Vietnam - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture [Paperback]

Geoffrey Murray (Author)

Book Description

Series: Culture Smart! | Publication Date: September 5, 2006

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.

Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include


* customs, values, and traditions
* historical, religious, and political background
* life at home
* leisure, social, and cultural life
* eating and drinking
* do's, don'ts, and taboos
* business practices
* communication, spoken and unspoken


"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel

"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel

"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer

"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine

"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times

Editorial Reviews

Review

Culture Smart! has come to the rescue of hapless travellers, Sunday Times Travel - ...the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries, Global Travel - ...full of fascinating, as well as common sense, tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas, Observer - ...as useful as they are entertaining, Easy Jet Magazine - ...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world, New York Times.

About the Author

GEOFFREY MURRAY has worked in Asia for more than forty years as a journalist, author, and teacher, including long stays in China, India, Japan, and Singapore. So far, he has published fifteen books on a wide range of business and socioeconomic issues, mostly about China, but also including Vietnam: Dawn of a New Market and Simple Guide to the Customs and Etiquette of Vietnam, both in 1997. He has closely followed developments in Vietnam ever since he served as a news agency war correspondent with the Australian army in the mid-1960s, winning the Australian government’s “Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal.” He is officially listed as a Vietnam War veteran by the Australian government.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Kuperard; Reprinted edition edition (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1857333330
• ISBN-13: 978-1857333336
• Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 0.5 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #154,726 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #15 in Books > Travel > Asia > Vietnam
  • #29 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Reference > Etiquette > General
  • #34 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Travel > Reference & Tips > Guidebooks

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vietnam: A Quick Guide to Customs & Culture, February 21, 2006

By 

D. Dean - See all my reviews

This review is from: Culture Smart! Vietnam (Paperback)

As the title says, the book is a quick guide to Vietnamese customs and etiquette. It does not go into great depth but covers the subjects overall pretty well. I'd recommend it. Contents include how to avoid culture shock; Vietnamese attitudes and values; historical and political background; religion, customs, and traditions; the Vietnamese at home; leisure, social, and cultural life; dos, don'ts, and taboos; body language; hospitality, food, and drink; giving and receiving gifts; business briefing; and language and communications. That's a lot to cover in 168 pages in a pocket sized book. I'd also recommend "Vietnam Today" by Mark A. Ashwill for a little more depth.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vietnam - Land of Smiles!, April 26, 2009

By 

Anthony P. O'Donnell (Western Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vietnam - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture (Paperback)

It's a cliché in our consumer-oriented world to say that yet another new device or accessory is "must-have". Even so, I don't hesitate to say that for the intending traveller to Vietnam this little book, clearly designed to fit easily into the pocket or backpack pouch, is a must-have item.
I write with some authority because, although I've not yet been to Vietnam, I have a Vietnamese wife who in turn has Vietnamese children and numerous relatives and friends from her homeland and who now live here in Australia.
This means that my exposure to many aspects of their culture has been and is reached from the privileged position of head of our small family. I can therefore vouch for the accuracy of much of the excellent advice Mr Murray has provided in this book.
That I can't give my blessing to the whole of the contents is not a reflection on the author, or those contents, but rather is my bowing to his vastly superior knowledge of both the people and the land he describes. In other words I found, in spite of my experience, there was much for me to learn, and indeed one reading is not sufficient to take in and retain all that he has to offer.
In recent years Vietnam has been re-discovered. After decades of civil war followed by more decades of dislocation and isolation this little country is finally emerging again, and in doing so is giving the lie to the view that it is a hostile place. Far from it, visitors from around the world are being surprised by its beauty and charm.
So, if you're planning a trip to the land of these friendly and hospitable people, or even if you're merely curious about them, their ancient culture, and their long and fascinating history, I can only repeat, "Culture Smart - VIETNAM" by Geoffrey Murray is a compact, sensitive, authoritative, informative, easy-to-read, must-have.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great for understanding history, culture, and customs of Vietnam, October 22, 2010

By 

BobP - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vietnam - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture (Paperback)

This is not a tour guide but a great introduction to customs of Vietnam. It is essential for anyone going to Vietnam for business. I read it in preparation for my photographic trip to Vietnam and while it will not help me with my photography, it will help me understand the country and customs.