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)
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)
Ancient Futures, Learning from Ladakh  •  Dalai Lama  •  Peter Matthiessen  •  Helena Norberg-Hodge BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1992 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES With introductions by the Dalai Lama and Peter Matthiessen, this book comes with a good pedigree -- and its author has lived and worked in Ladakh since 1975. Norberg-Hodge documents her community work and changes from traditional ways of life. (HML24, $16.95)
Ancient Wisdom, Living Tradition, The Spirit of Tibet in the Himalayas  •  Marcia Keegan  •  Dalai Lama CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1998 •  HARD COVER  • 119 PAGES A lovely photo essay on Tibetan life and culture with short selections from the Bodhisattvacharyavatara, Dhammapada and other texts scattered alongside the photographs. With translations by Lobsang Lhungpa for this book, and a short introductory essay by photographer Marcia Keegan (TBT48, $34.95)
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)
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)
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)
Bhutan Map  •  ITMB 2006 •  MAP A double-sided traveler's map of Bhutan at an excellent scale of 1:380,000. With insets of Paro and Thimphu, trekking routes, key monasteries and visitor attractions, index and notes. (BHU06, $12.95)
Bhutan, A Visual Odyssey Across the Last Himalayan Kingdom  •  Michael Hawley CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 218 PAGES Remarkable in many respects, this gorgeously produced book features hundreds of photographs of the landscapes, places, festivals and especially the people of Bhutan. It's in part the record of four treks across the Himalayan kingdom by Michael Hawley and his team from MIT. All proceeds from the book are donated by the publisher to education in Bhutan. It's Hawley's little big book, still an impressive five pounds. The world's largest book, from which it is drawn, is a 150-pound, 5-by-7-foot technical marvel, available upon request with a custom aluminum stand for a $15,000 donation. White glove overnight shipping by FedEx is included. (BHU20, $100.00)
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)
Bhutan, Land of the Thunder Dragon  •  John Berthold CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 162 PAGES A striking portfolio of color photographs of the people, villages, annual religious festivals, landscapes and Buddhist traditions of Bhutan. (BHU21, $29.95)
The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives, An Illustrated Guide to Their Evolution and Natural History  •  Alan Turner  •  Mauricio Anton NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES A thoroughly researched and accessible guide to modern felines and their prehistoric ancestors. From the sabertooth tiger to the average house cat, this far-reaching natural history finds links between present-day species and fossil evidence to form an account of the anatomy, behavior and evolution of cats. Includes almost 200 amazingly detailed drawings. (BST50, $26.95)
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)
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)
Birds of India  •  Richard Grimmett  •  Carol Inskipp  •  Tim Inskipp FIELD GUIDE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A field edition of the masterful five-pound handbook to birds of the region (FG31), featuring the same stunning color plates, up-to-date range maps and condensed descriptive information. The book covers 1,300 bird species of the Indian Subcontinent from Nepal and Bhutan to Sri Lanka. With 153 color plates. Descriptions, range maps and illustrations are integrated on the same page for easy reference. Designed and built for use in the field with a sturdy binding and water-resistant cover. (FG43, $35.00)
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)
Birds of Northern India  •  Richard Grimmett  •  Carol Inskipp FIELD GUIDE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES A regional field guide by the authors of the masterful five-pound handbook to birds of the region (FG31) with 120 stunning color plates and condensed descriptive information, integrated on facing pages for easy reference in the field. The book covers the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat and Delhi. It does not cover northeast India (IDA222, $35.00)
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 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)
Circling the Sacred Mountain  •  Tad Wise  •  Robert Thurman TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 368 PAGES Buddhist scholar Robert Thurman's account of his journey, both physical and spiritual, to the sacred graveyards, monasteries, and meditation caves around Mount Kailas with Tad Wise and students. (TBT54, $18.00)
Classic Hikes of the World  •  Peter Pottersfield TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 224 PAGES Pottersfield features 23 treks in this beautifully illustrated volume. Each trip gets an extended photographic essay with a route description, maps and practical details. (WLD52, $39.95)
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)
Conflict Unending  •  Sumit Ganguly HISTORY •  2002 •  PAPER  • 200 PAGES An in-depth study of the turbulent relationship between India and Pakistan since independence in 1947, with a focus on Kashmir. (IDA223, $27.00)
The Crystal Horizon  •  Reinhold Messner  •  Jill Neate  •  Audrey Salkeld EXPLORATION •  1998 •  PAPER  • 322 PAGES Messner's account of the first successful solo ascent of Everest, which he accomplished without the aid of supplemental oxygen in 1980. (HML69, $24.95)
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)
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, A Trekker's Guide  •  Kev Reynolds GUIDEBOOK •  2005 •  PAPER  • 255 PAGES A brief pocket guide to seven treks in the Everst region (including one in Tibet) with sketch maps, good general information and a few photographs. (NPL45, $22.95)
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)
Falling Off the Map, Some Lonely Places of the World  •  Pico Iyer TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES Few writers capture the essence of a place -- or the humor of a situation -- like Pico Iyer. He devotes this winning, witty collection to out-of the-way destinations and far-flung islands. It includes his travels to North Korea, Argentina, Cuba, Iceland, Bhutan, Vietnam, Paraguay and Australia. (WLD27, $12.95)
The Far Pavilions  •  M. M. Kaye LITERATURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 960 PAGES An sweeping tale of love, adventure and war set during the British Raj. A monumental historical romance, the book follows the life a young British soldier who takes part in actual events leading to the Second Afghan War. Ben Cross played Ashton Pelham-Martyn in the 1984 mini-series. The book is better. (IDA195, $19.95)
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)
Footprint Tibet Handbook with Bhutan  •  Gyurme Dorje GUIDEBOOK •  2008 •  PAPER  • 800 PAGES • COMING IN SEPTEMBER A comprehensive guide to the whole of Tibet, including not just the central plateau but also the eastern provinces of Kham and Amdo, as well as chapters on Bhutan and the Kathmandu Valley. With maps, color photographs, and a brief overview of culture and history. Divided geographically, most of the book is devoted to kilometer-by-kilometer information on sights and attractions. Gyurme Dorje is a leading Buddhist scholar who knows the region as well as anyone. (TBT37, $29.95)
Free Spirit, A Climber's Life  •  Reinhold Messner  •  Jill Neate BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1998 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES From his native Dolomites to extraordinary adventures in the Himalayas and Antarctica, Messner recounts his life so far as a mountain pioneer. (GEN44, $19.95)
Funny Boy  •  Shyam Selvadurai LITERATURE •  1997 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES Building a complex portrait through detail of family, society and place, this prize-winning novel is a gay coming of age story set in contemporary Sri Lanka. Splendidly written. (SRL01, $14.00)
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 Hill Stations of Asia  •  Barbara Crossette TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES A modern tour of the mountain enclaves of colonial Asia -- appreciative, magnificently researched and engaging. Crossette, an Asia correspondent for the "New York Times," criss-crosses the continent visiting Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. (ASA13, $16.00)
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)
A Guide to the Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives  •  Richard Grimmett  •  Carol Inskipp  •  Tim Inskipp FIELD GUIDE •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 888 PAGES Beautiful, comprehensive and up-to-date, this is the definitive field guide to birds from Bhutan to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. It covers 1300 species -- and weighs 5 pounds. With 150 color plates and a detailed map for each species. Also available in a field edition (FG43). A major book, essential to serious bird watchers. (FG31, $132.00)
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, Personal Stories of Grandeur, Challenge, And Hope on the Roof of the World  •  Broughton Coburn  •  Richard C. Blum  •  Erica Stone CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2006 •  HARD COVER  • 256 PAGES A beautifully photographed overview of the geology, history and people of the Himalayas. With contributions by several National Geographic photographers, introductions by Jimmy Carter and the Dalai Lama, and an afterward by Sir Edmund Hillary. (HML78, $35.00)
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)
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)
In Search of Myths and Heroes, Exploring Four Epic Legends of the World  •  Michael Wood HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 272 PAGES The companion book to a PBS series. Wood sets out (lucky man) in search of Shangri-La, Jason of the Golden Fleece, Queen of Sheba and King Arthur. With 122 color illustrations and six maps. (EXP39, $18.95)
India  •  Stanley Wolpert HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 300 PAGES • BEST SELLER A wonderfully literate introduction to India by the acknowledged master. Author of 14 books and a professor of history since 1958, Wolpert distills a tremendous amount of information in this detailed overview, tackling the environment, religion and philosophy, the arts and sciences, domestic and foreign policy, and culture. (IDA04, $21.95)
India Map  •  ITMB 2006 •  MAP A double-sided shaded relief map of India at the excellent scale of 1:2,100,000, printed on tear and waterproof paper. With an index, it shows major roads, rivers, and locations of national parks. (IDA18, $10.95)
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)
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)
Insight Guide Nepal  •  Insight Guides GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER This handsome guide gives a profusely illustrated overview of Nepal, featuring concise essays by well regarded authors on history, nature and culture, hundreds of photos and maps, and some limited practical information. (NPL19, $23.95)
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)
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)
Kailash Trekking Map  •  Gecko Maps 1999 •  MAP A detailed topographic map (1:50,000) of the trekking route circling Mount Kailas. (TBT64, $16.95)
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, 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  •  Yanki Tshering LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  1998 •  PAPER  • 202 PAGES A slim guide 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. (TBT38, $19.95)
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 and Revelations of Pema Lingpa  •  Sarah Harding RELIGION •  2003 •  PAPER  • 200 PAGES A translation of the stories, meditations and discussions of Pema Lingpa (1450-1521), an important figure in Bhutanese religious history. This short book is both a source of teachings and full of historical information about Bhutan and the court of King Trisong Detsen. The editor Sarah Harding is a lama in the Shangpa Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. (BHU24, $14.95)
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)
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)
Lonely Planet Bhutan  •  Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 296 PAGES A compact travel guide to Bhutan with a good overview of culture, history and nature, sketch maps, a section of color photographs and plenty of practical detail on sightseeing and treks. (BHU11, $24.99)
Lonely Planet Nepal  •  Lonely Planet GUIDEBOOK •  2006 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A comprehensive, practical guide to Nepal featuring 50 sketch maps, a section of color photographs and the usual Lonely Planet attention to detail. (NPL28, $24.99)
Lonely Planet Northeast India  •  Mark Elliott  •  Joseph Bindloss  •  Lindsay Brown GUIDEBOOK •  2007 •  PAPER  • 376 PAGES This guide covers, in the hallmark Lonely Planet style, Calcutta, Sikkim, West Bengal and Orissa along with the newly opened Northeast states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur. With 40 maps, plus a two-color highlights map to help with itinerary design.Covering Sunderbans National Park. (IDA518, $22.99)
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)
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)
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)
Modern South Asia: History, Culture, Political Economy  •  Ayesha Jalal  •  Sugata Bose HISTORY •  2004 •  PAPER  • 253 PAGES A cogent, brief history of India from earliest times to the 1990s. Co-authored by a Pakistani and an Indian (professors of history at Tufts and at Harvard, respectively) the book is especially good on its coverage of the fractured post-Independence political landscape. Bose is a grandnephew of the renowned Indian freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose. Our friend, a doctoral candidate, directed us to this excellent history of the subcontinent. (IDA192, $35.95)
The Monk and the Philosopher: A Father and Son Discuss the Meaning of Life  •  Jean-Francois Revel  •  Matthieu Ricard RELIGION •  2000 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES A collection of dialogues on Buddhism, philosophy, science, politics, and other subjects. (REL28, $14.95)
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)
Mountaineering, The Freedom of the Hills  •  The Mountaineers GUIDEBOOK •  2003 •  PAPER  • 528 PAGES The essential handbook for mountaineers, in a seventh revised edition. With chapters on outdoor fundamentals, rock, snow, ice, and alpine climbing, emergency prevention and response, the mountain environment, and gear. (GEN267, $29.95)
The Mountains of My Life  •  Walter Bonatti BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2001 •  PAPER  • 442 PAGES The candid memoir of the great Italian climber and his adventures in the Alps, the Himalayas, and South America, including Bonatti's account of what happened on the summit of K2 in 1954 (which caused a ruckus in the Italian press, libel suits and other bad behavior). Many would agree Bonatti was treated badly by the press and Italian mountaineering community. Bonatti includes the 1986 report on the K2 affair by Robert Marshall, who also translated the book and provides an introduction. (ALP25, $16.95)
Mountains of the Mind, Adventures in Reaching the Summit  •  Robert Macfarlane TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES MacFarlane weaves anecdote, memoir and cultural history in this meditative account of the meaning of making it to the top. With chapters on glaciers, geology, the allure of fear, the desire to explore and what drives us to reach the summit. (HML65, $14.00)
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 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)
My Tibet  •  Dalai Lama  •  Galen Rowell CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1995 •  PAPER  • 162 PAGES Rowell captures the spirit and powerful allure of Tibet in this collection of striking color photographs of the people and landscapes. With accompanying essays by the Dalai Lama on ecology, environment, spirituality, Lhasa and Mt. Kailas. (TBT58, $45.00)
The Naked Mountain  •  Reinhold Messner  •  Tim Carruthers EXPLORATION •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 320 PAGES Legendary mountaineer Reinhold Messner recounts his first expedtion to an 8,000 meter peak (Nanga Parbat) in 1970 in this passionate memoir. Messner speaks out on the events that led to the death of his brother on the mountain and the controversy that followed in its wake. (HML70, $22.95)
Nanda Devi, A Journey to the Last Sanctuary  •  Hugh Thomson EXPLORATION •  2005 •  PAPER  • 126 PAGES An account of the history, allure and exploration of the isolated Himalayan sanctuary on the border of India and Tibet. Thomson (White Rock) interweaves his own adventures on an expedition in 2000 with those of illustrious predecessors like Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman. (HML66, $14.00)
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)
Northeastern India/Bangladesh Map  •  Nelles MAP A convenient regional map of northeastern India and Bangladesh at a scale of 1:1,500,000 by the travel publisher Nelles. With excellent topographic detail. (IDA98, $10.95)
Northern India Map  •  Nelles MAP A colorful regional map of northern India at a scale of 1:1,500,000 with excellent topographic detail. It includes a detailed map of Zanskar & Ladakh at a scale of 1:650,000 (IDA124, $10.95)
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)
Over the Mountains, An Aerial View of Geology  •  Michael Collier SCIENCE •  2007 •  HARD COVER  • 128 PAGES Collier, a geologist, writer and photographer, piloted a small plane to inaccessible mountain locations, returning with the breathtaking color photographs featured in this book. (NAT126, $34.95)
A Painter's Year in the Forests of Bhutan  •  A.K. Hellum NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  PAPER  • 148 PAGES An informal account of a year in Bhutan, featuring paintings of 100 mountain plants by a Norwegian-born forestry consultant. Hellum has also written and illustrated a guide to trees in Guyana. "This book is not about the art, science, or business of forestry; it is about a forester and his relationships with people, young and old, in Bhutan...It is a tribute to the natural history, people and religion of this remote and beautiful country," writes U of A professor of forest fire science Dr. Paul Woodard in a review of "A Painter's Year in the Forests of Bhutan." (BHU14, $18.95)
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 Plantsman in Nepal  •  Roy Lancaster NATURAL HISTORY •  1995 •  HARD COVER  • 240 PAGES A magnificently illustrated account of a three-month-long botanical expedition to the Upper Aran region of Eastern Nepal. With extensive color photographs, descriptions of the many plants he found and brought back for western gardens, and riveting tales of people and places he met along the way. (CHN59, $79.50)
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 Ramayana, A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic  •  R. K. Narayan LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 192 PAGES Novelist Narayan's translation of the adventures of the god Vishnu incarnated as Prince Rama, the great Hindu epic tale of heroism, love and fate. (IDA311, $13.00)
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)
Road to Katmandu  •  Patrick Marnham TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 160 PAGES Marnham's classic account of an overland journey from Istanbul to Nepal via Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and India in 1968. Originally published in 1971, Markham was one of many souls seeking enlightenment (and drugs) on the Hippie Trail. (ASA47, $16.95)
Rough Guide Music Himalayas  •  Various Artists MUSIC •  2002 •  AUDIO CD A carefully chosen sampling of the diverse sounds of the Himalayas. A melding of styles from Northern India, Ladakh, Tibet, China, Nepal and Bhutan, this collection includes monastic chants and traditional folk ballads. (NPL53, $14.95)
Sacred Tibet  •  Philip Rawson ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1991 •  PAPER  • 96 PAGES A concise, illustrated survey of the Buddhist art of Tibet in its religious, social and cultural context. With 136 photographs and an excellent short explanation of religious iconography. (TBT18, $15.95)
The Sailfish and the Sacred Mountain, Passages in the Lives of a Father and Son  •  Will Johnson TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES The spiritual tale of a journey by the author (founder and director of the Institute for Embodiment Training) with his son to Tibet's Mount Kailas. (TBT79, $16.95)
Savage Summit: The True Stories of the First Five Women Who Climbed K2, the World's Most Feared Mountain  •  Jennifer Jordan EXPLORATION •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 300 PAGES The stories of five women who made it to the top of K2 from 1986 to 1995, told in order of their summits: Wanda Rutkiewicz, Liliane Barrard, Julie Tullis, Chantal Mauduit and Alison Hargreaves. She draws on letters and interviews in building her tale. (HML68, $24.95)
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  •  Heinrich Harrer BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1997 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES First published in 1953, this is the riveting account of a young Austrian adventurer and mountaineer who became tutor to the Dalai Lama. Imprisoned by the British in India as WWII erupted, he escaped across the Himalayas to the holy city of Lhasa, remaining with the Tibetans until he fled with the Dalai Lama in the Chinese invasion of 1950. A classic. (TBT02, $14.95)
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)
Shopping for Buddhas  •  Jeff Greenwald TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES • COMING IN SEPTEMBER A funny tale of searching every last corner of Kathmandu for just the right statue of Buddha. In addition to his tourist's obsession with getting the ideal souvenir, Greenwald offers amusing and insightful meditations about Nepalese culture, politics and religion. (NPL25, $10.95)
Sikkim Map  •  ITMB MAP A full-color detailed map of Sikkim for travelers at a scale of 1:140,000. (HML75, $9.95)
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 Snow Lion and the Dragon, China, Tibet and the Dalai Lama  •  Melvyn C. Goldstein HISTORY •  1997 •  PAPER  • 130 PAGES A brief history of the relationship of China and Tibet in the 20th century. Goldstein, a professor of history and expert on the region, includes a call for the United States to take an active role in mediating a diplomatic solution to the conflict. (TBT23, $17.95)
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)
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)
The Struggle for Modern Tibet, The Autobiography of Tashi Tsering  •  Melvyn C. Goldstein  •  William Siebenschuh  •  Tashi Tsering BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2000 •  PAPER  • 220 PAGES A frank account of the complex life of a man inducted as a young boy into the Tibetan religious elite, later imprisoned in China during the Cultural revolution, who now teaches English the university in Lhasa. It's an excellent portrait of society and challenges in modern Tibet. (TBT53, $26.95)
Tales of Mountaineering  •  Stefano Ardito EXPLORATION •  2007 •  HARD COVER  • 320 PAGES An oversize photographic history of the great ascents and climbers in 20th-century mountaineering. (EXP51, $35.00)
Tales of the Rose Tree, Ravishing Rhododendrons and Their Travels Around the World  •  Jane Brown NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  HARD COVER  • 320 PAGES An English garden writer, Brown offers an entertaining, learned whirlwind tour through the social, commercial and botanical history of the much-loved ornamental, including a roundup of early collecting forays into Asia and the Himalayas. (GEN372, $35.00)
Tales of Tibet: Sky Burials,