96 of 98 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Decent Background Information - But Too Topical, December 14, 2000
This review is from: Culture Shock! India (Culture Shock! A Survival Guide to Customs & Etiquette) (Paperback)
I read this book approximately a month before going to India on business. Although this added to my already growing excitement, I found that this book was really geared more toward one who was either going to be casually traveling or living there on a permanent basis.
I found that I was not at all prepared for what India had to offer - now, that wasn't because I hadn't done enough research, rather because of the random and chaotic nature of where I was located.
Pros: The first few chapters go into topics such as political history, represented religions, holidays, festivals, and other good things to know. The author then takes us through setting up a household, to having servants, how dinner parties are organized and executed, and other feasibly useful information.
Cons: Although this is written by an Indian person, the information within is simply given without explanation. I didn't learn why some of the comments made in the book were true until I had been there for a while, and I didn't realize how classist some of the situations presented were until I had experienced the situation myself.
If you are looking to learn of practical things to do, ways to get around, and what to probably really expect once you step off of the plane on your first visit, I would suggest a travel book such as Lonely Planet, or Fodors.
This book is worth reading, but don't expect this to be your only guide.
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44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for those planning more than a short tour, May 31, 2001
This review is from: Culture Shock! India (Culture Shock! A Survival Guide to Customs & Etiquette) (Paperback)
I'll be brief, so as not to echo others' comments. Preparing for a six month stint in India for business, I was unsatisfied after reading other "guide" books. Looking for something more than a history lesson and hot spot list, I reached for Culture Shock!. This book details subtle nuances that exist between US and Indian cultures. Great read and highly recommended!
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37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
India for Dummies, September 23, 2001
This book brought me interesting thoughts about India; both nostalgic and humorous. The book is written with a view to satisfy a female traveller, but it does not make much generalizations in this aspect. Even though a person living in India might feel this book paints a distorted view, anyone who has seen the world outside India will find this book more entertaining and useful.
This is not considered as a tour guide for a person who is just passing through the airports. If you ever thought India is just like what you see in Jackson heights (N.Y.) or Devon St (Chicago) or as in the movie "City of Joy", you are mistaken . Nowhere in the world you could see people living with contrasting environments and outlook of life, sharing a wall between 19th and 20th (21st?) century at the same moment.
Gitanjali Kolanad introduces some assumptions as to why the Indian life is so contradictory in many aspects. The author provides a brief, but well narrated history of this south Asian region and tries to analyze the origin of the social heirarchy,the division of labour and the attitudes of Indians to these.
This book is an honest oversimplification of the problems a foreigner will face and the author gives some valuable advice and certain quick fixes. I would say you need an open mind and this book before you start your passage to India.
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