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Rating: 
Summary: Walking through a Qat Haze
Review: A book about a journey through Ethiopia and Yemen should have been interesting; this wasn't. Thank goodness Cedric arrived because the Ethiopia section would really have dragged. I admire the reviewer who read this in just days; it took me weeks. The section on Yemen was more interesting but at the end I thought: "what did he learn, about either the country, qat, or himself?" I think he discovered nothing; and if he did it certainly was not in the book. I cannot help but compare people like Rushby with Burton and Thesiger (perhaps because they themselves love to) and the comparison always favors the earlier explorers and writers.
Rating:
Summary: Walking through a Qat Haze
Review: A book about a journey through Ethiopia and Yemen should have been interesting; this wasn't. Thank goodness Cedric arrived because the Ethiopia section would really have dragged. I admire the reviewer who read this in just days; it took me weeks. The section on Yemen was more interesting but at the end I thought: "what did he learn, about either the country, qat, or himself?" I think he discovered nothing; and if he did it certainly was not in the book. I cannot help but compare people like Rushby with Burton and Thesiger (perhaps because they themselves love to) and the comparison always favors the earlier explorers and writers.
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad
Review: As travel writing goes, this was an okay book. Nothing memorable, but he did go to some interesting places and is a decent enough writer. That said, he also seems to be a bit of a twit, which became annoying at some points. It is actually amazing that he survived the journey, doing things like setting off to walk across the desert in Yemen from point A to point B, carrying a single bottle of mineral water which he then drops on the rocks.
Rating: 
Summary: Travels through the 'Real World.'
Review: Eating the Flowers of Paradise was sheer joy to read.It evoked all the senses to get up and go out into the world.Rushby gives one a taste of 'Real' life in Ethiopia and Yemen. With his sociable and fearless attitude, his adventures prove to be humouress and knowledgable. A great read!
Rating:
Summary: Yemen part is good, the Ethiopia part drags
Review: I must admit that I was a bit disappointed with this book. Ethiopia & Yemen have to be two places that most westerners are completely ingnorant of, so I thought I would find the book completely fascinating. This, however, wasn't exactly the case. Rushby is an adequate story teller, and his observational skills are quite astute most of the time. The part of the book from Yemen is infinitely better than the part from Ethiopia. You can tell Yemen is where Rushby's heart is, he just did the Ethiopia thing in emulation of Sir Richard Burton (whose works are repeatedly alluded to.) There are some very funny parts including a Yemeni gas station where "you buy 4 drinks & you get a free hand grenade." Other interesting things about the book is his comparison of how different countries either exalt or villify qat. Overall, the book is worth reading, but it drags in some places...it took me a couple of months to get through it because I would get bored reading certain parts, but then would pick it back up and it always got better again. If you are into horticulutre, botany, or Yemeni culture I would definately recommend it, otherwise you are probably better off reading something else. For a great middle eastern travel book...I recommend "Baghdad Without A Map."
Rating:
Summary: Great armchair travel!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed reading kevin Rushby's adventurous tales and unlike one of the previous revieuwers it took me just a couple of days to read. I am someone who likes to travel to out of the way places, yet Yemen had never even registered on my mental road map. I must say I would probably still be a little aprehensive to go but loved being there vicariously through this great book!
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