Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #58964 in Books
• Published on: 1988-11-17
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Synopsis
Imprisoned in India by the British when WWII was declared, Austrian climber Heinrich Harrer escaped, crossing the Himalayas to Tibet. Settling in Lhasa, the Forbidden City, he became the tutor and friend of the present Dalai Lama in this classic of adventure literature. Heinrich Harrer, already a famous mountaineer and Olympic ski champion, was caught by the outbreak of the Second World War while climbing in the Himalayas. An Austrian national, he was imprisoned by the British in India. By an almost super-human effort, on his third attempt he succeeded in escaping from the internment camp and fled into Tibet. After a series of remarkable experiences in a country never crossed before by a Westerner, Harrer reached the forbidden city of Lhasa. He stayed there for seven years, learned the language and acquired a greater understanding of Tibet and the Tibetans than any Westerner had ever before achieved. He became the friend and tutor of the young Dalai Lama and finally accompanied him into India when he was put to flight by the Red Chinese invasion.

Made into a successful motion picture starring Brad Pitt, this is a stunning story of incredible courage and self-reliance set against the backdrop of a mysterious and magnificent culture.

Customer Reviews

Nazi propaganda
Nobody seems to have noticed that the reason that the British imprisoned Harrer was that he was a member of the Nazi Party, and thus a security threat and an enemy of democracy. Unsurprisingly, he then hooked up with another old reactionary bigot, the Dalai Lama. Sorry guys - forget the reactionary daydreams, wake up and know the truth!

Excellent
This is a great read about life in Tibet before it got truly opened up to the west and before the Dalai Lama's exile. If you've seen the film you know roughly what to expect, but I found myself enjoying this book more than the film itself. The translation is excellent and the style is immensely easy to read and gets you involved in the story right away. A great read about Tibetan life and culture, as well as a story of one man's spiritual growth and development.

superb
this book is superb. having known nothing about tibet, i now can say i have at least a passing knowledge about this incredible country.
this is a must-read book - you're sure to enjoy it.