This is a very thoughtful and entertaining exploration of faith and the search for the divine. Sarah Macdonald makes a rational case for the irrational. She sensitively portrays the complexity of India. I cried with her when it was time to leave.

Excellent account of a personal journey into the heart and soul of India.

I enjoy books exploring the different cultures and customs of the world. I enjoy a well-written memoir exploring those discoveries, but I finally put this one aside about 3/4 of the way through it. I tried, I truly tried to finish it, but with so many wonderful books out there waiting to be read, I couldn't justify spending another minute listening to this poor, lost woman attempt to "find herself" or the meaning of life that she was so desperately seeking.

I had read reviews mentioning that there was a lot of "religion" here and knowing India's varied religious background, I was prepared for some of that. I was looking for a book that explored the people, the cultures and the sites of India from the perspective of an "outsider." While there was a bit of that, mostly this book became a tedious exploration, not of Indian sites, people and regions, but almost solely of one woman's attempt to find meaning in life through the various religious practices found there. When one didn't work, she'd jump to another and when that failed to bring peace, she'd try another group. Since I am at peace this endless jumping made me first of all sad for her that she is so obviously lost and unable to find her way and number 2 weary of the endless detailed speculations about hopeless religious practices.

-enjoyable and often humorous pilgrimage through much of India's religious and cultural diversity by an Australian journalist, first world biases intact (but at least acknowledged). I could often hear the sounds, see the sites (and smell the odours) described by the Aussie narrator. I understand that the print version offended some readers, but I think the narrator manages to keep her tongue firmly in her cheek so that fewer listeners may be offended by the Aussie outsider "cheeky" tone-- a tone which never has the pretence of entering any lasting state of high enlightenment, just betterment of her human condition while trying to avoid cultural appropriation.

Although a 30-something, the author's lifestyle would appeal to youth culture (a causal acceptance of pot as part of some of the encountered seekers' spiritual quests, etc.), so perhaps avoid this download if you are the staid literalist type, of any faith tradition.

Great story- great narration! Well worth my time!