Customer Reviews:
 It has its moments September 23, 2008
C. Harris (NYC)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I enjoyed "Cannibals:. It was refreshing, witty and fun. br /"Savages" was dreadful. br /So, it was with mixed feelings that I purchased "China." It's not terrible. That said, it ain't great either. Troost has some very insightful and amusing anecdotes, some witty commentary and the occasional vision that's stunning. br /But, the incessant America bashing and Bushwhacking gets old fast. br /Like so many "Euro-types" he chooses to live in the states and reserve the right to use the country as a punching bag. br /He claims to understand America and Americans, "its easy to get",but he understands Kiribati far better than his own home. br /Save your money and wait for this book to be remaindered at B N.
 Funny book, but I'm not going to China September 18, 2008
C. Callahan
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I thought I wanted to visit China. Now I don't, not after reading this book! It was informative, made me laugh out loud, and gave important, good-to-know details that I bet you won't find in any other travel guide. About three-quarters of the way through, it started getting repetitive, however, and I started to lose interest. I do like his writing style--it reminds me a lot of David Sedaris--and I found myself reading parts aloud to family and friends.
 Witty and informative - great book! September 9, 2008
R. Jenkins (Sacramento, CA)
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
I have been a fan of Maarten Troost's funny, informative writing style since his first book, The Sex Lives of Cannibals, which up to now had been my favorite book of his. Lost on Planet China has now taken that spot. I haven't traveled to China and so have no first-hand knowledge of the country; my learnings are limited to friends and associates who have taken packaged tours. I truly enjoyed learning more about China and its people through Maarten's perspective of touring the country with no apparent set agenda beyond observing life around him and integrating into the culture as much as a laowai is able to. I had the opportunity to meet Maarten and his wife, Sylvia, at a reading of his second book at a local book store when they lived in Sacramento. (Yes, it does get quite hot in the summer, and no, not everyone is on drugs!) His down-to-earth manner and easy friendliness is evident in his latest book, which I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in getting a candid perspective of day-to-day life in China.
 A complete waste of time September 5, 2008
Janice (Arlington, VA)
8 out of 18 found this review helpful
Having read positive reviews of Marten Troost's "Lost on Planet China," I was disappointed to learn that the book did not live up to my expectations. As Troost is an experienced travel writer, I was completely taken aback by his condescending tone throughout the book. All of his observations of China and the Chinese people were negative. He went from one place to another, without spending enough time to understand the culture, or to learn about the people and place. It was evident that there was a lack of interaction with the local people and one wonders how good of a travelogue this is if his interaction was mostly with another fellow American. There wasn't an attempt to understand the culture, but rather superficial observations of life there. Half way through the book, I realized there was a lack of purpose in his journey. It almost felt like he was writing about China just for the sake of it. br / br /There are definitely much better books out there in this genre. Two that come to mind are Peter Hessler's "Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China" which explored modern day China and Colin Thubron's "Shadow of the Silk Road" which chronicled the author's travel through modern Asia along the ancient Silk Road from China to the Mediterranean.
Should I Cancel My Trip to China? September 4, 2008
L. Young (West Orange, NJ USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I am scheduled to go on a two week trip to China on Oct. 15th. After reading Troost's book I'm contemplating canceling it. That's how depressing this book is. Pollution, pollution, pollution, spitting, peeing and defecating in the streets, mutilated and disfigured beggars everywhere, animal cruelty, repulsive food, brothels and gay bars in hotels,noise everywhere,lunatic drivers,insane taxi drivers, cheating of tourists, hard seats on overcrowded trains. This is the depiction that Troost gives. Not a pretty sight. Rarely does Troost talk about anything uplifting, beautiful or cultural in China (except for Tibet). What is one to think of this portrayal of China? Since I have never visited China I am a loss to evaluate this book. Clearly Troost is no friend of the Chinese Tourist Office.
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