Hey folks,

Well, after hunting all around W. Nanjing and huaihai bookstores, it occured to me that it likely had been banned for reasons that only now seem to make sense!

If anyone can recommend a street-side book vendor or has one to sell, please let me know!!

John

You guessed right, it is banned, a friend of mine actually had one confiscated when we came across the land border from Vietnam in to China - it contains some inconvenient truths about the last 30 to 40 years history in China.

You should try to ask at the book stores and be very persistent even if they at first say they don't have it. A friend of mine got her LP China at the Wangfujin bookstore in Beijing that way. After a few minutes of "meiyou" they took one from a cupboard and sold it to her...

PM me your email address and which cities you want, I'll give you the Lonely Planet EBooks for free. Cheers.

City Shop at the Ritz Carlton on Nanjing Lu has a book section (right hand side of the cashiers, near the booze) with Lonely Planet guides - not sure about China edition.

Also, Garden Books on Change Le Lu (just near cnr Shan Xi Nan Lu) has a whole section on China travel books, including Lonely Planet last time I was there.

Because its an imported book you may pay more than the RRP at both of those shops. Other option is to order it in from Amazon or other similar stores.

If you don't need the whole book then you can also log into LP online and put together your itinerary and print it out. Some other trusted web sites are probably more up to date as well - just watch out for the sites that are set up just to book you a holiday though.

Can't go around criticising China...I wonder why?

cankles wrote:City Shop at the Ritz Carlton on Nanjing Lu has a book section (right hand side of the cashiers, near the booze) with Lonely Planet guides - not sure about China edition.

Also, Garden Books on Change Le Lu (just near cnr Shan Xi Nan Lu) has a whole section on China travel books, including Lonely Planet last time I was there.

I think you're missing the point slightly. It's banned in China so while those places you listed have many Lonely Planet books, they are unlikely to sell the China Lonely Planet. I got mine when I went to London. You can also get it in Hong Kong of course.

City Supermarket always has.
and also you can check the bookstore @ Shan'Xi Nan Lu subway station. Ji Feng Book Store. They have.

I bought the China Lonely Planet 2 months ago in Garden Books.

chingiskhan wrote:

cankles wrote:City Shop at the Ritz Carlton on Nanjing Lu has a book section (right hand side of the cashiers, near the booze) with Lonely Planet guides - not sure about China edition.

Also, Garden Books on Change Le Lu (just near cnr Shan Xi Nan Lu) has a whole section on China travel books, including Lonely Planet last time I was there.

I think you're missing the point slightly. It's banned in China so while those places you listed have many Lonely Planet books, they are unlikely to sell the China Lonely Planet. I got mine when I went to London. You can also get it in Hong Kong of course.

I have no idea whether it is banned but I bought a copy at Garden Books as a present for someone back home late last year. I'm sure the OP can ring ahead to the above stores to ask.

I bought my copy of Lonely Planet China in the Foreign Book Store on Fuzhou Lu about 3 months ago. Cost about 250 RMB if I remember right. I couldn't see it on the shelf but had one in my hand 2minutes after asking for it.

You guys actually buy them? When you can have them free?