Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great selection as a collaborating guide for China., June 8, 2001
In Frommer's China expert J. D. Brown gives us more of a travel log than a travel guide, which in this case is a refreshing change. Very few people have seen China as extensively as J. D. Brown. His recording of his actual experience at each of the 50 destination will stimulate new itineraries for you to consider. Brown states, " In this guide I've recorded in as frank detail as possible 50 of my most memorable travels in China." If you are going to Cruise the Yangzi River (Three Gorge Dan) this is is best description in a travel book available today. Also superb is his "Great Wall" write up. Brown's `Summer Palace' write up, while good, criticized the British and French for their terrible act of destroying the original palace, but said nothing of the destruction caused by Mao's henchman. His recommendations for accommodations often have web site address and email (an important additions that many other guides omit), and Brown's restaurant and hotel recommendations are reliable and commendable. On the weak side this 'travel log' lacks the interesting information that is found in other guide, i.e., understanding of Mao's Communist China, Tiananmen Square commentary, modern China, etc. The accommodations and dining recommendations are very light and maps are few and far between. What Brown has done is give us a valuable supplement to use in conjunction with your China travel guide (see my reviews on Rough Guide China and Lonely Planet China for highly recommended guides). Again this is not my first choices in guides for selecting hotels, restaurant etc. BUT it is often my first choice for descriptions of select sites and my first selection as a collaborating guide to supplement my primary guide. Highly Recommended.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Other reviews are misleading - not a good choice, March 24, 2005
I bought this guide book over the others, including Lonley Planet, based on these reviews and those of Lonely Planet China on Amazon. My experience is this is a fine book to read before you go to China, but a terrible guide for navigating your way through China.
I just returned from spending a month traveling to different cities. This book is heavily biased and does not allow the reader to make informed decisions. The author clearly has an opinion about everywhere to go and what he thinks, but the book doesn't give the reader a chance to disagree. You could very well miss out on some wonderful aspects of China b/c this book is not as comprehensive as others and you wouldn't even know you were missing out. Also, I wasn't happy with recommended hotels and restaurants as they are all quite pricey. Plus, there are many discrepancies with other Frommer's books (which this one is a part of) - for example, there is a vegetarian restaurant in Shanghai the author recommends highly which is called overrated by the other Frommer's book. And the other book is actually more correct.
This book also assumes a certain level of experience with China. I had not been to China before and found travel suggestions ridiculous. For example, he says you should be able to get on a bus yourself at some obscure corner to go to the Summer Palace from Beijing, and scoffs at those who would choose otherwise and get ripped off. Well, if you speak and can read Mandarin Chinese, then that is fine. Otherwise, in a city where taxi drivers do not speak English, getting somewhere on a bus is nearly impossible.
I would just like to warn anyone going to China b/c you do not want to be left there without a good guide book. It is so critical to have good directions that are user friendly and objective. Otherwise, you will end up trying to find a better book when you get there and be frustrated along the way.
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Current and helpful, August 23, 2000
By A Customer
We received this book just before leaving for China. I found the information on the cities very helpful--key sites, hotel & food recommends. It also documents well the Yangtze River cruise that many Westerners are including in their travel plans prior to the opening of the Three River Gorges Dam. The "common phrases" that are summarized in the book were all we really needed to get around and be understood. In addition, the brief overview of the lengthy Chinese political history helped us to keep the various sites we visited in perspective. Overall, a solid guide book to take with you on your next visit to China.
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