WrittenRoad Markets, leads and craft for travel writers · since 2002
Authors28 January 2004

Sarah Macdonald

Ok, who has read HOLY COW! An Indian Adventure? The cover of the book says "The International Bestseller" Apparently it came out in 2002. Sarah is an Aussie, a Triple M DJ from Sydney that left her job, and a life on the run from a stalker, to go be with her true love while he was working in India. Peter Moore gave it this endorsement: "Kathy Lette meets Tom Robbins on a slow train to Varanasi with Bill Bryson supplying the onion bhajis...Very, very funny." So far, she's cracking me up, but not in a laugh out loud kind of way. She lets us into her head, and spills her dramas all out in front of us. That's fun. Having only read a few chapters, I'd say she's three parts spiritual exploration, two parts travelogue, and five parts diary. I don't know where I got that part break down number system, but you get what I mean. Let me know if you've read it and what you thought.

9 comments

  • Joe Ehrlich1 February 2004
    Thanks for the tip. I just picked up a hardcover copy of the book for $5.00 on half.com
  • Ant4 February 2004
    Claudia and I both read it, and consider it required reading for anyone going to India.
  • Jen Leo4 February 2004
    How about Bollywood Boy? Did you read that too? I'm enjoying Holy Cow,more.
  • pam5 February 2004
    To Sarah, I bought holy cow for my 20 year old son for xmas as he is very attracted to India. He really enjoyed it so I had a read and absolutely loved it. A beautiful book that made me cry a few times and laugh lots. Sarah you are very open, brave and funny. Good for you!!! Thankyou for a very enjoyable adventure. Namaste, Pam
  • Dusty8 February 2004
    I feel like I found a treasure. PC and Ant were hunting it down so was I. Finally on the way back from a recent business trip, I found it in a bookshop at the domestic Mumbai airport. Hurrah!
  • Jen Leo8 February 2004
    Dusty, are you talking about Sand or Holy Cow?
  • Dusty8 February 2004
    Unfortunately Holy cow.... sand in my bra... still not on the shelves. And whoa, the Holy cow is a riot. I was given nice approving looks by old ladies in the airport lounge as I sat reading it. Till I began to chuckle loudly, the demure looking lady sitting next to me walked off in a huff. As they say: Covers of books are misleading... Holy cow has a nice pic of Lord Shiva, perhaps she thought I was reading a nice spiritual book..I have not given up searching for ur book, not as yet.
  • A. Rashid15 February 2004
    Dear Sarah I have just finished your book "holy Cow" enjoyed it thoroughly.However your statement on page 293 viz"A train returning from Ayodhya to Gujrat is torched by muslim mob" is only half the truth.As a journalist, both you and Jonathan, must have known WHY it was done. If I had your e-mail I would pass on the contents of a letter from a person, from Ahmadabad in which the loot and rape carried by the "pilgrims", at the stations the train had stopped.
  • Jen Leo16 February 2004
    Just so you all are aware that this is not an outlet to get a hold of Sarah Macdonald. Feel free to comment, but don't think that you'll be getting in touch with her by posting here. I just wanted to talk about the book. Now that I've finished it, I'm encouraging others to read it as well. I really enjoyed it, and especially respected her writing. She's got talent.