This book is definitely a scholarly level book that is aimed toward those taking a somewhat intellectual look at the "plight of the Filipino." The book is written very well, and seems to be fairly neutral when analysing the historical elements of how the Philippine Islands have progressed in the last couple centuries.

The book is quite good and offers a lot of information to provide a fairly well-balanced view of the PI. Many would say it is too high-level, meaning, too general, but, for those that are wanting a peak into the political climate, as well as how the filipino has struggled to "become," then this book is definitely for you.

If you are looking for light reading, this book isn't for you. Anyone intersted in Filipino, Filipino tradition, marrying a Filipina/Filipino, this book will give you a much needed advantage to understanding the culture, by understanding its historical context and the struggle of becoming a unified nation.

I highly recommend it..

The worst book ever written on India. If you already knew something about India, you'd see Crossette hadn't a clue what she was talking about. If you knew nothing about India, you'd learn nothing about it by reading her book, either. A gem from this book: Indians don't play American football, tennis or baseball, so they do not like sports. No, I am not making this up. Apparently, she has not heard of the cricket fanaticism in India. -by Philip Oldenberg, professor at UC Berkeley

It is hard to find 1 positive sentence in every 500(make it 1000) sentences in the book written about a country famous for love, peace and believer of simple life.

But belive me, If you are an Indian (and preferably hindu), after reading the book full of bashing India and Hinduism, You would become more patriotic and assert more strongly on Hinduism. Probably that would be the biggest disappointment to the author.

True, there are flaws in anything and everything in world. But the author seems to have faced some bad incedence during her stay in india. May be that is why the book had to carry so much bad of India. All most all lines are interestingly sarcastic(but readable) throughout and positive aspects are cleverly and intentionally ignored on every issue touched.

Marriages lasting incredibly longer in India are not appreciated much. So is India's friendship with Russia, and India not giving into Amerika. Shiny Abraham missing international games due to her preganancy is something the author doesn't approve of. The most popular game CRICKET has no place in the book having a special chapter 'Play Fields of India'. Forget about the best batsman and bowler of world that India has produced in cricket. So also are chess and Billiards. The NRIs are considerred as people extracting professional satisfaction without personal commitment to their adopted countries.

How ever unfortunately some of things presented are TRUE. Indians should not mind accepting them. This book (almost absolutely anti India) gives a chance to Indians to rethink their system full of corruption and all those dirty things.

Everything is seen in Amerikan eye and mind. Hence strong mockery/criticisation of Indian foreign policy. And top of all - the bad hindu India. The book is too much of criticising, to change India if at all the author intended to.

If you wish to read about India from someone who hates it, this is the book.