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  • Holy Cow!

  • An Indian Adventure
  • By: Sarah Macdonald
  • Narrated by: Kate Hosking
  • Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (65 ratings)

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Holy Cow! cover art

Holy Cow!

By: Sarah Macdonald
Narrated by: Kate Hosking
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Publisher's Summary

After backpacking her way around India, Sarah Macdonald decides she hates the country with a passion. When a beggar at the airport reads her palm and insists she will one day return, and for love, she screams "Never!" and gives the country, and him, the finger.

But 11 years later, the prophecy comes true. When the love of Sarah's life is posted to India, she quits her dream job as a national radio presenter to follow him to the most polluted city on earth, New Delhi. It seems like the ultimate sacrifice for love and it almost kills her, literally.

Often hilarious, sometimes hair-raising, and always entertaining, Holy Cow is a rollercoaster ride through a land of chaos and contradiction, from spiritual retreats and crumbling nirvanas to war zones and New Delhi nightclubs, that only a woman on a mission to save her soul, her love life, and her sanity, can survive.

©2002 Sarah Macdonald (P)2003 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic Reviews

"A lively, snappy travelogue." (Booklist)

"[Macdonald] brings a reporter's curiosity, interviewing skills, and eye for detail to everything she encounters, and winningly captures 'the drama, the dharma, the innocent exuberance of the festivals, the intensity of the living, the piety in playfulness, and the embrace of living day by day'." (Publishers Weekly

"Prepare for a fast-moving and masterful narration by Kate Hosking. Her characterization of the Indian characters is nuanced and fun. The contrast with the distinctive Australian accents of MacDonald and other ex-pats adds to the sense of adventure and excitement and provides a backdrop for spiritual understanding." (AudioFile

What listeners say about Holy Cow!

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Namaste

I first read Holy Cow when it was released, now after 4 visits to India I have listened. I cannot speak highly enough of this audible version. I absolutely loved it, overall, performance and story ten stars.🙏🏻

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Loved this story!

I do love reading about India, therefore the real-life scenarios of Sarah’s story had me transfixed. The book has many facets, from every day (Indian) life, to hilarious, to just gorgeously interesting… Sarah’s experience/stories are in big cities through to small villages, the writing is very descriptive to give an all-round picture and filled with the fabulous people she meets. Very entertaining!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Didn't finish it.

purchased the paperback years ago. Disappointed that I lost interest and didn't make time to finish it. Purchased audio book and tried again. First half of the book good, but the second half ... yawn. Found it very repetitive, didn't enjoy at all. I tried 🤷🏼‍♀️

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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This is not a simple travelogue!

Sarah’s account of her time in India is beautifully written. It is deeply descriptive using sumptuous language which moves the soul and also makes you laugh! I wish she had been the reader. At times Kate was too hurried and lacked the depth of feeling.

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  • Overall
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excellent read

A fantastically written and narrated audio book that anyone who has been to India will love

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Love it!

I read the hard copy years ago but I’m traveling to India soon so got the audio book to refresh my memory. Such an easy listen full of interesting funny stories

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I feel like I took the trip with her

Sarah is a humorous, captivating, honest and authentic author and she tells a great story. I loved this book.

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Interesting

Enjoyed learning about life in India. It was interesting to hear about various religions, but I found the last quarter was a struggle, with a bit too much religion for me.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Truthful, engaging, sometimes exaggerated

You may not find everything said in this book when you go to India. You will certainly find most of it albeit toned down and less pervasive. Obviously, overstatement and exaggeration helps to sell!
Mind you, it is a different culture and a cultural shock is obvious to westerners.
Story nicely develops and understanding of India gradually matures (becomes more realistic) as the book progresses.
Overall, very good book on India, life in India and people of India.

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    5 out of 5 stars

really fun read I loved her transformation

from being critical to embracing, the enlightenment of Sarah during her stay was lovely to read about

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