Linda Hodges | George Chumak
1 A good travel guide to Ukraine - not a language primer
A single trip to Ukraine hardly qualifies one as an expert on the Ukrainian or Russian languages.Yet, this is exactly what some reviewers pretend to be. Linda Hodges' travel guide on Ukraine, while it has some shortcomings, is definitely full of valuable facts, and comes from the heart of the author, which is more than can be said about the reviewer's attack on the Ukrainian language and therefore its culture. To call the Ukrainian language "pointless" is quite an outrageous thing to say. While it is true that little Ukrainian was heard in the Eastern part of Ukraine ten years ago, the situation is quite different today, where one hears Ukrainian everywhere - in the streets, in schools, in government offices, even though Russian is still considered far more dominant in many areas. The use of the Ukrainian language is growing every year. One can't help but be somewhat surprised to see the obvious hostility towards Ukrainians. Why travel to the fascinating land of Ukraine with this kind of attitude? Perhaps one should confine his interests to travel in Russia, an equally fascinating country, where the Ukrainian language would not be such a threat.
2 Interesting but inaccurate
I bought this book before making my first trip to Ukraine in 2003. Since then I've been back for a much longer second visit and have learned enough Russian to get around. While this book has useful tourist information, its language guide is quite misleading. First of all, the only people who speak Ukrainian are those living around Lviv. Everyone else, without exception, speaks Russian. So learning Ukrainian phrases etc. is totally pointless. Second, the pronunciation guide suffers from the major flaw of representing the "g" sound as "h" - which will make any beginner's attempt to speak the language hilariously incomprehensible. Imagine a foreigner coming to the USA and asking for directions to the nearest "has station" to fill up her car with gasoline, or admiring a nice flower-filled "harden." Or how about, "let me hive you some hrapes."
So if all you need is a basic primer for sites to visit, this book is OK - but if you also need to learn something of the language, skip this book and head straight to one of the many excellent Russian language course books available - ones that don't pretend "o" sounds like "oh" - it actually almost always sounds like "ah" and tell you the truth about that letter "g."
3 Very user-friendly travel guide!
I would highly recommend this travel guide to anyone planning a visit to Ukraine. Linda Hodges and George Chumak have upgraded this new edition. Definitely worth getting!
4 Very helpful travel guide
I must say that I've found Linda Hodges' guide to Ukraine very helpful and a pleasure to read.The fact that it is a bit "rose colored" does not detract from its value as a travel guide. While it is true that Russian is much more prevelant in the eastern part of Ukraine, it does not follow that Russian culture is. Many Ukrainians in the east are simply Russian speakers, and do not consider themselves Russian. No Russian would ever point that out to an American, and it is something that takes time to understand and appreciate.
5 Language and travel guide to Ukraine
This was a decent book, although it gave me no tips on traveling to the eastern part of Ukraine which is mostly Russian culture and the language does differ from Russian and Ukrainian. My friend who is Russian pointed that out to me. I had also liked to have seen the book give a better guide to pronouncing words as I had trouble with some. All in all, I found all the information to still be of use to me.
6 Updated Guide to Ukraine is Worth It!
The updated version is even better. The kinks are mostly out. Linda Hodges' love for her beloved Ukraine still shines on every page of this very upbeat and somewhat rose-colored travel guide. It is the kind of Ukraine that you will surely find, if you go around a few unscrupulous people - in airports, taxis, restaurants or at border check-points. If you're lucky enough to have someone invite you to a private home, especially in small towns or villages, you may experience that legendary Ukrainian hospitality and the wonderful food that goes with it! And in spite of what one has heard, Ukrainian-speaking Ukrainians don't live only in Halychyna; you will find them far to the east and south, and proud of their ancient heritage. Often, they will start out pretending to be Russians, but will end up singing those unforgettable Ukrainian songs with you, their eyes getting misty. Such is the case with most of the so-called "Russian" Ukrainians. Even true ethnic Russians will join in, since most Russian songs don't quite measure up. They like to be accepted and acknowleged, and forgiven for not being more Ukrainian, and they're impressed by foreign visitors who want to know about Ukraine. The Soviet system has taught them that Ukrainians live only in villages and speak a Russian "dialect" called Ukrainian, so they've always tried to hide their true origins. Unlike the hard-boiled approach to Ukraine travel by the politically over-correct Let's Go guide, Linda Hodges goes the more mellow route. You'll be seduced by her charm, make no mistake about it. Rozumijite?
7 Language and Travel Guide to Ukraine
First, I must admit that I did not buy this book from Amazon.con. But I feel that this is a good way to express my opinion of the book. Ukraine has a complex and facinating history. This fact will manifest itself while traveling in Ukraine. I know because I have been there. This book interlaces a good overview of Ukraine's history into its main theme of being a language and travel guide. It has good information for anyone traveling to Ukraine. I wish this book was available when I was visiting Ukraine. It would have been quite helpful in a few situations I was in. One last note ... At the start on most chapters, this book gives a Ukrainian Proverb(With the English meaning). It's a nice touch.
8 Better than several alternatives
Limited scope, but a good general guide. Smaller towns and rural areas don't receive much coverage. However, considering the alternatives, it is quite satisfactory. The language section are very good, but,from personal experience, studying Russian would be more helpful unless you are traveling in the far western part of the country. An unscientific estimate: probably 80% of the people speak Ukrainian, an even higher percentage speak Russian. When I asked the natives about the number of Ukrainians that understand Russian better than Ukrainian, I was told it was because of the previous educational system (the better schools taught all the subjects in Russian only). I love the Ukraine and the people, but, a comment that I heard applied to U.S./Mexico relations seems to be applicable to the Ukraine/Russia situation: "Poor Ukraine. So far from God and so close to Russia."
9 Informative & overly upbeat book about a distressed country.
We thoroughly enjoyed this book as we prepared for our trip. We found it somewhat lacking once we arrived. The experience of visiting the country left us with the impression the authors had written it wearing rose-colored glasses. Don't pass it up for the hard information. Take the excited prose with a grain of salt.
