Official Review: Head Waggling in Delhi by Eytan Uliel

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Kristy Khem
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Official Review: Head Waggling in Delhi by Eytan Uliel

Post by Kristy Khem »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Head Waggling in Delhi" by Eytan Uliel.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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Head Waggling in Delhi and Other Travel Tales from an Epic Journey around India is a travel memoir by Eytan Uliel. He candidly captures the essence of India through his writing and details the multi-faceted Indian lifestyle and culture with a lively fusion of witty humor and a grand sense of adventure. He describes the journey that he and his girlfriend take from Varanasi to Delhi as two lone backpacker tourists in the 1990s. For Uliel, living in India presents an array of challenges in addition to the culture clash, but he realizes that it is also a land filled with rich history, unique people, fascinating culture, and breathtaking natural landscapes.

According to Uliel, one of the most distinctive features of Indians is their habit of frequent nodding, which he calls ‘head waggling’. He describes it as a whole other language, where a waggle can have a multitude of different meanings. Although he encounters pockets of different cultures within the various towns of India, one unique characteristic binds all of India’s people, regardless of their social status – head waggling. His book, aptly named, is the main reason why I chose to read this travel memoir. The title intrigued me because it was different, and I sensed that this book was going to be an epic read. I was not disappointed.

I loved Uliel’s conversational tone throughout the book. His humorous way of story-telling made me burst out laughing more than once. I liked how he described characters based on their garments, such as ‘Red Pants’ and ‘Floral Shirt’. One memorable incident occurred in Goa, where he hung out his laundry outside to dry and was reprimanded by a fellow tourist for packing too many underwears. I felt like he was telling me his travel stories in person as if he had just gotten back from India and I was his friend excitedly hanging on to every delicious morsel of adventure and laughing at every hilarious situation he seemed to find himself in.

India’s rich history was one of the most fascinating things in the book. In addition to writing about various places in India, Uliel also included historical information about them. The world-famous Taj Mahal had a very heartwarming history behind its construction. The caves of Ajanta and the mysterious hex placed upon the carvings there by the original inhabitants were extremely fascinating to read about. The strange historical tale of the nearly impenetrable fort at Daulatabad was gory but captivating. Whereas historical accounts tend to make dull reading, Uliel’s descriptions were vivaciously written. I truly relished reading about India’s history in this book.

I appreciated that the author not only wrote about his positive experiences in India, but he also described the country’s undesirable countenances like the frustrations of traveling via rail, the extreme weather, the blatant poverty and homelessness, the sad fates of young women in the red-light districts, and the brazen extortion of money by locals. Including these features helped me to get a real, uncensored account of life in India.

Uliel’s travel memoir is certainly worth reading. There are only a few errors, but they are minor things like typos which do not limit the reading experience. I believe the book was professionally edited. This book deserves a perfect rating. Uliel captured the true spirit of India and its diverse cultures, places, history, people, and lifestyle with his witty story-telling. Therefore, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. This book will appeal most to fans of adventure and travel. People who have visited India may also enjoy reading about Uliel’s relatable experiences. However, this book will not appeal to readers who dislike reading about travel, people, and culture.

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Head Waggling in Delhi
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Post by Books_life »

What a neat review. You have sold this book to me. Hope to read it soon.
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Post by kandscreeley »

I know little about India, and I'm interested in the head waggling for sure. I can't quite picture that. I don't know if this would fully capture my attention. I might, though, just have to try it. Thanks.
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Post by Nisha Ward »

Oh, I like this. I've had an interest in India ever since I was a child and I've become familiar with both its public and private faces. That Uliel managed to retain a sense of humour despite the sadder aspects is encouraging.
"...while a book has got to be worthwhile from the point of view of the reader it's got to be worthwhile from the point of view of the writer as well." - Terry Pratchett on The Last Continent and his writing.
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Post by kdstrack »

Many cultures have unique meanings for hand movements and motions. This waggling of the head is unique and I appreciate the author noticing this cultural idiosyncrasy. I really enjoyed the way you described the author's depictions of his travels. This looks like an interesting and educative book. Thanks for the captivating review!
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Post by kperm »

I enjoyed reading your review very much. It is informational and engaging. You convinced me to give this book try. Great job on the review!
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Post by Rea_der »

Wow, this review gives me family like feeling :)
I haven't seen many Indian books here This is also not by an Indian author but still its about india, i feel connection with this book.
Great review, thanks!
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Post by Amy+++ »

Although this isn't my genre, I did enjoy learning about the history of head waggling in India.
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Post by cpru68 »

I agree wholeheartedly with you that his writing style is so natural
and conversational. I read the first few pages and wanted to keep on with it. I appreciate your insight on the book and am strongly considering reading this one. Thanks for the recommendation.
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Post by Tars »

I don't like non-fiction and not really all that fond of travels as well. Therefore those travel guides, memoirs, journals and notes are completely out of my interest sphere. No offense, but I will have to pass this one. Congrats on BOTD all the same!
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Post by nfdoughe »

This seems like a well-written, fascinating book, but I've had my own experiences with India so I think I'll pass on this read. I'm sure his perspective is different from mine but I'd rather not compare them. Thanks for a lovely review.
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Post by Ferdinand_Otieno »

This is a non-fiction travel memoire that explores India and its cultures and lifestyles with humour, adventure, and a sense of open wonder. The book has a free sample on Amazon Kindle and has a perfectly written OnlineBookClub review. Congrats @eytanuliel on the BOTD selection.
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Post by MsTri »

Thanks for the review, but I'm really not into travelogues, and one covering India is a definite 'no' for me.
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Post by Nizar Ali Shah »

Eytan candidly captures the essence of India through his writings and gives us the details of India's multi faceted cultures.India 's rich history was one of the most fascinating things in the book.
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Post by Bles »

Head Waggling in Delhi by Eytan Uliel sounds pretty amazing. With as much as I love memoirs, I will have to skip this book. All the same, I will recommend it. Great review.
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