Aami in America, A Pilgrimage of the Heart  •  Broughton Coburn TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1996 •  PAPER An account of a coast-to-coast tour in the company of an 84-year-old Nepalese woman and his girlfriend, Coburn -- who fell in love with the Himalayas during a stint as a Peace Corps worker in the 1970s -- is a thoughtful, often entertaining guide. You can imagine the tremendous possibility inherent in traipsing across the country with a village elder on her first voyage away from the Himalayas. (USA11, $14.95)
Altitude Illness: Prevention and Treatment, How to Stay Healthy at Altitude  •  Stephen Bezruchka REFERENCE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES A pocket reference to both preventing and the treatment of altitude sickness. Bezruchka, a mountaineer, M.D. and wit, includes case studies, a section of frequently asked questions, and simple methods of diagnosis and treatment when things go wrong. Travelers to high altitudes will devour this little book, dedicated "To all those who have died of altitude sickness." (REF02, $8.95)
Among Flowers, A Walk in the Himalaya  •  Jamaica Kincaid TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES An atmospheric account of celebrated writer and gardener Jamaica Kincaid's journey to Nepal and the Himalayas with a small team of botanists. A volume in the National Geographic Directions series. (HML62, $10.95)
Among Warriors, A Woman Martial Artist in Tibet  •  Pamela Logan TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES The account of an aerospace scientist turned adventurer and her quest to reach Kham, a remote region of Eastern Tibet largely closed to outsiders. Logan mixes Buddhism, martial arts, philosophy and history into her traveler's tales. (TBT51, $13.00)
Annapurna Map  •  Nelles MAP A map of the Annapurna hiking region at scale of 1:100,000 with major features, color shading and contour lines. (NPL32, $13.95)
Annapurna, A Woman's Place  •  Arlene Blum EXPLORATION •  1998 •  PAPER  • 247 PAGES This account of the historic 1978 climb celebrates the first American ascent of Annapurna by a team of 13 women. The climbers were also, notably, the first women to scale any of the world's 8,000 meter-peaks. Two of the women died in the process. This illustrated 20th anniversary edition, with a preface by Maurice Herzog, includes an afterword. Much of the book takes the form of an illustrated journal. (HML30, $16.00)
Annapurna, The Epic Account of a Himalayan Conquest and its Harrowing Aftermath  •  Maurice Herzog EXPLORATION •  1997 •  PAPER  • 314 PAGES • FAVORITE This classic account of the first ascent of an 8,000-meter peak was dictated by expedition leader Herzog from his hospital bed in Paris. Herzog and his companions originated the now well established practice of using Sherpas and acclimatizing to higher and higher altitudes at a series of base camps. The extraordinary rescue and agonizing return to civilization is all the more powerful for its matter-of-fact tone. The book also includes a glimpse of Ghurka society in Nepal, circa 1950. (HML07, $16.95)
Art of Tibet  •  Robert Fisher ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES A concise survey of the culture and religion of Tibet as expressed through its art. With 200 illustrations of monasteries, painting and sculpture throughout the country. (TBT13, $18.95)
The Autobiography of a Tibetan Monk  •  Palden Gyatso BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1998 •  PAPER Finally released by the Chinese authorities in 1992 after 25 years in prisons and labor camps, Palden Gyatso writes with simple eloquence of the takeover of his country, destruction of monasteries and his own determination to hold onto his beliefs. (TBT94, $14.00)
Bradt Guide Tibet  •  Michael Buckley GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A practical, detailed overview of Tibetan history, culture, attractions and natural life. Includes color photographs, local maps and excellent travel information. (TBT74, $22.95)
Below Another Sky, A Mountain Adventure in Search of a Lost Father  •  Rick Ridgeway BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 321 PAGES A touching account of a return after 20 years to the site where Ridgeway had lost his friend, National Geographic photographer Jonathan Wright, the 28-year-old victim of an avalanche. Accompanied by Asia Wright, a young woman in search of the father she never knew. Ridgeway, a celebrated climber, has written memorably of his adventures in the Himalayas. (TBT55, $25.00)
Beyond the Sky and the Earth, A Journey into Bhutan  •  Jamie Zeppa TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 303 PAGES Tales of travel and discovery in a remote Himalayan kingdom, Zeppa's memoir of her two years as a teacher in a remote village details her growing love and commitment to the Bhutanese culture and people. She records her transformation from wide-eyed neophyte to falling in love with a Bhutanese man (with whom she has a child). (BHU08, $16.00)
The Big Open, On Foot Across Tibet's Chang Tang  •  Rick Ridgeway  •  Conrad Anker EXPLORATION •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 304 PAGES The prolific adventure writer Rick Ridgeway recounts his trek across Tibet's inhospitable northern region in search of the chiru, an endangered species of antelope indigenous to Tibet. Ridgeway combines history, travel narrative and adventure story in this captivating account. (TBT80, $26.00)
Birds of Nepal  •  Richard Grimmett  •  Carol Inskipp  •  Tim Inskipp FIELD GUIDE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A compact field guide by the team of authors and illustrators who created "Birds of India" and the definitive "A Guide to the Birds of India." Covering all 760 species of birds occurring in Nepal, the book features 110 color plates. Text and illustrations are integrated on facing pages for easy reference in the field. With introductory chapters on biogeography, habitats and conservation, including a checklist of birds in key birdwatching areas throughout Nepal. (NPL40, $35.00)
The Book of Indian Birds  •  Salim Ali FIELD GUIDE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 412 PAGES • COMING IN The 12th editon of this classic field guide to the birds of the plains, foothills, wetlands, and seacoast of the Indian subcontinent, published in India and authored by one of its pre-eminent ornithologists. Organized by bird family, each species is illustrated in color. (IDA45, $34.50)
Breaking Trail, A Climbing Life  •  Arlene Blum BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2007 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES Now 60, Blum reveals her transformation from scrawny girl in the flat Midwest to world-class climber in this inspirational memoir of a life in very high places: McKinley, Annapurna, Everest. With photographs and maps. (HML72, $14.00)
Buddha  •  Karen Armstrong RELIGION •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 240 PAGES A concise, thought-provoking biography of the Buddha in the Penguin Lives series, written by one of the foremost experts on world religions. A member of the Association of Muslim Social Services in Jerusalem, Karen Armstrong is a former Roman Catholic nun who teaches Judaism. Her many books include: A History of God; Islam, a Short History; and Jerusalem: One City Three Faiths. She has also written a biography of Mohammed. (REL09, $14.00)
Buddha or Bust: In Search of Truth, Meaning, Happiness, and the Man Who Found Them All  •  Perry Garfinkel RELIGION •  2007 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES A spiritual travelogue that scours the globe for the both the roots and world-wide extensions of Buddhism. (REL30, $13.95)
Buddhism Plain and Simple  •  Steve Hagen 1999 •  PAPER A clear and straightfoward introduction to Buddhism. (REL31, $10.95)
Buddhism without Beliefs  •  Stephen Batchelor RELIGION •  1998 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES An accessible, straightforward introduction to the major tenets of Buddhist wisdom and religion and their relevance to modern life. (REL29, $13.00)
Buddhism, A Very Short Introduction  •  Damien Keown RELIGION •  2000 •  PAPER  • 152 PAGES One of a series of very brief, authoritative introductions by Oxford University Press with chapters on The Buddha, Karma, the Mahayana, Buddhism in Asia, Buddhist practices and ethics. (ASA53, $11.95)
The Buddhist Handbook  •  John Snelling RELIGION •  1992 •  PAPER  • 345 PAGES Subtitled, "The Complete Guide to Buddhist Schools, Teaching, Practice and History, " this even-handed book is a concise primer covering the history, philosophical foundation and practice of Buddhism. It gives a basic overview of the teachings and practice of Buddhism, including a who's who of contemporary teachers and list of useful addresses around the world. (ASA08, $16.95)
Cave in the Snow, A Western Woman's Quest for Enlightenment  •  Vicki MacKenzie TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 210 PAGES The absorbing tale of a young English Buddhist and her experience as a hermit in Lahoul, a Tibetan stronghold in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh. It's a fascinating overview of the allure and practice of Tibetan Buddhism. The book is divided into three sections: the life of Diane Perry until she became a Buddhist nun; her time in seclusion in the 1970s, first in at the Tayul monastery and then on a mountain ledge; and her life back in the England. She was not lonely. (HML61, $15.95)
The Central Philosophy of Tibet, A Study and Translation of Jey Tsong Khapa's Essence of True Eloquence  •  Robert A. F. Thurman RELIGION •  1991 •  PAPER  • 476 PAGES An authoritative translation of a key text by the great Tibetan philosopher Jey Tsong Khapa (1357-1419). Robert Thurman provides a long, useful introduction to Tibetan philosophy and its modern relevance. With an appreciative forward by foreword by the Dalai Lama, notes and commentary. (TBT85, $45.00)
The Climb, Tragic Ambitions on Everest  •  Anatoli Boukreev EXPLORATION •  1998 •  PAPER  • 297 PAGES An eyewitness account of the 1996 tragedy on Everest by the Russian mountaineer Boukreev, in part a response to criticism by John Krakauer in the best-selling Into Thin Air regarding climbing safety and ambition. Boukreev, an experienced guide, defends his actions on that day. (HML29, $7.99)
The Dragon in the Land of Snows: A History of Modern Tibet Since 1947  •  Tsering Shakya HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 606 PAGES A comprehensive account of the history and political development of Tibet since 1947, which includes eye-opening details of the American, British and Indian players involved in Tibet's struggle for sovereignty. Tibet has had a mighty struggle to maintain its culture and independence since Chinese occupation in 1950, as demonstrated in this richly detailed book. Shakya, a British-educated Tibetan historian, treats heart-breaking events with balance and insight. (TBT32, $18.00)
Eastern Tibet, Bridging Tibet and China  •  Christoph Baumer  •  Therese Weber CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 254 PAGES A portrait of the region at the heart of Tibetan culture, this in-depth overview of the culture and history of Eastern Tibet features 257 color photographs, four maps and informative text. (TBT104, $60.00)
The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs  •  Robert Beer RELIGION •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 400 PAGES An encyclopedic reference exploring the symbols found in the sacred Tibetan art of the thangka. 169 illustrated plates feature several thousand pieces intricate line art by the author. Entries are arranged thematically. Beer, while British, has devoted decades to the study of thangkas, a meditation device used by monks. (TBT66, $65.00)
Epic, Stories of Survival from the World's Highest Peaks  •  Clint Willis ANTHOLOGY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 342 PAGES A greatest-hits collection of mountaineering literature, Willis excerpts 15 stories, including Mathiessen's classic "The Snow Leopard," and harrowing passages from Everest, the West Ridge, K2, The Savage Mountain, Annapurna and others. Not just the Himalayas, he also includes the tale of the first-traverse of South Georgia by Shackleton. Each excerpt is satisfying long, as interesting for the quality of the writing as the adventure depicted. (HML37, $17.95)
Escape from Kathmandu  •  Kim Stanley Robinson LITERATURE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Clueless in Kathmandu. The four interconnected stories in this laugh-out-loud novel include the (mis)adventures of two young Americans with a Yeti, international espionage, mountain climbing of the highest sort and a quest for Shangri-La. Keep this page-turner handy for inevitable travel delays and long plane flights. Originally published in 1989. (NPL41, $16.95)
Everest, A Mountaineering History  •  Walter Unsworth EXPLORATION •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 736 PAGES A classic history of mountaineering, updated through 1998 for this third edition. Unsworth depicts the people, personalities and challenges of Everest expeditions, including an excellent account of the much-ballyhooed expedition by Mallory and Irvine. He covers every major expedition. (NPL38, $45.00)
Everest, Mountain Without Mercy  •  Broughton Coburn NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES Spectacularly photographed, this book is an account of the making of the IMAX film on Everest, including an account of the 1996 disaster. (HML20, $24.00)
Everest, the West Ridge  •  Thomas F. Hornbein EXPLORATION •  1980 •  PAPER  • 194 PAGES A vivid account of the 1963 American expedition to Everest, a classic of mountain climbing literature. Long thought out of reach, by Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld make a first ascent on the mountain via the spectacular West Ridge, which involved -- among other things -- an emergency bivouac at 28,000-feet. (HML10, $19.95)
A Field Guide to the Birds of China  •  John MacKinnon  •  Karen Phillipps FIELD GUIDE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 586 PAGES A comprehensive field guide to the birds of China, featuring 128 color plates illustrating 1,300 species of birds, with introductory chapters on the history of ornithology in China, biogeography and conservation. Range maps are organized on adjacent pages to the illustrations. The book also includes a list of endemic, threatened and endangered species. Principal author John MacKinnon has also written "Wild China", "A Photoguide to the Birds of China" and "A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java, and Bali." (CHN85, $116.25)
Field Guide to the Mammals of the Indian Subcontinent  •  K. K. Gurung  •  Raj Singh FIELD GUIDE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 140 PAGES • COMING IN Subtitled "Where to Watch Mammals in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan," this compact guide to 106 species features color illustrations, tracks, range maps and information about habitats and conservation. With an overview of 23 parks and reserves, including location maps and species lists. (FG33, $41.00)
From Heaven Lake, Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet  •  Vikram Seth TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1987 •  PAPER  • 178 PAGES An unconventional, award-winning travelogue of a 1981 trip to India from China via the Himalayas by the marvelous Indian novelist Vikram Seth. (HML19, $13.00)
Gentle Bridges, Conversations With the Dalai Lama on the Sciences of Mind  •  Jeremy Hayward  •  Francisco Varela  •  Dalai Lama BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2001 •  PAPER A fascinating study of Buddhist faith, science and the interaction between the two, the result of a historic meeting between the Dalai Lama and a group of Western scientists. (TBT100, $23.95)
Geography of Religion: Where God Lives, Where Pilgrims Walk  •  Susan T. Hitchcock  •  John Esposito  •  Desmond Tutu  •  Mpho Tutu RELIGION •  2006 •  PAPER  • 416 PAGES A handsomely produced tour of the five major world religions and the places that each holds sacred. This oversize book by National Geographic features 210 photographs, illustrations and maps, along with essays by contributing scholars. (REL05, $24.00)
Ghosts of Everest, The Search for Mallory & Irvine  •  Jochen Hemmleb  •  Eric Simonson  •  Larry Johnson EXPLORATION •  2001 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES You may have seen the pictures. This is one of several accounts of the 1999 expedition to determine the fate of George Mallory, who disappeared on Mt. Everest in 1924 (and who may or may not have been the first on Everest 29 years before Norgay and Hillary). Hemmleb, Johnson and Simonson, respected climbers all three and participants in the expedition, contribute to this book as told to hired-hand William Nothdurft. Conrad Anker wrote his own book, "The Lost Explorer (Item no. NPL35)," (HML39, $24.95)
God Lives in St. Petersburg, and Other Stories  •  Tom Bissell LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 212 PAGES Bissell (Chasing the Sea) returns to his years in Central Asia as a Peace Corps volunteer in these sharp, witty fictionalized accounts. His six fast-paced tales are set in Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and the Aral Sea. (CAS117, $13.95)
The Great Religions, Essential Questions  •  Marc-Alain Quaknin  •  Dom Robert Le Gall  •  Claude Levenson  •  Malek Chebel  •  Bruce Feiler RELIGION •  2004 •  HARD COVER Four authors, representing four faiths -- Judaism, Catholicism, Islam, and Tibetan Buddhism -- respond to fundamental questions of religion in this clear, accessible overview. (REL23, $24.95)
Happiness, A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill  •  Matthieu Ricard RELIGION •  2007 •  PAPER The scientist-turned-monk photographer and author's primer on Buddhism as a journey to fulfillment. (GEN381, $14.99)
The Heart of the World, A Journey to Tibet's Lost Paradise  •  Ian Baker  •  The Dalai Lama EXPLORATION •  2006 •  PAPER  • 544 PAGES Climber and Buddhist scholar Ian Baker's account of discovery, with a National Geographic-sponsored team, to the upper reaches of the Tsangpo Gorge in the heart of the Tibetan Himalayas. Before Baker's expedition, the gorge, a mystical sanctuary of Tibetan Buddhism, had not been explored since 1925, when the legendary plant collector Frank Kingdon-Ward pronounced the celebrated waterfall at the head of the gorge a myth. Baker found it! With an introduction by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Baker has writen widely on Buddhism. (TBT78, $16.00)
Himalaya  •  Eric Valli  •  Anne de Sales CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 432 PAGES A handsome collection of breathtaking photographs of the landscape and people of the Himalayas. (HML64, $50.00)
Himalaya Map  •  Nelles MAP A colorful regional map of the Himalayas at a scale of 1:1,500,000, including Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, and Sikkim. (HML09, $10.95)
Himalayan Enchantment, An Anthology  •  Frank Kingdon-Ward EXPLORATION •  1990 •  HARD COVER  • 288 PAGES An anthology of writings by the great Himalayan explorer and plant-collector Frank Kingdon-Ward, who undertook 25 expeditions to the region from 1909 to 1953. The selections balance his interest in plants with his interest in geography, birds, beasts, insects and its variegated inhabitants, not only Tibetan and Chinese, but also the hill tribes -- Abors, Darus, Dulengs, Kachins, Lisus, Lutzus, Marus, Mishimis, Nungs and others -- in whose life he took such an affectionate interest. (HML03, $19.95)
Himalayan Passage, Seven Months in the High Country of Tibet, Nepal, China, India, & Pakistan  •  Jeremy Schmidt TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES The story of two adventurous young couples who travel by bike, truck and foot across the Himalayas strong on the culture and people of the region. With 32 pages of color photographs. Starting in Lhasa, Tibet, in the spring of 1987, they headed west along the north slope of the mountains into China and Pakistan and returned on the south side through India and Nepal. (HML05, $18.95)
Himalayan Quest, Ed Viesturs on the 8,000-Meter Giants  •  Ed Viesturs EXPLORATION •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 176 PAGES In 1986, Austrian Reinhold Messner became the first man to scale all 14 peaks which stand above 8,000 meters, all of which are located in the Himalayas. Seventeen years later, Ed Viesturs became the first American to accomplish this daunting feat. This appealing photographic guide chronicles Viestur's journey, complete with breathtaking images of the Himalayan landscape (made more impressive when one imagines how difficult it must have been to take them while climbing!) as well as informative maps of the region. (HML63, $32.00)
Himalayan Voices, An Introduction to Modern Nepali Literature  •  Michael Hutt ANTHOLOGY •  1991 •  PAPER  • 280 PAGES A collection of 20th-century Nepali poetry and short fiction, much of it translated into English for the first time. This anthology offers insight into Nepal's literary traditions, society and culture. (HML35, $26.95)
A History of Modern Tibet, 1913-1951: The Demise of the Lamaist State  •  Melvyn C. Goldstein HISTORY •  1991 •  PAPER  • 936 PAGES An even-handed survey of the history of Tibet from 1913 to 1951, when the country was taken over by communist China. Goldstein draws on diplomatic records, as well as historical accounts and interviews with monastic leaders, soldiers and Tibetan officials to unravel the complex history of the Buddhist kingdom during this critical period. (TBT56, $45.00)
The Hotel on the Roof of the World  •  Alec Le Sueur TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 331 PAGES An entertaining memoir and account of life in Tibet in the 1990s. Le Sueur reveals his often hilarious, quirky experiences at "the unlikeliest Holiday Inn in the World" though anecdote and tale. It's an insightful look at contemporary politics, quirks and challenges in Tibet. (TBT81, $17.95)
In the Himalayas, Journeys Through Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan  •  Jeremy Bernstein TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES • COMING IN A classic book on the people, places and politics of the Himalayan countries by the "New Yorker" writer and mountaineer, in part a journal of a 1983 trek to Mount Everest. (TBT05, $16.95)
In the Land of the Blue Poppies, The Collected Plant Hunting Writings of Frank Kingdon-Ward  •  Frank Kingdon-Ward  •  Tom Christopher  •  Jamaica Kincaid ANTHOLOGY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 242 PAGES An anthology of the plant hunting adventures of the intrepid Frank Kingdon-Ward (1885-1958) as presented by Tom Christopher. The collection communicates all Kingdon-Ward's excitement of discovery at the turn of the century in Tibet, China, Burma and Southeast Asia. A geographical explorer as well as horticulturist, Kingdon Ward writes of the people, landscapes and experiences trekking in the Himalayas. (ASA35, $19.00)
In the Shadow of the Himalayas, A Photographic Record by John Claude White 1883-1908  •  Kurt Meyer  •  Pamela Deuel Meyer CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  HARD COVER A collection of 144 remarkable documentary photographs of Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sikkim at the turn of the 20th century. John Claude White (1853-1918), the first British Political Officer to Sikkim, among his many adventures in the Himalyas, was the official photographer of the Younghusband Expedition. (HML71, $65.00)
Inner Revolution: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Real Happiness  •  Robert Thurman  •  Dalai Lama RELIGION •  1999 •  PAPER  • 356 PAGES In this popular book, partly a memoir, Thurman brings his range of experience, scholarship and wit to the task of living as a Buddhist in contemporary America. Founder of Tibet House in New York, Thurman is a Buddhist monk, scholar and translator of Tibetan texts. (TBT73, $15.00)
Into Thin Air, A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster  •  Jon Krakauer EXPLORATION •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 256 PAGES In this bestseller, climber and journalist Krakauer reconstructs a minute-by-minute account of what went wrong on the great mountain in 1996. He captures the immediacy of those few hours on Everest when disaster struck -- and the psychological complexity of surviving a tragedy. (HML08, $26.95)
Into Thin Air, A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster  •  Jon Krakauer EXPLORATION •  1999 •  PAPER  • 360 PAGES In this bestseller, climber and journalist Krakauer reconstructs a minute-by-minute account of what went wrong on the great mountain in 1996. He captures the immediacy of those few hours on Everest when disaster struck -- and the psychological complexity of surviving a tragedy. (HML13, $14.95)
It's Easier Than You Think, The Buddhist Way to Happiness  •  Sylvia Boorstein RELIGION •  1997 •  PAPER  • 145 PAGES Boorstein -- a practitioner of Buddhist meditation, psychotherapist and Jewish grandmother to boot -- here relates the basic tenets of Buddhism in her warmly engaging, anecdotal style. It's a good introduction to Buddhist teachings by a self-deprecating master. (GEN264, $13.00)
K2, Triumph and Tragedy  •  Jim Curran EXPLORATION •  1997 •  PAPER This is a tense account of disaster on the world's second highest mountain in 1986. The author was on the mountain when 13 climbers in 9 different expeditions died. (PKN05, $15.00)
Khumbu Himal (Everest) Map  •  Nelles 1999 •  MAP An excellent topographic map of the Mt. Everest hiking region at a scale of 1:50,000 with contour lines, color shading, popular routes and features. (NPL33, $13.95)
Kundun  •  Martin Scorcese CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2003 •  DVD Scorsese's tribute to Tibet and the resilience of its people. (TBT111, $9.99)
Kundun, A Biography of the Family of the Dalai Lama  •  Mary Craig BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1998 •  PAPER  • 424 PAGES A mesmerizing portrait of the Dalai Lama and his family, his parents, four brothers, and two sisters, and their fight for a free Tibet. This book opens in 1933 with the death of the thirteenth Dalai Lama and the frantic effort among Tibetan authorities to find his reincarnation. In their search for a baby boy with the characteristic marks of a Dalai Lama - tiger-striped legs, wide eyes, large ears, and palms bearing the pattern of a sea shell - officials were led to a tiny village in northeastern Tibet, home of Lhamo Dhondup, a smart, stubborn toddler already known for his tantrums. Responding calmly when a group of high lamas and dignitaries tested his memory of a previous life, the child easily recognized a rosary, walking stick, and drum belonging to the thirteenth Dalai Lama. In an instant this little boy and his entire family were swept into a world of unending ritual and complex internal politics. Lhamo was installed as the fourteenth Dalai Lama at the age of three, and was known from that point on as His Holiness or Kundun (the Presence), titles even his family members were obliged to use. A few years later the young Dalai Lama and his family were faced with China's invasion of Tibet. Living in exile since the late 1950s, they have waged a decades-long struggle for the freedom of their country. Mary Craig's intimate portrayal is the first to focus on the Dalai Lama's family - his parents, four brothers, and two sisters - all of whom have played integral roles in Tibet's resistance to Chinese occupation. Particularly compelling are Craig's portraits of the Dalai Lama's siblings, who have negotiated with China on behalf of their country, enlisted the aid of international allies to spearhead Tibetan Resistance, and worked tirelessly to help thousands of sick and starving refugee children. (TBT110, $20.00)
The Last River, The Tragic Race for Shangri-La  •  Todd Balf TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 293 PAGES A thrilling account of a first-ever descent of the Tsangpo Gorge in the heart of Tibet by four expert kayakers in 1998. (TBT44, $14.00)
Learning Practical Tibetan  •  Andrew Bloomfield LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  1998 •  CASETTE TAPE  • 202 PAGES A slim guide with two 90-minute audio tapes designed with the traveler in mind. With sections on Tibetan numbers, festivals, and religious terms, as well as an overview of grammar and pronunciation, a short vocabulary list and dialogues for everyday situations. (TBT93, $55.00)
Life and Death on Mt. Everest, Sherpas and Himalayan Mountaineering  •  Sherry B. Ortner CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2001 •  PAPER  • 376 PAGES A vividly written, scholarly study of the relationship between the Sherpas and the mountaineers who come to "conquer" the Himalayas. Anthropologist Ortner dissects the collision of cultures and their perceptions and preconceptions of each other. For those who like a little theory with their history, it's an important look at mountaineering from the sherpa point of view by an academic who has lived and worked among them since the 1960s. (TBT33, $27.95)
The Life of Milarepa: A New Translation from the Tibetan  •  Anonymous  •  Lobsang Lhalungpa LITERATURE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES The tale of Jetsun Milarepa, one of Tibet's most famous yogis and poets and a key figure in the history of the Kagyu school of Buddhism. A classic Tibetan folk tale full of magic, feuds, and humor. (TBT98, $14.95)
Lonely Planet Tibet  •  Bradley Mayhew  •  John Vincent Bellezza  •  Tony Wheeler  •  Chris Taylor GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A practical guide to Tibet with new and revised maps, features on Tibetan and Mandarin language, notes on Buddhism, Tibetan culture and its rich history. Included also are the process of acquiring visas and documents when traveling from Nepal to Tibet, as well as the political situation in the region. (TBT50, $26.99)
Lonely Planet Tibetan Phrasebook  •  Sandup Tsering LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2008 •  PAPER  • 254 PAGES A brief guide to Tibetan with transliterations of place names, pronunciation guide and common phrases. (TBT52, $8.99)
Lonely Planet Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya  •  Stan Armington GUIDEBOOK •  2001 •  PAPER  • 480 PAGES This classic guide, now in its eighth edition, is great for both practical trail information and general information on the region. Armington has lived in Nepal for over 25 years, and his experience shows in his suggestions for preparation and his coverage of Nepalese culture. (NPL23, $19.99)
Lord of the Dance: Autobiography of a Tibetan Lama  •  Tulku Chagdud BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1992 •  PAPER  • 248 PAGES The powerful tale of a Vajrayana Buddhist master, forced into exile by the Chinese invasion, who served as doctor and lama to his fellow Tibetan refugee in India and Nepal for 20 years. (TBT99, $16.95)
Magic and Mystery in Tibet  •  Alexandra David-Neel TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1971 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES An unabridged reprint of David-Neel's influential 1932 account of pioneering travels in Tibet. With 32 photographs by the author. An accomplished scholar and keen observer, David-Neel was the first western woman (albeit in disguise) to see Lhasa. (TBT90, $12.95)
Man-Eaters of Kumaon  •  Jim Corbett BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1993 •  PAPER  • 214 PAGES These are the memoirs of a turn-of-the-century hunter-turned-conservationist who was much loved in India. Corbett has a park named after him and this book will help you to understand why. It is intelligently written, respectful, and great fun -- an excellent portrait of the Indian hill stations of Uttarakhand. (HML12, $14.95)
Memoirs of a Political Officer's Wife in Tibet, Sikkim, and Bhutan  •  Margaret D. Williamson BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1987 •  PAPER • COMING IN Williamson, the wife of a British political officer stationed in Gangtok in the 1930s, captures the culture, society and flavor of the region in this wonderfully personal account. With black-and-white photographs by the author. (BHU05, $18.95)
Monk Dancers of Tibet  •  Mattieu Ricard CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 124 PAGES Matthieu Ricard (Buddhist Himalayas) has lived and photographed in the Himalayas for the past 30 years. In this book he documents the sacred dance of the monks at the Shechen Tennyi Dargye Ling Monastery in the Kathmandu Valley. Ricard, a Buddhist monk, focuses on the dances, their signficance and tradition. The Shechen Monastery in Nepal keeps alive Tibetan Buddhist traditions. (TBT77, $29.95)
Mountain Light, In Search of the Dynamic Landscape  •  Galen Rowell NATURAL HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES Originally published in 1985 and updated for a 10th anniversary edition by the Sierra Club, this book is still the single best introduction to landscape photography and, particularly, the challenges of photographing mountains. Rowell presents 80 of his most spectacular images, divided according to visual content. Each chapter illustrates a theme or technique, supplemented by a short personal essay. Like any good workshop, the book will both inspire and instruct fellow photographers. There's no photographer at work more sensitive to the magic of Alpine glow than Galen Rowell. (PHT06, $29.95)
Mt. Everest  •  National Geographic 1998 •  MAP A gloriously detailed, bird's-eye view of Everest by the cartographers at National Geographic, this 23 1/2 x 38 poster map shows the glaciers, valleys and peaks of the Mt. Everest region in beautiful shaded relief. The price includes shipping in a sturdy tube. (NPL36, $19.99)
My Journey to Lhasa  •  Alexandra David-Neel TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 317 PAGES A reprint of the 1927 classic by the indomitable Buddhist scholar Alexandra David-Neel, with a new preface by the Dalai Lama. Tibet was still closed to the West in 1923, the year that David-Neel and her adopted Tibetan son set out on their wintry trek to Lhasa. Dressed as humble pilgrims and traveling under cover of night, the duo climbed mountains, fooled soldiers and ultimately reached the capital, where they joined the pilgrim throng. David-Neel was not altogether without the prejudices of her European contemporaries, but she was markedly better-educated; and as a result her travelogue is an informed, informative portrait of early twentieth-century Tibet. (TBT26, $14.95)
My Land and My People, The Original Autobiography of His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet  •  Dalai Lama BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1997 •  PAPER  • 238 PAGES The Dalai Lama recounts his life and struggle for an independent Tibet. It's one of the most remarkable stories of our time, simply and compassionately told by the Lama himself. (TBT22, $13.95)
Nepal Map  •  Nelles MAP A convenient double-sided map of Nepal at a scale of 1:500,000, with insets of Kathmandu City and Kathmandu Valley. (NPL01, $10.95)
Of Tigers and Men  •  Richard Ives NATURAL HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE A haunting tale of a man's quest to encounter tigers in the wild, and to understand the meaning of the threat of the tiger's extinction. Ives visits the forests of India, Thailand, and Sumatra, and many of the "tiger-men" who have devoted their lives to saving tigers. His quest entails a growing realization that the tiger may be doomed. It is a beautifully written story, providing not only a sense of the life of tigers and those who care about them, but also describing an unusual and moving personal journey. (IDA30, $12.50)
On Top of the World, Five Women Explorers in Tibet  •  Luree Miller EXPLORATION •  1985 •  PAPER  • 222 PAGES A profile of Victorian women in Tibet, three British, an American and a French woman. Miller includes the well known adventures of Alexandra David-Neel and Isabella Bird Bishop in addition to the less-known exploits of Nina Mazuchelli, Ann Taylor and Fanny Bullock Workman. (TBT28, $12.95)
Peaks and Lamas  •  Marco Pallis CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES A classic account of mountaineering and Buddhist Tibet, first published in 1949. A British World War I veteran and mountain climber, Pallis writes with great insight about Buddhism and the traditional culture that sustains it in the Himalayas. (TBT83, $18.00)
A Photographic Guide to the Birds of India and Nepal  •  B. Grewal FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES A slim pocket guide to 252 of the most conspicuous birds of India and Nepal featuring color photographs, concise descriptions and range maps. (IDA46, $15.95)
Pilgrimage, Past and Present in the World Religions  •  Simon Coleman  •  John Elsner RELIGION •  1997 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES An illustrated survey, organized thematically, of Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Indian and Buddhist pilgrimages and sacred travel. With hundreds of color and black-and-white photographs of people, art and places. (REL07, $28.00)
Pilgrimage, Twenty Journeys to Inspire the Soul  •  David Souden CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 192 PAGES An illustrated account of journeys to sacred places around the world, including Santiago de Campostela, Lourdes, Jerusalem, Kyoto, Mecca, Rome, Mount Kailas, Salt Lake City and the battlefields of WWI. (GEN247, $29.95)
A Plant Hunter in Tibet  •  Frank Kingdon-Ward EXPLORATION •  2006 •  PAPER  • 317 PAGES Long out of print, this facsimile edition of Kingdon-Ward's lively 1934 account of the people, culture, landscapes and adventures in Southeast Tibet includes his original photographs and two maps. (TBT105, $26.00)
Prisoners of Shangri-La, Tibetan Buddhism and the West  •  Donald S. Lopez Jr. HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 284 PAGES A scholarly history of western myth-making and romance over the question of Tibet. It's a thought-provoking corrective to much of the hogwash about Buddhism perpetrated by both western interpreters and Tibetans themselves. Lopez, a leading scholar of Tibetan Buddhism reveals a complex country and its spiritual history in this scholarly analysis. (TBT42, $18.00)
The Raven Crown, the Origins of Buddhist Monarchy in Bhutan  •  Michael Aris HISTORY •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 160 PAGES The definitive account of the modern history of Bhutan as seen through the 20th-century Wangchuk dynasty, which has ruled the kingdom since 1907. Based on Bhutanese chronicles, this gorgeously produced, informative book features 106 rare historic photographs from archives in Bhutan and the United Kingdom. Originally published in 1994. The late Michael Aris lived in Bhutan from 1967 to 197 as a historian and tutor of the children of the royal family. (BHU02, $60.00)
Red Dust, A Path Through China  •  Ma Jian  •  Flora Drew TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 324 PAGES An astounding, thoughtful memoir of an urban poet, painter and writer on the road to Tibet in the mid-1980s. At low ebb personally, and censured by his propaganda work unit, 30-year-old Ma Jian abandons his disintegrating life in Beijing for a remarkable three-year trek south and west to Guizhou province, Burma and Tibet. This first-rate account offers a vibrant portrait of Deng's People's Republic of China, and an extremely useful testimonial to the plight of Chinese artists therein. With kudos by Barbara Crossette, Jonathan Spence and others, this first book by Jian, who now lives in London, is drawing a lot of attention. (CHN150, $15.00)
Red Poppies  •  Alai  •  Howard Goldblatt  •  Sylvia Li-Chun Lin LITERATURE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 433 PAGES This family saga unfolds among the warlords of eastern Tibet in the 1930s before the Chinese occupation. (TBT61, $14.00)
Religions of Tibet in Practice  •  Donald S. Lopez, Jr. RELIGION •  1997 •  PAPER  • 560 PAGES A collection of 36 essays and translated texts by scholars of Tibetan Buddhism, including selections on prayers, pilgrimages, death and ritual. It is a scholarly overview of the culture and religion of Tibet, organized thematically and accessible to the general reader. (TBT16, $37.95)
The Search for Shangri-La, A Journey into Tibetan History  •  Charles Allen TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES Both travelogue and straight-ahead religious history. With a set of color photo plates. (TBT67, $14.95)
The Search for the Panchen Lama  •  Isabel Hilton CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2001 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES A skillful and subtle story of the selection -- and kidnapping -- of a young Tibetan boy, the 11th incarnation of the Pachen Lama. Hilton reports the story of the religious leader in detail, combining her own interviews and travels with a clear outline of recent Tibetan history. Missing since 1995, Chinese authorities have yet to reveal the whereabouts of the young Pachen Lama, the second most important religious figure (after the Dalai Lama) in Tibet. It's a complex tale, revealing much about the current state of affairs between Tibet and China. (TBT43, $14.95)
Seeing Lhasa, British Depictions of the Tibetan Capital, 1936-1947  •  Clare Harris  •  Tsering Shakya CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2003 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES Published in conjunction with an exhibition at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, this book presents a trove of photographs, albums and film by Harry Staunton, Evan Nepean, Hugh Richardson and other British visitors to Tibet. With excellent accompanying essays that place the visual record (including portraits of Tibetan notables) in context. It's an extraordinary document of the country prior to the Chinese takeover, its people, palaces and monasteries. (TBT71, $39.95)
Seven Years in Tibet  •  Jean-Jacques Annaud 2005 •  DVD The 1997 blockbuster film starring Brad Pitt and David Thewlis. Based on the classic memoir by Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer, who became tutor to the Dalai Lama. (TBT101, $14.94)
Sherpas, Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal  •  James Fisher CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1990 •  PAPER  • 205 PAGES A study of Sherpa society and the change that mountaineering and trekking have brought, which combines the qualities of a memoir and anthropological study. Fisher, who participated in a 1964 expedition to build schools in the region, quotes extensively from interviews, letting the Sherpas speak for themselves. well chosen photographs document change in the region. Fisher concludes it was the airstrip that the team constructed which has had the greatest impact on tourism and, by extension, Sherpa society. (NPL13, $26.95)
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker: Traveller and Plant Collector  •  Raymond Desmond BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 286 PAGES A marvelously illustrated biography of the Victorian explorer and botanist featuring dozens of color and black-and-white photographs and engravings. In addition to plant collecting in the Himalayas, Hooker accompanied Sir James Clark Ross to the Antarctic (1839-1843), explored the Middle East and traveled to the American West. This handsome book, published in conjunction with an exhibition at Kew Gardens, includes excerpts from his "Himalayan Journals" along with many drawings, engravings and lithographs. (GEN79, $49.50)
The Skull Mantra  •  Eliot Pattison MYSTERY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES The first in Pattison's series of superb political thrillers set in Tibet. When a headless corpse turns up on a Tibetan mountainside, veteran police inspector Shan Tao Yun is released from prison to investigate the crime, and he quickly uncovers a conspiracy involving American mining interests, corrupt Party officials, and Tibetan sorcerers. Winner of the 2000 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. (TBT106, $7.99)
So Close to Heaven, The Vanishing Buddhist Kingdoms of the Himalayas  •  Barbara Crossette TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 297 PAGES • FAVORITE A "New York Times" Asia correspondent writes of Bhutan and neighboring kingdoms of Ladakh and Sikkim in the Himalayas, strongholds of Tantric Buddhism in an increasingly homogenized world. It's part travelogue and part history -- a personal portrait of the region. (NPL04, $16.00)
Something Hidden Behind the Ranges, A Himalayan Quest  •  Daniel Taylor-Ide TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES Mixing travelogue, personal adventure and excellent writing on the environment and nature of the Himalayas, the author takes us on a journey through the mountain kingdoms. (HML22, $14.95)
South Asia  •  Sumit Ganguly HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A scholarly history of modern South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Sumit Ganguly is the Rabindranath Tagore Professor of Indian cultures and civilizations and professor of political science at Indiana University. (IDA308, $18.00)
Spectrum Guide to Nepal  •  Camerapix GUIDEBOOK •  2000 •  PAPER  • 364 PAGES A comprehensive guide to the country, its people, history and geography, featuring excellent maps and 200 color photographs. (NPL27, $22.95)
The Spirit of Tibet, Portrait of a Culture in Exile  •  Alison Wright CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1998 •  PAPER  • 176 PAGES A handsome pictorial essay on Tibetan culture and people in exile in the monasteries, nunneries and towns of Dharamsala and surroundings in the Dhauladhar mountain range of the Indian Himalayas. (IDA159, $34.95)
The Story of Buddhism, A Concise Guide to Its History & Teachings  •  Donald S. Lopez RELIGION •  2002 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES An overview of Buddhism by a well-known scholar. (ASA42, $15.95)
Story of Tibet, Conversations With the Dalai Lama  •  Thomas Laird CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2007 •  PAPER  • 496 PAGES An oral history of Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism as drawn from more than 60 hours of interviews with the Dalai Lama. (TBT92, $17.00)
Tears of Blood, A Cry for Tibet  •  Mary Craig HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 341 PAGES A hard-hitting history of Tibet from the 1950s to the 1990s. Craig (who has also written a biography of the family of the Dalai Lama) is a journalist and braodcaster with great sympathy for the plight of the Tibetens (and Tibetan culture) under China. (TBT82, $17.50)
Temptations of the West, How to Be Modern in India, Pakistan, Tibet, And Beyond  •  Pankaj Mishra CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2007 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES The thread that binds these engaging accounts of Panjak's insightful travel through South Asia (Buddhist Tibet, Bollywood, Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, Kashmir, Nepal) is the confrontation of traditional and modern society. (ASA51, $15.00)
Tibet, The Roof of the World between Past and Present  •  Maria Antonia Sironi Diemberger ART & ARCHITECTURE •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 224 PAGES A captivating photographic portrait of Tibet, its monasteries, people and landscapes. (TBT49, $45.00)
Tibet, Tibet: A Personal History of a Lost Land  •  Patrick French TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES This insightful portrait of Tibet (by the author of a biography of Younghusband and director of Free Tibet) combine's French's own travels with probing interviews, some history and unflinching political analysis. No Pollyanna, French depicts the tough conditions in Tibet under Chinese control. (TBT76, $14.95)
The Tibetan Book of the Dead  •  Graham Coleman  •  Gyurme Dorje RELIGION •  2007 •  PAPER  • 496 PAGES The first complete English translation of an indispensable work on Tibetan religious beliefs. With the tantalizing subtitle: Hidden away for many centuries, this ancient treasure text holds the secrets to enlightened living and life after death. (TBT88, $20.00)
The Tibetan Book of the Dead, Liberation from Understanding the In Between  •  Robert Thurman CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1994 •  PAPER  • 275 PAGES A key text as presented by Robert Thurman for a western audience. This edition of the Tibetan guidebooks to dying or "the between" -- written in the 8th or 9th century by Padma Sambhava -- is introduced and translated by Thurman. It's is a spiritual guide to the afterlife, helpfully augmented by Thurman's commentary as well as an overview of Tibetan history and beliefs. With a chapter on Tibet, its history, Buddhist traditions and present plight. Part Two of the book is a translation of prayers. (TBT06, $18.00)
Tibetan Buddhism from the Ground Up, A Practical Approach for Modern Life  •  B. Alan Wallace RELIGION •  1993 •  PAPER  • 214 PAGES A straightforward primer on the essentials of Buddhism as practiced in Tibet. The book is the result of a lecture series introducing the practice of Buddhism to the general public. (TBT19, $15.95)
Tibetan Buddhist Life  •  Don Farber RELIGION •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 192 PAGES A beautiful and informative celebration of Tibetan Buddhist culture. An in-depth text complements over 200 photographs, many by Don Farber. Farber has been photographing Buddhist life for two decades and is the special photographer for the Dalai Lama. (TBT70, $30.00)
Tibetan Folk Tales  •  Fredrick Hyde-Chambers  •  Audrey Hyde-Chambers LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 186 PAGES A collection of two dozen folk tales and legends, handed down by generations of Tibetan storytellers. The anthology, first published in 1981, includes the Tibetan myth of creation, some tales from Buddhist mythology, and the famous epic of King Gesar of Ling, a national hero. (TBT59, $21.00)
A Tibetan on Tibet  •  Paul Sherap BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1989 •  PAPER The 1926 account by Dorje Zodba of the adventurous days of his early boyhood, when he found himself travelling to the four corners of the remote and mysterious kingdom of Tibet as reported to G.A. Combe, a British Consul and Buddhist scholar. A Christian, Zodba went by the name Paul Serap. (TBT109, $12.95)
Touching My Father's Soul, A Sherpa's Journey to the Top of Everest  •  Jamling Tenzing Norgay  •  Broughton Coburn  •  Dalai Lama BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2002 •  PAPER  • 316 PAGES A personal account of the business of Everest, the 1996 IMAX Expedition and, most significantly, of a son who is grappling with the legacy of a famous father. The son of the man who reached the summit of Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953, Norgay has spent his entire life immersed in the culture, rituals and religion of the Sherpas. (NPL42, $15.95)
Travelers' Tales Nepal  •  Rajendra Khadka ANTHOLOGY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES This anthology of travel writing on Nepal features mostly modern stories by Peter Matthiessen, Jan Morris and other great writers, local and foreign. Covering festivals, art, mountain climbing and other diverse topics, it's an excellent introduction to the country. A chapter on travel in Nepal complements the collection. (NPL16, $17.95)
Travelers' Tales Tibet  •  James O'Reilly  •  Larry Habegger ANTHOLOGY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES An engaging, insightful and entertaining selection of eyewitness reports, mostly contemporary, by Pico Iyer (Video Nights in Kathmandu), Jeff Greenwald (Shopping for Budhas), Alexandra David-Neel and many others. (TBT65, $18.95)
Trekking in Nepal, A Traveler's Guide  •  Sir Edmund Hillary  •  Stephen Bezruchka GUIDEBOOK •  1999 •  PAPER  • 383 PAGES A respected guide covering, in detail, route planning for trekkers, national parks, health, where to go and what to do in Nepal. With an overview of the geography, history, religion and culture of the region. Regularly revised, the guide has been around since 1976. Invaluable for its route descriptions, the book also includes good information on cross-cultural understanding. With 16 so-so maps, elevation profiles of major treks and 76 black-and-white photographs. (NPL10, $16.95)
Trekking in the Everest Region  •  Jamie McGuinness GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 303 PAGES • COMING IN NOVEMBER A compact guide to treks in the Everest region featuring route maps, village plans and concise information on preparations, what to see and do. With an overview of Nepal and the region. Excerpts from the book and others in the British series are online at www.trailblazer-guides.com. Aimed at the do-it-yourself market, this handy guide also has much to offer anyone planning to trek in the region. 4th edition. (NPL31, $22.95)
Tsangpo Gorges  •  Frank Kingdon-Ward EXPLORATION •  2008 •  HARD COVER  • 344 PAGES Legendary plant-explorer Kingdon-Ward's original account of his 1924-1925 expedition to the source of the Tsangpo, expertly edited and annotated by modern explorer Kenneth Cox, who brings the story of the exploration of this almost inaccessible corner of south-east Tibet up to date. With contributions by Kenneth Cox, Ken Storm Jr. and Ian Baker, including the new discovery of Hidden Falls, located in a part of the gorge unexplored by Kingdon Ward. (TBT103, $75.00)
Vanished Kingdoms: A Woman Explorer in Tibet, China, and Mongolia 1921-1925  •  Mabel H. Cabot TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 190 PAGES An illustrated account of a 1920s expedition to Western China, Inner Mongolia, and northwestern Tibet, featuring 140 documentary photographs of (many hand tinted). Wulsin's daughter Mabel Cabot draws on photographs, journals and original accounts as well as her own travels in recreating the expedition. It's an important record of a lost time. (TBT91, $35.00)
The Violet Shyness of Their Eyes, Notes from Nepal  •  Barbara J. Scot CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A heartfelt portrait of the Nepalese people and culture, resulting from the author's year teaching in Nepal. An excellent memoirist, Scot combines personal observation, thoughtful commentary and warmth in this deceptively simple book. With black-and-white photographs, orientation maps and glossary. This revised edition includes an April 2004 epilogue by the author. (HML14, $16.95)
Visions of Tibet: Outer, Inner, Secret  •  Brian Kistler  •  Robert Thurman CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2007 •  HARD COVER  • 144 PAGES Kistler's photographs, taken over a 15-year period, celebrate Tibet, its monuments, people, and places. (TBT95, $49.95)
The Voice That Remembers: A Tibetan Woman's Inspiring Story of Survival  •  Ama Adhe BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1999 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES Ama Adhe recounts with dignity and clarity her 27 years in prison for supporting the Khampa resitance to the Chinese takeover of Tibet. (TBT102, $16.95)
War at the Top of the World, The Struggle for Afghanistan, Kashmir, and Tibet  •  Eric Margolis HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES Margolis, a veteran correspondent in the region, presents a detailed overview of the ongoing struggle over the high Himalayas, showing their strategic importance to Pakistan, India and China. Updated throughout for this second edition, including a new chapter on the Taliban. He sorts out confusing religious differences, complex geographies and politics with clarity, explaining -- for example -- the strategic value of the 16,000-foot Siachen Glacier where oxygen-starved Indian and Pakistani soldiers have been fighting for years. (PKN09, $25.95)
Water Touching Stone  •  Eliot Pattison MYSTERY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 560 PAGES The second of Pattison's superb political thrillers set in Tibet. Aided by a young Kazakh woman, former Beijing police investigator Shan Tao Yun heads for a remote Tibetan plateau to investigate the murder of a venerated teacher and the subsequent disappearance of a lama, but his probe is soon complicated by the resentment of local Tibetans, a sullen resistance fighter, and a dead American. (TBT107, $7.99)
What Makes You Not a Buddhist  •  Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse RELIGION •  2007 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES With humor, authority, warmth and wit, this slim book shows the western world from a Buddhist perspective. Born in Bhutan in 1961, a Tibetan lama and filmmaker (Travellers and Magicians), Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche gives a decidedly modern take on dharma, happiness, suffering and enlightenment. (TBT96, $14.00)
The Wheel of Life, The Autobiography of a Western Buddhist  •  John Blofeld TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1988 •  PAPER  • 316 PAGES Blofeld's (1913-1987) enchanting account of Buddhist worlds now largely vanished, including his life and travels in China, Tibet, Mongolia, India and Burma. He describes the worlds of remote mountain monasteries, sacred chambers of lamas and yogis, and the everyday lives of ordinary people. Originally published in 1959. (HML76, $30.00)
Wildlife of the Tibetan Steppe  •  George Schaller NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 373 PAGES Ecology and conservation in the highlands of Tibet, China and Mongolia. Schaller, who has also written books about the Serengeti and Himalayas, provides a comprehensive account of the flora and fauna of the region. His focus is on the Tibetan gazelle, chiru, blue sheep and other little-known ungulates, his special interest. A detailed account of the Change Tang reserve, it's also a good introduction to the steppes of the adjoining regions of China and Inner Mongolia. (TBT31, $24.00)
The Wisdom of the Buddha  •  Jean Boisselier RELIGION •  1994 •  PAPER  • 191 PAGES A pocket-size primer of Buddhism, this book is an illustrated history of the sixth-century Indian prince and his quest for enlightenment. With 207 illustrations, 160 in full color. (IDA55, $12.95)
A Woman's Asia  •  Marybeth Bond ANTHOLOGY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 310 PAGES These thirty-five personal, often hilarious accounts of women's adventures from China to Sri Lanka to Turkey to Bhutan, not only illuminating the everyday, oft-overlooked cultural practices of Asia, but also giving a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of the female traveller. Featuring selections from Jan Morris, Pamela Logan and Alison Wright. (ASA49, $17.95)
A Woman's Asia  •  Marybeth Bond ANTHOLOGY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 310 PAGES These thirty-five personal, often hilarious accounts of women's adventures from China to Sri Lanka to Turkey to Bhutan, not only illuminating the everyday, oft-overlooked cultural practices of Asia, but also giving a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of the female traveller. Featuring selections from Jan Morris, Pamela Logan and Alison Wright. (ASA49, $17.95)