Beijing [Paperback]

Peter Neville-Hadley (Author)

Book Description

Series: Country & Regional Guides - Cadogan | Publication Date: August 1, 2000

Neville-Hadley's knowledge and love of his adopted home make for a great guidebook. He knows the language and turf. Plus, he enjoys tromping off-the-track and zestfully describes his discoveries. The result is an infectious, informative read.

While guidebooks are rarely read for pleasure, this one offers an argument for the armchair. Fun but authoritative, the book is written in the strong voice of someone who loves poking around Beijing's hutongs, buzzing with pleasure at each new find... old China hands will even learn a thing or two. And the well-worn tourist attractions like the Forbidden City are given a new spin in a refreshing break from all the been-there-seen-that guides on the shelf.

TIME

"More than comprehensive" is the best way to describe Cadogan Beijing, an exhaustive 422-page guidebook to the Chinese capital by veteran China traveller Peter Neville-Hadley. Listing Chinese characters throughout, this book tells you more than you'll ever need to know about Beijing and the Chinese way, from history to hutong and how not to lose face.

Holiday Asia

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Cadogan's new and comprehensive guide to China's capital takes you not only round the imposing remnants of imperial grandeur, but into warrens of ancient housing, to remote temples in leafy countryside, and to the bustling markets and glittering nightlife of the new economy. Dozens of day trips take you out of the capital to multiple Great Wall sites, elaborate tomb complexes and bizarre museums, and further afield to the mountain and seaside playgrounds of the emperors and their modern successors. This guide is immensely practical and detailed with coverage of sights, restaurants, hotels, shopping and transport options, many yet to be discovered by other guides. There are Chinese characters throughout that help you find your own way around, and order yourself the best of Chinese cooking from street snacks to banquets. There is a thoroughly researched accommodation guide that gives both comprehensive budget listings and the best of the middle and luxury markets. (5 3/4 x 8 1/4, 432 pages, maps, charts)

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Cadogan Guides; 1st edition (August 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1860119336
• ISBN-13: 978-1860119330
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,499,768 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN ESSENTIAL BOOK EVEN IF YOU ARE ON A "PACKAGED" TOUR, August 10, 2000

By 

Gare Lecompte (Roanoke, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beijing (Paperback)

Because Beijing is really the "historic heart" of China, everyone seems to go there. If you do, this book is an "absolute must" to carry along whether you are on a "packaged tour" or an experienced independent traveler!

It not only contains the most complete information on Beijing I've seen in nearly 20 years of frequent trips there, but it goes far beyond to cover things of both interest and necessity. Ever wonder how the Chinese language works? This books tells you in a very understandable fashion. The information on how to travel, what to take, etc. is excellent even for the most experienced China traveler.

The information on where to stay, eating out, and entertainment is 42 pages of "pure gold." It is worth the cost of the book just for these very well detailed recommnedations!

The maps are generally functional, but in case you do not have 20/20 vision, you'll will want to also pick up one of the free ones at your hotel desk for larger dimensions.

This is undoubtedly the best guidebook for Beijing, and will set the standard for future imitators to follow.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Peter Neville-Hadley's guide is one of the best out today!, June 1, 2001

By 

Allan M. Gathercoal "fdoamerica" (Norcross, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beijing (Paperback)

Peter Neville-Hadley is an impressive and informative travel writer. His candid "call 'em like they are" inspires a reader’s confidence in his evaluations. He is the anthesis of the insipid writer that panders to commercial tourism.

He is blunt about short comings both in the society and Chinese travel industry. Regarding the government dominated tourist industry he warns you about Chinese museums and historic sites. He writes, "Misrepresentation of the true history of a site is commonplace, whether for political reasons intended to exalt the communist party or put the blame for destruction wholly on foreigners." Regarding hotels, he is in the government's face, "China's star rating system in not to be trusted." And the police fair no better, "Police in China are generally to be avoided... they are assumed to be corrupt until proven honest". My experiences during my recent trip to China provided him correct. You can trust his recommendations and reflections on both Beijing and China.

I enjoyed his view points on both history and current affairs. His small section on 'Christianity in China' is excellent and he is blunt about how Christian influence was stunted significantly in China because of its own short comings, he writes "It was the Christians own squabbling that lost them their influence in China." He is skeptical about the hype over China’s emergences as the dominating superpower, he states, "Stories of China becoming the biggest economic superpower in the near future are greatly exaggerate". He goes on to give his reasoning.

He has an 'A to Z' section (climate and crime, media, money and museums, police and post offices, etc.) that is very useful and interesting. Neville-Hadley has the wonderful ability to condense 1000 years of history into ten pages that you can digest and understand; a talent that so many other travel writers can’t do in twice the space.

His accommodations & restaurant guides are accurate and good. Also, if you want to get rate quotes or make a hotel reservation on line he is one of the few guides that lists email addresses and web sites. The section on Internet Resources stands out among Beijing guides. Neville-Hadley goes on to give you some of the best web site available. To weak areas stop this guide from rating five stars. Maps. Well written evaluations and recommendation and good, useful maps comprise 70% of a travel guide’s worth. The maps in this book are difficult to use and not as helpful as maps found in other guides.

Next, and a weakness of many guides, is the absence of a hotel/ restaurant index. Thus, if you have a recommended restaurant you have to go through all the list 'til you stumble across it or miss seeing it completely

However, if you are going to just visit Beijing and the surrounding areas, and if you enjoy reading an opinionated travel writer then Peter Neville-Hadley's guide is one of the best out today (the other being 'The MINI Rough Guide to Beijing by Simon Lewis' - see review). Highly recommenced 4 ½ stars.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding and necessary travel book, May 30, 2001

By 

G. Lee (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beijing (Paperback)

I've been a member of the author's mailing list, ORIENTAL-LIST, for several year, which discusses in-depth travel questions about China. The book has lots of very practical advice as well lots of historical information, written in a highly personal style, sometimes with lots of humor. The book provides Chinese characters next to each of the tourist sights writeups (no thumbing for an appendix). Also good English-Chinese mini-dictionary in the back which could be helpful if you're lost or confused just point to a name. I'm traveling to Beijing and Shanghai this summer with a large 2 large choruses and I plan on buying this in bulk for tour members.