Customer Reviews

Frommer's China: The 50 Most Memorable Trips

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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.

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.

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.

I have lived in China for most of the past year and travelled extensively in China for the past five years. Often on my travels, Brown's book is a trusted companion when visiting one of his 50 sites. His insightful and personal accounts of his experiences are both entertaining and educational. What I like most about this book is that Brown likes China and appreciates its differences. This is not true of all guide books, especially Lonely Planet's China who delights in complaining about just about everything. Unfortunately, for guide book writers, China is changing so fast, much of Brown's information on hotels and restaurants is out of date. Restaurants and hotels sometimes disappear and new ones take their place. With that one exception, I found his information to be accurate and useful. Whether you are an old hand in China or making your first trip, this book is a must buy.

i have look at all the different kinds of books out there for traveling to china.. this book was a second friend. the book showed me where, what, when and even maps were included.

i was barly ever confused or lost.. with out the book i would have wasted my trip.. thanks Frommer!

Seasoned travellers know that you can't go to a country where you don't speak the language without a translatable dictionary and a guide that just lists sites and hotels - Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Let's Go, Rick Steves. But, true insight into a country and it's travel secrets cannot be found in a list of accommodations and things to see. To this end, the aforementioned guides offer little.

This is where 50 Memorable trips comes in. It gives you a walk through a town with commentary on hidden places and eateries so all you do is follow the path on the maps provided. We even used this hiking several mountains and the maps proved invaluable. Since the book is about a person's experience, of course it showcases the author's frustrations but also his sheer amazement and delight. As we got stuck on the top of Huang Shan after 5 hours of hiking, we were overjoyed that at least we got beds and a roof over our head, unlike Mr. Brown and his night on the mountain. His accounts are real experiences, both the good and the bad, creating a connection with readers and their own journey.