Julio The Fox’s Reviews > Inside Asia > Status Update

I remember Gunther's many books filling second hand book stores when I was at school in Dublin. I'll be fascinated to hear what you think of his work and how holds up.

I had the same experience in the 70s, Liam. I came across INSIDE SOUTH AMERICA in a used bookstore owned by an old charming German lady, then found all of Gunther's INSIDE books at another bookstore hangout of mine. Thus far Gunther evokes the colonialist view of Asia, but he is not uncritical of the British Raj in India, blaming it for a poor labor rights record, to put it mildly.

Julio wrote: "I had the same experience in the 70s, Liam. I came across INSIDE SOUTH AMERICA in a used bookstore owned by an old charming German lady, then found all of Gunther's INSIDE books at another bookstor..."

Thanks for that - I think Gunther is a wonderful example of how the 'giants' who dominate journalism/media and appear to have their fingers on the pulse of current events fail to have any lasting impact. Gunther's views reveal the mind-set of intelligent 'liberal' opinion - and important for that - but you wouldn't read him for insights into the politics/history the places he visits. When you see how little someone like Gunther understood the places he wrote about after spending, what by today's standards, would be lengthy amount of time in them should make sceptical of today's journalist who 'parachuted' into a situation without any 'local' experience.