BootsnAll Travel Community

Has anyone around here read it? (I've seen it mentioned before.) What did you think of it?

I'm not much of a sucker for 'travel literature'. I find, usually the experience outweighs any book by far. But this book really is gripping me. The 'red thread' of spiritualism in Asia is one thing. But he researched all places really well and has very interesting stories and anecdotes to tell about all places. He might be a little too anti-materialistic for some. I find it's a view well worth exploring in a world where material possession is all we care about. Singaporeans won't like it.

One of the very few travel books that will find their way onto my recommendation list. But yeah, would like to hear what others thought/felt about it.

Yes, it's been discussed on the boards -- on the thread that discusses people's fav. travel books.

I've read this years back but I didn't have a favourable impression of it. The concept of travelling was fascinating yes. Embarrassingly, I am rather intrigued by fortune-tellers and I thought it was cool that he travelled around Asia, meeting different fortune-tellers.

What I didn't like about the book (and perhaps I was wrong, it was many years ago -- I'd have to reread it but someone took my copy), was that I felt he was stereotyping the Chinese in SEA. I'm not Chinese btw, I'm from one of the indigenous tribes here in Borneo. He made them out as materalistic, money-grubbing, always tricking the locals in SEA.. I dunno, I just felt uncomfortable with that.

The writing was good though. But it wouldn't make my recommendation list at all.

I have not read it, but I will add it to the ever growing list of books that I want to read!

Cayce. I see what you are saying. It's difficult for me to judge it - duh: Captain Obvious. The thing though is, that he generally loves the Chinese culture - what he says is basically that the Chinese (especially the Chinese Diaspora) is more and more loosing their 'old ways' and just care for money. Then, if you do look at Indonesia and Malaysia (and also places like Fiji, etc.) and you see that the most successful business people are quite often the Chinese...well, then it just makes you wonder if he really is that much off the mark.

But yeah, it's definitely stereotyping...and stereotyping always has an inherent certain margin of error (and therefore insult).

hey elAdi, that's an interesting take.. I ought to read the book again and see whether my opinion would change!