Customer Reviews

Enjoying India: The Essential Handbook

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Being an Indian myself, I can tell you that this book is an authentic account about India. It is obvious that the author is someone who has lived and traveled in India over a long period of time. India is such a vast country that it is difficult for even Indians to gain such a depth of knowledge about the country as this author has achieved.

From the insights that the book oozes, it is evident that the author has travelled the breadth and height of India. I have read a few other accounts about India by westerners and was always disappointed by the superficial nature of those books and observations.

However, this book was a surprise. With a very humorous point of view, it was thoroughly enjoyable and I read it in almost one sitting. It is a must for anyone to carry and read if they are visiting India even for a brief time. This book prepares you for the surprises that await here.

The author's observations are presented without bias and prejudice. It was an open minded thesis that delved deep into the psyche of the Indian phenomenon. This is obviously an effort that should have spanned several years of unrelenting research and observation.

Whatever it is, this certainly is not anything that falls under the genre of books that typically stereotype India. It looks beyond the usual shocking point of view of India as a country of elephants and tigers. This book is about the real contemporary India and about real Indians.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in India. I also commend and thank the author for an unbiased view of my country that I so love.

Enjoying India - A Traveler's Handbook

An Indian tour guide once said that to really get to know and appreciate India one must live amongst its' people experiencing how they live their daily lives - walk amongst the crowded streets, shop at the local markets, visit the temples, and completely immerse oneself by living firsthand as an Indian does. Only then will one be able to truly understand and appreciate the people,the country and the culture.

Ms. Viharini's new book Enjoying India - A Traveler's Handbook is clearly written by someone who has done just that! Hence it serves as the perfect companion for any foreigner's sojourn throughout the country. In fact, I would strongly encourage anyone contemplating a trip to India to read it before leaving home and familiarize oneself with all the numerous topics covered then use it as a resource book throughout one's travels. You will quickly realize how Ms Viharini has very extensively covered everything that you might encounter on your travels e.g., preparation & arrival; cultural differences; numerous ways to get around India; safety & security to cite just a few.

Of all the hundreds of books on India, I find there is none that is a clearly "how to" book like Ms. Viharini's. Traveling with a copy of this book on your next trip to India can only enhance your experience. It is so comprehensive that a traveler would be truly lost without it.

This is my favorite travel book on the market for India. Every page is worth reading, as the author obviously has years of experience traveling in India. If you are planning to go to India, this is the top book on the market. Take it with you -- you'll find that the advice given is like having your own personal guide, telling you things that you may have never thought about. I fully recommend this book!

I have also traveled extensively in India, and I love it. Others who travel to India tell me they "love it" or "hate it." It appears that the main difference is expectations and preparation. If you go looking for Mc Donald's and Starbucks everywhere, and are surprised that not everyone lives to the same standard of living as you do at home, you'll likely hate it. To be well oriented and prepared (and to ultimately come home loving India), read this book. It will make a huge difference in how you interact with India, and how much you end up loving the country and its people.

As a long time frequent traveler to India, I must say that I have really enjoyed Ms. Vilasini's book and only wish I could have read something like it forty years ago (or even twenty). When I think of the hours of frustration I could have avoided.....oh well....

As a short time user of personal electronics in India, I feel like the chapter on how to save your computer from blowing up, etc. is well worth the price of the book in itself!

I have just purchased a copy for my Kindle so I will always have it to refer to in my travels.

I've lived and worked in India for decades, speak three of the native languages, and have traveled to all four corners of the country. I have never read a more complete book. I'm surprised at those (few) reviewers who said they didn't learn anything from it since it is packed with valuable information, some of which was new and useful even to me. Like any books of this sort I don't agree with everything the author says but it is unique in both its in-depth coverage of the culture and ways to get things done that other travel books only touch the surface of.

The only warning I would have is that it covers how to deal with all kinds of problems that might crop up and that might be intimidating to the newcomer. I would reassure them that India is generally very safe and you will almost never experience the problems listed in some sections. But if you do, you may be glad you have this book.

If you're going to India, it's definitely worth a look. If you're going to be spending a significant amount of time in India, it's almost required.

Traveling to a culture that is so vastly different from the USA proved to be a bigger leap than I had imagined. Enjoying India by J.D. Viharini, helped me to understand and be prepared for differences that would otherwise have been awkward or worse. It doesn't tell you WHERE to go in India, but rather HOW to be in India, wherever you choose to go. I also feel that preparing ahead of time gave me the opportunity to gain a greater appreciation of the Indian culture, thereby getting more bang for my vacation bucks. I do not recommend completely relying on fellow travelers as I was with seasoned travelers but they sometimes seemed to take knowledge for granted and forget to pass particulars along to me. I had done a lot of internet research but still gained so much more information from Enjoying India. I found it to be both comprehensive and specific, covering a broad spectrum of cultural, religious, monetary, language, shopping, transportation, and emergency issues; things I would never have thought of like sheets, bucket baths, and toilets. I carried the book all over India and back home. I plan to keep it for future reference. I recommend that the author write a similar book for Indians traveling to the USA! :-)

This book has been very helpful to me in becoming oriented to travel in India. With wit, humor and obvious enjoyment of India on her own, the author clarifies some subtleties that are helpful in appreciating the lives of the people in this diversely unified culture-- and in doing so one can participate fully, and shed light on one's own cultural heritage. I recommend it very highly.

This is not your traditional guide book, nor is it meant to be. However, for me it was so valuable in answering the practical questions I had about clothes, food, travel, safety, etc. with practical answers that I could not so easily find in the usual guides books. Plus it encourages the traveler to change his/her perspective from an outsider witnessing India from a distance, to understanding and embracing India on its own terms. I would highly recommend "Enjoying India" as a companion book to the traditional guide books which will have more specific details on places to see, stay, and eat. "Enjoying India" is also very easy and enjoyable reading.

I found this book to be an outstanding handbook that should help anyone visiting India to successfully navigate the many different aspect of Indian life. I have spent several months in India and although I loved my time there much was confusing to me. As a result I make mistakes some of which were only expensive, others could have had a very unpleasant effect on my health (but I was lucky). If this book were available before I went to India I would have had the necessary information to easily avoided my mistakes.

If you look at the Table of Contents in Ms Viharini's book you will see that she covers the essential categories that most visitors will not only find useful but in some cases essential for making sure time spent there provided maximum enjoyment & minimal difficulty. Also reading the section Surprise Me will give you an idea of the way she presents her information.

The author has obviously spend a great deal of time in India as otherwise she could not have written a book with so may relevant insights.

The next time I return to India Ms Viharini's guide will travel with me. Not only will people traveling to India for the first time find this an essential handbook but I think most return visitors will as well. I find a special sweetness in India which I'm sure could be missed without the proper orientation and information of the people & culture. I feel this handbook does a fabulous job of doing that..