-
Lost on Planet China
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $16.34
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
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.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Another great South Pacific Book from Mr. Troost
- By Michael on 08-29-13
-
Getting Stoned with the Savages
- A Trip through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu
- By: J. Maarten Troost
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After two grueling years on the island of Tarawa, Troost was in no hurry to return to the South Pacific until he began to feel remarkably out of place in modern America. He knew it was time to set off again for parts unknown. Here he tells the story of his time on Vanuatu, a cluster of islands where he struggles against typhoons, earthquakes, and giant centipedes but finds himself swept up in the laid-back, clothing-optional lifestyle of the islanders.
-
-
My new favorite author!
- By L. Worthington on 08-28-07
-
The Sex Lives of Cannibals
- Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific
- By: J. Maarten Troost
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At age 26, Maarten Troost decided to pack up his flip-flops and move to a remote South Pacific island. The idea of dropping everything and moving to the ends of the earth was irresistibly romantic. But he should have known better.
-
-
HILARIOUS
- By Elizabeth on 08-17-08
-
Abroad in Japan
- By: Chris Broad
- Narrated by: Chris Broad
- Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Englishman Chris Broad landed in a rural village in northern Japan he wondered if he'd made a huge mistake. With no knowledge of the language and zero teaching experience, was he was about to be the most quickly fired English teacher in Japan's history? Abroad in Japan charts a decade of living in a foreign land and the chaos and culture clash that comes with it. Packed with hilarious and fascinating stories, this book seeks out to unravel one the world's most mysterious and impenetrable cultures.
-
-
Met Expectations
- By N. S. W. on 10-30-23
By: Chris Broad
-
In a Sunburned Country
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every time Bill Bryson walks out the door, memorable travel literature threatens to break out. His previous excursion on the Appalachian Trail resulted in the best seller A Walk in the Woods. Now, we follow him "Down Under" to Australia with this delectably funny, fact-filled, and adventurous performance that combines humor, wonder, and unflagging curiosity. More from Bill Bryson.
-
-
Laugh out loud funny
- By Larry on 06-09-03
By: Bill Bryson
-
Bill Bryson Collector's Edition
- Notes from a Small Island, Neither Here Nor There, and I'm a Stranger Here Myself
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 17 hrs and 11 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the first of three essays included in this audiobook, Bill Bryson decides to move his wife and kids back to his homeland, the United States, after nearly two decades in Britain. But not before taking one last trip around Britain, a sort of valedictory tour of the green and kindly island that had so long been his home. The result is a hilarious social commentary.
-
-
Bryson's best with Google
- By Shawn on 03-31-08
By: Bill Bryson
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Another great South Pacific Book from Mr. Troost
- By Michael on 08-29-13
-
Getting Stoned with the Savages
- A Trip through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu
- By: J. Maarten Troost
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After two grueling years on the island of Tarawa, Troost was in no hurry to return to the South Pacific until he began to feel remarkably out of place in modern America. He knew it was time to set off again for parts unknown. Here he tells the story of his time on Vanuatu, a cluster of islands where he struggles against typhoons, earthquakes, and giant centipedes but finds himself swept up in the laid-back, clothing-optional lifestyle of the islanders.
-
-
My new favorite author!
- By L. Worthington on 08-28-07
-
The Sex Lives of Cannibals
- Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific
- By: J. Maarten Troost
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At age 26, Maarten Troost decided to pack up his flip-flops and move to a remote South Pacific island. The idea of dropping everything and moving to the ends of the earth was irresistibly romantic. But he should have known better.
-
-
HILARIOUS
- By Elizabeth on 08-17-08
-
Abroad in Japan
- By: Chris Broad
- Narrated by: Chris Broad
- Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Englishman Chris Broad landed in a rural village in northern Japan he wondered if he'd made a huge mistake. With no knowledge of the language and zero teaching experience, was he was about to be the most quickly fired English teacher in Japan's history? Abroad in Japan charts a decade of living in a foreign land and the chaos and culture clash that comes with it. Packed with hilarious and fascinating stories, this book seeks out to unravel one the world's most mysterious and impenetrable cultures.
-
-
Met Expectations
- By N. S. W. on 10-30-23
By: Chris Broad
-
In a Sunburned Country
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every time Bill Bryson walks out the door, memorable travel literature threatens to break out. His previous excursion on the Appalachian Trail resulted in the best seller A Walk in the Woods. Now, we follow him "Down Under" to Australia with this delectably funny, fact-filled, and adventurous performance that combines humor, wonder, and unflagging curiosity. More from Bill Bryson.
-
-
Laugh out loud funny
- By Larry on 06-09-03
By: Bill Bryson
-
Bill Bryson Collector's Edition
- Notes from a Small Island, Neither Here Nor There, and I'm a Stranger Here Myself
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 17 hrs and 11 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the first of three essays included in this audiobook, Bill Bryson decides to move his wife and kids back to his homeland, the United States, after nearly two decades in Britain. But not before taking one last trip around Britain, a sort of valedictory tour of the green and kindly island that had so long been his home. The result is a hilarious social commentary.
-
-
Bryson's best with Google
- By Shawn on 03-31-08
By: Bill Bryson
-
Around the World in 80 Trains
- A 45,000-Mile Adventure
- By: Monisha Rajesh
- Narrated by: Monisha Rajesh
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Monisha Rajesh announced plans to circumnavigate the globe in 80 train journeys, she was met with wide-eyed disbelief. But it wasn’t long before she was carefully plotting a route that would cover 45,000 miles - almost twice the circumference of the earth - coasting along the world’s most remarkable railways; from the cloud-skimming heights of Tibet’s Qinghai railway to silk-sheeted splendour on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Packing up her rucksack - and her fiancé, Jem, Monisha embarks on an unforgettable adventure.
-
-
Surprisingly negative
- By Monica Leo on 08-13-21
By: Monisha Rajesh
-
Into Africa
- The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone
- By: Martin Dugard
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" So goes the signature introduction of New York Herald star journalist Henry Morton Stanley to renowned explorer Dr. David Livingstone, who had been missing for six years in the wilds of Africa. Into Africa ushers us into the meeting of these remarkable men. In 1866, when Livingstone journeyed into the heart of the African continent in search of the Nile's source, the land was rough, unknown to Europeans, and inhabited by man-eating tribes.
-
-
Riveting
- By Gene on 04-01-04
By: Martin Dugard
-
The River of Doubt
- Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
- By: Candice Millard
- Narrated by: Paul Michael
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At once an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical portrait, The River of Doubt is the true story of Theodore Roosevelt's harrowing exploration of one of the most dangerous rivers on earth.
-
-
This audiobook deserves 6 stars
- By D. Littman on 11-15-05
By: Candice Millard
-
Why the Dutch Are Different
- A Journey into the Hidden Heart of the Netherlands
- By: Ben Coates
- Narrated by: Ciaran Saward
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A personal portrait of a fascinating people, a sideways history, and an entertaining travelogue, Why the Dutch Are Different is the story of an Englishman who went Dutch. And loved it.
-
-
Good Start, Then He Goes Dark
- By amazonnance on 12-17-21
By: Ben Coates
-
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
- A Memoir
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bill Bryson was born in the middle of the American century, 1951, in the middle of the United States, Des Moines, Iowa, in the middle of the largest generation in American history, the baby boomers. As one of the best and funniest writers alive, his is perfectly positioned to mine his memories of a totally all-American childhood for 24-carat memoir gold. Like millions of his generational peers, Bill Bryson grew up with a rich fantasy life as a superhero.
-
-
Fun, but not for squeamish
- By David on 11-30-06
By: Bill Bryson
-
A Walk in the Woods
- Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Rob McQuay
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Appalachian Trail trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America - majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaing guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way - and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in).
-
-
Informational
- By Amber C on 03-29-17
By: Bill Bryson
-
Made in America
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Made in America, Bryson de-mythologizes his native land, explaining how a dusty hamlet with neither woods nor holly became Hollywood, how the Wild West wasn't won, why Americans say 'lootenant' and 'Toosday', how Americans were eating junk food long before the word itself was cooked up, as well as exposing the true origins of the G-string, the original $64,000 question, and Dr Kellogg of cornflakes fame.
-
-
Bryson Not Reading Makes For a Rare Fail
- By John on 02-28-14
By: Bill Bryson
-
Conquistadores
- A New History of Spanish Discovery and Conquest
- By: Fernando Cervantes
- Narrated by: Luis Soto
- Length: 15 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over the few short decades that followed Christopher Columbus' first landing in the Caribbean in 1492, Spain conquered the two most powerful civilizations of the Americas: the Aztecs of Mexico and the Incas of Peru. Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro, and the other explorers and soldiers who took part in these expeditions dedicated their lives to seeking political and religious glory, helping to build an empire unlike any the world had ever seen. But centuries later, these conquistadors have become the stuff of nightmares.
-
-
A fresh mature perspective on the Spanish conquest
- By Chencheno111 on 03-19-22
-
Seven Years in Tibet
- By: Heinrich Harrer, Richard Graves
- Narrated by: Mark Meadows
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A landmark in travel writing, this is the incredible true story of Heinrich Harrer’s escape across the Himalayas to Tibet, set against the backdrop of the Second World War. Heinrich Harrer, already one of the greatest mountaineers of his time, was climbing in the Himalayas when war broke out in Europe. He was imprisoned by the British in India but succeeded in escaping and fled to Tibet.
-
-
An Adventure Classic
- By Jean on 01-29-16
By: Heinrich Harrer, and others
-
The Great Railway Bazaar
- By: Paul Theroux
- Narrated by: Frank Muller
- Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Great Railway Bazaar is Paul Theroux's account of his epic journey by rail through Asia. Filled with evocative names of legendary train routes - the Direct-Orient Express, the Khyber Pass Local, the Delhi Mail from Jaipur, the Golden Arrow to Kuala Lumpur, the Hikari Super Express to Kyoto, and the Trans-Siberian Express - it describes the many places, cultures, sights and sounds he experienced and the fascinating people he met.
-
-
Just about as good as it gets...
- By david d. on 03-27-11
By: Paul Theroux
-
China Road
- A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power
- By: Rob Gifford
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
National Public Radio's Beijing correspondent Rob Gifford recounts his travels along Route 312, the Chinese Mother Road, the longest route in the world's most populous nation. Based on his successful NPR radio series, China Road draws on Gifford's 20 years of observing first-hand this rapidly transforming country, as he travels east to west, from Shanghai to China's border with Kazakhstan. As he takes listeners on this journey, he also takes them through China's past and present while he tries to make sense of this complex nation's potential future.
-
-
An Outstanding Book on China
- By Sarda on 08-13-07
By: Rob Gifford
-
My Holiday in North Korea
- The Funniest/Worst Place on Earth
- By: Wendy E. Simmons
- Narrated by: Jeena Yi
- Length: 4 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In My Holiday in North Korea: The Funniest/Worst Place on Earth, Wendy shares a glimpse of North Korea as it's never been seen before. Even though it's the scariest place on Earth, somehow Wendy forgot to check her sense of humor at the border. But Wendy's initial amusement and bewilderment soon turned to frustration and growing paranoia.
-
-
Lots of swearing.
- By Gail on 06-21-16
By: Wendy E. Simmons
Related to this topic
-
One Year Off
- Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children
- By: David Cohen
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In One Year Off, you can join the family on a trek up a Costa Rican volcano, cruise the canals of Burgundy by houseboat, and ride ferries through the Greek Islands. Later, as the Cohens wander further off the tourist trail, you can drive through the villages of Rajasthan, traverse the vast Australian Nullarbor, and discover the charms of Cambodia's Angkor Wat and the hidden shangri-las of northern Laos.
-
-
fun filled travellog
- By tarun on 07-22-19
By: David Cohen
-
Iranian Rappers and Persian Porn
- A Hitchhiker's Adventures in the New Iran
- By: Jamie Maslin
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Jamie Maslin decides to hitchhike the entire length of the Silk Road, he decides to travel first and plan later. Then, unexpectedly stranded in Iran - a country he's only read about in newspapers - he wonders whether he'll make it out alive. After crossing the border on foot from Turkey, Maslin finds himself suddenly plunged into the subversive, contradictory world of Iranian subculture, where he is embraced by locals who are happy to show him the true Iran as they see it....
-
-
Entertaining & Informative
- By Bella Bates on 04-18-14
By: Jamie Maslin
-
China Road
- A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power
- By: Rob Gifford
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
National Public Radio's Beijing correspondent Rob Gifford recounts his travels along Route 312, the Chinese Mother Road, the longest route in the world's most populous nation. Based on his successful NPR radio series, China Road draws on Gifford's 20 years of observing first-hand this rapidly transforming country, as he travels east to west, from Shanghai to China's border with Kazakhstan. As he takes listeners on this journey, he also takes them through China's past and present while he tries to make sense of this complex nation's potential future.
-
-
An Outstanding Book on China
- By Sarda on 08-13-07
By: Rob Gifford
-
Getting Stoned with the Savages
- A Trip through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu
- By: J. Maarten Troost
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After two grueling years on the island of Tarawa, Troost was in no hurry to return to the South Pacific until he began to feel remarkably out of place in modern America. He knew it was time to set off again for parts unknown. Here he tells the story of his time on Vanuatu, a cluster of islands where he struggles against typhoons, earthquakes, and giant centipedes but finds himself swept up in the laid-back, clothing-optional lifestyle of the islanders.
-
-
My new favorite author!
- By L. Worthington on 08-28-07
-
Dreaming of Jupiter
- By: Ted Simon
- Narrated by: Rupert Degas
- Length: 16 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Ted Simon rode 64,000 miles round the world on his 500c Triumph Tiger, he inspired thousands of motorcyclists to begin their own adventures, including Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, who chronicled their travels in Long Way Round. Nearly 30 years later, Ted Simon took to the road again to retrace the epic journey he made in his 40s. He meets up with old friends and acquaintances, revisits old landmarks and locations, and rediscovers himself, as well as the world, along the way.
-
-
Amazing book, Amazing Man
- By Roxanna on 08-16-18
By: Ted Simon
-
Travels in Siberia
- By: Ian Frazier
- Narrated by: Ian Frazier
- Length: 20 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ian Frazier trains his eye for unforgettable detail on Siberia, that vast expanse of Asiatic Russia. He explores many aspects of this storied, often grim region. He writes about the geography, the resources, the native peoples, the history, the 40-below midwinter afternoons, the bugs. The book brims with Mongols, half-crazed Orthodox archpriests, fur seekers, ambassadors of the czar bound for Peking, tea caravans, German scientists, American prospectors, intrepid English nurses, and prisoners and exiles of every kind....
-
-
I Loved This Book
- By Sara on 01-05-14
By: Ian Frazier
-
One Year Off
- Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children
- By: David Cohen
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In One Year Off, you can join the family on a trek up a Costa Rican volcano, cruise the canals of Burgundy by houseboat, and ride ferries through the Greek Islands. Later, as the Cohens wander further off the tourist trail, you can drive through the villages of Rajasthan, traverse the vast Australian Nullarbor, and discover the charms of Cambodia's Angkor Wat and the hidden shangri-las of northern Laos.
-
-
fun filled travellog
- By tarun on 07-22-19
By: David Cohen
-
Iranian Rappers and Persian Porn
- A Hitchhiker's Adventures in the New Iran
- By: Jamie Maslin
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Jamie Maslin decides to hitchhike the entire length of the Silk Road, he decides to travel first and plan later. Then, unexpectedly stranded in Iran - a country he's only read about in newspapers - he wonders whether he'll make it out alive. After crossing the border on foot from Turkey, Maslin finds himself suddenly plunged into the subversive, contradictory world of Iranian subculture, where he is embraced by locals who are happy to show him the true Iran as they see it....
-
-
Entertaining & Informative
- By Bella Bates on 04-18-14
By: Jamie Maslin
-
China Road
- A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power
- By: Rob Gifford
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
National Public Radio's Beijing correspondent Rob Gifford recounts his travels along Route 312, the Chinese Mother Road, the longest route in the world's most populous nation. Based on his successful NPR radio series, China Road draws on Gifford's 20 years of observing first-hand this rapidly transforming country, as he travels east to west, from Shanghai to China's border with Kazakhstan. As he takes listeners on this journey, he also takes them through China's past and present while he tries to make sense of this complex nation's potential future.
-
-
An Outstanding Book on China
- By Sarda on 08-13-07
By: Rob Gifford
-
Getting Stoned with the Savages
- A Trip through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu
- By: J. Maarten Troost
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After two grueling years on the island of Tarawa, Troost was in no hurry to return to the South Pacific until he began to feel remarkably out of place in modern America. He knew it was time to set off again for parts unknown. Here he tells the story of his time on Vanuatu, a cluster of islands where he struggles against typhoons, earthquakes, and giant centipedes but finds himself swept up in the laid-back, clothing-optional lifestyle of the islanders.
-
-
My new favorite author!
- By L. Worthington on 08-28-07
-
Dreaming of Jupiter
- By: Ted Simon
- Narrated by: Rupert Degas
- Length: 16 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Ted Simon rode 64,000 miles round the world on his 500c Triumph Tiger, he inspired thousands of motorcyclists to begin their own adventures, including Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, who chronicled their travels in Long Way Round. Nearly 30 years later, Ted Simon took to the road again to retrace the epic journey he made in his 40s. He meets up with old friends and acquaintances, revisits old landmarks and locations, and rediscovers himself, as well as the world, along the way.
-
-
Amazing book, Amazing Man
- By Roxanna on 08-16-18
By: Ted Simon
-
Travels in Siberia
- By: Ian Frazier
- Narrated by: Ian Frazier
- Length: 20 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ian Frazier trains his eye for unforgettable detail on Siberia, that vast expanse of Asiatic Russia. He explores many aspects of this storied, often grim region. He writes about the geography, the resources, the native peoples, the history, the 40-below midwinter afternoons, the bugs. The book brims with Mongols, half-crazed Orthodox archpriests, fur seekers, ambassadors of the czar bound for Peking, tea caravans, German scientists, American prospectors, intrepid English nurses, and prisoners and exiles of every kind....
-
-
I Loved This Book
- By Sara on 01-05-14
By: Ian Frazier
-
The Masked Rider
- Cycling in West Africa
- By: Neil Peart
- Narrated by: Brian Sutherland
- Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The prolific drummer for the rock band Rush travels through African villages, both large and small, and relates his story through journal entries and tales of adventure, while simultaneously addressing issues such as differences in culture, psychology, and labels. Literary and artistic sidekicks such as Aristotle, Dante, and Van Gogh join Peart and his cycling companions, reminding the listener that this is not just another travel book - it is a story of both external and introspective discovery and adventure.
-
-
Fascinating Trip Across Cameroon
- By Diann Sedam on 11-26-19
By: Neil Peart
-
Full Circle
- A Pacific Journey with Michael Palin
- By: Michael Palin
- Narrated by: Michael Palin
- Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following the hugely popular and successful Around the World in 80 Days and Pole to Pole, Michael Palin set off to meet another challenge: an anti-clockwise circumnavigation of the world's largest ocean, the Pacific.
-
-
Excellent, per usual
- By Enroute8 on 06-03-07
By: Michael Palin
-
The Road to Little Dribbling
- Adventures of an American in Britain
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Nathan Osgood
- Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twenty years ago, Bill Bryson went on a trip around Britain to discover and celebrate that green and pleasant land. The result was Notes from a Small Island, a true classic and one of the bestselling travel books ever written. Now he has traveled about Britain again, by bus and train and rental car and on foot, to see what has changed—and what hasn’t.
-
-
No Bryson?? Alas, another disappointed fan
- By Rick on 01-25-16
By: Bill Bryson
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Fantastic Adventure
- By CJ on 09-12-18
By: Albert Podell
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Great story, horrible narration
- By AB on 02-25-22
By: Matthieu Aikins
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
The world history of trains up to the present
- By matthew on 03-06-14
By: Tom Zoellner
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Long String of NPR Short Reports
- By Sara on 04-13-15
By: David Greene
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Not a right wing fanatic
- By Love on 12-11-13
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Another great South Pacific Book from Mr. Troost
- By Michael on 08-29-13
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Better than I predicted
- By Paul Luthi on 08-23-13
By: Andrew Blackwell
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
She makes it sound SO unappealing!
- By Barbara on 05-18-14
By: Lynne Martin
-
Sahara
- By: Michael Palin
- Narrated by: Michael Palin
- Length: 6 hrs and 1 min
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
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.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Chick
- 07-13-20
Excellent and Funny
It is Hilarious and educational. It’s like traveling around China from your home. The audio version really brings out the humor
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tiffany D. Stewart
- 02-25-16
LOVED it!
This was a delight from beginning to end. I love it when an author takes risks, and he did. His observations and honesty and humor are wonderful. I only wish there were more travel writers like him out there. This is one of those books that I wanted to write the author to lavish praise.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- Devri
- 07-20-08
A clever, witty narrative
This is a wonderful travelogue! Mr. Troost writes of many issues in modern China - pollution, the explosion of "capitalism", chinese tourism, censorship - and does so with clever and witty prose. The narration is excellent. I highly recommend this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ronald
- 08-17-12
What is this superpower really up to? Bloody hell!
Would you consider the audio edition of Lost on Planet China to be better than the print version?
I get the audiobook precisely because I don't want to read. However, that being said, I couldn't imagine this book without Simon Vance's narration. The British accent simply adds to the outrageousness and curltural extremes. This is an adventure book and as Maarten considers raising children in a world of Chinese dominance, we get an up close and unvarnished view of the makers of everything cheap. 1.5 billion Chinese all living together in smog, close quarters and a dizzy array of sub dialetics. As a power to contend with in the world, China is known to be oppressive, impressive and big!
What other book might you compare Lost on Planet China to and why?
Before starting this adventure, begin with Maarten's book Sex Lives of Cannibals and go on to Getting Stoned with Savages. Come back in the knowledge that whatever is going on in China, we will follow the man lived and drank with cannibals and survived, so how bad can it be there? Really, really bad.
Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?
Listening to Simon is just too damn funny. As Maarten, the Netherland born, California based, pragmatic english speaking (with a British accent), he is absolutely brilliant.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
The cultural shocks in this audiobook are extreme. The Chinese do things their way and the author revealing China, all the warts, beauty, bigness, and amazing discriptions of scenic vistas totally breath-taking in scope.
Any additional comments?
Although the author mentions it a number of times, it should be said that China is big. Really big!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Scott
- 08-12-13
Brilliant and disturbing
Another triumph for J. Maarten Troost, and for Simon Vance. An unbeatable combination. This book gives insights into China and Chinese culture that you won't find in any "politically correct" publication. It's funny, entertaining, and disturbing. Absolutely worth a listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Placeholder
- 03-13-15
Best narrator! Absolutely hilarious
Just so good. I have enjoyed all of Maarten Troosts books, and recommend them all --- especially with this narrator who delivers wit and lot better than I've heard in ages.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- David
- 09-08-14
True to what a visit to China is like
What did you love best about Lost on Planet China?
The authors point of view is very funny.
What other book might you compare Lost on Planet China to and why?
Hotel at the top of the world. Similar humor.
What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?
He's performance was incredible. I will look for him w hen making future purchases.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Talking to the lamps.
Any additional comments?
This is a great look at China.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- David
- 06-27-23
Never for the squeamish or the easily insulted.
Maarten turns his edgy wit to his travels again.
So is Maartin bias? -- Sure! Funny? - heck yeah -- but he's also not wrong about what he's seeing either. I can see a lot of folks getting their panties in a twist if they think this is going to be some soft love letter to China - NOPE - at best this is a Loving Roast Comedy night for a retiring colleague who used to get on your nerves a lot..
The book opens with Maartin living at Sacramento CA and then onto China for his book research. Having grown up in Sacramento I can say Maartin's wit is calibrated to be brutal - but he's honest. So while I felt slightly maligned having my hometown so roughly treated my Maarten - having lived there I know he's on the level. Many Parts of Sacramento are like someone transplanted bad sections Oklahoma City to CA. His names for his Meth-head neighbor's kids is so perfect - omg. I pity him for living in a dumpy part of the city.
So I imagine Maartin's treatment of China is the same - truthful, but rough handling. And lets face it - his Wit is Funny as hell. Lots of insight - plenty of harsh humor in the face of man of life's frustrations. Maartin's books are never for the squeamish or the easily offended. It is however very worth the listen to his new material here. IF you liked his first book - then you'll know what you're getting into here.
Bon Voyage! or in Chinese - lù shang xiǎo-xīn!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Victoria
- 07-30-12
Fabulous!
Have told everyone I know about this book. A travel log, political commentary and history lesson all rolled into one. Don't miss it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 07-19-22
Interesting, but...
this booked was interesting, but not near as entertaining as his first two books. would highly recommend the others, but maybe not this one. it is obvious he didn't like China from day one. Also, the ending was such a cliff hanger and I want to know what happened, but not really sure if I want to see if there is a follow up book to find out. Sorry, wish I liked this one more.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!