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 enlarge | Authors: Doug Bower, Cindi Bower
Publisher: Universal Publishers
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
Buy New: $23.35
You Save: $2.60 (10%)
New (16) Used (8) from $20.63
Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 638617
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 328
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8
ISBN: 1581129289
Dewey Decimal Number: 917
EAN: 9781581129281
ASIN: 1581129289
Publication Date: May 30, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
Great little book on Guanajuato June 14, 2007
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
If you're thinking about moving to Guanajuato then definitely read this book along with the Bower's other book, The Plain Truth about Living in Mexico: The Expatriate's Guide to Moving, Retiring, or just hanging out. It's easy to read, informative, and funny. I thought my wife was crazy when she was reading it and would just start laughing. After reading it myself I understand what the laughing was all about. If you're serious about moving to central Mexico read these books along with others which cover Mexico in general. It'd also be a good idea to spend at least a few weeks in the area you're planning to move to so that you can make sure you're really going to like it. Good luck and see you soon in GTO!
 Expat Misanalysis May 24, 2007
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book may help North Americans considering a move to the charming Mexican town of Guanajuato, and to the extent that this book alerts readers to common errors of expatriation to Mexico, especially the routine disregard of local culture, Bower's caveats provide a welcome service. But I disagree with his characterization of gringoes as "fakepats" essentially because they make little effort to learn the language. If this were a valid condemnation, how would Gertrude Stein, for heaven's sake, have managed so long, and so well, in France? Stein famously learned only just enough French to get by, though she lived a very illustrious life in that sensitive country for half a century. Moreover, Bower's survey fails to note that Mexico City, Cuernavaca and, especially, Guadalajara/Lake Chapala, harbor thousands of North American expats, asserting wrongly that Puerto Vallarta and San Miguel are their chief gathering spots.
 Honest and entertaining January 3, 2007
2 out of 8 found this review helpful
I really loved this book because it tells you what I suspect is virtually everything you need to know. The style is frank but entertaining and explains why Guanajuato is the "real" Mexico. It warns readers against expecting a little version of the United States, yet tells you the unique aspects of Guanajuato that make it a special place.
Where is Guanajuoto? A poorly organized, repetitive hodgepodge with many informative and delightful gems December 2, 2006
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
In spite of its shortcomings, I'm glad I bought this book, I enjoyed much of it and I learned quite a bit. His writing style and stories are charming and informative. He certainly gets his point across with evocative examples like the water venders screaming "Agua...agua...agua" and you run naked from the shower screaming "A-G-U-A!" or risk death by dehydration because who knows when you will, if ever, hear the call again.
The book is really a collection of essays and emails published online and elsewhere and gathered together with little apparent effort to integrate it into a satisfying whole. The two most frustrating things were the very frequent repetition and harping on the author's favorite themes scattered throughout the book, and the lack of real detail about Guanajuato itself.
First, I found myself reading the same content over and over, and then skimming and skipping, hoping I wasn't missing some important new point or information about the topic in its next incarnation. His favorite themes are the Ugly Americans with their ignorance and prejudice, who congregate in expatriate enclaves in major tourist areas like San Miguel de Allende, never learn the language and both miss out on and ruin the authentic Mexican experience. This is a valuable insight in how NOT to approach Guanajuato. So make your case, develop it well once and be done with it. It becomes tiresome harping the tenth time around, and doesn't help learn about Guanajuato which is why I bought the book. Other favorite themes are the problem of cars and parking in Guanajuato, the value/problems of learning/not learning Spanish, and selling his new book on learning language. Again, these topics are valuable the first time around. Modern word processors make it easy to bring together the same topics and ideas. Do readers a big favor and pick the best arguments and stories for each topic and then move on to new material. I think editing out half or even two-thirds of the book would only increase its usefulness and readers enjoyment. How about a revised edition?
Second, I was disappointed to not find more detail about Guanajuato. It seemed more words were dedicated to selling his next book about learning language than Guanajuato per se. I found more material about Guanajuato on several websites than this entire book. He offers a disclaimer right at the beginning that there is no information about "studying abroad in Guanajuato as the title of the book might imply" (as the title states, in my reading of it). Much of the book offers generalities (helpful, yes) that seem to apply to much of Mexico. I would love to have read more about the author's experience of the city itself. Take us on some of your "enormous walks from our home". Introduce us to some of your friends, your favorite restaurants; take us along your favorite streets. Invite us to sit with you for those "long hours in the vast plazas...for the soul-satisfying pleasure of doing nothing at all." Where is Guanajuato? Take us there.
A Strong Recommendation for the Bowers Book on Guanajuato September 8, 2006
8 out of 12 found this review helpful
As someone who has visited Mexico several times as I struggle with my study of Spanish, and who is thinking of moving there, I found this book to be far superior to the general run of guides on the expatriate life or retiring in Mexico. Some of the others of this genre just lack the ring of authenticity, or seemed to be aimed at people with a lot of bucks who are headed for a gated community or an expensive house in Cabo San Lucas. But the Bowers' book has that ring of authenticity and is squarely aimed at the (for lack of a better cliche) "average Joe" who is looking for a life that is different and/or better and needs down-to-earth practical advice on how an American can make this transition.
To date myself, the Bowers' reporting reminds me of the usefulness of a Travel Forum I used to frequent on one of the pioneer online services, CompuServe, where I got the best travel ideas and advice ever from the many participants who gave their firsthand reports, and to whom you could pose the kinds of questions that you don't see answered in newspaper travel sections or guidebooks.
The Bowers live in Guanjauato which is not far from where I always visit, which is a too-Americanized well known town that they don't quite approve of, San Miguel de Allende. (And which also, because of the huge ex-pat community, far more expensive). But to each his own. While I don't have a lot in common with many of the ex-pats and retirees, having made a lot of friends in San Miguel, I am comfortable there.
I should add that as I contemplate in the back of my mind moving there, I scanned some of the key advice chapters into my computer (such as the most painless way to get a resident's visa) and sent them to friends in San Miguel, who told me they were right on the money.
So, if this is the kind of information you are looking for, buy this book as well as the Bowers' book, "The Plain Truth about Living in Mexico."
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