East of Croydon: Travels through India and South East Asia

by Sue Perkins

A few years ago I was asked if I'd like to make a documentary on the Mekong River, travelling from the vast delta in Vietnam to the remote and snowy peaks of Tibet.

Up until that point, the farthest East I'd been was Torremolinos, in the Costa Del Sol.

Here's the thing:

I am scared of flying.
I have zero practical skills.
I can't survive if I am more than a three minute walk from a supermarket.
For the last seven years I have suffered with crippling anxiety
I bolt when panicked.
I cannot bear to witness humans or animals in distress
I have no ability to learn languages.
I am a terrible hypochondriac

Oh, and I am no good with boats.

So I said yes.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Audiobook, Memoir, Biography, Autobiography, Humor

400 pages, Hardcover

First published October 18, 2018

About the author

Susan Elizabeth Perkins (born 22 September 1969) is a British comedian and broadcaster, born in East Dulwich, London, England.

Reviews

[Rob Gregson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This won't be an objective review. I really like Sue Perkins. Not in a weird stalky way, you understand; it's more that I'd like someone to clone her. One Perkins for every community would be nice; a ratio of about one for every 200 residents. I think the world needs more Perkinses. In fact, I'd like to propose a new collective noun: a kindness of Sues.

My copy of this book is festooned with yellow post-it notes marking passages I thought I'd quote in this review. They stop at about the 30% mark. It was getting ridiculous. It's positively bursting with lucid prose, wit and, above all, a sense of humanity. It's actually painful at times - because this is a lot more than just a travelogue; a re-telling of adventures while filming a documentary series. It's unusually personal, responding with real anger to instances of greed and injustice; with genuine joy and empathy when recounting the forging of new friendships. A section on the final days of her father's life is especially moving. Beautifully written, too. Here's one of the two quotations to which I'm limiting myself:

"This pain. This is the price. This is the reckoning. This is what you get to feel when love is replaced, pound for pound, with loss."

That 'pound for pound' got me; that sense that, with a bereavement, all that intensity of love gets transformed into the same intensity of pain. It's characteristic of this book. It's honest and powerful and it doesn't hold back.

A little earlier in the book, Ms P arrives at a Special Economic Zone in Laos, having spent the previous months living with subsistence farmers and "kids with ribs overhanging their bellies like bone roofs." Here, in this SEZ (of which many more are planned), the place has been given over to the worst excesses of capitalism. The earth has been "scalped" of any living thing; in place of trees stands the vast golden dome of a casino, rising above gaudy cement pagodas and a miniature of the Forbidden City. A simple line summarises her reaction:

"All around me was a concrete simulacrum, a shoddy grey replica, where the natural world, where beauty, should have been."

I loved that this was no sanitised account, politically neutered for the sake of a genteel BBC audience. This is angry and heartfelt in places, and yet filled too with a generous helping of humour.

It's memorable, commendable stuff. I remain a fan.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a Sue Perkins fan. I'm sick of bakery double entendres and smug asides and I considered her autobiography 'Spectacles' as a 3-star rated 'surprise' because I didn't like her less after reading it than I did before. What insane masochism drove me to read her later travel book, 'East of Croydon' - well, it's about India and I will read just about anything about India. And it was free via my local library's ebook system.

'Spectacles' was probably a 2.5 to 3 rating and 'East of Croydon' is definitely better than 'Spectacles' though it does drag a bit by the time she gets to Laos. This is a 3 to 3.5 and much better than Spectacles.

I saw the Ganges river series that she did (on which the latter part of this book is based) and I felt rather scornful of her performance. Reading the book brought out a much deeper person than I saw on the TV and I disliked her a lot less than I expected. I was also very moved by her reflections on her father which were not what I was expecting to find in the middle of a trek to the source of the Ganges with a blackbird. I also better understood her onscreen meltdown in Varanasi once I was aware of what she'd been through so shortly before her journey.

On the page, she was a lot less irritating than on the screen. This time she has something solid to talk about - her travels - and it was interesting to read about what goes on behind the scenes. I was impressed at some of the absolutely disgusting things she put herself through in the name of doing a good day's work (the bit with bits of pig offal really turned my stomach) and I respected her travel experiences more when I was exposed to the hardships behind them. I enjoyed the crew she travelled with and their foibles too.

[Charlotte Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Sue Perkins and so when I saw that she had published another book, it went straight on my Christmas list. Luckily Jai bought it for me and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Travel non-fiction isn't something I've ever explored but this has definitely opened my eyes to a new genre that I feel I could enjoy.

This was heartfelt and disturbing at times and conversely hilarious at others. Sue Perkins has a way with words that just felt like I was there with her. She weaves her journey together with things happening with her own family and this made the book all the more personal.

If you're not aware of Sue Perkins' work, I think you would still enjoy this book. It takes an honest look at some of the poorest parts of Asia and discusses the environmental impacts that humans are having on the Mekong river and the traditional way of life. Overall I would highly recommend it and will read anything else that Sue brings out.

[Ming Wei · Rating 5 out of 5]

A traveller that does not take herself too serious as she explores new places, things are not staged managed in Sue Perkins world, and this book highlights this, a genuine, very readable, not too serious book, one of the most enjoyable reads I have had during 2020. I am a big fan of Sue Perkins TV programmes, so maybe I am a bit bias, but I loved the book, well written, easy to read, plenty of information, but not oversaturating for the reader, the only negative is that I think the book cover is a bit poor and ocould have been improved, but this is a non important issues, it is what is inside the book that is the most important, and for travelers this will be a very interesting book.

[Alex Tate-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me laugh out loud so hard that I think I scared people on the tram. Then it made me cry, properly cry. I don't think a book has ever made me do that before. Luckily I wasn't on the tram for this bit.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't start this book with much hope, but it was absolutely fantastic, especially the second half! It had me laughing, tearing up and everything in between. I felt I was taken on a journey that I would never have the chance to go (and probably wouldn't go, after reading this book). She has written this book in a humble way, admitting to her mistakes openly and that just makes it so much easier to connect with her.

[Hayley Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book club read. Properly laughed, properly cried. Didn’t expect to even like this. A lot of the destinations are familiar to me too so that was nice.

[Edd Beale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook. Had no idea what to expect - really enjoyed it. Had me actually nearly in tears at one point. Would recommend, especially as an audiobook.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

It reads as though she’s speaking to you. If you’re a fan you’ll love it. I cried.. a lot.

[ghostly_bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This hit me in the feels, in a really unexpected way.
This was a library recommendation for books about Asia, and as I'm familiar with Sue Perkins I thought it was a good entry way into learning a bit about some far flung places.
I loved how this took you behind the scenes, the unsanitised version that wasn't on the BBC documentary, I loved how honest Sue was about what she was seeing and doing.
The sadness of seeing such disparity between rich and poor, the rural and beautiful landscapes being tarnished by industry and politics.
What really got me though, and reduced me to tears was the story of Sue's father in the background- and more so at the end. His diagnosis of a brain tumour, his last days and his final moments. Written with such humility and such respect- what really got me emotional was one chapter where there wasn't any medicine and the family had to go into the car and track down medicine because their father was dying in pain without it- we consider ourselves a civilised society, better than these far flung slums that Sue visits in India and South East Asia but we are in certain areas no better than them- allowing a dying man to exist his final days in agony is not something I can tolerate.
I flew through 95% of this book in an afternoon- it took me by surprise.

CAWPILE 8.00
4.5 STARS

[Camee · Rating 3 out of 5]

East of Croydon was a hilarious but often sad telling of British personality Sue Perkins' time working on a documentary about the Mekong River. I am familiar with Perkins from watching her cohost The Great British Baking Show, so I already knew how funny she is and looked forward to this humor in the tale of her travels. She definitely delivered, and I laughed out loud quite a few times. She also proved herself to be a great writer, and I really enjoyed how she traced her trip along the Mekong River and all the adventure she experienced during the journey. My only problem was that right next to the humor was some truly heartbreaking stories about the poor people and communities she encountered. While this was absolutely necessary and I am glad it was included, it was a bit jarring to be laughing one minute and to be on the brink of tears the next. I have read funny/sad memoirs plenty of times and the way this one was written just felt different. The only way I can see it is, this book was very British and their humor and way of looking at life is very different than my American one!

[Adele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me laugh out loud in places and in others want to cry from the sheer desperation of the poverty and hopelessness of some of the people she met on her travels. Narrated by Sue Perkins herself, which adds to the emotional impact.

If you don’t like Perkins, this book will not be for you, but this goes beyond her usual bumbling, yet humorous, nonsense. My one criticism of the book is that it doesn’t give much of a sense of time - i was shocked at the end when it indicates how long it had been since her first visit to India. She also spends a long time discussing the end of her father’s life, and while this is understandably a very painful personal experience, this book is a travelogue not a memoir.

That said, I defy anyone not to laugh themselves silly over ‘dildo alley’ and mega pig.

[Fran Sappharc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Funny in parts. Moving in parts. Depressing at parts that life is so hard for so many, yet there are always things that can be done. I loved all the parts, even the hard to listen bits. Her reflections on both her life and the lives of those she briefly intersects with were intelligent, both emotionally and cerebrally.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anything about someone’s adventures travelling and I’m in! It’s one of my fav genres and Sue’s adventures didn’t disappoint. So many occasions I laughed out loud at her clumsiness. The chapters about her father’s illness and death were so sad, but there was also a sense of peace.

[Alison Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A travel book written as only Sue Perkins can

[Ceremony · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting read and i know where i definitely never ever want to go now and i‘m ok with not doing the himalaya

[Miles Row · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this but more as a description of Sue traveling as a documentary presenter rather than a getting an well rounded understanding of the cultures she visited.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I either cried or laughed the whole way through. It was so real and hilarious and heartbreaking. I loved it.

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blah!

[Cath Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally like Sue Perkins and her humour. However, because I love travel books I did really enjoy this book.

[Katy Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, eye-opening, heartbreaking and then hilarious again. Like a more accident prone and sweary Michael Palin. I listened to the audiobook which is well worth it for Sue’s delivery.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed aspects of this book, in particular the section on Cambodia due to having an affinity to the country.
I felt it jumped around a bit and in some parts lacked some structure. I also felt like some of it was padded out to make it up to a word count.

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

East of Croydon follows Sue Perkins on her travels around Asia whilst filming documentaries for the BBC. It also covers her father’s terminal cancer and coming to terms with death of a loved one.

I want to be friends with Sue, she is funny and kind, and I loved spending time with her by way of her audiobook narration. I laughed, I cried. I laughed whilst crying (honestly, she’s the only person I know that’s made me laugh whilst recounting time spent by a parent’s death bed).

If you’ve watched Sue’s travels down the Mekong River or in India, you may find some parts familiar as this is kind of a behind the scenes version of those documentaries. However, I loved the interactions between her and her film crew, the countless bouts of food poisoning and all the times they are not on the same page when it comes to the film they are actually making.

There are sections on translations between what a producer says and what they really mean. At one point Sue talks about which words for vagina are suitable for which BBC channels, which is relevant because she finds herself in classrooms on several occasions, often shouting out the English words for body parts…

It’s not all laughs, there are times when she sees through the façade that travellers are often presented. She meets the street kids of India, whole families living beneath bridges and I remember her breaking down on the TV show. She is saddened by poverty and environmental damage.

I am usually not fond of writers sneaking in personal trauma into books seemingly about other subjects, but I’ll let Sue off. She needs to vent about some things, and the parts about her father are done with tenderness and humour.

[Katy Wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and loved Sue Perkins' book, Spectacles, when it came out. I was also lucky enough to go and see her one woman show about the book. A friend was kind enough to take me to see Sue talking about East of Croydon, and we were all given a copy of the book at the event. I read this in two days. I meant to eke it out, but she writes so well I couldn't wait. It's great that she's as funny on the page as she is on telly or stage, but what I love about her books is her keen empathy for the people she meets and the care she takes to honour the lives she describes. The book made me cry on more than one occasion and the last sections, about her dad and about her trip to India were powerfully affecting.

[Katedurie50 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what constitutes good travel writing, but suspect some impersonality, simply using the sensibility of the observer as a filter, probably constitutes part of it. That isn't what happens here, but then the book isn't really travel writing, but a hybrid composed of that, a 'how we made a TV series' with a seasoning of comedy, and chunks of Sue Perkins' life, including a moving account of the death of her father. It's an odd mixture, the more so as the TV element is much contrived, as such things often are, to place the presenter in unpleasant or humiliating circumstances. There's a point where watching the hirja dancing she wonders if they really live like this when the camera lens is lowered; but that is true of much of what is recorded. I begin to suspect there is no group so remote that they don't have their piece-to-camera ready. Sue Perkins is engaging company and overall there are things to enjoy here - but it's still an oddity.

[Mims Reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of seeing Sue Perkins speak about this book when she was on tour throughout the UK. I was working in Leicester at the time, I didn’t see much during the week apart from my hotel and workplace, seeing her live was seeing an old friend telling me about her mad trip or ‘blunderings’ in South East Asia.

The experience of reading this book is similar, Sue Perkins is an excellent storyteller, her writing is warm, she is naturally funny, but also writes from a place of deep empathy.

The descriptions of the suffering Perkins witnesses are visceral, it’s impossible not to be moved by a side of humanity which is often too far from our daily consciousness.

This is a highly compelling, enjoyable read during which you will feel the full spectrum of emotions. I highly recommend it, and if you haven’t read Spectacles already then I recommend you read that too!

[Mat Greener · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably about 3.5 stars .
This is not a feel good travel book but it covers many details of India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Tibet & China was can make many people feel ill. All of this is part of the life there so shouldn't not be missed out. Food poisoning multiple times being one of the more unpleasant stories. There are occasional amusing anecdotes. Although I like to experience new places following many details I thought I would leave the experiences to her her & not try them myself . The book is a reasonably interesting travelogue

[Tadhg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought a comedian writing a travel book would just be light hearted reading however, even though it did have me laughing out loud at times, she actually manages to give quite a deep view into life on the Mekong for ordinary people. There's also quite a lot of direct criticism of capitalism in here so Sue better not be expecting any calls from Would I Lie to You or any other BBC shows anytime soon!

[charley · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

3.5*
I love Sue Perkins. Would love to attend a dinner party that included her. Would not love to go to Vietnam or Cambodia or Laos or climb the Himalayas.