Culture Shock!: Bolivia (Culture Shock - Guides)
by Mark Cramer

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Book Reviews of Culture Shock!: Bolivia (Culture Shock - Guides)

Book Review: Wait for the next update - cries out for an update
Summary: 3 Stars

Mark Cramer initially wrote this book pre-1996, and though the title page states the text was "revisited in 2001" I found nothing in the book that included the last five years of Bolivia's revolts and reformations. Bolivia is a country with serious upheavals (economic and political) and it has an engaging and often revolutionary political system. My visit this year to Bolivia showed me that the country and people do change, and they have. This book should have illustrated this fact.

My criticism does not mean that the book is without `some' significance. Cramer's first 100 pages are somewhat engaging and informative. His writing is at its best in the chapter that deals with "Social and Business Customs". Sadly, half of that chapter is used to list the various festivals in Bolivia, without adequately telling you the "why" each festival exists, i.e. "San Rafael" (24 Oct.) "A four day festival in Santa Fe with folk dancing and more drinking." The last 150 pages are superfluous. Instead of guiding you deeper into the customs, culture and etiquette (the normal focus of `Culture Shock!' guides) Cramer takes a hike... literally. He attempts to turn the book into a travel guide, and not a good one at that.

The strength of other `Culture Shock! Guides' is that they give you a depth of understanding of the people and their ethos, how the history of the country has created customs and culture. Regarding this `Culture Shock! Guide' you should save your money and wait until the guide is not just `revisited', but rewritten. Conditionally recommended 2.5 stars.

Summary of Culture Shock!: Bolivia (Culture Shock - Guides)

Bolivia Books

• History > Americas > South America
• General
• Reference > General
• Travel > Reference & Tips > Reference
• Guidebook Series > Culture Shock!
• Latin America > South America > Bolivia
• General