Culture Shock! Pakistan: A Guide to Customs and Etiquette [Paperback]

The book is very informative and detailed. Every aspect of life imaginable: villages, cities, business, weddings, hosting parties, buying houses, what is/isn't safe to eat--it even gives a break-down of which foreigners will be liked and/or disliked by Pakistanis. She does a very good job, ostensibly, of giving a description adequate for more than just a two week vacation in an exotic country. This book is also, considering that it is a nonfiction travel guide, quite interesting and able to keep your attention--with appealing photography (although in black-and-white) and hilarious sketches by Zafar Ihsan, it will not fail to keep your attention.

As negatives for the book, they unfortunately come across rather distinctly. Ms. Mittmann comes from a failed marriage to a Pakistani, so perhaps this explains her viewpoint. The book is very dour and rather pessimistic. Although Mittmann claims to love Pakistan and cherish it as a country, you can hardly believe that given her criticism of it. While it is true that Pakistan's Islamic culture does strike Westerners as rather sexist, she lacks the compassion to explain that some of this restriction stems from an ancient desire to protect women and keep them out of harm's way. There is also a quality in this book which is bereft of light-hearted excitement. Perhaps this is because the thrill of living abroad wears off in expatriates all-too-soon.

This is a fair book. I would consider it worth reading for somebody already familiar with Pakistani culture, but would warn away any newcomers. Its style is mildly patronizing and there is a stoic, almost-depressing air about it, which would frighten anyone curious about Islamic cultures away.

Unfortunately, this book seems to be written for men. At first I thought it was just poor editing and choice of words (i.e. using masculine he/his/him pronouns without it being clear if the advice was meant to apply to men or to men AND women) then it became obvious that I was just being left out. The sectiions about women are preoccupied with clothes and shopping, and in a few sections -- most notably the one on the workplace -- it actually starts refers to a few things for "your wife" (i.e, playing hostess) to do to "help". As a single woman professional, I'm pretty disgusted that this section made NO reference to issues or etiquette that I must consider if I am to succeed at my next job.

And, just to add appalling icing on the cake....... the "sex" section consists solely of how I can find a prosititute despite the banning of brothels and how not to get conned by their pimps.

ARGH!!!!!!!