India - Culture Smart!

By: Becky Stephen

Narrated by: Peter Noble

Length: 4 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

India is in transition. Since the publication of Culture Smart's first guide to India in 2003, the nation has been transformed from a developing third-world country into the world's fastest growing economy. This completely new and up-to-date volume by American author Becky Stephen is unrivalled. It highlights the many subtle and not so subtle changes that are taking place in Indian society; describes and explains those areas of life where traditional attitudes and practices continue to prevail; and offers original insights, practical tips, and vital human information to guide you through the pitfalls and delights of this complex, vibrant, and increasingly important country.

©2016 Kuperard (P)2016 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Almost a practical guide

Pretty amazed how close it was to accurate because I was expecting a weird stereotypical presentation.
A good place to start if you don’t know anything about travelling to a third world country. There will be contrasts around everywhere you go in India but it’s a good place to visit. The few things I tell my friends planning to visit India for the first time is be careful with your belongings, avoid drinking unboiled or tap water, and plan for the worst.
The most annoying thing is the way we tend to be super fascinated with white people and how much people tend to bother them for photos or put them on a pedestal in the working environment or objectify female tourists.

Worth a listen

If you could sum up India - Culture Smart! in three words, what would they be?

Worth a listen

What did you like best about this story?

As a non-fiction guidebook there is no story per se. Nevertheless, if you're like me and hate reading or prefer to multitask while absorbing information then the audio book format works really well and the information is relevant for anyone interested in travel to India.

What aspect of Peter Noble’s performance would you have changed?

Peter Noble was always clear and easy to understand though for the first chapter of this book I felt as though it was being read to me by Siri. I don't know if I just got used to it but by chapter 2 I no longer felt this way. One aspect of the narration that continued to amuse me through the final chapter was Peter's perfect diction, the emphasis on a word's final "t" in particular. It reminded me a little of Roger Waters' vocal style. The bottom line is that Peter was competent but his voice and style did nothing to add to the listening experience. Considering the subject matter that is probably all one can expect.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

As a non-fiction guidebook, there is no story to keep you engaged but most of the subject matter is interesting and relevant—particularly if you are planning a trip. Even the final chapter on business in India proved valuable in understanding the culture. Don't skip it just because you might not be going to India on business.

Any additional comments?

I re-started chapter 1 over and over. In fact, I thought I had made a mistake by selecting this book. The parade of facts, figures, dates and geographical references is much more suited to the written page. I will be listening to it a 4th (?) time while sitting in front of a map. That said, I'm glad I stuck with it. Once the subject matter transitioned from facts, dates and statistics to more conceptual topics the listening became easier and enjoyable.

Not Bad, but a bit stereotypical

Liked most of it. A bit preachy and misses the point on alcoholism and other social evils by pretending they don't exist in the culture. A little heavy on the security (I never was robbed in India but a number of times in Europe)

Superb

An excellent overview. Buy it if you want to visit India or are interested in finding out about what will soon be the world’s most populated country.

Excellent insight into culture and how to behave.

Loved it. Travelling to India is going to be an eye-opening and overwhelming set of experiences. This has set my expectations and hopefully I will avoid the common faux pas of the uninitiated traveller.