Frommer's Born To Shop: Hong Kong, Shanghai & Beijing [Paperback]

Suzy Gershman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2001 | Series: Born To Shop (Book 31)

These compact, handy guides are packed with insider tips on where to find the most fabulous fashions, the most unique gifts, and the best bargains on everything from antiques to housewares. Includes all the big names, and a "Best of" chapter that pinpoints exactly where to find the finest. Also included is a handful of the author's favorite places to stay and eat.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Gershman's may be the best guide for novice and pro shopper's alike." —Washington Post For more than ten years, Suzy Gershman has been leading savvy shoppers to the world's best finds. Now Born to Shop Hong Kong, Shanghai & Beijing is more comprehensive and packed with more up-to-date listings than ever before. Inside you'll find:

• What's hot in Hong Kong, from hip new fashions and designer labels to porcelain, jade, and colorful markets
• The best of Shanghai, from the Old City to the exciting new Pudong area
• Terrific buys in Beijing, from the Silk Market to the Pearl Market to the famous antiques street of Liulichang
• The best airfare, hotel, and dining values

Great trips begin at frommers.com

About the Author

About the Author Suzy Gershman has been named "the world's greatest shopper" by amazon.com and "Super Shopper Suzy" by Oprah Winfrey. She has been a contributing editor—on the subject of international retail, of course—for Travel & Leisure and now National Geographic Traveler. Gershman also writes for www.BonjourParis.com, Where Paris, Porthole, and assorted other travel destination sources. Her updates to city shopping can be found at www.born-to-shop.com. Suzy currently lives part-time in Paris, part-time in Boston, and part-time at the airport.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Frommers; 1 edition (March 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028636716
• ISBN-13: 978-0028636719
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,280,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Suzy Gershman is an author, journalist and shopping goddess who for the last 27 years has pioneered the Born to Shop series of travel guidebooks. Having just sold her house in Provence, she has returned to California and partnered with Amazon and Talking Frog Media to revise existing and write new Born to Shop titles.

The first new book, written with Sarah Lahey, is Born to Shop California Wine Country which will be available through amazon.com after September 1, 2010. Gershman and Lahey will follow up with books on Provence and the surrounding area (including Geneva and Barcelona), Asia (Tokyo, Kyoto, Bangkok, Manila, etc) and then the next edition of Born to Shop London, which will be ready pre-Olympics.

Gershman is currently living in Paso Robles, California, a small food and wine town she discovered while doing the research for Born to Shop California Wine Country. She is writing Merci, Madame -- something of a sequel to her memoire C'est la Vie, but a story about Gershman's house in Provence, the lifestyle in Provence and the Frenchman who asked for her hand in marriage.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Of little value..., September 18, 2001

By 

Merv Lapin (vail, colorado United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Frommer's Born To Shop: Hong Kong, Shanghai & Beijing (Paperback)

The author hasn't a clue as to how to negotiate with the Chinese and does not give the correct warnings or prices. She is a "princess". I just returned from my 31st trip to China. There is almost no silk or original merchandise at the Silk Market. However, it is a lot of fun. There is not a shirt or blouse there that cannot be bought for 30 yuan ($3.60). North Face knockoffs can be bought for 130 yuan ($15.60) for their most expensive long jacket. Pearls at the Hong Qiao (Pearl) Market are of very low quality. Most strands cost about 100 yuan ($12). Learn the difference between salt water and fresh water pearls and how to tell the quality difference. Know how to tell if the pearls are fake before you go there. The fourth floor stores are just a different form of marketing pearls so don't be fooled by their nicer western look. Remember that only the store knows their price - and they will only sell to you if they can make a profit. Always walk away after making an what you may consider an absurd offer and after you let them know that you really want to buy the item. Make them make at least two offers before you make your absurd offer. There is not relationship between their initial offfer and what the item is worth. All this takes a lot of time so be prepared. Comparison shop before buying. All stores carry the same items.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars So Disappointed!, July 29, 2002

By 

T Doolittle (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Frommer's Born To Shop: Hong Kong, Shanghai & Beijing (Paperback)

Suzy's Hong-Kong only book was wonderful. It recommended specific shops, not just neighborhoods, for every type of good imaginable. It also gave fantastic hints like where not to bother looking if you wear a size on the upper end of the spectrum.

The new book including Shanghai and Beijing is next to worthless. All of the shop recommendations for HK have been ommited. Some of my favorites from "Born to Shop Hong Kong", like Gemsland in the Mandarin Hotel, deserve to be mentioned as providing amazing service, great quality and reasonable prices to every visitor planning on coming to HK.

I purchased the book in preparation for an upcoming trip to Shanghai. With the exception of the overview of the markets, very little else was of use. There are almost no local shop (non-department store) recommendations and suggestions for totally random (and useless?) things like wedding photos. In fact it only gives shopping suggestions for 9 categories- and included in that 9 are things like Drugstores. How are you going to Shop til You Drop in a drugstore?

Additionally, the index is horrible. There is a whole paragraph on the Hoabao Building in the Yu Gardens, but good luck finding any reference to it in the index. This is just one example, there are many more.

I was so disappointed in this book. Entirely way too much time spent on travel logistics. Anyone going to China is not going to purchase this book as their sole resource guide. Leave the logistics to those who do it best, and spend more time on where to shop!

6 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice guide for us shopaholics., April 19, 2001

By 

Vern Yip Fan (Illinois United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Frommer's Born To Shop: Hong Kong, Shanghai & Beijing (Paperback)

I purchased Suzy's last edition on Hong Kong, to guide me around this great shopping city. It was very helpful. She tells you the places to forget, and the places not to be missed. When I heard that she was releasing a new edition with Shanghai & Beijing, I purchased it also, for an upcoming trip to Beijing. I was a little disapointed to find that she had trimmed alot off of the Hong Kong section to make room for the mainland cities. But it's still a must have if shopping is on your "to do" list. Suzy seemed to list all the things I wanted to buy on my trip, she does have impecable taste.