdwatching has proved that for the purpose of reference books or field guides, good illustrations win hands down over photographs. A photograph of a bird is O.K. till it stays in a personal collection or, at most, in a exhibition where wannabe birdwatchers can drool over it. For a serious birdwatcher in a field, a photograph is useless.And it's not that there is a lack of illustrators. They virtually abound : Carl D' Silva, John H. Dick, Martin Woodcock, Irani, just to name a few.Read more

Subjects:  1. Birds & Birdwatching - General    2. Photography    3. Pictorials    4. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    5. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/Asia    6. Travel   

Reviews (4)

Huge Egos on a Huge Mountain
I thoroughly enjoyed this account of the 1975 American K2 Expedition. The wonderful photos and the well-written text were some of the best I've encountered in mountaineering literature. Titans clash on K2!
Most mountaineering books chronicle successful ascents.Rowell offers an even more fascinating study in the failure of an expedition plagued by titan egos: famous mountaineers proving themselves no gods.Thephotography is... breathtaking!

Dirty Laundry
The laundry in this expedition gets aired in this book.This seems to be the book that the movie K2 was based on. A lot of the characters and events are similar. Rowell gives a lot of historical background from otherexpeditions to K2. Rowell writes this novel from his perspective, but healso uses the diaries from the other expedition members to tell the story.He also gives the perspective from the porters point of view, however, itseems like he is mostly guessing what the porters feel and think and I'venever like that from a ethnographic point of view. Considering the troublethe expedition had, it's a wonder that any of them wanted to return.Someof the best photographs of the region are shown.Galen is greatphotographer. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - India    2. K2 (Mountain)    3. Mountaineering    4. Mountaineers    5. Pakistan    6. Photo Essays    7. Photography    8. Travel - World    9. United States    10. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (8)

Excellent Guide To Pakistan
It gives you an insight into the history and the people of Pakistan, as well as everything a tourist should know, i.e. cheap places too stay, what to eat, how to travel, the local customs, etc. And, by the way, there's nothing wrong with the map, though perceptions may differ as to which part(s) of Kashmir are free & democratic and which are not.

Good Text, Wrong Map
The book is written very well. Gives all the information a traveller could possibly use. The only thing wrong with is the map of Pakistan and Kashmir. Kashmir is shown to be a part of India which is totally wrong. One part of Kashmir - Azad Kashmir is independant whereas the other half is occupied by India. The map of Kashmir should be corrected to earn the fifth star.

Lonely Planet: Informative & Thorough (As Always)
Without bringing my political affiliations and leanings into this review (...), I can safely vouch for this travel guide to Pakistan. Informative, thorough, honest and highly enjoyable, Lonely Planet has come through again! I utilized their travel books throughout my recent trip to India and Pakistan and was never led wrong (infact they have saved my behind a few times, especially in Pak), but overall enhanced my experience as they encouraged me to try new and different things while there and also gave me some pointers on how to interact with the locals. One negative point to mention: Lonely Planet Pakistan doesn't stress and/or inform about the heckling, whistling, and unwanted male attention foreign girls (even those who are of Indian origin) have to suffer through, enough. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - India    2. Asia - Southwest    3. General    4. Guidebooks    5. Pakistan    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign   

Subjects:  1. Maps    2. Maps & Road Atlases    3. Middle East - General    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign   

Subjects:  1. Asia - India    2. Maps    3. Travel - Foreign    4. India    5. Indian sub-continent    6. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Subjects:  1. Pakistan    2. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Subjects:  1. Afghanistan    2. India    3. Pakistan    4. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY    5. Uzbekistan   

Subjects:  1. 20th Century Description And Travel    2. Asia - India    3. Description and travel    4. Himalaya Mountains Region    5. Outdoor Life    6. Photo Essays    7. Travel - Foreign    8. Climbing & mountaineering    9. Himalayas