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Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure

Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure
Author: Sarah Macdonald
Publisher: Broadway
Category: Book

List Price: $14.95
Buy Used: $1.94
You Save: $13.01 (87%)



New (42) Used (56) from $1.94

Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars 92 reviews
Sales Rank: 12760

Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 304
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.7

ISBN: 0767915747
Dewey Decimal Number: 954.56052092
EAN: 9780767915748
ASIN: 0767915747

Publication Date: April 13, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Buy from the best: 4,000,000 items shipped to delighted customers. We have 1,000,000 unique items ready to ship today!

Also Available In:

  • Paperback - Holy Cow! an Indian Adventure
  • Kindle Edition - Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure
  • Audio Download - Holy Cow!: An Indian Adventure (Unabridged)

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
In her twenties, journalist Sarah Macdonald backpacked around India and came away with a lasting impression of heat, pollution and poverty. So when an airport beggar read her palm and told her she would return to India—and for love—she screamed, “Never!” and gave the country, and him, the finger.

But eleven years later, the prophecy comes true. When the love of Sarah’s life is posted to India, she quits her dream job to move to the most polluted city on earth, New Delhi. For Sarah this seems like the ultimate sacrifice for love, and it almost kills her, literally. Just settled, she falls dangerously ill with double pneumonia, an experience that compels her to face some serious questions about her own fragile mortality and inner spiritual void. “I must find peace in the only place possible in India,” she concludes. “Within.” Thus begins her journey of discovery through India in search of the meaning of life and death.

Holy Cow is Macdonald’s often hilarious chronicle of her adventures in a land of chaos and contradiction, of encounters with Hinduism, Islam and Jainism, Sufis, Sikhs, Parsis and Christians and a kaleidoscope of yogis, swamis and Bollywood stars. From spiritual retreats and crumbling nirvanas to war zones and New Delhi nightclubs, it is a journey that only a woman on a mission to save her soul, her love life—and her sanity—can survive.



Customer Reviews:   Read 87 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars Honest & Hilarious!   July 15, 2008
In the beginning of the book, I was shocked at the harsh words that the author used to talk about India. In fact, I couldn't believe that one of my Indian friends, who is from Punjab (wait until you read how she feels about them) actually made it through the book without throwing it away. When we talked about this, he told me to give it a chance. He said that MacDonald's adventure in India is actually very beautiful and entertaining and that her initial culture shock (coming from Australia) goes away.

And--he was right! Not only was the story hilarious, but it was honest, and descriptive. I could see the colors of the women's sari's and could almost smell the dust and smog in Delhi. Not only that, I think that Sarah captured the beauty of the people of India and the variety of cultures, religions and beliefs that thrive there.

This book is a must read for anyone who is interested in India, has been there, or who would like a good laugh. But be prepared to be shocked at times, to feel scared for Sarah & Jonathon and to miss India when they leave.

The authors initial obervations of India are a little harsh, and a bit offensive, but give it time. As she grows and the story grows you will fall in love with her adventure!




1 out of 5 stars Whining, Whining, Whining   June 26, 2008
 0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I'm a prolific reader and there are only a handful of books I've started and not bothered to finish. "Holy Cow" is one of them.

MacDonald spends a lot of time describing how awful she found India, how little she thinks of Hinduism, and how WONDERFUL her WONDERFUL career in WONDERFUL Australia was (who outside of Australia has ever heard of her or her WONDERFUL work on Australian radio?) -- but mostly what she does is whine about how nothing on earth meets her rather adolescent standards.

I gave up after 100 pages of her tedious complaining.



5 out of 5 stars Hands on unvarnished insight   June 5, 2008
 0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I was looking for a lived-there book and this one is it! Fun, serious, always insightful observations shared by the author--who does not take herself seriously.


5 out of 5 stars An engaging look at India!   May 13, 2008
 0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I've re-read this book about 5 or 6 times and each time found something different to enjoy. Ms. MacDonald is an engaging writer and her journey of understanding India (and Indians) will keep you reading until the last pages.


5 out of 5 stars Thoroughly Enjoyable   April 25, 2008
 0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Sarah has a quirky sense of humor that explores India in all its contrasts and contradictions. Like Sarah, I also have a background in psychology and I appreciated her interest in trying to understand why people are the way they are. For instance, through personal exploration she tries to discover why people are attracted to various religions and the role these practices and beliefs play in their lives.

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