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Should be called "Stating the Obvious"

Revisado: 01-29-17

I was actually looking for books on India when I stumbled across this title. I'd never listened to a self-help book before and, as someone who often overthinks, I figured the book might be both interesting (the stories) and helpful (the insights). Turns out I was wrong on both accounts.

Let me begin by saying that the narrator doesn't do the author any favors. He gets all the words right (though not all the pronunciations) but he infuses no life into the text. It's like listening to Siri read your email. I had the sense that Rob was seeing the material for the first time as he was reading it.

As for the content, prepare yourself for such insights as "possessions can't make you happy", "it's about the journey, not the destination", and "relax, things usually just work out". Seriously? If these are new ideas to you then this book may just prove helpful. My feeling is that there is not much here for anyone who has engaged in any type of self-reflection. But understand too that Bob is not a psychologist; his background is in sales.

The low point of the book, the point at which I should have just written the whole thing off, was Bob's account of his attendance at an Indian wedding. Picture in your mind the stereotype of an NYC executive at a Fortune 50 company: pushy, impatient and generally entitled. That's Bob at this wedding. Kudos to him for his candor but it became apparent at that point that a big part of his problem may be that he's an unpleasant person. I actually caught myself saying out loud, "Shut up!" as he recounted his incessant complaining.

Bob's probably a fine and decent person but, unfortunately, I cannot say the same thing about this book. If you're self-aware enough to know you need to stop overthinking and start living you are probably better off finding something written by a professional who can hopefully share some thoughts and ideas that haven't already occurred to you on your own.

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Worth a listen

Revisado: 01-02-17

If you could sum up India - Culture Smart! in three words, what would they be?

Worth a listen

What did you like best about this story?

As a non-fiction guidebook there is no story per se. Nevertheless, if you're like me and hate reading or prefer to multitask while absorbing information then the audio book format works really well and the information is relevant for anyone interested in travel to India.

What aspect of Peter Noble’s performance would you have changed?

Peter Noble was always clear and easy to understand though for the first chapter of this book I felt as though it was being read to me by Siri. I don't know if I just got used to it but by chapter 2 I no longer felt this way. One aspect of the narration that continued to amuse me through the final chapter was Peter's perfect diction, the emphasis on a word's final "t" in particular. It reminded me a little of Roger Waters' vocal style. The bottom line is that Peter was competent but his voice and style did nothing to add to the listening experience. Considering the subject matter that is probably all one can expect.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

As a non-fiction guidebook, there is no story to keep you engaged but most of the subject matter is interesting and relevant—particularly if you are planning a trip. Even the final chapter on business in India proved valuable in understanding the culture. Don't skip it just because you might not be going to India on business.

Any additional comments?

I re-started chapter 1 over and over. In fact, I thought I had made a mistake by selecting this book. The parade of facts, figures, dates and geographical references is much more suited to the written page. I will be listening to it a 4th (?) time while sitting in front of a map. That said, I'm glad I stuck with it. Once the subject matter transitioned from facts, dates and statistics to more conceptual topics the listening became easier and enjoyable.

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