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Lost on Planet China
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
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Publisher's summary
As Troost relates his gonzo adventure - dodging deadly drivers in Shanghai, eating yak in Tibet, deciphering restaurant menus (offering local favorites such as cattle penis with garlic), and visiting with Chairman Mao (still dead) - he reveals a vast, complex country on the brink of transformation that will soon shape the way we all work, live, and think.
This insightful, hilarious narrative brings China to life as you've never seen it before.
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Around the World in 50 Years
- My Adventure to Every Country on Earth
- By: Albert Podell
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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This is the inspiring story of an ordinary guy who achieved two great goals that others had told him were impossible. First, he set a record for the longest automobile journey ever made around the world, during the course of which he blasted his way out of minefields, survived a breakdown atop the Peak of Death, came within seconds of being lynched in Pakistan, and lost three of the five men who started with him - two to disease, one to the Vietcong.
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Fantastic Adventure
- By CJ on 09-12-18
By: Albert Podell
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The Naked Don't Fear the Water
- An Underground Journey with Afghan Refugees
- By: Matthieu Aikins
- Narrated by: Nick Nikon
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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In this extraordinary book, an acclaimed young war reporter chronicles a dangerous journey on the smuggler’s road to Europe, accompanying his friend, an Afghan refugee, in search of a better future.
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Great story, horrible narration
- By AB on 02-25-22
By: Matthieu Aikins
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Train
- Riding the Rails That Created the Modern World - from the Trans-Siberian to the Southwest Chief
- By: Tom Zoellner
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Tom Zoellner loves trains with a ferocious passion. In his new audiobook he chronicles the innovation and sociological impact of the railway technology that changed the world, and could very well change it again. From the frigid Trans-Siberian Railroad to the antiquated Indian Railways to the futuristic maglev trains, Zoellner offers a stirring story of man's relationship with trains. Zoellner examines both the mechanics of the rails and their engines and how they helped societies evolve. Not only do trains transport people and goods in an efficient manner, but they also reduce pollution and dependency upon oil.
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The world history of trains up to the present
- By matthew on 03-06-14
By: Tom Zoellner
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Midnight in Siberia
- A Train Journey into the Heart of Russia
- By: David Greene
- Narrated by: David Greene
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Through the stories of fellow travelers, Greene explores the challenges and opportunities facing the new Russia: a nation that boasts open elections and newfound prosperity yet still continues to endure oppression, corruption, and stark inequality. Set against the wintery landscape of Siberia, Greene’s lively travel narrative offers a glimpse into the soul of 20th century Russia: how its people remember their history and look forward to the future.
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Long String of NPR Short Reports
- By Sara on 04-13-15
By: David Greene
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Where the West Ends
- Stories from the Middle East, the Balkans, the Black Sea, and the Caucasus
- By: Michael J. Totten
- Narrated by: Steven Roy Grimsley
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Prize-winning author Michael J. Totten returns with a masterpiece of travel writing and history in this journey through 13 nations - all but two formerly communist - just beyond the edge of the West where few casual travelers venture. His work as an independent foreign correspondent takes him deep into the field beyond the sensational headlines, from his hilariously miserable road trip with his best friend to Iraq to the Wild West of Albania, the most bizarre country in Europe; from the killing fields in Bosnia and Kosovo to a Romania haunted by the ghosts of its communist past.
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Not a right wing fanatic
- By Love on 12-11-13
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Headhunters on My Doorstep
- A True Treasure Island Ghost Story
- By: J. Maarten Troost
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Entertainment Weekly calls acclaimed author and essayist J. Maarten Troost a "funny, candid, and down-to-earth travel companion". Both witty and poignant, Headhunters on My Doorstep follows Troost as he retraces Robert Louis Stevenson’s path through the South Pacific. Somewhere between AA meetings in Tahiti and discovering how the Island of Merrymaking got its name, Troost reconnects with himself, his family, and the beauty of life.
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Another great South Pacific Book from Mr. Troost
- By Michael on 08-29-13
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Visit Sunny Chernobyl
- And Other Adventures in the World's Most Polluted Places
- By: Andrew Blackwell
- Narrated by: Ax Norman
- Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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For most of us, traveling means visiting the most beautiful places on Earth - Paris, the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon. It’s rare to book a plane ticket to visit the lifeless moonscape of Canada’s oil sand strip mines, or to seek out the Chinese city of Linfen, legendary as the most polluted in the world. But in Visit Sunny Chernobyl, Andrew Blackwell embraces a different kind of travel, taking a jaunt through the most gruesomely polluted places on Earth.
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Better than I predicted
- By Paul Luthi on 08-23-13
By: Andrew Blackwell
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Home Sweet Anywhere
- How We Sold Our House, Created a New Life, and Saw the World
- By: Lynne Martin
- Narrated by: Lynne Martin
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Reunited in love after 35 years and suffering from a serious case of pre-retirement wanderlust, Lynne and Tim Martin made a life-altering decision: They sold their house and possessions and hit the road to live internationally full-time. Now tethered to nothing but their suitcases, each other, and their next exotic location, they've never looked back. From sky-high pyramids in Mexico to monkeys in Marrakech, this delightful, inspiring memoir is a romantic tale of derring-do for grown-ups and a road map for anyone who dreams of turning the idea of life abroad into a reality.
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She makes it sound SO unappealing!
- By Barbara on 05-18-14
By: Lynne Martin
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Sahara
- By: Michael Palin
- Narrated by: Michael Palin
- Length: 6 hrs and 1 min
- Abridged
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Michael Palin is off again, this time to the seemingly desolate Sahara Desert. There's no easy way across, as he and his team discover on their most challenging expedition yet.
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A wonderful journey.
- By David on 05-22-05
By: Michael Palin
What listeners say about Lost on Planet China
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Boston Harbor
- 01-26-10
I laughed out loud
Having been to China a few times, I found myself bursting out laughing while driving and listening to this engaging book. I enjoyed this book immensely and found it quite factual. Troost's descriptions of the smog, the spitting, the split pants was both hilarious and true. China is a great country with a great history. It also has some downsides. Troost handled the downsides with wonderful humor. Anyone who has spent any time in china outside of a five star hotel will find very familiar descriptions in this book. If you haven't been to china, it is just as enjoyable. This is a side of China. Not all of china, but certainly one truthful side.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Timothy
- 08-01-13
Not Just a Travel Writer
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Troost is masterful. Funny, irreverent, honest, and even at times, deeply moving. Unlike many travel writers, he doesn't just visit an exotic local, he lives it. His storytelling is compelling, and it is hard to turn away once you've begun one of his stories.
Furthermore, the Reader on this book is fantastic. He portrays the author and others extremely well, with the appropriate gravitas and levity, even within the same paragraph.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Lost on Planet China?
The visit to the Leaping Tiger Gorge was truly memorable. Intermixed among vivid descriptions of beautiful scenery are laugh out loud moments (the overweight travelling companion's bold confidence and near immediate regret), and deeply troubling observations (the encroaching destruction of such a marvelous place).
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I listened to almost the entire book in a day.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Ruth
- 07-31-18
Nice Touch
Nice touch here and there: one can't help but burst into laughter...
Informative: it catches a glimpse of the time he travelled in China, while revealing some of China's past and history.
And certainly Simon Vance's performance, as always, makes everything even more enjoyable.
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- Mark
- 09-19-14
Worn out by the constant
Would you try another book from J. Maarten Troost and/or Simon Vance?
Perhaps.
Has Lost on Planet China turned you off from other books in this genre?
No.
Would you listen to another book narrated by Simon Vance?
Yes, if it is a good book.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
To be fair, I stopped listening halfway. I imagine that travelling in China must be challenging at times. However, it seemed the author did not find anything during his travel in China that he enjoyed or liked. The constant complaining wore me out, and I stopped listening. Perhaps other readers who have listened to the entire book would have different conclusions from mine.
Any additional comments?
I have read his other books. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book.
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- Amazon Customer
- 05-05-22
Brave and honest book about traveling to China
It’s important to note that the book is not about China which is a great country. The book is about a foreign traveller from an advanced country visiting China and sharing his brave and honest opinions. These are rare these days, especially about China. So, when the author asks something like “How can one live in such a polluted city?”, it means that he, the traveler, has an option to come back to his country (he has several: US, Canada, Netherlands — giggle) with higher air quality. Many Chinese don’t have that option. Perhaps some can choose between a big city, small city, and a rural area. I have to agree with some reviewers that the description of China is more negative than I expected (I’ve never been to China). I appreciate the candidness of the book, and as some said, it saved me a trip. (After having read the author’s other books about South Pacific, I wanted to go the islands. This book had an opposite effect.) And of course, the author has a great sense of humor. I wish he did not become an alcoholic (described in his last book) but instead traveled to other interesting places like India, Japan, Russia, Brazil, etc. and wrote similar books!
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- Arna
- 06-19-09
doesn't hold together
I just can't figure out why he wrote this book. He says something about how he is pondering moving his young family to China because its such an important place, and he goes to check it out. That makes no sense, especially from someone who wanted only to leave civilization in his previous books. I kept thinking, maybe the government paid him to go write a really unflattering book about how messed up China is. The result of reading this book is that I sure don't want to go to China. He didn't have much good to say. The author is funny and the book is pretty listenable. It just had this overlying aura of implausibility. I highly recommend his 2 earlier books. They seem honest and are hilarious. This one...not so much.
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8 people found this helpful
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- matthew
- 06-02-13
Funny and pretty realistic
Narrated by the gifted Simon Vance who brings life to this authors rather caustic view of a rising country.The traffic,the babies pooping in the gutter,and the strange customs and foods of the world's oldest culture are all brought to life as Martin Troost visits many of the best locations in a massive country.Not quite as good as going the personally,but the next best thing.I felt like the author perhaps exaggerated the difficulty of Tiger Leaping Gorge.While it was steep in some places I felt less nervous hiking the trail than I did taking a small van back along the treacherous mountain road beneath the mountain that was being held up precariously in places by wire mesh.One big boulder the hit our van and we could have been floating the Yangtze River.The author talks of his republican friend who was a smoker riding a donkey.I think this part of the book was embellished to appeal to the reader.Many travel writers fictionalize characters to make things more interesting.
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1 person found this helpful
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- James
- 12-30-13
Nailed It! J. Maarten Troost Nails It!
This was absolutely one of the best books I've read on China because it really gave an accurate and humorous overview from the author’s perspective.
I've been traveling in and out of China several times over the last couple of years, and the author is right on with a slight exaggeration or two here and there, but overall, this is an excellent read, especially if you ever plan on visiting China!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Liz
- 05-09-13
Thoroughly Enjoying
Would you listen to Lost on Planet China again? Why?
Yes, because I found it not only informational but quite humorous
What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?
I thought he did a great job
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Every part that that described the collapse of the positive aspects the culture and the destruction of so many parts of China's historical sites.
Any additional comments?
I think Mr. Troost is an amazing story teller. When I first started to listen to the book, I thought it was a novel. I found myself laughing out loud at some of his experiences. I was fortunate to have traveled to Beijing and Guangdong in the mid 1980's and my experience there was much different than that of Mr.Troost. At that time in history, there was no smog or pollution. There were very few vehicles or factories. At the time, I found that the govt was very oppressive and felt sorry for the Chinese people. I still feel sorry for them in many ways but not the ways I felt for them in 1985. It was a different kind of Planet China at that time.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Myself
- 01-10-18
My favorite and funniest audible book ever!
I have listened to this book numerous times without being bored. J. Maarten Troost is so funny and insightful. I can't wait to read his other books.
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