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)
Bhutan  •  Lekha Singh CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2008 •  HARD COVER  • 144 PAGES These color photographs and essays, with a foreword by Her Majesty the Queen, showcase the people, culture and landscapes of Bhutan. (BHU33, $50.00)
Bhutan, Land of Spirituality and Modernization: Role of Water In Daily Life  •  Dieter Zurcher  •  Kunzang Choden HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 160 PAGES Zurcher, an environmental consultant, and Choden, a Bhutanese novelist and folklorist (Tales of the Yeti and Folktales from Bhutan, The Circle of Karma), combine minds to explore the significance of water in Bhutan's historical, economic and cultural development. With beautiful photographs revealing the ecosystems, bridges, irrigation structures and more. Both authors have been active in development programs in Bhutan. (BHU27, $47.95)
The Birds of Heaven, Travels With Cranes  •  Peter Matthiessen  •  Robert Bateman NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES • COMING IN Matthiessen traveled with the cranes to Siberia, Japan, Mongolia, North America, China, Bhutan, East Africa, Australia, India and Texas for this handsomely illustrated, informative book. Organizing the book geographically, he interweaves his travels with insightful commentary on the conservation, ecology, and the significance of the crane in art and culture. With color paintings by Robert Bateman. (BRD11, $16.00)
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)
Essential Tibetan Buddhism  •  Robert Thurman RELIGION •  1996 •  PAPER  • 317 PAGES A collection of recently translated texts by the foremost Western scholar of Tibetan Buddhism. Thurman has chosen well from the vibrant sacred literature of Tibet, and helpfully includes suggested further reading, explanatory notes and a directory of sacred sites. (TBT15, $14.95)
A Field Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent  •  Krys Kazmierczak  •  Ber Van Perlo FIELD GUIDE •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 352 PAGES A compact field guide to 1,300 species with 96 color plates by bird artist Ber van Perlo, covering Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. With distribution maps and concise information on identification, voice and habitat by the author of "A Birdwatcher's Guide to India." (FG40, $45.00)
Fodor's Bangkok's 25 Best  •  Sylvie Franquet  •  Anthony Sattin GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES This slim guide to Bangkok includes an excellent pullout map of the center of the city along with essential information on its highlights, including restaurant recommendations and sightseeing. (TLD40, $11.95)
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)
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)
In Exile from the Land of Snows, The Dalai Lama and Tibet Since the Chinese Occupation  •  John Avedon CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1994 •  PAPER  • 391 PAGES The lives of the Tibetan people at home and in exile since the Chinese takeover in 1950. Avedon (who accompanied the Dalai Lama on his first American tour) interviewed over 100 people in Dharamsala and Tibet for this new classic. After introductory sections on ancient Tibet and the Chinese occupation, Avedon tackles how the nation was thrust into the 20th century by the loss of its sovereignty. It's a masterful, passionate tribute to the people and culture of Tibet. It's also useful in understanding Nepal today. (TBT04, $16.95)
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)
Infinite Life, Seven Virtues for Living Well  •  Robert Thurman RELIGION •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 276 PAGES This wonderfully clear, insightful guide to Buddhahood by America's leading light combines teaching, inspiration, autobiography and anecdote. Robert Thurman, a popular teacher and author, is chair of the religion department at Columbia. (GEN309, $24.95)
Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism  •  John Powers RELIGION •  2007 •  PAPER  • 591 PAGES A comprehensive study of the history and philosophy behind Tibetan Buddhism, suitable for the general reader. Powers (a professor of religion at Wright State University and a Tibetan Buddhist himself) clarifies the festivals, doctrines, schools and symbolism associated with the devotion, all within its historical and cultural context. Divided into four sections, it covers: the Indian origins of the religion; Tibetan religious history and culture; doctrines and practices; and the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism. (TBT40, $22.95)
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)
Little Buddha  •  Bernardo Bertolucci CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  DVD Bertolucci's luminescent film interweaves the story of three children and their journey to Bhutan with the life of Siddharta. The film was shot in Seattle, Nepal and Bhutan. With Keanu Reeves, Ruocheng Ying, Chris Isaak, and Bridget Fonda. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche acted as a consultant on Buddhism. Khyentse Norbu, as the lama is also known, went on to make The Cup and Travellers and Magicians. (HML74, $14.99)
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)
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)
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 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)
Travels in the East  •  Donald Richie  •  Stephen Mansfield TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2007 •  PAPER  • 180 PAGES The unmatchable, exuberant Richie (who winningly writes "New countries are like new clothes") muses on Egypt, India, Bhutan, Mongolia, China, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Borneo, Thailand, Yap, Korea, and Japan in this kaleidoscope of travel essays. (ASA63, $14.95)
Turning the Mind Into an Ally  •  Sakyong Mipham RELIGION •  2004 •  PAPER  • 234 PAGES A guide to meditation and practical introduction to the Buddhist teachings and traditions by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, director of Shambhala International and son of the Buddhist teacher Chogyam Trungpa. It's a good introduction to Tibetan Buddhism as practiced in Bhutan. (BHU25, $14.00)
Unbecoming Citizens: Culture, Nationhood, and the Flight of Refugees from Bhutan  •  Michael Hutt HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER A somewhat inflammatory analysis of a serious and complex situation, based largely on field work at refugee camps in southwestern Nepal. The book, a series of academic essays, is in part a history of relations between the kingdom of Bhutan and Nepalese settlers in the South. (BHU19, $18.75)
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)
Women in the Material World  •  Faith D'Aluisio  •  Peter Menzel CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1998 •  HARD COVER  • 256 PAGES A companion to the best-selling Material World: A Global Family Portrait, this unique book captures the diversity of women, their daily lives and work, in words and 350 stunning images. The author and photographer team interviewed women from 20 countries from Albania, Bhutan and India to the United States. Fascinating -- and an excellent introduction for the whole family to cultures and the conditions of women around the world. (GEN241, $22.00)
Material World, A Global Family Portrait  •  Paul Kennedy  •  Charles C. Mann  •  Peter Menzel CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1995 •  PAPER  • 255 PAGES An inspired idea, this book documents 30 families around the world with all their possessions arrayed around them. Each six- or eight-page photo-essay includes biographical notes, economic statistics and commentary. The cumulative impact of the photographs, biographical and social detail is fascinating -- and an excellent lesson in social geography. It includes a particularly good chapter on a Bhutanese family. With 370 color photographs. (GEN02, $25.00)