Didn't really tell me anything I didn't know, but it was a change of pace from what I usually read. Parts of it gave me pause, but it mostly made me feel superior to the 'dumb' people who go into debt trying to have the latest, newest, best...kind of like watching a reality show.

Because it's a travelogue, it's probably not a great book club choice. Still, there are a lot of interesting discussions to be had on the cultural differences and changes to Eastern European, Chinese, and Mongolian cultures. The book is actually at times laugh-out-loud funny. The author is irreverent, but smart, and it was fascinating to read a westerner's take on a part of the world most of us will never see.

If this book were a girl, everybody would say she's nice. It's an accessible, likable book - the kind you give to your Mom. The best part is the sense of time and place the author gives you - she has a gift for atmosphere and detail.