Bangladesh is a destination for only the most battle-scarred traveller. Henry Kissenger's infamous 'basket case' label, just about the only PR about the country to have made it to the west, is not entirely unfounded, and it is against this backdrop that the auto biographical account Expatriate Games takes place. The narrative charts a fascinating and engrossing voyage of discovery. Through all the adversity the author's look at the country is both critical and sympathetic, any exasperation accompanied by a willingness to see people as individuals and swallow any distaste one might feel towards practices of which one disapproves, over and above the necessity to get along.
Expatriate Games - 662 Days in Bangladesh
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"Totally absorbing and immensely entertaining.... full of enjoyment and joie de vivre." -- Holiday, August 10, 2001
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Paola Hanna
Format:Paperback
As a serial expatriate I bought this book hoping to gain some insight into Bangladesh, its culture, and its people.
The book contains some amusing anecdotes, such as the author's participation in a cricket match, and his hapless attempt to install a satellite dish on his roof. Trenowden is able to laugh at himself, for example when he describes with humour his fierce argument with a drycleaner.
However, one is left with the impression that he spends the better part of almost two years mixing with other like-minded expats, searching for alcohol, and complaining, rather than getting an insight into the rich and ancient culture of his host country.
Some references border on offensive: when he meets a business contact from Hong-Kong, he remarks `I was pleased to have this link with civilisation', implying that the culture surrounding him is less than civilized.
Leaving aside the content, the writing is poor.
The book appears not to have been edited. It is filled with spelling mistakes ('vitals' for 'victuals, 'exited' for 'excited', 'loose' for 'lose'...), wrongly used words ('comprehensibly' for 'comprehensively', 'reigned' for 'reined'...) misplaced apostrophes, and clichés ('a sight for sore eyes', 'the crowning glory', 'the inner sanctum', 'come hell or high water'...).
The language is pretentious: describing the importance of settling in, Trenowden writes `The geographic location of our possessions would dictate when this point would be reached'. There are dozens of `sentences' which simply do not hang together, for example: `The heat of the night exaggerated having left the cool of air conditioning I leant on the rail.'
All in all, a rather disappointing read.
The book contains some amusing anecdotes, such as the author's participation in a cricket match, and his hapless attempt to install a satellite dish on his roof. Trenowden is able to laugh at himself, for example when he describes with humour his fierce argument with a drycleaner.
However, one is left with the impression that he spends the better part of almost two years mixing with other like-minded expats, searching for alcohol, and complaining, rather than getting an insight into the rich and ancient culture of his host country.
Some references border on offensive: when he meets a business contact from Hong-Kong, he remarks `I was pleased to have this link with civilisation', implying that the culture surrounding him is less than civilized.
Leaving aside the content, the writing is poor.
The book appears not to have been edited. It is filled with spelling mistakes ('vitals' for 'victuals, 'exited' for 'excited', 'loose' for 'lose'...), wrongly used words ('comprehensibly' for 'comprehensively', 'reigned' for 'reined'...) misplaced apostrophes, and clichés ('a sight for sore eyes', 'the crowning glory', 'the inner sanctum', 'come hell or high water'...).
The language is pretentious: describing the importance of settling in, Trenowden writes `The geographic location of our possessions would dictate when this point would be reached'. There are dozens of `sentences' which simply do not hang together, for example: `The heat of the night exaggerated having left the cool of air conditioning I leant on the rail.'
All in all, a rather disappointing read.
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is an amusing insight to expatriate life. Having lived and worked abroad I could recognise many of the characters described. A must for every person considering their first taste of life working overseas and an entertaining read for all.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Little Bear
Format:Paperback
This book was recommended reading by a company selling holidays in Bangladesh.
I cannot imagine why.
It is written by an ex pat who appears to hate the country and cannot live without drink. He is the epitome of everything awful about the narrow minded, patronising class of "new" colonial.
I hated the book but loved Bangladesh, the country and the people when I got there.
I cannot imagine why.
It is written by an ex pat who appears to hate the country and cannot live without drink. He is the epitome of everything awful about the narrow minded, patronising class of "new" colonial.
I hated the book but loved Bangladesh, the country and the people when I got there.
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