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Title: Lonely Planet Mumbai: Bombay (A Travel Survival Kit) by David Collins ISBN: 0-86442-702-6 Publisher: Lonely Planet Pub. Date: October, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3 (4 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A "must-have" book for a trip to Mumbai
Comment: We bought this book on the stregnth of our previous lonely planet guide books , and it proved itself to be every bit as valuable. We were only in Mumbai for 4 days, but during that time we were able to visit all the places that we wanted to go, thanks to the clear directions and advice. Although when we arrived at our hotel and shown the first room it was difficult not to giggle at the truth of lonely planets description"the paint is not always attached to the walls asfirmly as it could be"!!
The descriptipn of the caves on Elaphanta Island were invaluable.
A good, comprehensive guide on every thing you need to know from prices to hotels, don't leave home without it
Rating: 1
Summary: There is no love here
Comment: There are several problems with this "guide" to Mumbai. When you visit a city, you usually want to experience it through the eyes of someone who loves it. Someone who can share their enthusiasm for the city and the cultures and artifacts that make that city interesting.
When I go to foreign countries I like to meet the local people who are best at sharing their culture, or at least someone who gives it some respect, dignity and balance.
The worse aspect of this book is to consistently read Collins distaste for Hinduism. It is nearly talibanistic and overall very ignorant. He sums up complex political, cultural and religious ideas into very simplistic, ignorant and negative statements throughout.
He is also very ignorant of the Hindi film industry and yet insists on being a so called expert by providing a section on it. Though he admits that he finds "Bollywood" (I am not too comfortable with this term myself but I see that the locals seem to accept it) films to be not to his taste, he shows his ignorance by making some obvious generalisations.
This film industry is rather quite big and many popular films do come out that are innovative in many aspects, cinematography, narrative, etc. But just like Hollywood, there are also films that are very commercial. Though these more commercial films get greater international distribution, they are not representative of most of the films that actually do come out of Mumbai.
I personally find that there are great films that are consistantly coming out of that region. But I tend to explore foreign films in general with more depth than maybe most.
In the end I would much rather there be a guide that celebrates the multiculturalism, diversity and tolerance that makes Mumbai one of the most enigmatic cities in that part of the world. There is enough of a propaganda campaign against the pacifist Hindus and Buddhists. India is possibly the most inclusive country and government that exists. And it is because it IS a free country that many are aloud to publish so much negativity against it unhampered.
There is a market for a positive guide to Mumbai for someone who loves the city, culture and people. I for one would look for it.
Rating: 2
Summary: Did they leave the main city ever?
Comment: I read this book on my way to Mumbai and when I arrived I thought the plane landed in another country or city. The book was great for Mumbai proper, but once you get out to the suburbs, where people actually live, the book was useless.
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Title: Culture Shock: India (Culture Shock! Guides) by Gitanjal Kolanad, Gitanjali Kolanad ISBN: 1558686193 Publisher: Graphic Arts Center Publishing Co. Pub. Date: June, 2001 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: Lonely Planet India (India, 10th Ed) by Sarina Singh, Arnold Barkhordarian, Charlotte Beech ISBN: 1740594215 Publisher: Lonely Planet Pub. Date: August, 2003 List Price(USD): $27.99 |
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