India - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

I'm not usually one for writing reviews, but this book was such a great help for our family trip to India that I felt compelled to share our experience. My cousin was traveling outside the U.S for the first time, and India was our destination. Naturally, we were both a bit anxious about what to expect. This book was the perfect find for us. What I really appreciated was how simple and straightforward it was. We read it on our flight over, and it was such an easy read, not at all like some of those heavy travel guides that can be a slog to get through. It was almost like having a conversation with a well-traveled friend. One piece of advice I'd like to add is to consider reading this book a few weeks in advance of your trip. Not only will it give you a taste of what to expect, but it will also inspire some ideas for your own preparations. For instance, after reading about the vibrant street markets, we decided to leave some extra space in our luggage for souvenirs. And the book's advice on local customs helped us pack the right kind of clothing for the places we were planning to visit. Having that time to reflect on what we read and to incorporate it into our plans made a significant difference. So, don't just save it for the plane ride - dive into this book ahead of time and let it guide your pre-trip preparations. When we landed in Mumbai, the book's descriptions and advice came to life all around us. It was almost uncanny how many times we would say, "Oh, the book mentioned this!" It really helped us understand what was happening around us and eased our first-time traveler jitters. What made this book stand out wasn't just the practical advice, but the thoughtful insights into the local culture. It didn't just tell us what to see and do, but how to respect and understand the customs and traditions we were seeing. It was these insights that really enriched our trip and made us feel more connected to the places we visited. Overall, I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone planning a trip to India, especially if it's your first time. It's like having a knowledgeable friend in your pocket, ready to help you navigate and appreciate this incredible country.

Packs a lot if information in a small book. Political, historical, and cultural insights. Oriented toward the business traveler but works for everyone.

This is beyond a travel guide. It encompasses history and culture, enhancing the visitor's experience.

…a few useful Hindi phrases and words in English would make this book perfect. And a clearer map.

Meh

My husband will be taking a trip to India, so I bought this for him as a gift. He says it is proving very helpful in learning more about what to expect in India.

I have been interested of late in the country of India. I found this book to be concise and full of valuable factoids and insights that I was trilled to find in a book of less than 200 pages. I really feel after having read the book that I have a much better understanding of the country, which is complex, for sure. I will supplement having read this book by watching some excellent documentaries on YouTube. I highly recommend the book for those who want a relatively quick source of insight on the great country of India.

I was looking for a short book that described both a brief history and a cultural guide to India and I found it. The author describes a short history to give you context to what you are seeing and then ties it into modern India. There is no holding back, she explains how things work and the best way to navigate them. I really enjoyed it and so will you.

This is a very good book with a lot of interesting points. Reading it will help you understand Indian culture.

Must read before traveling to India! Good introduction to a variety of aspects of Indian culture from practicalities to religion to food. Short book, but insightful.

Me ayudo a entender aspectos culturales antes de viajar an India. Es muy corto pero conciso y con la información importante .

Very Well Presented AND VERY WELL WRITTEN. 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

Oh what I'd have done for a guide like this on my first visit to India! I've spent a fair amount of time in this beautiful crazy country over the years, have many friends there and consider myself fairly well acquainted with "how things are done" — and yet, this book had much to teach me. There were many "aha" moments, and it provided explanations for many things I've experienced which had previously mystified me. India can be a complicated place for the uninitiated... Honestly I can't recommend this book enough. This latest edition is fully up-to-date, it's well written and the information is frankly invaluable, whether it's your 1st or 12th visit!