Product Description

In December 1903 a British army marched over the Himalayas to counter a non-existent Russian threat and was confronted by a medieval Tibetan army ordered to stop it by non-violent means. It was a clash between the mightiest political power in the world and the weakest: a land of mystery locked behind the most formidable natural barriers on earth and governed by a reincarnate lama. Leading what was supposed to be a peaceful political mission was the charismatic Francis Younghusband. At his side, a group of young officers who were as eager as he to be the first Europeans in almost a century to reach Lhasa: to gaze, as one of their number put it, 'with awe upon the temples and palaces of the long-sealed Forbidden City'. But commanding the army escort was an officer determined to do things by the book: General James Macdonald, known to his troops as 'Retiring Mac'. The result was conflict at every level, with a tragic outcome that both enthralled and shocked the outside world. Drawing on diaries, letters and unpublished first-hand accounts, Charles Allen overturns this accepted view, presenting the real story of what became known to history as the Younghusband Mission.In doing so, he reveals not only the true character of one of Britain's great imperial heroes but also the calamitous outcome for the Tibetan people of Britain's last attempt at empire-building.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #479514 in Books
• Published on: 2004-02-16
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 350 pages

Review
'[Allen's] intimate knowledge of the subcontinent's people and terrain is used to full effect in this evocative, heart-breaking story ... Elegantly written and rigorously researched, Duel in the Snows proves once again that Allen is a narrative historian without peer.' -- Saul David, Daily Telegraph 20040224 '[Duel in the Snows] has a wonderful contemporary resonance...as a quest, the story has a magnificent and romantic peroration which still sends shivers down the spine.' -- Literary Review (Matthew Leeming) 20040101 "The bitter behind-the-scenes quarrels and recriminations which plagued the Younghusband expedition are explored in greater and more graphic detail than ever before in Charles Allen's absorbing new account of this controversial imperial adventure of a hundred years ago." -- Peter Hopkirk, Author of the Great Game 20040101 'Fresh, revealing and ... endearing ... a touching ... book that reads extremely well' -- The Tablet 20040228 'The tale of the commission is epic stuff ... surprisingly topical ... a swashbuckling adventure told by Allen with flair and fairness, as well as humour and subtle satire ... vivid and all-encompassing' -- Geographical Magazine 20040301 'The author's survey of this extraordinary exterprise is truly masterly, and almost impossible to put down' -- Country Life 20040311 'Charles Allen is a master of his genre ... a fine sense of character and place. This is a vivid and evocative account of a strange foot-note in the history of British colonial campaigns' -- Military Illustrated 20040701 'A brilliantly researched and highly readable book that probably represents our best opportunity of gleaning the truth of what occurred' -- Geographical Magazine 20040301 'Allen's study is distinguished by the fact that he has drawn heavily on ... a rich variety of sources ... compulsive reading' -- Biblio 20050601 'Charles Allen's fine books tells the story through the words of those who were there ... [Colonel Francis Younghusband and Brigadier-General James Macdonald's] is a key relationship within the book and the author develops it well ... [This book] mirrors the current dilemma the world faces with regard to Afghanistan and Iraq. Certain political leaders would be well advised to read this book' -- Military Illustrated 20040801 'Elegantly written and rigorously researched, Duel in the Snows proves once again that Allen is a narrative historian without peer.' -- Saul David, Daily Telegraph 20040224 'The story has a magnificent and romantic peroration which still sends shivers down the spine.' -- Matthew Leeming, The Literary Review 20040101 'A swashbuckling adventure told by Allen with flair and fairness, as well as humour and subtle satire.' -- Geographical Magazine 20040301 'This is a story that more than justifies this admirable retelling' -- John Ure, Times Literary Supplement 20040101 'Charles Allen is a master of his genre.' -- Military Illustrated 20040701

The Tablet
'Fresh, revealing and ... endearing ... a touching ... book that reads extremely well'

Country Life
'The author's survey of this extraordinary exterprise is truly masterly, and almost impossible to put down'

Customer Reviews

Duel in the snows
I would endorse everything Dr Brandon says on the high quality and value of this book. Having read Younghusband's own account of the Mission (>50y ago! there was a copy in the school library) it was a fascinating contrast to read Charles Allen's very well researched and inevitably better balanced view of the adventure. As Allen comments, Younghusband expressed little understanding or appreciation of Gen Macdonald's organisational skills and the immensely hard work necessary for the expedition's logistic & military support, without which Younghusband wouldn't have got where he did. Particularly refreshing was Allen's appreciation of prevailing political circumstances and social attitudes, and his eschewing of the knee-jerk anti-imperialist jibes which are all too common in modern accounts of British activities in the heyday of the Empire. We should all bear in mind that the vast majority of us are the products of our times, acting without the benefit of future hindsight. Clearly Charles Allen understands this very well, and his book is all the more interesting for it.

A Most Enjoyable Book with Resonances in Recent British History
This very well written history of the 1904 Younghusband Mission to Lhasa in Tibet has all the dash and adventure one might expect to find in a John Buchan novel. However, in this case the story is true and very well researched from primary sources. Allen has taken great care to fully describe the leading characters and deals particularly well with the long simmering feud between the extrovert and egocentric Colonel Younghusband, head of the political mission, and the rather more staid and dependable Brigadier-General James Macdonald, who commanded the military escort. The author paints an excellent picture of the changing Tibetan landscape, the people and the highly unusual buildings and is equally good with the day to day experience of the British, Indian and Gurkha soldiers and numerous camp followers. There are particular resonances with recent British history in the bogus reasons put forward for the invasion of Tibet and the suggestions of threats to British interests that obligated the disastrous, from the Tibetan point of view, incursion. A most enjoyable, entertaining, and thought provoking book on a little known chapter of British history.

As always Charles Allen never fails to impress
Charles Allen shows you a world that though long gone was nevertheless very real for those that experienced it. These adventures were interesting, exciting and dangerous and this narrative historian helps you to imagine that you can see the events unfolding before you.